A Burning Urge to Succeed

Name of company: Sun Coast Resources Inc.
Name of woman leader: Kathy Lehne
Based in: Houston.
Description: Wholesale distributor of petroleum products and related services
Begun: 1985
2003 sales: $554 million
2007 sales: $1.1 billion

What inspired you to start Sun Coast?
"I created Sun Coast 23 years ago because I enjoyed the wholesale petroleum-distribution business where I had been working. The fuel distributor I was working for decided to close the Houston office in 1985. I was presented with the prospect of relocating to a small town in east Texas. I really enjoyed living in Houston [so] I decided to investigate the feasibility of starting a fuel-distribution business of my own at the ripe old age of 23."

What challenges did you face?
Lehne needed working-capital credit facilities, so she had to develop banking relationships. She needed fuel and operating supplies, so she developed relationships with suppliers and countless vendors. What's more, "I needed to recruit and hire a staff I could trust who shared my commitment and vision. I needed to attract a credit-worthy customer base. I needed to develop a corporate infrastructure to run the business. I had a burning entrepreneurial urge to succeed."

Was there a key to your growth?
"Increased demand for petroleum products is a key driver in our business. In addition, industrial and commercial enterprises need suppliers they can rely on without exception. Sun Coast has achieved a sterling reputation." Lehner credits her aggressive, professional marketing staff's follow-up on every transaction--to ensure customer satisfaction--for her company's ever-increasing piece of the pie. "And the size of our fleet significantly dwarfs our competition."

How do you weather difficult economic climes?
"We micro-manage our costs, accounts receivable and day-to-day operating tactics very carefully. Where needed, we tighten our belt as much as possible and hold off on capital projects until the market improves."

Can you share with us any recent books you've read?
Good To Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap . . . and Others Don't by Jim Collins.

Do you have any advice for entrepreneurs starting out?
"Follow your dreams, and execute, execute, execute. Don't limit your horizons or take no for an answer."

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