Teresa’s Treasures

After a life threatening accident and subsequent brain tumor diagnosis, Teresa Nelson knew she would have obstacles to overcome in her second chance at life. Determination, fortitude and perseverance are no strangers to her, as she has been an overachiever and an entrepreneur at heart for as long as she can remember.

In 2000, Teresa’s Treasures Gourmet Baskets and Gifts opened as a home based business, but quickly required more space. An 1,800 square foot office park space became available and housed the booming business for about 18 months. During that time, the business grew from $25,000 to $65,000. It has continued to experience rapid growth.

When Nelson first came to the Tarrant SBDC in late 2002, she needed assistance in developing financial projections to analyze the risk of her first expansion. A counselor, Cle Royal, recommended she also attend the FastTrac GrowthVenture class. Through this practical, hands-on program from the Kaufmann Foundation, Teresa learned to plan for strategic growth by aligning all aspects of her business.

As an outcome of FastTrac, Nelson developed a strategic business plan focused on long-term growth, developed operational plans for daily management, and created a marketing plan to measure results of her current marketing efforts under the guidance of counselor Robin Lasher. Teresa cites “the invaluable services of the Tarrant County College SBDC for direction, growth management issues, research and general advice.”

Teresa’s Treasures has averaged growth of 100-200% for the last several years and continues to manage ongoing plans for steady, healthy, long-term growth. Since 2003, the company has relocated twice to larger facilities – first to a 6,000 square foot space and then to an 8,000 square foot space two years later. Each time, Nelson sought the advice of her SBDC counselors to ensure that she was making sound business decisions. Her current space houses eight employees and an inventory of over 1,500 gourmet food products.

Through market research, Teresa learned of a prominent need for Fort Worth themed gifts and amenities for tourists, conventions and city guests. After a year of research, meetings with business leaders and product development, she recently received support from Mayor Mike Moncrief and the Convention and Visitors Bureau to launch such a program using the official city logos. Over the next 6-18 months Nelson will measure the growth potential of the program, as thousands of travelers visit Fort Worth and meeting planners utilize the items to market Fort Worth as a destination of choice.

Recently, Lasher helped her develop a modified version of her business plan that was submitted and won Designer of the Year, a national award presented at the gift basket industry’s annual conference. She was featured on the cover of the industry’s premier trade magazine, Gift Basket Review.

“It’s been a pleasure working with a client like Teresa who plans for successful growth. When she recognizes a new opportunity, Teresa knows the SBDC is her partner and that we’re available to provide her with the expertise, information and support she needs,” says Tarrant SBDC Director David Edmonds.