Dear Friends
W
hat is more important to the vitality of Nebraska than successful businesses that create jobs and build wealth in our communities? The Nebraska Business Development Center’s 2019 annual report celebrates the economic impact of small business in Nebraska.
OUR PARTNERS
The economic definition of a small business encompasses over 99% of all business establishments in our state. There are more businesses in Nebraska with less than nine employees than businesses with over 10 employees. In the 48,331 business establishments with less than nine employees, the business owner and his or her employees are heads-down focused on the success of that business. These businesses are the life blood of the Nebraska economy! In 2019, the Nebraska Business Development Center (NBDC) assisted 1,882 Nebraska business clients, who created or saved 1,896 jobs and invested $39,515,324 in their business operations. Additionally, these clients secured $134,721,507 in government contracts. In 2019, the total economic impact to Nebraska of these businesses was $578.8 million.
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This annual report celebrates the 2019 NBDC business award winners and profiles four additional clients from across Nebraska. We thank these business owners for the opportunity to tell their stories and share their good news. All NBDC clients place their trust in the confidentiality and quality of our service. NBDC consultants provide confidential, one-to-one consultative services that focus on the individual needs of each business. Helping a business owner start and build a successful business in Nebraska is what we do.
NBDC provides support at every phase of the business life cycle — from business plan preparation, financial projections and market research to helping a business win government contracts and commercialize innovative products; from helping businesses and their employees be more successful and productive to planning for ownership transition of a successful business to new ownership. The services of NBDC are not possible without the support and funding from the University of Nebraska, the U.S. Small Business Administration, the Defense Logistics Agency, the U.S. Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration and First National Bank of Omaha. Our partnerships with Nebraska colleges and universities make it possible to staff centers throughout the state. We thank all our partners for their support which enables us to serve businesses across Nebraska.
Catherine Lang, JD State Director Assistant Dean
Michelle W. Trawick, Ph.D John Becker Dean UNO College of Business Administration
LOREN KUCERA SBDC WAYNE/norfolk
SPENCER RIEN SBDC SCOTTSBLUFF
SARA BENNETT SBDC GRAND ISLAND
CRAIG BOESCH SBDC LINCOLN
CHARLIE MCPHERSON SBDC MCCOOK/NORTH PLATTE
GARY DUSEK SBDC CHADRON
ODEE INGERSOLL SBDC KEARNEY
TONY SCHULTZ SBDC OMAHA
JOSH NICHOL-CADDY INNOVATION OMAHA
RICK YODER INNOVATION OMAHA
DEANNA MARCELINO NU CONNECTIONS OMAHA
VERONICA DOGA DIRECTOR PTAC
CHUCK BECK PTAC KEARNEY
MEGHANN BURESH PTAC NORFOLK
MARY GRAFF PTAC OMAHA
QUENTIN FARLEY PTAC LINCOLN
CATHERINE WALSH PTAC OMAHA
HAROLD SARGUS DIRECTOR POD
KIM HARTER POD OMAHA
SCOTT ASMUS POD OMAHA
BETH GIESBRECHT POD OMAHA
TAYLOR LAW PTAC OMAHA
JERRY PARRIOTT BUSINESS MANAGER
PTAC – PROCUREMENT TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE CENTER | SBDC – SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER | POD – PROFESSIONAL AND ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
CONSULTANTS
ARETHA BOEX ASSOCIATE STATE DIRECTOR SBDC
Programs Small Business Development Center (SBDC)
NBDC CEN
NBDC SBDC is a resource for small business creation and expansion. As an economic driver in the state, the SBDC program offers services to help entrepreneurs and small business owners start up and invest in their companies and transition them to the next generation of ownership.
Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) NBDC PTAC provides government procurement training, consulting and solicitation support throughout the state helping Nebraska businesses identify and pursue federal, state and local government contracting opportunities.
Innovation and Technology Assistance NBDC helps clients obtain funding for commercialization through federal SBIR/STTR grants and other funding opportunities. Consultants help entrepreneurs and researchers guide their innovations and new products from prototyping to success in the marketplace.
