Belief in eco-friendly business could make a million

It's not Birkenstocks and burlap.

Today's environmentally aware consumer is all about recyclables and recycling. Nowadays, there's so much more available than you might think for the business community. Fabric and more made from recycled soda bottles and plastics; nylon-free recyclable material-so no off-gassing-for displays; recycled aluminum poles.

And Lia Lucero wants to turn her eco-friendly custom designs for trade-shows and exhibits into a million-dollar business.

Lucero, owner of Showpiece Enterprises on Highway 115 in Cornelius, competed successfully in the "Make Mine a Million $ Business" event in Charlotte Oct. 7. She receives perks as an awardee, including business advice and national exposure.

Lucero joins a network of women business owners who have declared their intent to grow their businesses into million dollar enterprises.

Lucero and family-husband and business director of operations Joel Smith and their daughters Virginia, 3, and Cecilia, almost 1 1/2 years-moved to Huntersville from Virginia in January 2008 for the "quality of life."

She'd started her business in 2003 with a marketing edge and decided two years ago to make the move into the corporate exhibit business. Lucero found that the business community in this region of N.C. understands the need for sustainability and being eco-friendly.

"It was definitely the right move for a business model," Lucero says.

The trade show industry will soon mandate that some percentage of exhibits and displays be green materials.

"The trade show and convention industry is the second largest offender when it comes to producing waste in the U.S." Lucero says. "I was very uncomfortable with that statistic and vowed that by using 'green' materials that are recycled and recyclable, Showpiece is going to be part of the solution to conserve our planet and not part of the waste problem that permeates the industry."

Lucero has been in business for herself for over five years and "there have been several evolutions up to now."

"I began as a marketing consultant for large corporations looking to expand their reach to specific markets. For example, women business owners. My marketing strategies for them always included a live event component, so I began helping them design and source their event booth production.

"I then partnered with our current director of operations to start producing exhibits in-house. When we moved the business from Virginia to North Carolina, we made the decision to start using environmentally sustainable materials wherever possible," Lucero says.

"We couldn't be happier with the enthusiasm everyone has for our product offerings. North Carolinians really 'get it' when it comes to going green," Lucero says. "This area, in particular, is very conscious about the environment and is discriminating about the products and services they choose that could affect it. We're very proud to be part of this community."

Her investment for the new path for the business has been about $40,000 in expansion costs to move into a showroom, outfit that showroom with exhibit examples and start staffing up.

"We're now looking beyond our immediate resources, though and seeking private investors that will help catapult us to the national scale," Lucero says

Her business plan has three-year sales projections hitting $1 million in revenue in 2010. "We are also planning a national roll out of Showpiece offices dedicated to producing green exhibits, graphics and cabinetry," she says.

Lucero says the company will be profitable by the second quarter of 2009.

"We projected $230,000 for 2008 and will fall a bit short of that due to the longer sales cycle due to the economy," she says. "We expect to close out the year at $200,000."

The economic downturn is affecting all sizes of businesses, and that has been a challenge for Lucero's new venture as well.

"The hardest part has been that fact that almost everyone that we talk to wants to buy our products, but they are challenged to do so by their budgets.

"I'm hearing this both from area small business owners and Fortune 100 corporations," she says. "But I'm confident that by building these relationships now, educating our existing and our target clients and doing whatever we can to help them succeed, we'll benefit in the long term."

Lucero's outlook is an outgrowth of experience in sales and marketing. "Building relationships is the best way to attract and retain clients no matter what product you're selling."

*******************************************

Showpiece Enterprises

This is how owner Lia Lucero described her business in her application for the "Make Mine a Million $ Business" competition:

Showpiece Enterprises specializes in face to face marketing, custom design and fabrication for tradeshow exhibits, corporate and small business environments, permanent installations in homes/offices and live events targeting the Women's Market. Whether it's a stage for a product introduction or sales meeting, a traveling exhibit, a prototype, tradeshow booth or home, Showpiece Enterprises can create it. In addition, Showpiece offers a line of heirloom quality sustainable children's furniture called SEEDlings and an environmentally sustainable line of custom cabinetry for home or office.

As a Make Mine a Million $ Business Program awardee, she will receive business growth resources from corporate sponsors-American Express OPEN, AIG, Dell, FedEx and Sam's Club. All awardees will receive:

o Inspiration, community, financing and mentoring from coaches and business experts from Count Me In.

o Platinum Business Cash Rebate Credit Card, a financial health analysis, and promotion in OPEN marketing and media campaigns from American Express OPEN.

o Help from a personal financial coach with a basket of spa goodies from AIG.

o A Dell shopping spree worth $1,000.

o Discounts from FedEx select shipping and office and print services.

o A Sam's Club membership.