“No matter how successful you are, you have to give back. Remember what you reap is what you sow, so always plant good seeds,” say Markeith and Whittney Cook, owners of Whittney’s Beauty Bar.
The Cooks opened their thriving hair salon in 2017 in El Dorado. They started the business with goals beyond making a living.
Making the Vision a Reality
Business ownership was very important to the Cook family. “We have five daughters, and it was important for us that they see their mother owning and running her own business in hopes that it would inspire them,” said Markeith.
The Cooks were referred to the Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center at Southern Arkansas University by friend and mentor Greg Modica. Modica is a local small business owner who had previously worked with the ASBTDC. A lender also recommended contacting the center.
From this word-of-mouth referral, the center guided the Cooks through the process of creating their business plan and securing funding to start the business. The couple drew on ASBTDC’s experience working with banks and other financial institutions, positioning them well to go after funding.
The Making of Success
After securing an SBA Express loan, the Cooks followed the business plan to launch the business.
Markeith supported Whittney, the creative genius, in the development of the business. For the first five months, Whittney was a one-woman show. Today, the business has five additional stylists and is at capacity.
The first addition to the team was a braider. A barber comes from Little Rock and works in the shop on weekends. The salon also has a makeup artist who assists with weekends and special events.
Giving Back
Whittney’s Beauty Bar did not hesitate to join the El Dorado-Union County Chamber of Commerce, and Markeith is currently serving on the chamber board of directors.
But the Cooks did not stop there. They “pay it forward” with community service. Last month, for example, Whittney hosted a group of girls from the Boys and Girls Club of El Dorado at the salon.
“We are very involved in our community,” says Markeith, who recently organized a non-profit called the Coalition of Black Professionals. “We volunteer our time to worthy causes, and we also create business friendly events that we feel can be beneficial to small businesses.”
The group recently hosted a Small Business Summit in El Dorado and invited David Moody of the Small Business Administration district office and Janell Morton, center director for the Southern Arkansas University ASBTDC, to speak.
Markeith believes in the value of the SAU ASBTDC and shares information about the center every chance that he gets, often in the same way that he first heard about it – by word of mouth.
“This is a free resource that can help you develop your business from A-Z. They are very professional and helpful to their clients,” he said.
Photo courtesy of Whittney and Markeith Cook