If your company could benefit from a free business makeover, to be published in The Times, send a brief description of your company and its challenges to bizmakeover@latimes.com, with your company name in the subject line, or to Business Makeover, Business Section, Los Angeles Times, 202 W. 1st St., Los Angeles CA 90012. Include a daytime phone number.
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Kookie Krazy Inc.
COMPANY SNAPSHOT
Business: Kookie Krazy is a create-your-own-cookie store and party venue in Thousand Oaks.
Owners: Mark Boos Benhard and James J. Kelley
Employees: 10, part-time
Revenue: $76,000 in 2008
Founded: May 2008
Start-up funds: $250,000 in personal savings and funds from family, friends and small investors
CHALLENGES
Finance the marketing plan and overcome a poor location.
GOAL
To double sales and franchise the concept.
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Meet the experts
ROBERTO BARRAGAN
Roberto Barragan is president of the Valley Economic Development Center, a seven-office small-business development nonprofit based in Van Nuys. The organization provides financing, training and assistance to thousands of local businesses each year. Previous experience includes work in minority and non-minority businesses, start-up company market strategy development, feasibility studies and development of nonprofit coalitions.
COLLEEN FARRELL
Colleen Farrell is a media consultant with a background in consumer media as a public relations practitioner and broadcast journalist. Most recently she was a member of the PR account team in the Santa Monica office of Allison & Partners, working on campaigns for Sony Electronics Inc., Digital Blue Corp. and other clients. Previously, she was an account executive at GolinHarris' Los Angeles office for Nintendo of America Inc., Nestle Wonka and others. She began her career as a broadcast journalist in Washington and Oregon.
