I recently met Carole and Greg White at a Thanksgiving Coffee fundraising dinner and learned that their “kids” are owners of two Fort Bragg businesses.

Kyle White, 30, launched WHITEOUT!, a mobile document shredding micro-enterprise more than five years ago. He handles shredding assignments for doctors, dentists, clinics, CPA’s and more. What is particularly interesting about this is that Kyle is developmentally disabled. He is one of the first Californians with a developmental disability to receive funding from the California Department of Rehabilitation to start his own business. Typical sources of employment for individuals with special needs are sheltered workshops and supported employment jobs. With the support of five local businesses and assistance from parents Carole and Greg White, WHITEOUT! was launched in 2002. With privacy conscious clinics, doctors, dentists and CPA’s as clients, Kyle’s inability to read is an asset.

Hilary, 27, owner of If The Shoe Fits, has an similar interesting story to tell …

“I lived in Colorado from 1998-2002 while getting a BA in political science from Colorado College. While in college I worked as a seamstress and costume designer for the college’s drama and dance department. I also designed costumes for a modern dance company in Denver. I came back to Ft Bragg in 2002 to work while figuring out what to do next. Kyle and I decided to live together for a year so that he could experience a more independent lifestyle. That year living with Kyle in Fort Bragg made me realize how much I love living here and that I wanted to stay. I worked at Out of this World in Mendocino for many years. There I gained the experience and skills needed to run a business.”

If The Shoe Fits is a consignment clothing store on Franklin St offering new and gently used clothing and accessories for women and children. “Having the majority of my inventory on consignment allows me to provide a wide selection of excellent quality merchandise at very affordable prices,” says Hilary. “I am excited to be a part of the Fort Bragg-Mendocino business community. The business owners in this area are full of energy and ideas, and are committed to providing the goods and services we need to live on the coast.”

Fort Bragg, following the shut-down a few years go of the Georgia Pacific lumber mill, is experiencing a renewal and young entrepreneurs like Kyle and Hilary White, both raised in Fort Bragg, are at the forefront of this positive change.

Tags: Fort Bragg, If The Shoe Fits, WHITEOUT!

This entry was posted on Tuesday, May 6th, 2008 at 9:52 am and is filed under Fort Bragg Businesses. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.