Helena Lott is a soft spoken woman with a gentle demeanor and a kind smile, all reassuring things for someone who uses needles, syringes and tubing on a daily basis. Lott is a phlebotomist.
Lott recently opened her business, M&D Duo Lab Services, a laboratory collection site in Magee. She completed a 12 month program in 1998 at the Texas School of Business in Houston, TX earning Clinical Medical Assisting and Phlebotomy certifications. She has over 27 years of healthcare experience across Texas and Mississippi in various types of clinic environments. Most recently Lott completed ten years with Off Main Street Medical in Taylorsville, MS.
With extensive experience in patient care, laboratory services and radiology, Lott felt the time was right for her to branch out on her own. “It has been a long-time dream. I’ve always had a passion for patient care and wanted to create a local space where people could receive reliable, professional testing services without having to travel far. Opening M&D Duo Lab Services allows me to serve the community while doing what I love.”
While Lott lives in Smith County she chose Magee for her business after careful research. She said, “Magee is a growing, supportive community that values local businesses. I wanted to bring more accessible lab and notary services to the area and contribute to the city’s growth.”
Opening M&D Duo Lab did not happen overnight. It took almost a year of planning and preparation that included finding a building, licensures, and setting up o the facility. It opened in this month at 320 Main Avenue, South.
Lott is a woman with a servant’s heart and fully believes and trusts that God gave her this vision for this time. She explained, “Every step of this journey has been guided by faith, and I’m deeply grateful for the opportunity to serve others in a way that honors Him.”
She went further, saying she thought raising her children would be her most difficult task in life, then added, “What I’m doing now has been one of the hardest challenges of my life. I have two adult children, and I once thought that raising them to be decent, responsible citizens would be the hardest thing I’d ever do. But opening a business is a whole different kind of hard.
“It’s not easy but with faith, preparation, and perseverance, it can work. And truthfully, the hard part isn't over. Every day brings new challenges. But I face them one step at a time, with trust in God and a commitment to the purpose He’s given me.”
Lott is in the process of obtaining accreditation with insurance providers, saying that at this point she works primarily with direct pay and lab partnerships. In addition to lab collection and testing services M&D Duo Lab offers urine drug screens, DNA testing, wellness panels, and SneakPeek early gender DNA testing. “Our goal is to make healthcare services simple, convenient, and professional for individuals, employers, and local agencies.” Lott also provides Notary Public services.
In the opportunities she has to train young women Lott focuses on more than technical skill. She includes building confidence, leadership and a strong sense of purpose. Lott wants to be a strong role model and support other women in business. “I want others to know that with faith, hard work, and perseverance, anything is possible. I hope to inspire other women especially in small towns to follow their calling and trust that their dreams can become reality.
“Anyone that knows me as a person, the admiration I give, inspiration, it touches my heart to see us women growing and we need more encouragement with one another.”
