April 27, 2016
Contact:
Mary Enger, Director of Communications for St. Charles County, 636-949-7900, ext. 1856, menger@sccmo.org
Colene McEntee, Communications Manager for St. Charles County, 636-948-7900, ext. 1851, cmcentee@sccmo.org
St. Charles County, Missouri – jBloom, a direct-selling jewelry design company that originally started as a hobby for a Francis Howell school teacher, was honored Monday at the St. Charles County Council meeting as part of a proclamation recognizing National Small Business Week, May 1-7, 2016. The business was chosen because of its proven success: from local start-up to national company.
Since 1963, every U.S. President has proclaimed National Small Business Week as an opportunity to highlight the programs and services available to entrepreneurs through the U.S. Small Business Administration and other government agencies.
“From storefront shops on historic Main Street to successful startups along the I-64 High-Tech Corridor, small businesses are the backbone of our community and the cornerstone of our economy,” said St. Charles County Executive Steve Ehlmann. “We are pleased to honor jBloom as an example of how the spirit of entrepreneurship is alive and well in St. Charles County.”
jBloom is a family-run business, founded by Jennifer and Bret Bonacorsi. It operates with 12 employees out of the small business incubator managed by the Economic Development Center of St. Charles County, and has more than 550 designers/independent sales representatives around the U.S.
“Small businesses create nearly two out of three jobs in our national economy and account for approximately 75 percent of all businesses in St. Charles County,” Ehlmann said.
Ehlmann encouraged residents to patronize locally-owned small businesses in celebration of this nationally recognized week.
For more information about the local economy, jobs available, or business opportunities, contact the St. Charles County Department of Workforce & Business Development at 636-255-6060 or visit www.sccmo.org/workforce-business-development.
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