Meet Orlando Burns

Growing up Orlando Burns watched his parents work for many years for other people, with little flexibility in their hours. At age 12, he decided that he would be his own boss one day. His goal became clearer as he finished barber school. The curriculum at the barber school was more challenging than what he originally thought, but he persevered. He continued his training by working at a hair salon in Hyde Park while studying finance at a university.

 

After college, he enjoyed considerable success as a technology consultant, but the pull of owning his own business was too great. He had the idea to open a barbershop but when it came time for financing, he was turned down from many banks because of his lack of collateral. His former boss at the hair salon told Orlando about ACCION Chicago. After presenting his business plan, he was approved for a $2,500 loan, which he used to buy barbershop supplies. Orlando's Barber Studio, Inc. was officially opened on April 1, 2006.

 

The business grew so fast within the following year that Orlando approached ACCION Chicago again for a larger loan so that he could get his own location. He found a site in the city's bustling Hyde Park neighborhood and used his second ACCION loan of $8,000 to continue expansion at the new location.

 

Orlando says that since his involvement with ACCION Chicago, he is more aware of the available resources for small businesses. He advises upcoming entrepreneurs to "Do your research, network with those people who have successfully operated their own businesses and see what made them successful." Orlando has heeded his own advice. "I don't believe in luck, I believe in preparation and I believe in planning." After all, he had been planning and preparing for this since he was in the 8th grade.