The Business: A flamingo Glass & Engraving Co. The operation, which is based in Las Vegas at 2504 Chandler Ave. in the Park 2000 office center near McCarran International Airport, makes a variety of decorative items using stained and etched glass and engravings on a number of surfaces. The firm makes trophies, plaques and other displays for corporate and government clients.
The Players: Owner Karen Scherer, a former college teacher from Buffalo, N.Y., earned a degree in art from the Empire State College. Scherer taught etching and stained glass techniques at the University of Buffalo before moving in the early 1980s to California to be with her husband, Wayne.
The Background: Scherer developed a passion for art using glass as a medium while growing up in Buffalo. After meeting Wayne, who was working in the construction industry near Pismo Beach in central California, she married him and relocated to the West Coast. The opportunities for teaching art were limited, so Scherer decided to open her own shop in 1983, specializing in the artistic glass products she knew how to create. “I needed a job:’ she said. “I needed something to do.”
The Problem: From the beginning, Scherer’s shop did well. She describes herself as an outgoing person who is able to prosper by going door-to-door to drum up business and she found there was a strong demand for her decorative products. However, she realized that it would be difficult for the operation to grow and develop because the surrounding business community was small- Scherer needed a new and dynamic market for her business. The challenge facing her was whether or not she could transform her business from a small shop in a California beach area to one that would succeed in a metropolitan market.
The Solution: Visits to friends in Las Vegas convinced Scherer that Southern Nevada would be a perfect place to relocate. “If you can’t make money in Las Vegas, you can’t make it anywhere:’ she said. She studied the market carefully and researched the business community. She decided that larger businesses and corporations would be receptive to her products. “The city was on the cutting edge of new technology and I believed that I could offer new products that would be appreciated?’ Scherer relocated the business to a 2,000-square-foot facility in Park 2000 in 1989. Scherer worked hard to become established. One of her strategies was to network with Nevada Small Business Development Center, an operation affiliated with the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, that provides expertise to new businesses and helps them line up financing. “[Center director] Sharolyn Craft walked me through many of the things I needed to do to become established in the community?’ Scherer said of the center, which also helped her cut through red tape. She decided to become heavily involved in community organizations and activities right away, and joined the Las Vegas and Henderson chambers of commerce and the National Association of Women Business Owners. She also took part in the March of Dimes campaign. “I believe in volunteering,” she said. “It’s the best way to get to know the community and its needs.”
Scherer purchased a laser, kiln and other equipment so she could produce state-of-the-art products. She spent six years studying engraving through a course offering by the Awards and Recognition Association. “It puts you on the next level:’ Scherer said of her expertise in engraving on metal, wood and other surfaces.
Over the past 11 years. Scherer has doubled the size of her Las Vegas operation, and now has a staff of five. Her shop has produced some impressive products, from a “donor wall” at the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce with the names of donors engraved on cultured stone to a walnut plaque commissioned by the Southern Nevada Domestic Violence Task Force designed to remember the victims of domestic violence. The shop also made The Mayor’s Trophy, which the city of Las Vegas used to honor top qualifiers in Indy Racing League events at the Las Vegas International Speedway.
Las Vegas’ pro-business climate is one of the main reasons for the success of her business, Scherer said. Her husband, although not on the payroll, has backed her efforts and helped make the venture a success. “The people in this town really support you,’ she said. “You need that type of support to succeed?’
