Grayson SBDC Celebrates Success

Grayson Small Business Development Center (SBDC) is preparing to celebrate the first SBDC Day on Wednesday, Mar. 22. SBDC Day is a national movement to help share the small business success stories and notable impact SBDCs have fostered in communities nationwide.

“Every day SBDCs help aspiring entrepreneurs start new businesses, secure capital and create jobs,” said Dr. Karen Stidham, Director of the Grayson Small Business Development Center, “and through the years, we have had some tremendous success stories.”

Beth Purcell, owner of Polies in Honey Grove, is one of those success stories. Beth Purcell’s mother struggled with chronic illness in the late 90’s and began experimenting with easily digestible, raw nutritious food. One day she rolled a mixture into a ball with a sweet vanilla coating, and offered it to her children. They were hooked!

During the summer of 2012, Beth and her sister began combining their mother’s old recipe with some new twists of their own, and Polies—named for the similarly shaped Texas pill bug—became a reality.

With the help of her father, they purchased an 1890’s building on the square in downtown Honey Grove in 2016. Beth built a commercial kitchen and began selling Polies at farmers’ markets, festivals, marathons, running events and on-line at poliescompany.com.

Today, Beth’s mom is doing well, and is very involved with the company.  As a retired doctor, and the true creator of Polies, she plays a major role educating Beth and her sister on what the body needs to function properly and how Polies can meet those needs. Their mom also fills in, as needed, to make and ship orders, and give input on new recipe ideas while their dad, a certified financial planner, offers business and financial advice.

The product has also gained the attention of Agri-Life and is participating in their “Do Well, Eat Well with Diabetes” workshops and may be picked up by a major grocery chain soon.

Business has changed dramatically in the last 37 years, from the introduction of new technologies to the expansion of global trade. And America’s Small Business Development Center (SBDC) network has been there throughout—helping small businesses succeed, and helping aspiring entrepreneurs achieve the American dream of owning their own business.

For more information on how Grayson Small Business Development Center can help your small business, contact Dr. Karen Stidham at 903-463-8787.

###