Ultrasound Business Opens Doors to Expectant Mothers 

Garden of Love 3D/4D Imaging of Hillsborough County

Jessica Dixon, owner of Garden of Love 3D/4D Imaging, was to become a grandmother for the first time in 2022 when her daughter experienced an unexpected tragedy. Dixon’s grandbaby lived just eight days because something critical was not spotted early. After seeing her daughter go through the pain of losing her newborn baby, Dixon told herself that she did not want any other mother or family to have to go through that same pain.

“This is why I started Garden of Love Imaging,” she said. “So that I could be those extra eyes for those families.” As a licensed ultrasound technician, Dixon decided that she wanted to create her own business as a tribute to her late granddaughter, Jalaïa Nayali Sasser, where she could help expecting mothers see and spend more time with their unborn children through ultrasound imaging.

Thinking of the idea came easily to Dixon, but executing it was where she found herself needing a bit of help. This led her to reach out to the Florida Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at Hillsborough County Economic Development, where she was paired with business consultant, Shawn Ferguson for startup assistance.

Ferguson was able to help the entrepreneur start with guidance on marketing, financing, and networking suggestions.  

Since working with the Florida SBDC at Hillsborough County, Dixon says she’s been able to start her business from scratch. “I didn’t know where to start. I didn’t know where to go. I had no idea what I needed to do,” she said. “He kind of paved the way for me. He held my hand through it, through marketing, through obtaining financing for my ultrasound machine, to networking events…and I’m here in my suite.”

With the assistance of Ferguson, Dixon was able to legally start her business in April 2023 and obtained financing from a commercial lender for the ultrasound equipment.

The business owner went on to talk about the success of starting the business in a time when she was still experiencing grief. “It’s overcoming the pain and the grief and to find myself overly ecstatic for somebody else…watching myself sit here and scan pregnant girls and thinking this was my daughter and their going to have their baby and she lost hers,” she recalled. “It was challenging because it was scary to have such a big idea and not even know how or when it was going to come to a reality.”

As her business continues to grow, Dixon says she will use her business consultant every step of the way moving forward. “He is literally on my speed dial; he’s stuck with me,” she said with a smile. “He believed in me, my idea, and my dream, and held my hand and turned it into a reality. She plans on using her Florida SBDC at Hillsborough County consultant for continued guidance on attending strategic networking events and market growth opportunities to reach more expectant mothers.

When it comes to advice, she gives other business owners about resources such as the Florida SBDC at Hillsborough County, Dixon says, “run. If you have a dream of opening a business, they are your go-to. It does not cost you a dime; they’re there to help you. They’re there to make your dreams a reality and they’ll do everything possible. I can’t thank Shawn enough or Florida SBDC at Hillsborough County for what they have done for me.”