Macomb Small Business & Technology Development Center wins statewide award for best small business.

In 2002, Misty Delegato was a successful administrator for a staffing solutions company with a dream of owning her own business.  When she learned that assistance for entrepreneurs was available through the Macomb County Department of Planning & Economic’s Small Business and Technology Development Center (SBTDC), she made a call.

Before long, she was working with Bob Madigan, SBTDC Certified Business Consultant, to evaluate her ideas for developing a new business.  Originally, Delegato wanted to provide short-term, substitute nursing support to area hospitals and long-term care facilities.  But Madigan, familiar with the industry and the fact that many area institutions were already managing their own short-term placement programs, encouraged her to make some calls and further investigate her idea.  Delegato did her homework and soon discovered that there was a greater need to provide home health care services for individuals being released from hospitals that still required some level of nursing care.  She attended a related conference in California to learn more about the home health care industry and began the process of realizing her dream to run her own business.

She continued to work with Madigan to investigate the most logical legal structure for her business, submit all the necessary paperwork and, most importantly, develop a solid business plan and marketing strategy. 

Today, Delegato is founder and President of Relevar Home Care and also the 2008 recipient of the prestigious “Best Small Business – Main Street USA” award from the Michigan SBTDC. 

Relevar opened its doors in 2003 with three employees.  Before long, she hired another 15 home health caregivers.  Next, she added case managers and a business administrator to her payroll.  In five short years, Delegato’s business has grown to include 54 full-time and 65 part-time employees.  They provide services from basic companionship for the elderly to skilled care for 16 year-olds with traumatic brain injury.   Relevar’s services are customized specifically for the needs of the client.  According to Delegato, the secret to high customer satisfaction is in hiring the right people for the job.  It is important to not just meet the basic needs of each client but also to make sure that the personalities of both the client and caregiver are a good match.

When looking for ideas about how to retain the good employees Relevar was accumulating through growth, Madigan referred her to Macomb Blue, a county supported health care plan offered through Macomb Health Plan that makes it possible for eligible companies to provide affordable health insurance.   

All along, Madigan kept in touch.  According to Delegato, “Bob has become a mentor to me.  He is my cheerleader and also holds my feet to the fire when need be.  His encouragement, guidance and ideas for growing my company have been an integral part of the success we enjoy today.” 

As the recipient of the prestigious SBTDC award, Delegato will be honored in April event at Lansing Center.  According to Carol Lopucki, Director of the Michigan SBTDC, “The Main Street USA is our ‘best of the best’ small business award.  Each of our 12 regional offices nominates a single business that they have assisted.  A panel of economic development experts reviews each and selects just one to be honored.  The awardee is selected for its impact on Michigan’s economy, its exemplary management during growth, improved profitability and creation of jobs.”  

Says Lopucki, “The Michigan Celebrates Small Business is the state’s premiere event for honoring the entrepreneurial spirit.”  Governor Granholm is expected to attend the event again this year.

MI-SBTDC co-hosts the event with the U.S. Small Business Administration – Michigan, Small Business Association of Michigan, Michigan Economic Development Corporation and the Edward Lowe Foundation.   Other awards presented at the event include Small Business Person of the Year, Exporter of the Year, Young Entrepreneur of the Year, and Family-Owned Small Business of the Year.  Michigan’s “50 Companies to Watch” will also be announced at the event.