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Professional and Organizational Development
NU Connections
NBDC offers professional development workshops leading to certificates in leadership, business analysis, project management, human resources, lean enterprise, safety leadership, emergency preparedness, and supply chain. Organizational development consultants help clients deliver customized solutions for talent development, process improvement and organizational change.
NU Connections is an efficient pathway for business owners, entrepreneurs and researchers to leverage the strengths of the University of Nebraska. It is a collaboration among the four campuses (UNK, UNL, UNO and UNMC) to assure that Nebraska businesses have access to all assets of the University.
NTERS
Centers CHADRON
NORFOLK
Burkhiser Technology Center Chadron State College 1000 Main Street
Norfolk Area Chamber of Commerce 609 W. Norfolk Avenue
GRAND ISLAND
NORTH PLATTE
Grand Island Chamber of Commerce 309 W. 2nd Street
Mid-Plains Community College 1101 Halligan Drive #108A
KEARNEY University of Nebraska Kearney West Center Building #127E 1917 W. 24th Street
College of Business Administration University of Nebraska at Omaha Mammel Hall, Suite 200 6708 Pine Street
LINCOLN
SCOTTSBLUFF
University of Nebraska Lincoln Center for Entrepreneurship #315 730 N.14th Street
Panhandle Research and Extension Center 4502 Avenue I
Southeast Community College 285 S. 68th Street Place #210
WAYNE
MCCOOK Keystone Business Center #316 402 Norris Avenue
nbdc.unomaha.edu
OMAHA
Wayne State College Gardner Hall 1111 Main Street
NBDC by the numbers 2019 Impact of NBDC Clients and Services:
$578.8 MILLION total impact to Nebraska’s economy1
Clients served
1,882
Jobs created and saved
ECONOMIC IMPACT BY CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 1,896
Business investments
$39,515,324
Government contracts
$134,721,507 $31,255,583
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nbdc.unomaha.edu
555 clients served 654 jobs added District Two
Sales increases Total state-wide economic impact includes direct, indirect, and induced impact as calculated using the IMPLAN economic model. Thanks to Dr. Christopher Decker, Lucas Diamond Professor and Chair, UNO College of Business Department of Economics for his IMPLAN economic model of the attributed data of NBDC.
District One
660 clients served 802 jobs added District Three 627 clients served 406 jobs added
Professional and Organizational Development Program In 2019, NBDC’s Professional and Organizational Development program provided over 14,000 hours of training to 2,911 participants. Of the 186 business clients served, 46% were small businesses.
by the numbers
NEBRASKA
*
Percentage of business in each size class by industry
2019 QUARTER 3 Size of Business
0–19
Total Number of Businesses
Number of Employees
Change from 2018 Quarter 1 Number of Businesses
0
7,145
*1–4
30,898
5–9
11,288
10–19
8,131
20–49
5,837
50–99
1,898
100–249
881
-396 +118 -26
20–49
50–249
Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting Accommodation and Food Services Administrative Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation
+389 +33
10% of all paid workers in Nebraska
are self-employed in either a non-incorporated business (6.5%) or an incorporated business (3.4%)
0–19 20–49 50–249 250–499 500+
2017 Yearly Averages (Job Gains-Job Losses)
2,385 676 936 163 444
23%
14%
22%
17%
20%
16%
5% 8%
29%
5%
8% 10% 7%
25%
15%
58% 28%
27%
46%
19%
21%
11%
+39
What is a small business in Nebraska? The mode number of employees that work for a business throughout the State of Nebraska is 1–4. There are more businesses in Nebraska with less than nine employees (48,331) than there are with over 10 employees (24,878).
