Hi! My name is Sondra Kirtley and I’m the creator of Small Biz Pathway.

Before I share with you why I’ve started this website, let me first tell you about my background . . .

I was raised in Northern California by two hard-working parents. When I was only one, they purchased a retail business, Western Auto.  I basically grew up learning about business. Evenings around the dinner table were never complete without discussions about business. The family business grew, re-located and expanded over the years all providing me with valuable lessons, whether I realized it at the time or not. When I was about 13, my parents divorced resulting in my mom becoming the owner of the business and my dad the owner of the building. Yes, my dad was now my mom’s landlord. More valuable lessons followed!

In high school and junior college I worked both at the family business and a large local publishing/printing company. Working outside of the family business allowed me even more opportunities to learn and grow.

After junior college, I moved away and earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with an emphasis on Human Resources. I then stayed in college for another year and a half in order to complete an MBA, Master’s in Business Administration. While the subject matter in all the college classes I took was helpful, the most important things I learned while in college were a result of the college experience:  I learned to be resourceful, to communicate well, and to use my time wisely. These things carried on through my work life!

After college, I moved back to my hometown and spent a brief period of time as an Insurance Adjuster. Then, I went back to work for the publishing/printing company that I worked at in high school and junior college. I enjoyed my time there working as a Human Resources Specialist but, honestly, there was too much “desk time” and not enough “people time” for me. Having been raised in retail, I just loved the variety that retail offers and also loved the greater interaction with people that it offers. So, after a couple of years I returned to the family business.

At the family business, which was being operated by my mom and brother, I started to manage one of our departments which was our power equipment shop. Yes, I managed the sales and service of power equipment. It didn’t really phase me that it was a business that usually men operated. I just knew it needed to be done and I was willing to do it. I also helped with the accounting, marketing and human resources for the entire business. I enjoyed the variety and challenge that each day presented. When my mom decided to retire, the idea of my brother and I operating the business together wasn’t really an option. At the time, we couldn’t get along. And, that’s probably the nicest way I can describe that! So, I decided to start my own business.

Scrapbooking was a hobby of mine and I couldn’t really find a very good selection of supplies anywhere locally. I didn’t just want a paper craft store, however. I wanted to offer some other options like color copies, a computer rental station and UPS shipping. When looking around Eureka, California for a location I found a business for sale called The Copy Stop & More. The owners were getting ready to retire and the location seemed to have plenty of space to add the retail element. So, in 2004 I purchased their business, renamed it Scrapper’s Edge, with the tagline The Copy Stop & Scrapbook Shop, and my journey of entrepreneurship began. After two years, I relocated from a 1300 square foot space to a 6500 square foot space and have continued to expand and grow the business.

So, now, back to why I’ve started this website . . .

As a small business owner, it’s hard to find helpful information on the internet. A lot of websites are focused on larger businesses, have impractical advice and are boring to read. In other words, they’re really not focused on the small business owner. Through Small Biz Pathway my goal is to provide practical and useful information that small business owners can use.

I hope you find this site useful and I welcome your input and suggestions!