Success Story: Honeybee Speech

Helping Children Build Confidence at Honeybee Speech

Location: Southern California | Imperial County | El Centro

Business Type: Speech Therapy

Small Business Center: The San Diego & Imperial Women’s Business Center and the Imperial Valley SBDC

Assistance Received: Business advising and training

Visit Honeybee Speech online

Founder Melissa Perez recognized a significant gap in local services and felt compelled to meet the growing need for pediatric speech therapy in the Imperial Valley. Melissa’s inspiration to start her own business came from her time working as a teletherapist for a clinic. Wanting to offer more personalized, in-person support, Melissa took the initiative and created Honeybee Speech, which focuses on early intervention and speech sound disorders.

Melissa’s entrepreneurial journey began with the support of the San Diego & Imperial Women’s Business Center (WBC), which she discovered through a friend who regularly attended their events and spoke highly of the community and resources available. Seeking to sharpen her marketing skills and connect with fellow business owners, Melissa turned to the WBC for guidance. Through their trainings, she learned how to clearly express who she is and the services she offers, an experience that helped her craft a compelling elevator pitch and confidently present her business in networking settings.

Building on that foundation, Melissa later connected with the Imperial Valley Small Business Development Center (SBDC) after seeing a flyer at the El Centro City Council promoting the resources available to local entrepreneurs. At the time, she was looking for more hands-on support to continue growing her business. The SBDC provided her with one-on-one advising, trainings, and opportunities to engage with the Women in Business Network. Their guidance helped her refine her brand and set up a Google Business Account, making her practice easier to discover online.

Reflecting on the impact of SBDC, Melissa shares, “It has helped me learn to market myself and connected me to a number of wonderful women business owners.”

The San Diego & Imperial Women’s Business Center and the Imperial Valley SBDC have worked in tandem to support Melissa’s development as a business owner. With complementary services and a shared commitment to empowering entrepreneurs, they’ve helped her enhance her marketing efforts, grow her network, and build lasting confidence in her role as a local business leader.

What Melissa loves most about owning her own business is the opportunity to bring a much-needed service to her community. Melissa’s dedicated practice has been providing essential speech therapy services for the past two years, helping children strengthen their communication skills and build lasting confidence. Through Honeybee Speech, she’s helping children thrive while addressing a critical need in the Imperial Valley.

To aspiring entrepreneurs, Melissa offers this valuable piece of advice: “Don’t be afraid of people telling you ‘no.’”

Visit Honeybee Speech on Instagram, or at 1699 W. Main St., Suite N, in El Centro, today. And, if you are an aspiring, or current, business owner in the San Diego/Imperial Valley area, connect with the San Diego & Imperial Women’s Business Center and the Imperial Valley SBDC.

4/28/2025