Cleanliness is happiness for native entrepreneur
Rachel Huggins/Staff Writer
Issue date: 12/21/08 Section: Business
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"I know why I am so involved with cleaning, I've been around it my whole life," Coleman said. Owner of DLC Distributors, Coleman is registered with various manufacturers, and has an eye for new and innovative products. The District native sells an array of products, supplies, and services in various industries including "My Invisible Glove", an anti-germ skin lotion for daycare providers and parents for $16.95. "It puts a protective germ barrier on your skin for four hours and removes all germs from your hands," she added.
Coleman used her medical training from the courses she took at Martha Washington Vocational High School in the early 1970s and chose healthcare as her specialty after becoming a registered nurse. The common notion that the hospital is the cleanest facility has been very marketable and lucrative for Coleman's business.
"Everything I do stems out of a hospital environment," she explained. "Hospitals need janitorial supplies, environmental supplies, as well as child and pediatric materials…and that's where I come in."
In 1996, Coleman began DLC Distributors. Coleman used a $15,000 grant from the Department of Rehabilitation Services to start up her business. Lack of trust, inflexibility with collaborators and institutions are challenges she faces daily, yet she remains dedicated to servicing people, she said.
In 2001, Coleman became a licensed Medicaid provider. She also handles disposable supplies and durable medical equipment for Maryland medical recipients.
Coleman doesn't just service hospitals, however. She is also performs wonders for homeowners and maintenance companies where she is known for her miraculous products. Her high-end, ultra-sonic machines are leased to homeowners that yearn for sparkling, clean blinds year-round.
"Once you wash your blinds and put them back up, the light reflection gleams off of it and it's so much brighter!" she boasted. "It seems like the sun beams just bounce off of the blades and brighten up the whole room."
Coleman also distributes supplies to independent automotive stores in the Metropolitan area selling products such as Electronic Engine Ionizer, which increases a vehicle's fuel efficiency by 20 percent and Systems 48 Plus, a friction suppressant lubricant that puts a protective coating on any engine to prevent parts from rubbing against each other, she said.
Coleman's advice for those interested in the distribution business is to enroll into college courses to learn the various, required business techniques that can lead to a successful entrepreneurship.
Address: 1100 Mercantile Lane Suite 115-A Largo, MD
Phone: (301)883-3661
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