Oftentimes advances in technology will spawn new franchise concepts. In the case of Stork Vision, a high-tech, ultrasound, prenatal imaging center, the franchisors added a new twist to an old technology. Instead of simple one-dimensional images, Stork Vision provides multi-dimensional, real-time visual images of unborn babies.
“The 3D is a technology where you can actually see the features of the baby a lot clearer than with the old grayscale black and white images,†explains Sylvia Scott-Morales, owner of a Stork Vision franchise in Port St. Lucie, Florida since January 2008. The videos can be converted into DVDs, CDs, and scrapbook pictures. Some women even have ultrasound viewing parties at the facility.
In an interview with BlackEnterprise.com, Scott-Morales walks through her entrepreneurial experience, from finding the franchise to getting a loan and adjusting her schedule.
How did you learn about Stork Vision?
I received a postcard that was sent to medical technologists who were registered with the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers. After looking them up on the Internet, I called and set up an appointment to speak with them.
At the time, I worked full time as a sonographer in a hospital and had never heard of the franchise, but I found the opportunity of owning a business exciting. There is a limit to what you can do financially as a sonographer. Once you reach your limit, that’s it.
Currently, I make about $65,000 per year. So opening a business could improve my family’s financial standings in the long run.
Why did you decide to apply for a Stork Vision franchise?
I always wanted to be a business owner, and I thought [it was] a great opportunity to own a business doing something I’m already skilled at. After investigating Stork Vision and
its competitors, I was impressed with how personable the Stork Vision founders were. It is a limited diagnostic ultrasound prenatal imaging center, but it is mainly about bonding and a fun experience for the whole family. When I first walked into their facility, I thought if I was pregnant I would want to have my ultrasound done at this facility.Was it difficult to make such a huge financial commitment?
It takes about $85,000 to open a Stork Vision franchise. I didn’t have the funds already, so I asked the young ladies at Stork Vision how I should go about doing this. They told me that the Small Business Administration (SBA) works through some banks. There was a bank in my area that worked with the SBA. It was a very long loan process. I had to take them a business plan, which Stork Vision helped me with. That was a big help for me. They showed me the best place to find an office. They checked the population to make sure it is an area where I would be able to support my business.
At first, the SBA was concerned because Stork Vision was a new franchise (founded in 2003). I felt safe to join the company once I learned that Stork Vision was added to the SBA’s approved vendor’s list, a criterion which helped my franchise become eligible for a $67,000 loan from the SBA. I used [additional funds from other sources] to reach the $85,000 needed for the franchise fee and expenses.
Has owning a franchise been easy?
I’m juggling the bus
iness, my family, and I’m also working at another facility until things pick up with the business. We all know that with any start-up business you can’t just open and bring in all of the money you need to do everything.Currently, I’m making $2,000 to $2,500 per month at the Stork Vision franchise in Port St. Lucie, but I still drive two hours to work 16-hour shifts on Sundays and Mondays at Mount Sinai Medical Center, a hospital in Miami Beach. I try to schedule Stork Vision appointments in the evening from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Wednesdays and Thursdays, and all day on Fridays and Saturdays so that my husband can watch our child.
I’m starting off fresh and new in Port St. Lucie and no one knows me. I am a pretty well-respected sonographer in the Miami medical community, but they don’t know that here in Port St. Lucie. In the medical community, it’s all about reputation. Although my business is still in the growing stage, business is picking up steadily.