Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Sylvia Scruggs. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Sylvia thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.

As a math teacher by trade, I received my GA DDS Certifications to teach dui risk reduction and defensive driving classes between 2014-2015. I was teaching math on Monday through Friday and I taught dui risk reduction and defensive driving classes on alternate weekends. I really enjoyed my weekend clientele. These were adult classes with adult conversations. More of my personality was shared and it seemed more natural and a lot less stressful. In 2016, I started planning how to turn my weekend gig into my full-time gig. I’d work at different dui schools and I learned to interact with clients on a professional level. When I was collecting lots of payments for the other schools, I then knew it would work for me, too. You see, in this business, you don’t have to advertise much because clients will find you and they willingly pay for their required classes. Eventually, I left teaching math full-time and started subbing in between teaching the dui and defensive driving classes more during the week as well as on weekends. That led to me finding an office space in Lithonia, GA and, ultimately, opening my own school in 2016. At this location, I was providing a service for people that needed it in this area (close to their homes). They no longer needed to go far to get what they needed. My unique approach was simple: I offered great customer service, dedication, and, most importantly, flexibility. At 50 years old, my days of working Monday through Friday from 7am-4pm were over!

Sylvia, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My sister-in-law has owned and operated her dui school since 2000 and, after I became a GA Certified Math Teacher in 2012, she asked me to teach her dui classes on weekends. That was one of the best decisions of my life. As you may know, teachers are always looking for something to supplement their income. But outside of earning extra income, I actually found what I loved and work no longer felt like a task. It all came natural. With teaching DUI Risk Reduction and Defensive Driving Classes, I was able to turn what others may have considered the worst experience of their life into an awesome experience. I am most proud of providing a relevant service for my family and my community. My motto is simple: helping others help themselves!

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

After the idea of opening my dui school came to light and knowing how to operate the day-to-day operations, funding was a big obstacle. My bank account was very low but I realized I had good credit and that would equate to thousands of dollars to fund my business dream. I once read that you shouldn’t use your credit to start a business, but that is exactly what I did. Everyone takes credit, the utility company, the internet company, the county’s business license office, etc. I had multiple credit cards at that time all totaling over $20K. Oh and I had “friends” in high places which made my entire process run smoothly. From signing my office lease in June 2016 and servicing my first client in October 2016, I knew this was God’s plan for me. My take-away is to never underestimate the power of treating everybody right, having good credit and having good connections.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

When I think of resilience, I think about having the ability to bounce back from dark, difficult situations and to never give up. As I was sitting in my beautiful office from October 2016 to June 2017, I received very few calls and few service inquiries. One client here, two clients there was not going to pay the bills. In August 2017, I started as a full-time math teaching in Dekalb County and I solicited the help of a trustworthy friend to manage my defensive driving school. She was certified to teach GA DDS Driver Improvement/Defensive Driving Classes and she would work for me a few times a week. I taught in a school full-time and I continued to teach dui classes for other business owners. In April 2018, business finally started picking up as we were closing out the academic school year which was one of the factors that guided me to manage and operate “A Class Act DUI & Defensive Driving School, Inc” on a full-time basis. I have no regrets.

Contact Info:

• Website: aclassactdui.com
• Instagram: aclassactdui
• Facebook: aclassactdui
• Linkedin: aclassactdui
• Twitter: aclassactdui
• Yelp: A Class Act DUI & Defensive Driving School, Inc.

Image Credits
Not applicable. These are my personal pictures and selfies!