Plant City resident and entrepreneur Roderick Henderson is the owner and founder of Uggh Inc., a local clothing company. Although Henderson, 25, is an up-and-comer in the Winter Strawberry Capital of the World, he has watched many of his entrepreneurial friends and classmates take their big ideas to bigger cities.
“Growing up in Plant City … I saw people leave,” Henderson said. “People felt as though there were no opportunities.”
But the young business owner is hoping that will change with the help of the Improvement League Business Incubator Project.
The immediate goal of Business Incubator is to teach entrepreneurial-minded individuals, such as Henderson, the ins and outs of a running a business through program mentors and practice application.
After Henderson started Uggh Inc., he was faced with a number of business challenges he hadn’t anticipated. Knowing other innovators were likely facing the same roadblocks, Henderson approached the Improvement League of Plant City in summer 2014 to help launch Business Incubator. Henderson has become the Business Incubator’s project manager.
“What do we need? What don’t we know? How can we grow?” Henderson asked. “The Improvement League gave us resources. A lot of people gained basic knowledge. That was the start.”
MEET THE MENTORS
Although it’s only been a year, Henderson has a number of businesses and mentors involved in the program.
Florida State Rep. Dan Raulerson has met with the program’s new business owners every six to eight weeks. So far he has taught multiple classes on budgeting, taxation and strategic planning. He is also able to offer his own experiences about owning a business.
“From my perspective … I think the budget process is the single most important skill set in running any business,” Raulerson, who has a background in accounting, said. “Any time you do a budget, you find out something you didn’t know before about your business.”
Leaders from local banks, including Gail Lyons, vice president of Regions Bank, are also involved. She’s joined forces with Wells Fargo to teach program attendees how to obtain loans for their small businesses.
Mentors also teach business owners about investing, financial planning and marketing.
Members of the Improvement League continue to offer their own mentorships. The Improvement League members come from a variety of different careers, including law enforcement and education. The program has also received help from Congressmen Dennis Ross and Stacy White.
HAVE A PLAN
With a foundation, the next step of the program is putting the business owners’ new skills on paper by creating strategic and business plans.
“You gotta make sure those businesses clearly understand what’s being taught,” William Thomas, president of the Improvement League, said. “This program, through Roderick, has really made a lot of leaps and bounds. We’re at the cusp right now. This thing is really getting big.”
As the young entrepreneurs progress in the program, they learn about branding, promotions and working with the media. In the future, there are thoughts of developing patents and copyrights.
Besides teaching entrepreneurs how to run a business, the program also teaches sustainability.
The program falls in line with the City of Plant City’s focus on attracting new businesses and maintaining current businesses, especially in areas along Interstate 4 and Midtown.
Thomas hopes that future business owners will look toward certain areas, as well, such as Laura Street and Midtown. He also hopes that business owners will not only choose to work in Plant City but live here.
“We’re very excited to see young, thriving businesses come to Plant City,” Thomas said. “Our hope is that by getting young people involved … (they’ll) live here and become stakeholders.”
Business Incubator is currently looking for other entrepreneurs to join the program, as well as mentors. Email mr.leehenderson@gmail.com.
Contact Emily Topper at etopper@plantcityobserver.com.
ABOUT THE INNOVATOR
Roderick Henderson, 25, is a Plant City native who received his associate’s degree from Hillsborough Community College.
He is the owner and founder of Uggh Inc., a local clothing company. His brother, Coleman Haughbrook, is the owner of H. Brook Inc., which Henderson is also involved with. After facing challenges within the first year of business ownership, Henderson formed the Business Incubator Project with the Improvement League of Plant City. The project has grown to involve five companies, including Henderson’s and Haughtbrook’s, and a number of local mentors.
He is also involved with the Bealsville Community Outreach Movement, was recommended to the Improvement League by BCOM President George Williams and tutors at Plant City High School and HCC. He enjoys doing freelance digital art in his spare time.
Henderson has two children and is engaged to Chelsie Gordon.