Vanessa Carter is the founder and CEO of One View Communications®, incorporated in 2012. Her business weathered the coronavirus pandemic well and Carter is poised for business growth with funds from an SBA loan from a bank in the SmartBiz network.
Carter reports, “I really, really enjoy my work. In fact, my coffee cup reads “Do what you like. Like what you do.” She’s clearly a happy business owner and shares the story of her fulfilling entrepreneurial journey.
One View, located in northeast Ohio, offers simple solutions for small to medium-sized businesses. Carter and her team strive to provide clear and reliable voice and data communications through top-tier internet services, voice over IP services, cloud services, phone systems, and other technology built to scale.
Carter started her professional career in manufacturing and moved into the telecommunications field. She was initially reluctant to enter the industry. “Back then, tech was not the ‘hot thing’. There was no DSL and the space was still developing.”
She eventually took a job in sales and support. “I love sales because I can be a customer advocate and understand those needs. I paid my dues doing actual door-to-door sales calls. It set me up to launch my own business.”
As she moved up the ranks, she worked for others but the situations were not always ideal.
“I was brokering creative contracts but my company would turn them down. It was frustrating and discouraging. I couldn’t take it any more.” Carter reports that she was always a top five producer and knew she could do that for her own enterprise. “I did have butterflies in my stomach about the decision I made,” she says. “It was sink or swim and I decided that I’m not gonna sink.”
Building One View Communications
Carter slowly built the business, bringing on strategic partners who to help sell their services. “We cater to SMBs. They can have 1 location with 10 users or 32 locations with multiple users. We handle it all.”
Despite minimal advertising, One View has excellent word-of-mouth recommendations. The One View work vans have company logos to elevate their profile in the community, and clients find them on Google®, without Carter running paid campaigns.
When the pandemic hit, Carter saved on HOA fees, taxes, and mortgage payment by selling the commercial office building where One View operated. She and her employees, six in Ohio and one in New York, pivoted to remote working. Because of the pandemic, Carter received a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) forgivable loan offered by the government that covered a pay period and medical benefits.
Despite the economic downturn, One View continued operating and consistently earned positive customer reviews. One CEO writes: “Vanessa and One View Communications demystified the technology/telecommunications field for us. She helped us determine our communications needs and find the solution that worked best for us. We now have exactly what we need, and at a good price. Vanessa is a knowledgeable professional, and has proven her commitment to being a true partner with us multiple times.”
One View has not lost momentum by going remote. “The team stays connected with a morning meeting each day,” she says. “However, it is challenging to work virtually. It’s hard to turn off the computer and decompress without commuting home.”
Carter makes an effort to find a manageable work/life balance. “Business owners need to refresh, calm themselves, and welcome the weekends. Whatever it is, it can wait. I truly try to log off each evening.”
The SmartBiz® experience
Carter worked with SmartBiz in the past and found the funds extremely helpful to help her meet business goals. She determined that additional funds in 2022 could move her forward further. She secured a $275k SBA loan from a bank in the SmartBiz network guided by SmartBiz Relationship Manager David.
“David was tough and challenged me to think about the reasons for funding. As we moved through the process, I appreciated each question as they were pertinent and thought provoking,” Carter says. “It was enlightening.”
David says, "I had the pleasure of working with Vanessa to obtain an SBA 7(a) Loan. Vanessa was fantastic to work with during the loan application process. She was organized, professional, and understands the reason for each step of the process. I can tell she understands how important her business is to her community. She is passionate to grow her business and has a business plan to do just that. I am glad to be able to help entrepreneurs to access the right capital for their business and to be a part of their journey!"
Carter plans to use the SBA loan funds for vendor costs, marketing, to shore up cash flow, and hire temporary employees to complete projects. She posted this 5-star review on TrustPilot about her SmartBiz experience.
I worked with SmartBiz Loans to Apply for an SBA loan. It was a great experience and it also gave me an opportunity to think about my business from a lender's perspective, which was very helpful in evaluating our business. The person assigned to my application process, David, was amazing to work with; he was very responsive and made the process easy to understand. Each request was explained so that we were always on the same page, which made it easy to gather all documentation, because you knew exactly why it was required. Just a great experience. I would recommend SmartBiz to anyone seeking SBA or other funding for their business.
Future plans
Carter is excited to spearhead the expansion of One View. She embodies the One View Communications logo of "Keeping your priorities in View". It’s hard for her to imagine selling the business or retiring. “I just love what I do and imagine I will always work in some capacity.”
If you operate an SMB, and are in need of high-speed reliable internet access or a custom private fiber data solution, contact One View Communications and tell them SmartBiz sent you. We wish Vanessa and her team the best!
