by David Chapman
Staff Writer
For Janet Herrick, being named the Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce 2011 Small Business Leader of the year for her business, Onsite Environmental Consulting LLC, was validation.
Validation of all the hard work she and staff put in since starting in 2004. Validation for a dedication to customer service above all else. And validation for a style of business.
“It’s all about attitude,” said Herrick, a perpetual smiler.
Herrick leads a staff of four, including her husband, operations vice president and environmental scientist Adam Hoyles. They run an environmental consulting business from their Blanding Boulevard offices.
Clients range from single-family residential clients to larger corporations. Onsite Environmental Consulting offers services that include environmental permitting, wetlands delineation, mitigation monitoring and design, and water quality monitoring, among others.
Herrick said many clients, especially homeowners, are often overwhelmed by the permitting process and regulations. Any project involving water is heavily regulated, she said, and the process can sometimes be like navigating a labyrinth.
“We help them step by step so they can make informed business decisions, not emotional ones,” said Herrick.
Herrick said her favorite times are those when she can leave the office and paperwork for a little more hands-on work outside in nature, taking inventories of grass and soil.
A member of the chamber’s West Council, she said she was also thrilled to be named the latest chamber small-business leader and will use the opportunity to give a voice to small businesses in the region.
As for her own business, Herrick said staying lean and green in the downturn has put the company in a position to expand throughout the year.
“Now is not the time to be timid in this market,” she said.
356-2466