Number of Employees
58%
Construction Educational Services Finance and Insurance
Net Job Change
500+
+390
Source: Nebraska Department of Labor, Establishments by Size Class, NCCA Region 2008-2019
Size of Business
250–499
Average Monthly Earnings 2017 Stable Employees
$2,922 $3,414 $3,783 $3,995 $4,355
Source: U.S. Census Bureau. (2020). Quarterly Workforce Indicators (1990-2017) [computer file]. Washington, DC: U.S. Census Bureau, Longitudinal-Employer Household Dynamics Program, accessed on {2/13/20} at https://qwiexplorer.ces.census.gov. Analyzed by UNO CPAR
Prepared with the UNO Center for Public Affairs Research
Health Care and Social Assistance Information Management of Companies and Enterprises Manufacturing Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
16%
9% 11%
60%
11% 6% 11% 18%
10%
68% 19%
46%
7%
9% 6% 13%
69% 80%
9% 6% 6% 5% 7% 7% 29%
Real Estate and Rental and Leasing
70%
12% 16% 38%
10%
38%
38% 27%
21%
Retail Trade
17%
8% 11%
60%
Transportation and Warehousing
16%
6% 12%
62%
Other Services (except Public Administration)
52%
14%
18%
14%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau. (2020). Quarterly Workforce Indicators (1990-2017) [computer file]. Washington, DC: U.S. Census Bureau, Longitudinal-Employer Household Dynamics Program , accessed on {2/13/20} at https://qwiexplorer.ces.census.gov. Analyzed by UNO CPAR
2019 CHAMPION OF SMALL BUSINESS
T
he skilled mechanics of Davis Repair, LLC, are growing their 11-year-old Hay Springs agriculture equipment repair business by keeping the Sheridan County region’s farmers and ranchers going and growing. Owner Nathan Davis, a graduate of the twoyear John Deere Program at Southeast Community College in Milford and a former employee at John Deere dealerships, started his repair service out of the back of his pickup in the area where he grew up. Founded in 2008, Davis Repair, LLC, became incorporated in Nebraska in 2013. Davis became a client of the Nebraska Business Development Center (NBDC) office in Chadron in May of the following year in order to get assistance financing construction of a repair shop.
Where tractors move the economy 8
Davis primarily received assistance from Lori Frederick, NBDC consultant, who wrote the draft of his business plan and worked on the financial projections. Davis ultimately obtained a loan from Farmers State Bank in Chadron. Because he already owned the land, he had begun preliminary construction on the foundation and the 50' x 80' x 18' building by the time the loan was approved. The building was completed by another Hay Springs business, Binger Construction. Davis Repair moved into the new building in March 2016 and opened the following month. The new facility, which houses office and repair shop, has helped to improve efficiency and increased off-season work, prompting Davis to add a third fulltime mechanic.
Davis continues to operate a full-service truck for on-site farm repairs, and he and his mechanics will travel up to 100 miles to reach their customers. Davis Repair is the only independent agriculture equipment repair business in the area operating a full-service truck. NBDC consultant Gary Dusek says Davis also promotes small business as a career choice, especially in rural Nebraska. “He donates time and energy educating area farmers and ranchers about the importance of proper maintenance of agriculture equipment,” Dusek says. “He encourages customers to schedule regular, seasonal maintenance during the off-season. This benefits the customers as well as his business. Davis Repair contributes to the success of farmers and ranchers who are his customers and also business owners.” A member of the Hay Springs Chamber of Commerce, Davis cooks smoked pork and baked beans each year for the annual Hay Springs Friendly Festival, held the fourth weekend in August. For the past eleven years, Davis Repair has supported the agriculture industry and the region’s economy by providing local access to repair and maintenance to ranchers and farmers. For his contributions, NBDC selected Nathan Davis as the 2019 Champion of Small Business. “I am very appreciative of the honor,” Davis says. “The people at the NBDC Chadron office did a really good job helping with what I needed. It was a good experience for me.”
DAVIS REPAIR | HAY SPRINGS
CHAMPION OF SMALL BUSINESS
is awarded to an NBDC client who has triumphed in the field of business and is an empowering entrepreneur who supports small business in Nebraska. 2014 – Roger Franklin, Gary’s Cleaning and Restoration 2015 – Christine and Kevin Grooms, American Agricultural Lab 2016 – Cody and Chrystal Brooks, White River Feed, LLC 2017 – Mead Lumber/Truss Craft 2018 - Erich Landen, Landen Chiropractic, PC
Swairie Fernando, Jennifer Wittrock, shop mascot Tessa, Nathan Davis, Gary Dusek
2019 GOVERNMENT CONTR ACTING BUSINESS OF THE YEAR
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orking with the Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) at the Nebraska Business Development Center (NBDC) is continuing to yield impressive new federal contracting opportunities for ACE Reporting-US, LLC. ACE Reporting-US, an acronym for Accurate, Certified and Electronic, provides court reporting and other related services nationwide from its office in Lincoln. In 2020, the company added Region One (Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Maine and Rhode Island), a contract worth $856,590 annually, giving ACE Reporting-US a total of 35 active contracts in 21 states and Puerto Rico.
