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I started my little helper and Cole
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because ever since I was a teenager I
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was my grandmother's Little Helper like
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that's literally what she called me
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growing up Melissa Lawson was accustomed
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to driving her grandmother around
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Charlotte even scheduling college
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courses around her to be able to come
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take her where she needs to go be it the
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laundry mat because we didn't have
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places that'll pick up your laundry for
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you back then that need is what inspired
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her to launch my little helper a company
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that provides reliable transportation
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across the Metro Charlotte area yet so I
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do this in memory of my grandmother I
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want to service others the way I service
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her because no one should have to suffer
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due to lack of transportation for
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medical appointments she wanted to start
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getting more involved with City
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Contracting so she soon reached out to
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learn more about the city's business
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inclusion program the best thing about
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the CBI program is it's just for us if
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you're a minority if you're a woman they
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got you the CBI program works to enhance
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competition and participation of
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minority women and and small business
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enterprises in City Contracting so our
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first contract was very exciting
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Rachelle Adams and her husband own a
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landscaping business called Round Tree
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companies they've been a part of the CBI
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program for years gaining valuable
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resources and skills that have helped
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them obtain dozens of City contracts I
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do feel like it has elevated uh us to
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another level um in regards to they are
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continuously emailing about
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opportunities um whether it be for work
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or growing your business through various
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programs and events the CBI program
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continues to expand their minority women
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and small business
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vendors with the city spending over $1
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million just last year with certified
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vendors in the program I think it is
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wonderful because we have a sense of
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support if there's something we have a
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question about we can call contact them
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and they'll try if they don't have an
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answer they'll push us in the right
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direction I'm the first business owner
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in my family my mom and dad can't tell
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me about business my grandparents
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couldn't tell me about business but CBI
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not only tells me it teaches me it
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provides me opportunity that I would
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have never been afforded Lawson says
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thanks to the CBI program she will soon
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begin work on her contract She was
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recently awarded allowing her the
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opportunity to grow and give back to
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those here in the city more than
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anything I just want people to know when
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you see the tears it's not tears because
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I'm sad maybe sad that I didn't know
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sooner but it's joy joy for knowing that
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now if my son wants to have something he
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has a whole city backing him