SmallBizResource Blog -- Women in Business

Spiral Shell Web Founder CM Boryslawskyj: Wednesday's Woman

Posted by Gayle Kesten Wednesday, May 27, 2009, 11:08 AM ET

Give to get -- that was a key takeaway from a panel I attended last week about how small businesses should incorporate social media into their marketing. It's also a mantra some people follow in their daily lives, with the emphasis on give.

People like Cassandra "CM" Boryslawskyj, who won an HP Compaq dc7800 Ultra Slim Desktop PC in a contest sister site bMighty ran earlier this year. Boryslawskyj is the sole force behind Spiral Shell Web, an East Hampton, Conn.-based Web site development company she founded eight years ago to assist small businesses and nonprofit organizations with incorporating their marketing goals online.

"I always dreamed of owning a business and having a flexible time schedule," Boryslawskyj told me in an email interview. (Scheduling conflicts prevented us from talking by phone, made possible by an interpreter who would have been on the line.) "Simply put, I followed my grandparents and my parents, who owned their own businesses -- Italian restaurant, seamstress, barber shop, bookstore, antiques and clothes."

But that's only part of the picture. For more than two decades Boryslawskyj has been teaching American Sign Language to student interpreters and people who have lost their hearing; she also helped establish the Communication Advocacy Network, which provides advocacy, outreach, legal, education, and technology services for people who are deaf or hard of hearing. Boryslawskyj is a big fan of technology, which not only bridges her to the hearing world, but helps her to build relationships with clients and keep on top of the latest innovations that can help grow her Web design business.

Of note, we're now one full year past our first Wednesday's Woman profile. Female entrepreneurs and their unique "how I got here" stories continue to inspire me. Add in a physical challenge, like Boryslawskyj's -- or Ketra Oberlander's, who I profiled in this space last month -- and, well, wow. Read on for a peek at what Boryslawskyj faces while running a small business.

SBR: How did you finance Spiral Shell's launch?
CMB: Thanks to the Bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation support, I had the capital to afford the launch of Spiral Shell Web (SSW) after providing the business plan. However, what I spent on tools, books and other necessities to sell my services came mostly out of pocket.

SBR: What unique business challenges do you face because you are deaf?
CMB: Communication is a big challenge, particularly when discussing with hearing customers the specifications of a complicated Web design project. Another challenge is that it is difficult to bid on contracts in my state because bidding meetings are often held on short notice. That makes it tough for me to afford interpreters and/or arrange the time to bring one for communication access.

SBR: Are you a PC or Apple shop?
CMB: I am a PC shop, though I like to play with the Mac if time permits. I use Sony Vaio and Dell XPS computers.

SBR: How has the Internet enabled your business?
CMB: The Internet lets me stay in touch with what's going on with new software, hardware, and other technologies, all of which help speed up my Web design projects. Web 2.0 is one of the best examples because I am able to connect directly with clients to develop, incorporate, and implement new features. Social networks also help my customers reach me quickly and at their convenience for any purpose.

SBR: Do you blog?
CMB: Yes. As a member of the technology committee for the National Association of the Deaf, I share insights about technology for the deaf about such equipment as videophones. Blogging also helps me keep in touch with the vendors. It is important to provide pros and cons of Internet technologies so other people do not have to go through similar issues that I have spent hours to resolve. [Boryslawskyj's SSW Blog is here.]

SBR: I noticed on your Twitter page that you incorporate a video of yourself signing. How did you do that -- and what are you saying?
CMB: You can create your own video for Twitter using BubbleTweet. In my video I am saying: Hello, CM here. Great you follow me. My work is Web design named Spiral Shell Web, SSW for short. I use ASL (sign language). Follow me. So long.

SBR: How has the recession impacted your business?
CMB: I lost several clients who decided not to continue their Web presence because they didn't see any ROI from the Internet. Updated Web sites are not their priority at this time. They have cut down on their expenses for improvements or additional features.

SBR: How do you prospect for new clients?
CMB: By advertising my business on the program books at events, by attending workshops and other activities to offer business cards, by sending letters to new customers with discounts, and by sponsoring and adding my business Web address at other business sites. I also plan to offer workshops and presentations about my business this year.

SBR: What are the best and worst parts about running your own business?
CMB: The best part is to be able to spend family time with my son and husband, who works the night shift. The worst is customers' lack of familiarity with Internet technologies. They are not aware of what is in involved in a Web design job, and as a result refuse to believe the prices are reasonable.

SBR: What advice can you offer to other entrepreneurs with disabilities?
CMB: Go for your dream and work harder. Patience, persistence, and positive are the 3 Ps. Remember to take a step at one time.

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