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In fiscal year 2019, the company completed more than $7.6 million in contracts with the federal government, up from $5.22 million in fiscal year 2018 and from $646,069 in FY 2017.�
President and CEO Kelly S. Morton has an extensive background in court reporting and education in the legal field. Morton founded ACE Reporting-US as a sole proprietor in November 2004 and ran the business part-time while also working for a judge in Lincoln.
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ACE REPORTING-US | LINCOLN
RAISING THE BAR FOR COURT REPORTING
In 2016, Morton switched her business to a limited liability company (LLC) and turned her attention to managing it full time. “We have seven employees locally, and we manage 400 subcontractors, all for the Social Security Administration,” Morton says. In the fall of 2017, Morton attended NBDC’s Meet the Buyers conference. The following spring, PTAC consultant Quentin Farley stopped at her office to share information about various services the center provides. Since starting her company, Morton had worked with the Social Security Administration (SSA) as a blanket purchase agreement (BPA) holder, servicing SSA disability hearings in Nebraska from 2013 to 2016. A little over two years ago, she says, the SSA changed its business model from managing more than 1,800 individual BPA holders to putting the work out for bids, targeting small businesses as a set-aside. Farley has since assisted Morton in completing her System for Award Management (SAM) registration renewal, Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) self-certification, and Small Business Administration (SBA) Profile optimization. Farley has introduced her to BidMatching services and provided in-depth market research. ACE Reporting-US currently has contracts with the SSA Office of Disability and Review; the Department of Labor, as well as state-level administrative venues including the State Liquor Control Commission and Department of Education. ACE Reporting-US reporters maintain federal security clearances. Morton says ACE Reporting-US holds membership in both the National Court Reporters
Association and the American Association of Electronic Reporters and Transcribers (AAERT). ACE reporters and staff are required to maintain their skill set, learn new skills and keep abreast of new rule changes and policies, she says. ACE Reporting-US has continually raised the bar in the use of electronic reporting and digital technology for the courtroom. The company is capable of providing hard copy transcripts of proceedings, PDFs, e-transcripts and plain text formats for email, as well as uploading documents and transcripts to secure electronic file services. Morton says Farley and NBDC are easily accessible whenever she has questions or needs contracting advice. “Quentin has introduced me to a variety of resources that are helping get our name out there so we can receive more information about government contracting opportunities,” she says. “There is a shortage of court reporters locally and nationally, and we want to help fill it. He has been a valuable asset in that regard.”
GOVERNMENT CONTRACTOR OF THE YEAR
is awarded to an NBDC client who is successful in selling and delivering products or services to federal, state or local government. 2014 – Mark VII Enterprises 2015 – Farris Engineering 2016 – Prairie View Industries 2017 – Cash-Wa Distributing 2018 - McDaniel Farms
INNOVATION BUSINESS OF THE YEAR is awarded to an NBDC client who advances technological innovation, partners with a Nebraska university to meet federal research and development needs, or increases commercialization of federal research.
Debbie Dekleva, Herb Knudsen, Karen Knudsen
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MONARCH FLYWAY | OGALLALA
2014 – LI-COR Biosciences 2015 – Windcall Manufacturing (GrainGoat) 2016 – Goldfinch Solutions 2017 – Sanguine Diagnostics & Therapeutics 2018 – Innovative Prosthetics & Orthotics
2019 INNOVATION BUSINE SS OF THE YE AR
M
onarch butterfly habitats and the market for milkweed fiber and other by products are growing as a result of participation in the Nebraska Business Development Center (NBDC) intensive business development project in Ogallala. In September 2018, NBDC consultants spent five days evaluating participating businesses in depth, which culminated in confidential reports to the owners detailing where they could improve their companies to full potential. The project was funded by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) in partnership with Keith County Area Development (KCAD) and was offered at no cost to participating businesses, which included Natural Fibers Corporation of Ogallala. Natural Fibers Corporation, now known as Monarch Flyway, is the brainchild of Herb Knudsen, company president, chemist and patent attorney, who acquired “the milkweed project” in 1987 when he was vice president of new ventures for Standard Oil of Ohio.
