Success Story: Bud Taxi Service
Alton "Bud" Cannon injured his back on the job and became disabled. He began looking at self-employment options, including entering the livery business. While the 1950s and 1960s saw several thriving taxicab companies in the Kinston area, those services had dwindled to only a couple of one-car-one-driver concerns.
With the current renaissance in hospitality and entertainment venues in downtown Kinston and Lenoir County, Cannon saw a potential need for transportation services in a market that has been dramatically underserved over the past 20 years.
Cannon said as he researched the feasibility of the business, no one he turned to seemed to know who to talk to, what procedures to follow, the licenses that would be needed or the regulatory agencies to connect with. "I also encountered an intimidating list of local ordinances that I saw as potential roadblocks," he said.
Determined to move forward, Cannon visited the Lenoir Community College (LCC) Small Business Center in April 2017. With each successive appointment, he began to believe that with proper planning, he could start a successful business.
After six months of planning, Cannon applied for and received his permit to operate his personal vehicle to transport customers. Just a couple of months later, he purchased a dedicated vehicle for the taxi business, and he continues to grow the business and meet his goals.
With the current renaissance in hospitality and entertainment venues in downtown Kinston and Lenoir County, Cannon saw a potential need for transportation services in a market that has been dramatically underserved over the past 20 years.
Cannon said as he researched the feasibility of the business, no one he turned to seemed to know who to talk to, what procedures to follow, the licenses that would be needed or the regulatory agencies to connect with. "I also encountered an intimidating list of local ordinances that I saw as potential roadblocks," he said.
Determined to move forward, Cannon visited the Lenoir Community College (LCC) Small Business Center in April 2017. With each successive appointment, he began to believe that with proper planning, he could start a successful business.
After six months of planning, Cannon applied for and received his permit to operate his personal vehicle to transport customers. Just a couple of months later, he purchased a dedicated vehicle for the taxi business, and he continues to grow the business and meet his goals.
The Small Business Centers help entrepreneurs achieve their dreams of starting businesses, and those businesses have a significant impact in their local communities. If I can do it, you can do it.
Alton "Bud" Cannon
Owner, Bud Taxi Service