The Clear Channel Outdoor Excellence in Business Awardrecognizes and rewards the success of an experienced small business owner. Winner
Rahr & Sons Brewing brews and packages some of the finest craft beers in America. Several of its beers have won major national and international awards, including National Grand Champion 2009 United States Beer Tasting Championships and a Bronze Medal at the 2008 World Beer Cup. The Rahr family has been making beer for generations. Fritz Rahr’s great, great grandfather came to America from the German Rhineland in 1847 and within the year, established the Eagle "Rahr" Brewery and Malt House on the banks of Lake Michigan. In 2004 Fritz Rahr and partners followed suit, building the current brewery on South Main Street in Fort Worth. In 2006, Rahr put its limited financial resources into representing the Rahr brand to grocery stores, bars and restaurants to create local demand. This included brewing award winning beers and hosting Saturday Tour and Tasting events.
Finalists
Martha White, Babies on the Boulevard
Babies on the Boulevard sells gifts and clothing for newborns, babies and young children designed to create memories and spontaneous gasps of ooh, ahh, and "how adorable!" When owner Martha White launched the business 10 years ago, she was ignorant of products and procedures, she admits. She went to the Dallas Market and "threw herself on the mercy of the vendors to show us the ropes." She also went to the Business Assistance Center to research children’s clothing stores, to learn what she could expect as return on investment and "what I don’t know that I don’t know." The combination of self-study and assistance of counselors who pointed her to the correct resources helped her take advantage of the opportunity of additional space, and enhance it.
Joanne Ingle, DFW Movers & Erectors, Inc.
No item is too heavy or too delicate for DFW Movers. The company is equipped to move/relocate everything from food processing and metal stamping equipment to MRI machines and fragile sculptures. This versatility allows DFW Movers & Erectors to serve clients in a wide range of industries, including aerospace, automotive, energy, food and beverage, high-tech, mechanical contracting, medical and clean room services. Joanne and Neal Ingle founded DFW Movers & Erectors, Inc. in 1980 with one truck and a commitment to quality services and customer satisfaction. Today, the Fort Worth-based company is one of the leading rigging and millwright contractors in the nation. Joanne is active within the Business Assistance Center. She’s participated in Entrepreneur Expo as an exhibitor every year, and as sponsor of the Construction Zone for the past two.
Donna Williams, Mid-Cities Insurance Agency
Mid-Cities Insurance Agency provides property and casualty insurance for residential and commercial properties. Owner Donna Williams says that her ideal target market is commercial property or businesses in the Fort Worth/Dallas region. Her business has grown "Expo-nentially" since opening in 2005, with double-digit percentage increases each year for five years. Donna defines success in her business by client retention. Her 93% retention rate is a source of great pride and reinforces that what she’s doing is working and "doing right" by her clients. Her secret to success is her attention to detail and the care her team provides for their clients, one policy at a time. She’s confident that she has products that are available and competitive - and that no one can beat her attention to quality customer care.
Bruce & Birgit Anderson, Sunset Winery, LLC
Bruce Anderson and his wife Birgit began making wine at Texas Hills Winery in Johnson City, Texas in 2003. In 2004 they converted their former Burleson residence into a winery and began selling products in 2005. Sunset Winery’s marketing plan is three-pronged: marketing to wine consumers through local press, advertising and on-site signage; marketing to businesses with plans for a targeted direct mail campaign and marketing to restaurants and beverage stores. After trying "hand selling" to this market with some success, Bruce has determined that a distributor with an established client base and a number of sales reps in the major markets in Texas can be more effective. Cash flow permitting, the Andersons’ long-term future plans include building a winery that would include a restaurant, event space/ballroom and a bed and breakfast. Short-term, they plan to upgrade equipment and enhance the aesthetics of the winery and vineyard.
The winner will receive an award package valued at more than $25,000! Including:
Clear Channel Outdoor billboard advertising
Five 30-sheet billboards
Creative session with Clear Channel’s Artists
Production of Materials
24 Weeks of coverage
Locations based on availability
An award presented at The Entrepreneur Expo 2009
A professional headshot
Featured coverage in post-Expo press releases
A plaque at the Fort Worth Business Assistance Center
Benefits of billboard advertising include:
Targets specific audiences demographically and geographically
Creates rapid consumer top-of-mind awareness
Provides continuous presence, resulting in high frequency, multiple exposures
Maximizes brand awareness
Ideal for new product or service introductions
Stimulates sales near point-of-purchase locations
Provides efficiencies to media marketing plans by lowering cost per thousand impressions