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The original project and our work today involves taking an unknown, underdeveloped weed and harnessing its true potential,” says his daughter, Debbie Dekleva, Monarch Flyway general manager.
Business is blooming During their Keith County interactive session, the owners of Monarch Flyway worked with NBDC consultants Josh Nichol-Caddy and Sara Bennett to identify opportunities for the company. Among several recommendations were innovation and product development initiatives. Consultants suggested the Nebraska Department of Economic Development’s (NDED) prototype grant as a funding opportunity for developing Monarch Flyway’s nonwoven material into wider runs. “Every milkweed fiber is hollow,” says Dekleva. “It traps warmth like the hair of a polar bear. It is also hypoallergenic and biodegradable. We have combined 80 percent milkweed and 20 percent of a synthetic binder into a new material that we believe gives us the opportunity to revolutionize the outdoor gear industry.” Monarch Flyway was approved for NDED’s prototype grant to run a larger width material with commercial grade “feeders” to prove scalability of the project, with a goal width of 60 inches, Dekleva says. Milkweed is the sole food source of monarch butterfly caterpillars. Monarchs migrate from Mexico through the United States to Canada and back every summer. As the world’s largest supplier
of wild-crafted, sustainably harvested milkweed products, the company actively supports Monarch butterflies. Monarch Flyway protects wild milkweed patches and encourages people to grow more milkweed to fuel the migration. Monarch Flyway’s first value-added business was Ogallala Comfort Company, established in 1988. The soft, silky milkweed fibers combine with down to create hypoallergenic, durable and comfortable sleeping products. From the milkweed seed oil, Monarch Flyway created a synergistic blend of plant oils to develop Milkweed Balm, a line of creams used to soothe sore muscles. Milkweed seed oil contains Omega 7 fatty acids that are normally found in the skin’s sebum but diminish with age, along with phosphorous, calcium, magnesium, zinc and antioxidants. Dekleva says the company is continuing to work with Bennett and NBDC as it expands into new markets. “We would not be anywhere close to where we are today without Sara,” Dekleva says. “Her advice and the information she provided has put us on a path we didn’t know was available.”
Seated: Steve Lichter, Debra Lammel and Dean Epperson; standing (l-r): Jonathan Fant, Brian Klausen, Matt Doeden, Dustin Van Cleve, Jim Worden, Adam Melby, Lon Jensen, Ed Gaither, Wyatt Hunter-Johnson and Barry Hale.
University provides opportunities to its own 14
EAD | OMAHA
2019 EMPLOYEE DEVELOPMENT BUSINESS OF THE YE AR
O
maha-headquartered EAD has demonstrated its continuing commitment to employee development by partnering with the Nebraska Business Development Center (NBDC) to create the “EAD University” program. Founded in 2001 as Engineering, Automation and Design, Inc., EAD is a full-service engineering firm that provides their clients with engineering design, project and construction management, safety, training and administrative support services. The company specializes in finding project management, mechanical, electrical, structural, process, and controls engineering solutions for food, pharmaceutical and parcel / logistics industry clients. EAD also works closely with their subsidiary company and UL-listed panel fabrication shop, Industrial Panel Solutions, to provide clients with customized industrial control panels. EAD has 65 associates divided between their headquarters and a new regional office in Memphis, TN, that opened in 2018. Because technologies and industry practices change quickly, EAD endeavors to ensure that its associates stay abreast of the latest trends and best practices in their fields of expertise. The company provides associates with frequent internal training as well as opportunities to pursue advanced certifications. Combined, these efforts have cultivated a highly skilled and educated workforce: many senior level engineers are licensed professional engineers with engineer of record certifications in multiple states, while many senior project management staff are certified project management professionals.
