Not long ago, David Hefley was doing his best to run his start-up technology consulting business out of his home.

Sure, he jokes, the commute was great.

But he also had to fend off pets, the TV and other distractions. He battled what he says is a stigma against home-based businesses.

And then there was the awkward prospect of inviting customers to his house instead of a "real" office.

So when Hefley's wife heard about the business incubator at Southeast Community College's Entrepreneurship Center - a place where Hefley would have access to expanded work space, business resources and personalized advice from SCC experts - he jumped at the opportunity.

Two years later, Hefley's Meridian Consulting is one of the incubator's early success stories, with employees on its payroll and a list of two to three dozen clients.

"I always wanted to start my own business," said Hefley, 33. "You just have to wait until the cards play right, and finally they did.

"(The incubator) really is a great place to get your feet wet."

Clearly other aspiring entrepreneurs have taken note.

For the first time since it opened 2 1/2 years ago, SCC's business incubator is full, having leased the last of its available space to an up-and-coming counseling and life coaching business.

Fourteen businesses - including massage therapy, carpet cleaning, air quality consulting - now occupy the incubator, which makes up the third floor of SCC's Entrepreneurship Center at 285 S. 68th St. Place.

Three of the businesses are set to be the first "graduates" into the real world early next year. And another three start-ups are on a waiting list to move in.

Such success, SCC leaders say, is evidence self-starting entrepreneurs aren't letting the recession hinder their goals.

"Just to watch these businesses, knowing where they were and seeing where they are now - I'm very proud of what we have and what we've done," said Tim Mittan, director of the Entrepreneurship Center.

The incubator is an ideal place for entrepreneurs who need help meeting the challenges of the business world, Mittan said.

The incubator leases space for a discounted rate, for instance. It also offers 24-hour access to amenities like a copy center and conference room.

Businesses can stay in the incubator for up to three years. While there, entrepreneurs must provide regular reports to SCC business coaches like Mittan. In turn, Mittan and others are on hand to look over sales proposals, offer hiring advice, provide marketing expertise or answer other questions.

And entrepreneurs can find plenty of moral support within the incubator's halls.

"One of the big benefits of being here is just sharing war stories with other tenants," Hefley said.

The incubator's latest tenant is Kolleen Meyer-Krikac, who's launched Balanced Life, a dual counseling/life coaching business.

Meyer-Krikac has degrees in counseling and had run a private practice for 11 years. But she also has expertise in life coaching, a field that involves guiding a person toward goals like a job change, weight loss or home reorganization.

When Meyer-Krikac met Mittan, he suggested she combine her skills to offer a unique service.

Meyer-Krikac, 45, loved the idea.

She'll host a ribbon-cutting ceremony for Balanced Life today.

While in the incubator, Meyer-Krikac hopes to pick up tips on how to market her life coaching skills. That's especially critical now, she said, because unlike counseling, people may view coaching as a luxury that can be spared during a recession.

Meyer-Krikac plans to use the incubator's conference room to host a series of "girls' nights out," coaching sessions for women. She also has access to classrooms in which she can host seminars.

Those were perks Meyer-Krikac - who's provided wisdom to friends since she was a teenager - didn't have at her old office.

"I will take full advantage of the incubator," she said. "It's a wonderful facility."

Reach Melissa Lee at 473-2682 or mlee@journalstar.com.