News

Local Publisher Creates a Recipe for Success with Bug Butts and Animal Tongues

Haywood Community College biology teacher, Dawn Cusick, mixed her love of science with her past work experience as a writer and designer to start her own publishing company, EarlyLight Books. EarlyLight Books incorporated in 2007 and specializes in science books for children and adults. Cusick says the company only publishes non-fiction and “celebrates the intersection of science and fun.”

Currently EarlyLight Books has published eight books--four that are already on the market and four that are being printed. The company’s books have been on the market for one year. Two of these books were written by Cusick herself and have gained national popularity.

Both Bug Butts and Animal Tongues quickly gained national attention and are on the Science Books and Films’ list of Best Science Books for Children for 2009. The American Association for the Advancement of Science publishes the list yearly.

And the Animal Behavior Society just awarded the Outstanding Children’s Book Award for 2010 to Bug Butts. Cusick said, “This award is really cool because a group of biology PhDs chose the finalists and then they took samples of the finalist books to elementary schools and actual elementary school children chose the winner.”

Another EarlyLight Book, Colors is sold at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the other books can be found across the country in several zoo gift shops and bookstores.

For Cusick, the transition from writer, designer to Biology teacher and small business publisher has taken several years. In college she majored in English and was editor of the campus newspaper. She began her career working for Lark Books, a company that was eventually sold to Sterling Publishing and then to Barnes and Noble. She worked for them for 19 years. Initially, she was an in-house author and also did graphics for FiberArts magazine and for the last five years there, Cusick was Director of Custom Publishing and Branded Books.

During these years, Cusick discovered her love for science. While working full time and raising a family, she returned to college to get a bachelor’s degree in Biology at UNCA and finally a master’s degree from Western Carolina University. Today, she is a part-time Biology instructor and a full-time publisher. As a publisher she signs on other authors, works with designers and illustrators and sees a project through from concept to finished product.

When she decided to start EarlyLight Books, Cusick knew the publishing business but had no experience running a small business. She turned to the HCC Small Business Center and SBC Director Sharron Donnahoe for advice. The Small Business Center provides budding entrepreneurs with the knowledge and resources needed to make informed decisions concerning their business ventures. A resource library of print, audio, and video materials is also available for loan. The Center is located on the main campus of HCC in the Learning Resource Center. Counseling services are available by appointment and are free of charge.

“Leaving the security of a full-time job to start a business is difficult, and some people would even consider it crazy, but Sharron offers support and knowledge to everyone who comes in to the center,” said Cusick. “When I developed my business plan, she provided templates to help get me organized and even sat down with me to review my final plan. She is a valuable resource herself.”

Cusick also took advantage of the many free seminars offered through the Small Business Center. “I know my product and I am industrious, but I needed help with sales and accounting. The seminar on Cash Flow really helped me look at my product as a unit,” she said. “I also found it inspiring to be around other entrepreneurs.”

Also, the Small Business Center Resource Library was a valuable tool to Cusick. She says, “I used it as think tank. It's just a great place to go to when you need specific information or when you just want to sit down with a blank piece of paper and do some brainstorming.”

In the publishing business, Cusick works with other writers, illustrators and designers but has ultimately put the finishing touches on all of her books. “I may get a designer to lay out a couple of spreads, pick the font and set the style of the book, but I always finish the layout myself,” she said. That is one of the reasons she chose to publish the books instead of just writing and turning it over to another publisher. “I wanted to make sure the books turned out the way I envisioned them,” she said.

She deals directly with the printer and the book distributor who warehouses the printed books. Cusick also does her own marketing by sending out a lot of letters to museums, zoos, libraries, gift shops and bookstores. The only complaint that has ever been registered is that sometimes the book jackets will get frayed because so many children pick up the books to look at them. Laughingly Cusick said, “I consider that a good thing, it means that the book got their attention.” Also she offered a solution to that problem --take the jacket off because the covers are also printed.

In addition to the two books discussed earlier, the current book selections include Animal Baths, Animal Eyes, Animal Eggs, Caterpillars, as well as a small children’s board book version of Animal Colors. Cusick continues to look for fresh, non-fiction ideas as a way to make science fun for young and old readers. More information about EarlyLight Books and how to submit a book idea or purchase books can be found on the Internet at earlylightbooks.com

For more information about the HCC Small Business center, call 828-627-4512 or visit www.sbc.haywood.edu on the Internet.

