By: Maria Williams
Born and raised in Waukegan, just north of Chicago, Teresa Posada’s path to entrepreneurship and mentoring was written in the stars. Although her desire to launch, scale, and sell businesses wasn’t apparent early in her life, Teresa’s passion for helping others and striving for excellence was the foundation of her successful ventures.
Since achieving financial security and freedom, Teresa has leveraged her unique skills to plant seeds with startup founders and mid-range business owners. Every situation she has encountered while coaching, advising, and executing business brokerage deals has challenged her to become even more knowledgeable about unlocking sustainable success. These wins propel her to keep going, connecting with more individuals needing the right mentorship, resources, and motivation to build the life of their dreams.
Before Teresa explored the business realm, she went to university, specializing in architectural drafting and design. She gained experience as an AutoCAD coordinator, mechanical and engineering draftswoman, and in other roles.
It wasn’t until her husband entered the oil field industry that Teresa took a moment to pause, wondering if there was something more fulfilling she could be doing. Since her husband’s new career required frequent travel and the pair hoped to build a family together, Teresa left her job.
Settling in new places, often rural natural areas, was an exciting change for Teresa, who had lived much of her life in a big city. With more time and a desire to build generational wealth, Teresa began looking into real estate investment opportunities. In 2012, she launched Utica Safety Apparel, entering an unforgettable chapter in her life.
The business sold specialized equipment and tools for oil field workers, ranging from boots to flame-resistant clothing and jackets. Before Utica opened, Teresa helped her husband get most of these items from local post offices since the pair lived in far-fetched areas. Considering how often he needed new equipment and tools and couldn’t align his long work hours with opening times, Teresa wondered what other professionals were doing. This curiosity aligned perfectly with Teresa’s move to Ohio with her husband, enabling her to purchase an attractive real estate asset that could also function as a storefront for this new business.
Teresa bootstrapped Utica Safety Apparel with only $5,000. Over the next decade, the brick-and-mortar opened three more locations and peaked at $3 million annual revenue in the first three years. Although Teresa excelled at managing a growing company while raising two young children, she learned many hard lessons about business.
The store grew rapidly, adding more inventory based on customers’ suggestions. Oil field workers began recommending Utica to their coworkers, and multiple corporations approached the company to strike a partnership. Teresa and her husband were thrilled with these developments, but the pair were teaching themselves how to run a business by the day. They didn’t know the intricacies of a company’s lifecycle and ran into some roadblocks.
Now, as the founder of Ding LLC, an International Business Brokers Association member, investor, and serial entrepreneur, Teresa sees things differently. She looks back on her mistakes and shares a roadmap for success with her clients through consulting, one-on-one and group coaching, and business brokerage support.
One of the biggest lessons Teresa gained from owning Utica and other businesses was the need to be prepared. Ideas bring revenue and growth, but moving without a purpose leads to confusion, financial losses, and missed opportunities. This happened to Teresa, who wanted to sell Utica three years after launching the business. Due to various market and industry changes that significantly affected Teresa’s mindset, selling business started to feel unattainable. As a result, Teresa operated the business for a few more years until she eventually liquidated.
With a business knowledge toolkit and real-life experience, Teresa uses this wisdom to guide other entrepreneurs to greater heights. “Successfully selling your business can be a catalyst that drives you into a new venture with the right mindset and resources,” Teresa says. “As someone who waited too long to prepare my business for sale, I know how much regret this loss can cause. I’ve applied my experiences to my clients’ consulting, coaching, and brokerage needs through Ding. I help them make sense of all the ‘suggestions’ entrepreneurs are given, providing a framework and accountability that drives positive outcomes.”
With a goal of expanding her impact on homegrown American businesses, Teresa seeks to be a reliable partner for clients nationwide. She aims to nurture an entrepreneurial revolution with accessible education and community, helping every business she touches thrive.
Published by: Holy Minoza
