Maid Brigade’s NW Houston Franchisees Honored as a Small Business Giving Back
Jim and Susie Fordice, and their daughter Laura Stark, are role models of perseverance, ingenuity and giving back.
The Fordices, Maid Brigade’s Northwest Houston franchisees, were among six Texas based small businesses honored at the 29th annual Lone Star College Small Business of the Year awards banquet November 19, 2015. A total of six small businesses were selected for the award — one representing each of Lone Star College’s six campuses – based on their contributions to their community.
Director of the LSCS Small Business Development Center Sal Mira explained, “Lone Star College serves 1,400 square miles, and within so large of a footprint are literally tens of thousands of small businesses, each looking to grow and prosper. Our finalists have not only grown, but have been recognized for excellence in the community. [They] have taken [their] dreams, put [their] own capital at risk, stayed awake many nights, helped to create jobs and even found time to give back to the community.”
Since Jim, Susie and Laura opened their residential and small commercial cleaning franchise in 1999 they have partnered with Habitat for Humanity to offer cleaning services for new homes; with Cleaning for a Reason to offer free monthly cleanings to cancer patients; and with Helping a Hero and Welcome Home Heroes, lending their services to military personnel. They are also involved with animal rescue groups and foster pets awaiting adoption.
“I am so honored for the nomination and to be a part of the finalist group that we’re in,” Jim said. “I have to give total credit to two people—my wife, who has stood behind me for the 16 years we’ve been doing this, and my daughter, Laura, who has brought us to the point where we are serving the community in addition to growing our business.”
Community members were able to nominate businesses to the LSCS Small Business Development Center, which narrowed down the field to three finalists for each campus. Roughly 350 people attended the awards ceremony to show support for the businesses nominated.