Local Student Wins Business Plan Competition

Contact: Russ Seagle, Sr. Loan Officer & Manager of Client Development
The Sequoyah Fund, Inc.
Cherokee, NC
828-497-8142
russseag@nc-cherokee.com
David Nestler was recently awarded $10,000 in start-up capital after winning a business plan competition for area community college students. Nestler, owner of Tree of Life Woodworks, LLC, graduated this month from Haywood Community College’s professional woodworking program.
The business plan competition was sponsored by The Sequoyah Fund, Inc. and Cherokee Business Development in Cherokee, and it was funded by a grant from the Cherokee Preservation Foundation. The competition was open to students enrolled in degree programs at Haywood, Southwestern and Tri-County Community Colleges.
Students were required to seek technical assistance while working on their plans. Most students called on their instructors and the Small Business Centers at their respective colleges. Some took advantage of services provided by Western Carolina University’s Small Business & Technology Development Center in Cullowhee.
Business plans were reviewed by a committee, and each member read all seven plans that were submitted by the deadline. Each section of the plan was scored, and each plan could score a maximum of 360 points. “Mr. Nestler’s plan won with 283 points,” explained Sequoyah Fund Executive Director, Nell Leatherwood.
Mr. Nestler was guided by his entrepreneurship instructor, Dr. Michelle Choate, and Haywood Community College Small Business Center Director, Sharron Donnahoe. “I knew from working with David that he was capable of winning this competition. I’m extremely happy for him, because he’s worked so hard and certainly deserves this honor,” said Donnahoe.
Contest rules specified that students start and operate a business somewhere in the seven western counties of NC and be ready to begin operations within one year of receiving the award. Mr. Nestler’s business will be located in Sylva, and he’s already producing handcrafted, custom-designed furniture for homes and businesses. Tree of Life Woodworks specializes in using locally harvested and reclaimed wood. “This award will help me acquire some much needed equipment to help me increase production,” said Nestler.
“We’re excited for David, and we’re looking to him as an ambassador for this program as our first winner,” said Cherokee Preservation Foundation Executive Director, Susan Jenkins. “We’re hoping to eventually be able to offer a business plan competition at the high school level, as well.”
Anyone with questions concerning this or future business plan competitions can contact Russ Seagle, Sr. Loan Officer with The Sequoyah Fund at 828-497-8142. Samples of Mr. Nestler’s work can be viewed at www.tolwoodworks.com.
Presenting Tree of Life Woodworks, LLC owner and Haywood Community College graduate, David Nestler with a $10,000 award for winning the Community College Business Plan Competition are (from L-R) HCC SBC Director Sharron Donnahoe, Sequoyah Fund Executive Director Nell Leatherwood, Cherokee Preservation Foundation Executive Director Susan Jenkins, Cherokee Business Development Director Gloria Rattler, Sequoyah Fund Board members Ray Rose, J.L. Burgess, Nathan Robinson and Ellison Rudd, Nestler, Business Development Specialist Jacob Reed, Cherokee Preservation Foundation Fellow Daniel Martin and Sr. Program Director Bobby Raines, and Sequoyah Fund Sr. Loan Officer Russ Seagle.

The Sequoyah Fund Community College Business Contest Information

Since business growth occurs in small businesses in our communities, an important goal of community outreach is the effective use of funds to boost the start-up of local businesses. To achieve this goal, community colleges must promote the spirit of entrepreneurship among students, encouraging these students to become “job creators” as well as “job consumers.”

The Sequoyah Fund Community College Business Contest is designed to encourage and reward financially those students who aspire to start businesses in our seven westernmost counties of North Carolina (Haywood, Jackson, Swain, Macon, Clay, Cherokee, Graham) and the Qualla Boundary.

The purpose of this competition is to further the creation of jobs through the development and start up of small businesses. The Sequoyah Fund Community College Business Contest will award up to $10,000 for the winning business, based on need demonstrated in their plan, and indication they are in the process of starting a new business in Western North Carolina within 12 months of the date of the award. Since research indicates that most new business failures result from a lack planning, a written business plan must accompany the application as support for the business idea, product, or service. Cash prizes will be awarded to the applicants who, in the opinion of the judges, demonstrate the business ideas and plans most likely to result in successful new business ventures.

Certified Entrepreneurial Community

Haywood County was recently named a certified Entrepreneurial Community, making it the first of its kind in both the region and the state. This distinction is particularly important to Haywood Community College. With two members on the leadership team, Laura Leatherwood and Sharron Donnahoe, the college is reinforcing the importance of entrepreneurship to this area.

Gaining certification as an Entrepreneurial Community took teamwork and dedication among the leadership team. Laura and Sharron joined forces with other local leaders CeCe Hipps, Tony Johnson, and Mark Clasby to lead the way for this county designation.

The purpose of ther Certified Entrepreneurship Community is to build and support a rich culture of resources for entrpreneurs in the county. All members have collaborated resources to nurture entrepreneurs and pave the way for them to open their businesses and thrive in our county.

With this designation, the county will participate in a marketing campaign to promote its status in the United States as well as to other nations. With our home county receiving this recognition, HCC's entrepreneurial initiatives can also reach many more people and encourage success among our residents.