Bakersfield College’s Students in Free Enterprise club held a workshop Nov. 2 with Assemblywoman Shannon Grove as the guest speaker.

SIFE is a program designed to help students who want to open their own business become business savvy.

Grove greeted everyone with a handshake and introduction.

Throughout the presentation she managed to remember everyone’s name and their specific reason for attending the workshop.

Grove says she never attended college but still managed to build a successful business now worth millions.

She worked random jobs at Kmart, JCPenny, and even in the fields of Arvin in her younger years.

“I tried to make sure everything I did, I did the best,” said Grove.

In May of 1993 she opened Continental Labor Resources in Bakersfield and has since opened in Visalia, Ridgecrest, Paso Robles and has even expanded into Colorado.

She’s even getting ready to open in Wyoming.

She never missed a day of work and has always put a 100% into anything she’s ever done.

Grove said the key to building a good business is “Integrity, a good name, and honesty.”

She said she made a real effort to build a good repertoire with her clients.

“You never go back on your word. You never bounce checks.”

Having a good relationship with business partners and employees was something she also stressed.

“I surrounded myself with good people who were like-minded in business and ethics,” said Grove.