For Letitia Clark, owner of the Calumet City medical supply company A New Way To Go, advancing access to medical equipment and supplies represents a life-long passion. Having learned the importance of equitable access to healthcare at her first job with the Cook County Health and Hospital System (CHHS), Letitia remains committed to improving access to healthcare for south suburban Cook County residents forty years later.

Letitia’s journey developing A New Way To Go taught her that running a small business is not without challenges: “There is no step by step guide … you just have to figure it out, you have to research it,” says Letitia. Through the dedicated guidance of her business advisor, Jerrica Hill from the SDA, a partner in providing The Source’s free one-on-one business advising, Letitia has leveraged resources through the SDA to help develop a dynamic business plan to not only “keep the doors open,” but to revitalize her business.

Since beginning business advising, Letitia pursued and won a contract with the Cook County Sheriff Office, providing custom wireless face masks for the County’s correctional facilities. Letitia has also hired a medical sales representative to help market and sell her products, and is planning her next steps to expand into new industries in the near future.
When asked what Letitia would like to share with other small business owners looking to start or scale their small businesses in Cook County, Letitia says, “Don't give up. There are resources out there. I would advise any small business to take advantage of the resources that any city or county may have.”

Thank you Letitia for allowing The Source to work with your small business!

Interested in starting your journey to small business success? Connect with one of our expert advisors at no cost, today! Learn more and sign up here!

Meet Latrice Wright, owner of Pink Panini, a restaurant in Hazel Crest, IL that provides the Southland community with fresh soups, sandwiches, salads, and much more. After 16 years of service at the Chicago Housing Authority, Latrice learned firsthand how hard it could be to fit a healthy lunch into a packed schedule. Because of this, she was inspired to create a place where busy, working people can stop by and get a quick, healthy, and “delicious meal that puts a smile on your face.”

Realizing that Hazel Crest lacked a business like the one she envisioned, Latrice decided to “bet on herself” and establish Pink Panini, but found that starting a business was not without challenges. “The hardest part of being an entrepreneur,” Latrice shared, “is that it often feels like you are alone.” However, with the Southland Development Authority’s (SDA) assistance, a partner within The Source’s BSO network, Latrice learned that she did not have to navigate her entrepreneurial journey alone.

Latrice first started her business advising journey by seeking out application assistance for the 2023 Source Grant. Through the support of her business advisor, Marisela Zambrano, a Relationship Manager with the SDA, Latrice has also adopted new marketing and employee retention strategies. Latrice shares, “The SDA has been assisting me with anything that I need to build my business, to make it grow.” She is now launching a second dining option, Crabs and Cocktails, opening soon next door to Pink Panini, offering seafood, entertainment, and providing the neighborhood “something that they don’t have already.”

Most recently, Latrice became one of the lucky recipients of the 2023 Source Grant and she plans to utilize the grant funds to “catch up on inventory, payroll, and maintenance,” as she recovers from the challenges of the post-pandemic economy.

The Source is excited to showcase small business owners like Latrice in 2024! Want to get involved? Connect with our network of expert business advisors today for no-cost business advising, click here to learn more.