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For Letitia Clark, owner of the Calumet City medical supply company A New Way To Go, advancing access to medical equipment and supplies represents a life-long passion. Having learned the importance of equitable access to healthcare at her first job with the Cook County Health and Hospital System (CHHS), Letitia remains committed to improving access to healthcare for south suburban Cook County residents forty years later.
Letitia’s journey developing A New Way To Go taught her that running a small business is not without challenges: “There is no step by step guide … you just have to figure it out, you have to research it,” says Letitia. Through the dedicated guidance of her business advisor, Jerrica Hill from the SDA, a partner in providing The Source’s free one-on-one business advising, Letitia has leveraged resources through the SDA to help develop a dynamic business plan to not only “keep the doors open,” but to revitalize her business.
Since beginning business advising, Letitia pursued and won a contract with the Cook County Sheriff Office, providing custom wireless face masks for the County’s correctional facilities. Letitia has also hired a medical sales representative to help market and sell her products, and is planning her next steps to expand into new industries in the near future.
When asked what Letitia would like to share with other small business owners looking to start or scale their small businesses in Cook County, Letitia says, "Don't give up. There are resources out there. I would advise any small business to take advantage of the resources that any city or county may have.”
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