Rebecca Koury: Small Business Leadership Academy Past Participant

Rebecca Koury discusses how her participation in the Small Business Leadership Academy has benefited her and her business, Prudential Cleanroom Services.

---

Small Business Leadership Academy Past Participant:

Rebecca Koury
Prudential Cleanroom Services

Tell us about your business: We are a cleanroom laundry providing uniforms for controlled environments.

Year of participation in SBLA: 2011

What was the most important thing you learned from SBLA? There is so much that I learned. People: How to apply autonomy in relationships and how to empower people. Marketing: How to identify your product to sell. Negotiations: Building good relationships with vendors and how to get the best fair price. Strategy: How to organize your business and processes step-by-step to understand strengths and weaknesses.

How have you changed the way you do business based on what you learned during SBLA? I’m more focused and motivated when I use the tools I learned.

How has the SBLA alumni community been helpful to you since you went through the program? I learned so much in a peer setting. I realized I was not on a island by myself. Although our businesses are different, we face many of the same challenges. We were able to brainstorm together and to help each other with ideas and solutions. Really a compliment to the program.

What aspects of SBLA do you consider most valuable for other small business owners in Phoenix? I like the support the small businesses are being given through this program. It helps small businesses to re-evaluate and look at how to become better at what we do. It allows us the opportunity to grow in the community and to create jobs locally.