Success Stories
Big Buzz Idea Group
For Melissa Lagowski, President of Big Buzz Idea Group, starting a business grew out of what she knew and loved to do. Melissa initially started Big Buzz in 2004 as a public relations and event marketing firm which provided support to Chambers of Commerce and community organizations that needed project related help but couldn’t afford to hire new staff. As former Executive Director of the Northcenter Chamber of Commerce, these organizations were close to her heart. Big Buzz helped with various community events and festivals, including Ribfest Chicago.
In 2006, Melissa took the 12 week FastTrac Planning: Maximizing Your Business series at the Women’s Business Development Center (WBDC). Through FastTrac Melissa learned that starting a business simply because she wanted to have a job she liked was not enough. Instead, she needed to be an expert at her business so she could build a strong foundation for Big Buzz. Since then Melissa has also taken advantage of other WBDC workshops, met with WBDC business counselors and attended the WBDC’s Annual Entrepreneurial Woman’s Conference.
In late 2008, Melissa began to reevaluate the direction of Big Buzz and look into how to bring in more corporate and private clients. She began having regular meetings with a WBDC business counselor who gave her resources to help her stay on task. Over the past year Big Buzz has fought hard to survive during the economic recession by being more aggressive with both marketing and networking efforts, and Melissa feels like this year is a culmination of all of those efforts.
Big Buzz is currently poised to double their net revenues over last year and has three full time employees. They also have projects in five communities, up from two last year, and through strategic alliances they have also been able to expand their reach north and west of Chicago into Cicero and the North Shore.
Recently Big Buzz client projects have included a multicultural restaurant crawl in Chicago’s Albany Park neighborhood and promotional events designed to bring merchants and residents together on Clark Street in Lincoln Park. Melissa says, “Big Buzz is taking on a range of new and different projects. I’m really starting to love my business more, and I’m excited to see what the future brings.”
For more information on Big Buzz Idea Group please click here.
Julie McNeil is founder and President of McNeil and Associates, a management consulting company focused on helping each client align people, processes and technology with their organization’s mission. Julie has almost 20 years of experience in human resources and training, and her expertise includes leadership, team performance and diversity. Originally working in corporate human resources, Julie then became a consultant and business trainer before finally starting her own business in 2006.
Julie takes a customized approach to each client, delivering transformational, professional development and business performance strategies. Her expertise in teambuilding and diversity helps bring people together, resolve conflicts and ultimately help clients move forward to improve profitability through staff development and targeted innovative solutions. McNeil and Associates consultants maintain over 30 years experience in a variety of industries including healthcare, financial services, manufacturing, media, consumer products, education and energy.
In 2008, Julie began the application process for participation in the U.S. Small Business Administration's 8(a) Business Development Program, a program created to help small disadvantaged businesses compete in the American economy and access the federal procurement market. Originally denied the 8(a) certification through numerous submittals, Julie turned to the WBDC for help in developing a clearly articulated strategy on why McNeil and Associates should receive the 8(a) certification. With help from the WBDC Finance Specialist and Procurement Technical Assistance Center Director, Julie was able to successfully complete the application process, and McNeil and Associates was certified as a participant in the SBA 8(a) Business Development Program in September 2009. This certification will allow Julie participate in the 8(a) business development program for nine years and will provide her with business development support and assistance in gaining access to federal procurement opportunities.
Currently Julie is in the middle of a number of exciting business opportunities, pursuing both corporate and government clients. McNeil and Associates was recently selected by the University of Chicago Hospitals to work with their leadership to focus on team performance and engagement as the organization continues to maintain its position as a premiere healthcare and medical research facility.
In January 2010, she launched a new company website (
http://www.mcneilandassociates.com/). Julie also continues to focus on giving back to the community through ProjectCIO, a nonprofit which works with inner-city public schools to prepare young people for success in technology and in life. Project CIO works to acquire technological resources and develop of curriculum that helps students stay competitive.
