Make Business Happen at GCC Grant

Laura Morales started Hands2Teach micro school for deaf and hard-of-hearing kids after she studied and learned how to teach her own daughter sign language, English and Spanish. She wants to share her passion and knowledge of how to enrich the lives of deaf and hard-of-hearing children through bilingual education.

Hands2Teach contact information

Website: www.hands2teach.com/

Facebook: Hands2Teach

Instagram @hands2teach

Email: hands2teach@gmail.com

Phone: (602) 503-0062

Eva has been an artist all her life. She has a passion for making amazing cake creations and she is starting her cake decoration company: Big Day Cakes. She makes beautiful cakes from simple designs all the way to life-size cake creations into edible art. 

Big Day Cakes contact information

Website: www.bigdaycakesaz.com

Facebook - Big Day Cakes

Instagram - Bigday_cakes

Email: eva@bigdaycakesaz.com

Phone: (602) 510-9765

Gabriel Bey is the owner of the Moorish Manor and he is also a composer, publisher, trumpeter and Spooky Kool jazz band leader. 

Gabriel is working towards his vision for the Valley, which is to see it become a destination for Arts and Culture and to establish the Valley as the center for growth, economic opportunities, and elevating the resident’s quality of life, particularly in the arena of Music and Film. 

Gabriel performs with many different artists, but his joy comes from performing with the many different area jazz bands. In addition to performing, he manages up-and-coming and underserved artists. 

Find out more about Gabriel Bey and his music.

Moorish Manor Publishing, Management contact information

(623) 221-5215

www.gabrielbey.com

gabe@moorishmanor.com

Twitching Eye Studios is an online art shop and event vendor selling a wide variety of items created by two artists: Kristen Kellner (founder/owner) and Tiffany Shore. Kristen is a fine art painter and textile artist who works in a wide variety of media. She creates original paintings, 3D pieces, artist prints, merch, and niche greeting cards. Tiffany Shore is our resident crafter, and she creates origami, jewelry, makeup bags, hair accessories, sewing products, and resin work.

Most of their products will be appealing to everyone, but their niche greeting cards are designed for anyone who does not fit into the American societal norm: middle-class, white, heterosexual, and Christian with uncomplicated family dynamics. Real life is infinitely more nuanced than the norm, so our cards offer honest communication, genuine sentiment, realistic and pessimistic perspectives, and an inclusive selection of holidays, audiences, and content. 

Their products are available online and at art festivals, renaissance fairs, craft shows, and comic conventions. Our first event is downtown Peoria's Second Saturdays on this coming Saturday, November 14, 2022.

Twitching Eye Studio contact information 
(623) 920-7612 (text preferred)
twitchingeyestudios@gmail.com

When Maria Pina took a job cleaning houses, it was just supposed to be temporary. She was about to return to school as a single mom and simply needed to make ends meet. The work was physically demanding but she immediately saw the difference in her clients’ lives. They were happier in their sanctuary; they were more productive; and of course, their home was clean and organized. “Soon clients were referring Maria to their friends and family. She said, “I knew then that I had something special on my hands that I could build up”. She launched MVP Housekeeping & Concierge Services later that year, offering resort-style house cleaning and personal assistant services. But in order to grow, she needed funding for equipment, marketing material and licenses. When she learned about the Make Business Happen at GCC grant opportunity, she immediately applied and was ecstatic to later learn she was awarded $2,500. “Being awarded meant so much to me. It’s like someone else sees and understands the value of your business,” she says. “Receiving funding is amazing, and coupled with the opportunity to receive mentoring and advising from campus faculty and staff – that is exactly what I needed to grow my business. Everything came together at just the right time.”

Maria has implemented the advice that her mentor, Dr. Gabriela Cojanu, suggested. “I lacked understanding in several areas, and I’m still growing, but Dr. Cojanu has been a tremendous force in helping me grow personally and professionally. My confidence has grown leaps and bounds. I look forward to continuing on my learning journey with her.”

MVP Housekeeping Contact

Phone: (480) 343-0837

My Name is Sandy Shockley-Jones. I am a registered nurse who understands the critical foundation of customer service. My husband and I started a heavy equipment transportation business. S&S Express Heavy Transport, LLC dba Valley Wide Xpress Transport. We formed our LLC in late February 2022 and bought our first truck in March. We did not start generating income until August as we had to overcome a lot of obstacles to purchase our lowboy trailer. In the first three weeks generating income, we generated $12,669.78 in billables. I can only imagine what our first fiscal year will bring.

For me, the Make Business Happen grant made it possible to make repairs on our truck, pay for insurance and make a truck payment. I am not sure what we would have done if we did not receive the grant. Thank you so much to Glendale Community College for this opportunity. We would not have made it without the support of my professor Dr. Gabriela Cojanu, SBCD advisors and the team that put together the grant program. I advise any student who is thinking about starting a business and needs funds to apply for this grant.

S&S Express Heavy Transport Contact: 

Phone: (480) 277-2971

valleywidexpress.com

sandy@valleywidexpress.com

Megan Bonno, the founder of Designs from Thread, has already started her business when she applied and was awarded third place ($1000) at the GCC Innovation Challenge 2022. Her company is an embroidery shop specializing in uniforms and custom designs for businesses and customers. She is a minority-owned business whose mission is to offer people with autism a great place to work as well as be an advocate for equal pay for people with disabilities. 

Designs from Thread Contact: 

Email: mbonno01@gmail.com 

Phone: (602) 826-5579 

Website: https://designsfromthread.com/

Kaitlyn Benincosa, the founder of Belle Botanical & Creations, was awarded this grant in Spring 2021. She graduated from Glendale Community College with an associate in Nutrition & Exercise Science.  She is the creator of Belle Botanical & Creations, where she makes silk floral arrangements for weddings and other events. 

In her own words: “Having the opportunity to receive this seed funding will help me immensely! I look forward to the future mentorships and information that I will learn, to help build up my small business. Not only is the mentorship factor important, but receiving the $2,500 funding will help purchase the start-up materials I need. Sometimes, the hardest part about starting a small business is purchasing the beginning supplies, but this seed funding is easing that process for me. I am beyond honored to have such a great college, professors, family members and friends always there supporting my dreams” (Kaitlyn Benincosa, 2021). 

Belle Botanical & Creations Contact:

Email: bellebotanicalcreations@gmail.com

Website: bellebotanicalcreations.com

Instagram: instagram.com/bellebotanicalcreations

Facebook: facebook.com/bellebotanicalcreations