Small Business Today Magazine OCT 2015 TEXAS SECURITY SHREDDING | Page 10

COVER STORY

It is not easy getting recognition in the male dominated field
of shredding. Patricia found that one of the most effective ways
was to become a part of the Mastermind Group of Shredding
Companies. “They only allow one person per geographical area
and we meet on Tuesday mornings for a half hour. It’s very
valuable,” stated Patricia. “We learn such things as how to deal
with difficult clients, how to market our shredding business,
and how to compete against large shredding companies.”
Patricia is always looking for ways to improve her business.
The Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Program is one of
the best. It is almost guaranteed that anyone fortunate enough
to get accepted in the Program will take their business to the
next level and Texas Security Shredding is no exception! In
2012, Patricia was fortunate in being accepted as a cohort. “It’s
an excellent program,” she explained. “They go over all of the
issues about your company. There’s even help with new design
for your company. In addition, you’re able to network with 30
other business owners and that relationship continues forward
even after the class is over. We are always looking for opportunities to work with each other and we find so many ways that
we can. In today’s market, that is critical.”
Another way that Patricia has helped put Texas National
Shredding on the map is through her philanthropic endeavors.
Several people in her family have gone through cancer treatments; none of whom have died. But, she states, “I have friends
that have passed away. I’ve always said that when I retire, I will
work on women’s issues.”
While she was in the Goldman Sachs Program in 2012, Patricia met Janet Jucker of Three Brothers Bakery who was a breast
cancer survivor. They came up with the idea of buying 400 pink
bins to use for shredding and started the Shred for Komen Program.As part of the Shred for Komen Program, by charging $10

Elmer Guittierez/Operations Manager leads a team of drivers like Raymond
Patterson and Sean McBride. Photo courtesy of Pat Vice.
8 SMALL BUSINESS TODAY MAGAZINE [ OCTOBER 2015 ]

a month to clients for shredding, Patricia’s company would be
able to give $4,000 a year to the Houston Affiliates of the Susan
G. Komen Foundation. This is commensurate with the same
level of donations that major corporations give. In addition,
it is a wonderfully appreciated revenue source for the Komen
Program due to the fact that it is a reoccurring event. Patricia
is of the belief that businesses should look for creative ways
to give back to the community by doing what they already do.
This way, it becomes a win-win situation.
With Shred for Komen, it took Patricia and Janet a year to
get the details in place. “Janet and I have an ongoing business
relationship,” expressed Patricia. “We see each other every few
months. Recently, there was a Houston Community College
Summit that brought back about 200 companies that had participated in the Goldman Sachs Program. We got together
and networked and in a two hour period, we were able to put
a business together. It was exciting finding opportunities and
networking together.”
To the delight of everyone, at the end of the first year of the
Shred for Komen Project, about $5,000 was brought in. “This
year it will be between $10,000 and $12,000,” said Patricia. She
added, “And $40,000 down the road is quite doable. We have
bright pink 64 gallon locking bins that are free to the client.
They just pay the monthly fee to process the paper. Each bin
holds about 250 pounds of paper which is quite a lot. Companies have to shred their documents; they’re required by law;
they might as well get the recognition by signing on with the
Shred for Komen project. It’s a statement to their employees
as well as their customers that their company gives back to the
community.”
“100 percent of the money from the Shred for Komen Project
comes back to the community as a whole,” explained Patricia.
“75 percent is used to provide services such as mammograms
and transportation for people in the community who don’t
have insurance or funds to pay for them. The other 25 percent
goes to research done locally.” Patricia has worked with The
Rose Organization in setting up their van on site to do mammograms. She proudly remarked, “They do an excellent job in
supporting women who don’t have the resources for mammograms.”
Every year in Texas about 12,000 women are diagnosed with
breast cancer. Tragically, 2,500 each year will die of this disease.
According to statistics, the average woman has about a 1 in
8 chance of developing breast cancer in her lifetime. About 5
percent to 10 percent of breast cancers are thought to be hereditary. If someone is of Ashkenazi Jewish heritage (Eastern
European), they are more susceptible, for example. Men have
to be tested too. The Komen group helps men as well. “There
is no genetic testing being done in the organization that I know
of right now,” said Patricia, “But that is certainly a timely topic
for the organization to look into.”