EAD’s association with NBDC began in 2017 when consultants produced a market analysis report for the company, says EAD Engineering Director Ed Gaither. Gaither was the company’s director of corporate development when the EAD leadership training curriculum was conceived. “The NBDC analysis was pretty thorough,” he says. “It definitely reinforced what we believed about the market.” In 2018, NBDC partnered with EAD to develop the EAD University program “to ensure employees are supported in their efforts to better themselves, their team and the company.” The 12 month program was unique in that it was longer than most leadership development programs with participants from all levels of company leadership meeting once a month for a half day on-site at EAD. Gaither says the sessions were designed to be appropriate for the work at EAD. “The presenters were able to read the room and take the material to the correct level,” he says. “They recognized professional project managers, and they let us talk instead of talking at us.” He says the sessions addressed soft skills and tactics that can be used to convince and influence people. “The presenters capably role-modeled what we need to do,” Gaither says.
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We have a strong corporate culture and a great team. It was nice to see these same skills and qualities modeled and reinforced by people outside the company.”
EMPLOYEE DEVELOPMENT BUSINESS OF THE YEAR is awarded to an NBDC client who demonstrates a commitment to employee development and organizational improvement and embraces a strategic and programmatic approach. 2018 - Hillcrest Health Services
“Having that third-party voice whose competence was immediately accepted by our team was a big help,” Gaither says. He praised the efforts of the NBDC consultants and presenters. “They just get it,” he says. “The range and the depth of the insight they provided were very appropriate. We felt they had a vested interest in our success.”
Longtime printing company gets a new lease on life
ultimately led to working with international branding, marketing and design firm TBWA/Chiat/Day in Los Angeles. He returned to McCook in 2014 when the opportunity arose to purchase longtime local business Acme Touch Printing. “I hadn’t really thought about owning a business,” Muehlenkamp says, “but the idea of starting a family in a tight-knit community like McCook rather than LA really appealed to me.” To help with the purchase process, Muehlenkamp was referred to Charlie McPherson, the North Platte/ McCook NBDC center director, and they met in February 2014. During the meeting, they assessed the project in great detail. After reviewing the different components of the business purchase and the options available, the two put together a plan.
W
ith a refined business plan and financial projections provided by the Nebraska Business Development Center (NBDC), Jared Muehlenkamp was able to purchase Acme Printing Co., which has delivered customized printing services to customers in McCook and surrounding communities since 1932. Muehlenkamp, who was born in Imperial and moved with his family to McCook when he was eight years old, studied visual communications and design at the University of Nebraska at Kearney. He later earned a degree in web design and development through DeVry Institute of Technology, which
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ACME PRINTING CO. | MCCOOK
Over the next several weeks, McPherson reviewed the information Muehlenkamp had used to start a business plan and began providing revisions, recommendations and additional market research, and comparing his financial projections against industry reports available to NBDC. McPherson was then able to assist Muehlenkamp with an improved business plan and financial projections, and financing was approved by the end of March. Muehlenkamp purchased the company on April 1 and formed Muehlenkamp Design, LLC (d/b/a Acme Printing Company). By adding services including branding and digital marketing, he is providing the community’s small businesses the opportunity to enhance their visual presence without spending large sums of money on a brand strategy.
For Muehlenkamp, innovation has been a key to being able to continue to serve McCook and surrounding areas. Seeing other printing companies merge, sell shops or simply close their doors in response to expanding online printing services, he says the people of McCook make the difference to him and his business.
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I believe the overwhelming support of the community of McCook is the reason Acme continues to exist. We have formed lasting relationships in the community, and we hope to keep building these relationships for years to come.”
He credits McPherson and NBDC with enabling him to build a new life in the area where he grew up. “Charlie is a great person to talk with,” Muehlenkamp says. “He understands small business. For anyone interested in entrepreneurship, it’s crucial to have someone to go to for reliable advice. “I put a lot of trust in Charlie and NBDC,” he says, “and I am in debt to them.”
From left to right: Rebecca Baker, Rich Dack, Janie Bredvick, Jared Muehlenkamp, Elise Stevens, Constance Stone.
