“D’Bug Lady” Returns To Wisconsin with the Help of WEN Partners

Carol Schriver-Kauscher has returned to Wisconsin! Carol, also known as “D’BugLady”, was a successful business woman in Cincinnati, Ohio. She planned on starting her second D’BugLady Pest Management Company and had every intention of locating it in Kentucky.

For years, Carol had asked her brother Harley Schriver to come work with her in Ohio. His response, “When are you bringing your business to Wisconsin?”

During a visit to celebrate her birthday with family, Carol passed her Wisconsin state exams for Pest Management in March, 2005.

A business location was the next question from Harley. Where in Wisconsin? Carol contacted agencies in Madison, La Crosse and Juneau County (where Carol and Harley grew up and their mother and family still reside). Terry Whipple, director of the Juneau County Economic Development Corporation, responded immediately.
 
He told her about the many business opportunities available and offered Carol reasonably priced office space at Castle Rock City Centre in Necedah.  Terry also introduced her to Paulette Bradley, a Certified Organic Consultant, and together they visited Organic Valley in La Farge.

While there, the concept of providing the least toxic and organic pest control to central Wisconsin was born.

Terry Whipple (JCEDC) invited Carol to join the Inventor’s and Entrepreneurs Club. While attending her second meeting, a fellow member asked Carol about licensing a D’BugLady business for his daughter. Carol is now exploring the possibility of licensing or franchising her federally registered trade name.

Carol and Harley continue to be active with the Inventors and Entrepreneurs Club. Carol’s new office is in Suite B at the Castle Rock City Centre where she has been sharing referrals with Todd Owens, a fellow small business owner who specializes in home inspections.
Todd recently referred Carol to a job on a carpenter ant infestation. 

Harley is now working with a group of local growers to start a direct marketing cooperative which will be headquartered in the Castle Rock City Centre.

Carol is planning on expanding her business to include packaging of “green and least toxic” pest control products in consumer friendly kits.  They will be marketed under the “U D’Bug” federally registered trade name. 

She is working with the EPA and various states to begin manufacturing her own line of privately labeled products. Carol will soon be using some of her own “trade secrets” to begin production and marketing of these pest control products.

The Juneau County Economic Development Corporation has also helped Carol to apply for Hub Zone and 8A certification to help go to the head of the line for government contracts and sales.  More certification leads to a higher level of contract awards and more sales.

Terry Whipple recently set up a telephone interview with Carol, Harley and Jan Gallagher of the SBDC in La Crosse.  Jan is helping them to apply for an Early Planning Grant (EPG) and she is also providing advice on how to market packaged consumer pest control products and new product development.

Carol and Harley have benefited greatly from their association with the JCEDC and are very grateful for all of their help.  Terry Whipple and his staff are an invaluable resource in Juneau County, and they share the vision of every entrepreneur and inventor to start up their own successful small business.
 
JCEDC has opened many doors for Carol and D’Buglady Pest Management by helping to establish links to the organic industry, introductions to current and future small business owners, future government contracts and even the European Market through a meeting with Jean Pierre.