Linda’s Story?

Hmmm…my story is always evolving. I am a serial entrepreneur and of course ideas flow constantly. Determining which of those ideas can be profitable is the question I always have.

Meager Beginnings

I was born in a small farming community in Utah and was raised by my mother, who was a single mom raising five children. My mother never went to college and did not have any dreams of owning her own business; she did her best to provide for us children while remaining within the expected role of a woman.

Of my family, I am the only one to dream of owning my own business and the only one to have pursued higher education, thus breaking from the family mold and becoming a success in the business world. I have exceeded any expectations of my family and never let the various challenges and obstacles associated with being a woman impede upon my path to success.

It was not socially acceptable where I lived for girls to have technical skills or design anything that was not fashionable. Becoming a software engineer was not socially acceptable to my family, my town, or the business world. Many girls in adolescence go through changes which negatively affect self-image and future choices. As a result, girls often refrain from asking questions and sharing answers. Many girls feel inferior to others or wish to mask their leadership abilities and intelligence and decline opportunities to take part in student government, clubs, or challenges that may cause failure. These issues also discourage some girls from taking part in higher track classes in math, science, and computer science. These are all biases, which were not always this obvious; I had to overcome to become successful as a software engineer.

I remained in the small farming community for my education through high school, experiencing the same environment, interacting with the same people, and following the path I was expected to pursue. I married right out of high school and only attended one semester of college before beginning to work full time. I underestimated the difficulty of breaking out of the stereotypical role I had been following: graduate high school and get married. It was not until 1995 that I returned to college while continuing to work full time and raise three children, I began pursuing my degree in Business Information Systems and graduated from the University of Phoenix in 1999.

I maintained my career as a software developer for many organizations all associated with the Department of Defense industry.

What?  I’m an Entrepreneur?

My entrepreneur story starts about ten years ago in a building at Hill AFB, UT where I was writing database software for the 84th Radar Evaluation Squadron (RADES). I got hired as an Oracle DBA but was also a talented.Net programmer, so a few information systems became born or enhanced during my time there. I love writing software and data has always been my thing. I love getting information out of a relational database and formatting to fit what the user wants. I was perfectly happy being a cube rat.

When I started at the RADES, I was just going through a divorce. My husband had moved out the weekend before I started. It was not expected although we had issues for a while. So the first week I was in shock but also relieved. So while my personal life was in strife, I had to turn my life around and take care of my three teenage kids so that their life was somewhat normal. I poured myself into my work and managed to run the kids around to all their activities.

I never thought about being an entrepreneur although as I look back, I can see I had tendencies. I sold things door to door as a child. I had ADHD so my mom was constantly shoving me out the door, so I didn’t drive her crazy. I wasn’t good in school until I was a teenager, and I always got good grades while being involved in FBLA, sports, and band. I grew up in a penniless single mom household. From meager beginnings came the experience in how to work hard to achieve results.

I was working in the RADES for about two years when I got the call that would change my career forever. The call that came was from Vincent Kinsey. He was working for IHS and was trying to integrate a RFID tag into a Hazardous Material system called HMMS at Edwards AFB in California. As a single mom, I had to consider my family first. Then I thought, I have skills, what would be the worst thing that would happen? My kids might have to sleep on somebody’s couch for a month or two. It doesn’t hurt children to experience hard times.

I jumped in and became a sub to MECX, and Sensory Technology Consultants became born. That was in June of 2006. It is so hard to believe that I have worked for myself all of that time. Sensory Technology Consultants has since become Dynagrace Enterprises and is a 100 percent women-owned small business, and we are 8(a) certified. My kids never slept on anybody’s couch, and I managed to give them an excellent lifestyle.

Believe in yourself

No matter what your story is, you can be successful. Don’t let anything stop you and don’t be afraid to take risks. Believe in yourself and your abilities, and you will go far.