This is an archived site
This site contains information from September 2006 - August 2020. Visit the current MBDA.gov site.

Entrepreneur of the Month – February 2016

Image(s) included
Post a comment

In January 2016, we kicked off a new campaign called Entrepreneur of the Month, which allows MBDA audiences to meet creative business owners and executives who have leveraged MBDA’s programs and services in unique ways to foster growth. At MBDA, our core mission is infused with the energy and vision of minority business entrepreneurs, and in highlighting those who exemplify passion, innovation, and determination, we hope to inspire business owners of today and tomorrow.  

MBDA is proud to announce Patricia Watts of FCI Management as the February Entrepreneur of the Month. Her company, FCI Management,is a full service energy services company offering strategic energy solutions for corporate, residential, commercial and industrial clients, public and private school, universities, and government and municipal agencies.

Based in greater Los Angeles, FCI Management supports major contracts in the Southern California region and nationally since its inception in 1998.

Patricia’s journey of becoming her own boss was a natural one. She built a successful 22-year career advancing within a major utility company. Along the way, Patricia met entrepreneurs and became inspired by their success stories. When her company began offering volunteer retirement packages, she knew she had to seize the opportunity. With her experience, a passion to create jobs and good timing, the idea for FCI Management was born.

“I leveraged my institutional knowledge to start a company that would provide services to the industry,” said Patricia. “The timing was great as the world was being educated on climate change and greenhouse gas emissions, and becoming more energy efficient.”

Over the past 17 years, FCI Management has received several awards including Small Business of the Year (2006), Supplier of the Year (2009), Entrepreneur of the Year (2013), and Minority Contractor of the Year (2014).

FCI Management is currently a client of the Los Angeles MBDA Business Center, which has proved instrumental in several key areas of growth, including financial advisory support, access to capital and federal contracting.

“I can’t say enough about the support we have received from MBDA in helping us to expand and grow our business,” said Patricia.

MBDA bestowed the prestigious award of “2015 Energy Firm of the Year” award to FCI Management at the 2015 Minority Enterprise Development Week Celebration held in conjunction with the National Minority Supplier Diversity Council Conference this past October.

Patricia’s Advice to Aspiring Entrepreneurs

Nobody said it would be a bed of roses. This is really hard work and you will always be challenged. I would advise aspiring entrepreneurs to take advantage of participating with organizations like MBDA to provide you with the resources to help grow your business. MBDA provides you with financing advice, programs that will help you become a government contractor, success to give you greater visibility and networks that will help to market business.”

Do you know a minority business owner you’d like to see featured as Entrepreneur of the Month? Please email a statement of consideration to Alicia Sowah at asowah@mbda.gov.

Entrepreneur of the Month

Entrepreneur of the Month