For coffee aficionados love is in the details 18
CAPPUCCINO & COMPANY | SCOTTSBLUFF
G
uidance with accounting tools from the Nebraska Business Development Center (NBDC) has helped owner Angela Scanlan brew a more efficient business at Cappuccino and Company in Scottsbluff.
What Scanlan lacks enthusiasm for is accounting. “I love the creative aspect of my business but I really don’t like the nuts and bolts,” she says. “Accounting, bookkeeping, QuickBooks have been very difficult for me.”
While in high school, Scanlan worked under the original owner for about six months. When the business came up for sale in 2013, Scanlan’s mother, Janie, encouraged her to change careers from respite care provider to entrepreneur and coffee shop owner.
Enter NBDC and now-retired consultant Ingrid Battershell.
“I didn’t really know what I was getting into, but I found I had a passion for really good coffee,” Scanlan says. Situated on Broadway beside the historic Midwest Theater, Cappuccino and Company has a patio for seasonal seating and recently added a delivery service but has no drive through. “I encourage people to get their steps that way,” Scanlan says, smiling. She and her eight employees have adopted the motto, “Love is in the Details” —the primary detail being the coffee they serve, provided through a partnership with Tectonic Coffee Co. roasters in Los Angeles. “It’s very high quality coffee, roasted from the top five percent of the beans in the world,” Scanlan says. “It’s organically grown and shipped to us every week.”
“
We take an uncommon level of care to provide our customers a very memorable sip. We’re coffee geeks and totally proud of it.”
“Ingrid was recommended to me when I sought help learning QuickBooks and taking over some basic bookkeeping responsibilities,” Scanlan says. “She’s the most delightful person. She was patient and helpful as I learned the simplest things, like categorizing my business purchases to learn where the most money went each month. She explained everything in plain English and empowered me to handle the day-to-day transactions.” Scanlan says Battershell’s guidance “happened early on and has played a huge part in our growth. Because of her help, I now keep up with the basic monthly purchase records and use QuickBooks to run payroll, reducing my ongoing costs for an accountant.” Just as she works to grow her own business, Scanlan strives to help fellow small businesses. She is the volunteer president of the Downtown Scottsbluff Association (DSA), a non-profit organization responsible for many events including the Christmas parade and the Farmer’s Market. She is also a volunteer member of the Riverside Discovery Center Zoo board, is a board member for the Business Improvement District (BID) for the City of Scottsbluff, and she supports the Business and Professional Women’s Foundation (BPW) and numerous other civic and charitable organizations. Her business has been recognized for its success and contributions to the community. Cappuccino
and Company won Small Business Employer of the Year from the BPW, and her coffee shop has been nominated Best Coffee House in the Star Herald Reader’s Choice Awards three years running. In addition, Scanlan has been named Western Nebraska Community College’s Young Alumnus of the Year. She says it all comes back to her business motto. “‘Love is in the Details’ inspires everything we do,” she says. “People are very important to us.”
How to succeed in government contracting with a little help
A
cting on what has been learned from meetings with a Nebraska Business Development Center (NBDC) government contracting specialist, Protex Central is working to increase its visibility to state and federal agencies. Established in 1966, Protex Central provides fire protection systems, security systems and life safety system services that monitor and protect people, property and assets throughout the Midwest. The company has offices in Omaha, Des Moines, Scottsbluff, and its corporate office in Hastings. Regional sales director Tom Reiber was introduced to NBDC and its services when he attended a series of workshops held at the Hastings Chamber of Commerce. The workshops included a session on federal contracting basics and set-aside programs presented
by Chuck Beck, a Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) consultant in the NBDC office at the University of Nebraska at Kearney. After the workshop, Reiber contacted Beck to learn more about doing business with federal agencies. Beck presented market research and suggested how Protex Central could increase its presence and interaction with federal agencies. Since the company could serve as a prime contractor on some contracts, a BidMatch profile was set up for the company. Reiber also worked to improve the company’s Small Business Administration (SBA) profile.
