It’s a beautiful Thursday in Philadelphia and V’Esther Goode is busy frying up her signature cheesesteak egg rolls as the chef and owner of Boomer’s Kitchen & Catering. One by one, customers find their way to the food truck, while Goode (whose nickname is Boomer) greets everyone with an infectious smile. Not only is Goode living her passion, she has gained new confidence in running her business, something she attributes to Verizon Small Business Digital Ready. “It has built my confidence 100 percent,” Goode says. Verizon Small Business Digital Ready is a free, online portal designed to help small business owners like Goode succeed in today’s digital world. The portal offers self-paced courses led by successful business owners, in addition to personalized coaching, networking and incentives such as grants to eligible businesses. Before taking courses in the portal, Goode was doing everything by herself. And while her business was successful (she says she’s known for her mouthwatering breakfast platters), she often felt stressed. “I felt like this business was running me, not that I was running this business,” she says. Now, with 10 courses and coaching sessions under her belt, Goode knows how to track her finances, write a business plan, attract corporate catering gigs, target social media influencers, and infuse search engine optimization (SEO) into her website redesign. “[What I’ve learned in the program] made things smoother, less stressful,” she says.” I’m up earlier now. I’m promoting more now. I got a new assistant. I’m getting invoices faster, booking faster. My catering is already booked until 2022.” Goode now feels empowered to take her business to the next level. Her five-year plan includes owning a commercial kitchen, doing corporate catering and hiring more employees. Most importantly, Goode wants to leave a legacy. “In the beginning, [this business] was just to get my son through college,” Goode reflects. “But now I know that this is something that I can leave a legacy behind with. When I go, my children will have something to carry on. My family will have something to be proud of.” Verizon Small Business Digital Ready is a part of Citizen Verizon, the company’s responsible business plan to help move the world forward for all and help ensure that no one is left behind. Watch and see how the portal has helped Boomer. *This small business is a member of the Verizon Small Business Advisory Panel and is compensated by Verizon. #Verizon #5GBuiltRight #Verizon5G

 2570      28