Brian and Trish first connected with JPNDC’s Small Business Services team in Fall 2019, when they registered to attend business development classes focused on improving their accounting knowledge and practices. Brian previously worked as a locksmith and was determined to start his own business. A few months later, Trish left her full-time job to grow JP Lock and Security as a residential, commercial, and automotive locksmithing business. 
In February 2020, they only offered mobile services, but were receiving larger job requests and realized they would need to find a physical location for their business in order to continue to grow and meet client demands. Trish and Brian are both go-getters and quickly set a goal to find a workshop space, which would also establish their roots in the community and give customers the opportunity to come in with locks, keys, and other restoration projects.
JPNDC’s Director of Small Business Services, Carlos, took Trish and Brian under his wing, connecting them with local commercial real estate contacts, helping them to find a great location that they could renovate and make their own on South Street in JP. They were proud to root their business in Jamaica Plain and opened their doors in August 2020.
JPNDC staff continued to meet with Trish and Brian, focusing on the elements of understanding their brand and creating marketing plans. They helped Trish and Brian conceptualize their branding and provided them with access to free digital marketing classes. This led Trish and Brian to make the decision to hire someone to manage their website and social media, knowing that investing in elevating their brand and establishing a community presence would propel their business in the long run.
JPNDC also assisted Trish and Brian in accessing over $50,000 in government grants and loans, helping stabilize their revenue streams that were impacted by COVID-19.
“I don’t think we would have been able to do this without JPNDC, to be honest,” Brian said. “Trish and I are very much on our own, so JPNDC has been our guiding light through it all. Your support really has been ‘the thing’ that made this possible.”
Looking forward, they have set goals to continue building their brand, secure larger annual contracts with property owners throughout the city, and expand their business with 2-3 trucks and increased staff on the road. Through it all, they want to continue to be a community-focused business rooted here in JP.