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Now I get information about government contract bids via email every day,” Reiber says. Additionally, the two discussed pursuing potential opportunities to subcontract on projects. Beck explained how to identify prime contractors in the federal market and shared strategies for reaching out to those potential partners. “Chuck helped put together a capability statement dedicated for government agencies and contracting that serves as
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Omaha staff with Shawn Mullen, president and chief energy officer
our company’s snapshot,” Reiber says. “His advice helped us find information about available bids and how to interface with government agencies all the way through payment processing.” Beck and Reiber also talked about pursuing local and state opportunities. Beck provided information about registering to do business with the State of Nebraska’s purchasing division and the Nebraska Public Power District. Since Protex Central first attended the NBDC PTAC government contracting workshops in August 2016, the company has increased sales in the federal and local markets. Reiber attended a Meet the Buyers Conference hosted by NBDC PTAC at Chadron State College in 2017, which proved beneficial. “It was a good tool to help us get in touch with the purchasing sources
PROTEX CENTRAL | HASTINGS
and exchange information,” he says. “It’s always helpful to be able to put faces with the names.” He says the conference led to a closed-circuit television security project with the Internal Revenue Service in Scottsbluff, and a contract for an intrusion system for the Forest Service. Most recently, Reiber consulted with Beck on a product that the company believes would benefit school districts and Beck provided him with contacts. “Chuck has been very helpful as we navigate the different government processes and regulations,” Reiber says. “We really appreciate what he has provided from a support standpoint.”
Company exceeds expectations
T
he purchase of Fyre-Tec steel window manufacturing company in Wayne was accomplished with the help of services provided by the Nebraska Business Development Center (NBDC). Jason and Cheri Gehling are co-owners and run the daily operations of the 28-year-old company, whose 15 employees manufacture Fyre-Tec fire-rated steel windows, as well as Prime-Tec non-rated models, available as horizontal slider, vertical hung, fixed lite, projected or awning, and casement windows. Jason Gehling says he had long been open to purchasing a business “if the right opportunity ever came along. I met the prior owner of Fyre-Tec a few years back, and they notified me when they decided to put the company up for sale.” Loren Kucera, director of the NBDC office at Wayne State College, began working with Gehling
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FYRE-TEC | WAYNE
in early November 2018. “The bank called me asking that I put together a financing package so that Jason and his partners could purchase Fyre-Tec,” Kucera recalls. “I hosted a meeting and invited the client and his partners, along with representatives of various financing sources and the bank.” With Gehling’s assistance, Kucera prepared cash flow projections and loan applications to various agencies. The final applications were presented in mid-January 2019. Ultimately, there were six different sources of financing, including the buyers’ equity injection. Fyre-Tec’s steel window products are a culmination of innovative steel prime and fire resistant roll formed products. “Our business fills a tight but needed niche in the industry,” Gehling says. “We specialize in manufacturing premier fire-rated window assemblies that have all passed a series of tests performed by Underwriter Laboratories (UL). This
provides our customer with both peace of mind and potentially a much safer building.” Gehling says Fyre-Tec is dedicated to providing top quality products and working closely with code officials to develop and test new products that meet and exceed local, national and international fire codes. The company distributes its windows through a network of sales agents throughout the U.S. “We ship to all 50 states and Canada,” he says. In 1991, the Fyre-Tec and Prime-Tec family of windows became a wholly owned subsidiary of Tekton, Inc. and the managerial, engineering and manufacturing facility were relocated to Wayne. “Our company is very strong; very self-sustaining,” Gehling says. “Employee tenure here is exceptional. We have some employees who have been with the company more than 20 years, and many longer than 10 years.”
Still, not everyone in Wayne knew the company or its products, so the Gehlings hosted a “ribbon-cutting” open house at the facility in June and invited the community to take a look. “We did it as a celebration of the new ownership, and we had close to a couple hundred people turn out,” Gehling says. Kucera was one of those people at the ribbon cutting, and Gehling says he appreciates the consultant’s continued interest in Fyre-Tec’s success.
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I spent 18 years in various jobs in the banking industry, but when it comes to buying and running your own business, there are a lot of ‘first times.’”
“Loren was instrumental in helping with the paperwork, letting us know what to think about when writing a business plan, and making us aware of various state resources,” Gehling says.
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