Thanks to your online votes, Sara Meyer (Zotcis Attire), Rob Eleveld (Shiftboard) and Nick Saglimbeni (Slickforce Studio) claimed top honors in the BlackBerry and AT&T Small Business Owners Contest.
Out of 10 finalists, they each received the most online votes and the grand prize—10 BlackBerry Bold smartphones! These devices can help them increase productivity, so they can boost their bottom lines. Find out more about our winners below.
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| Sara Meyer, Zotcis Attire, Manhattan, KS |
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| Much of Sara Meyer’s success has stemmed from how she treats her staff of interns. To keep them motivated, Meyer has given them vital experience in all facets of her retail store operations. In return, they have helped her come up with unique marketing ideas—which has in turn helped Meyer increase her business, with sales up 30% in 2008 versus the previous year. |
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| Rob Eleveld, Shiftboard, Seattle, WA |
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| Seven-year-old Shiftboard, which provides online scheduling software, has saved its clients both time and money. Unlike calendaring software providers, the firm segments data so companies can avoid paying costly overtime wages. As a result of its benefits, Shiftboard tripled its customer base last year. |
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| Nick Saglimbeni, Slickforce Studio, Los Angeles, CA |
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| Since opening his doors five years ago as a photography retouching studio for women of color, Nick Saglimbeni has since expanded his business into full-line photography and video production services. And how: he has become a go-to retoucher for top magazines, such as Maxim, FHM and People and has photographed big-name rappers like TI and The Game. |
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