Two Detroit Janitorial Supply Companies Merge Minority Operated Women Owned small business New

We now have two “Minority Operated Woman Owned small businesses” (MOWOsb) jointly operating a janitorial supply business in Detroit. To understand why this is significant, let’s look at the top 10 reasons why a MOWOsb often fails when competing against the larger majority operated and owned businesses.

1) Lack of extensive networking, family financial backing, etc. characterizes the typical MOWOsb in contrast to other small businesses. While the other small businesses also struggle at times for similar reasons, the MOWOsb have an even greater challenge to overcome the following top 9 reasons for small business failures.
2) Cash flow does not allow the MOWOsb to operate like a bank. Net 30 terms often drive the MOWOsb out of business when their big business customers are 100+ days late on payables.
3) Marketing cost cannot be absorbed by high volume sales. The MOWOsb struggle to afford a sales person or the resources to develop the killer website.
4) Pricing from manufactures/distributors is often based on who delivers the larger volume of sales. The MOWOsb must find other ways to make up these pricing differences.
5) Uncertainty in the business climate cannot be weathered for extended periods by the MOWOsb like it can by their big competitors.
6) “Murphy” will always strike both the big and the small; however, the results are often very different. For the MOWOsb, “Murphy” often threatens their ability to survive.
7) Unfair competition will often target the MOWOsb first. For example, pricing below cost or buying all available inventories to keep the MOWOsb from selling a hot selling item is considered “unfair”.
8) “Red-tape” cost from government and customers to run a business today is often out of reach of the MOWOsb.
9) New technology is often not within the budget, also. The MOWOsb often must rely on more mature technologies where the cost has become affordable.
10) Sickness or other personal issues create major choices between family and business for the MOWOsb. One person, who is not allowed to get sick, usually operates the MOWOsb.

How is it then that some MOWOsb survive? “Customer loyalty”, says one such person, Nobuko (Donson) Leanhardt, President Donson Supply, Inc.1/ Recently, Ms Leanhardt announced to her “loyal local customers” that Donson Supply, Inc. had merged with Hercules & Hercules, Inc.2/ another minority operated small business selling janitorial supplies. Ms. Leanhardt will tell you that it was the loyalty of her local customers that made this merger possible.

Originally, a teacher by her education, Ms. Leanhardt gave up her chosen profession in 2001 to keep Donson Supply, Inc. operating after the passing of her husband, David Donson, the founder of Donson Supply. Struggling to compete, Ms. Leanhardt might have just given up like many small businesses, but that is not how the MOWOsb do it. After a thorough search for the absolute BEST partner to continue serving her “loyal local customers”, Ms. Leanhardt formed a merger that will allow Donson Supply, Inc. to continue to compete. The merger will assure that her customers continue to get the best possible janitorial supplies at the lowest possible prices and reliable service. In addition, the merger with Hercules & Hercules will provide these lucky customers more advantages than Donson Supply, Inc. alone could have provided, including:

· A larger company, also privately owned like Donson Supply, with a vested interest to ensure customer satisfaction
· A vast set of distribution agreements with name brand manufactures such as: 3M, Johnson, Bay West, Cascade Tissue, Colonial Bag Co., Champion Chemical, GoJo and many, many more
· A “Just-in-Time Delivery System” via the Hercules & Hercules multiple site warehousing
· A stronger buying power to keep overhead and shipping costs down, ensuring the customer continued competitive prices

Now, we have two MOWOsb competing jointly against the larger majority operated and owned companies in the Detroit metropolitan area. Recently, Ms. Nobuko (Donson) Leanhardt and Ms. Belinda (Hercules) Jefferson took their companies forward together into the next 25 years of the janitorial supply business.

Released by Donson Supply, Inc. and Hercules & Hercules, Inc. for the purpose of announcing their merger to continue giving their customers the service they deserve.

1/ Donson Supply has been in business since 1981 from Westland / Plymouth, Mi. communities and can be contacted on the Internet at www.donson.net, by phone at 877-427-4112 / 734-737-0739 or by FAX at 734-416-0920.
2/ Hercules & Hercules has been in business since 1977 from Detroit, Mi. and can be contacted on the Internet at www.herculesandherculesinc.com, by phone at 313-933-6669 / 734-737-0843 or by FAX at 313-933-1801.