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Veteran’s Leadership and Wife’s Executive Skills Produce Successful Glass Business

November 21, 2016
Success Story: Colorado

Petersen Custom GlassAfter 15 years in the glass industry, Kris and Valerie Petersen opened Petersen Custom Glass, LLC in 2014. Kris has extensive experience designing and installing custom glass products. His specific areas of expertise include high-end frameless shower enclosures, ADA accessible showers and other custom glass projects. With his leadership skills gained from the military and her executive skills, Petersen Custom Glass has become a successful local business in Parker, CO, serving a 25-mile radius in the metro area.

“We feel that starting up slowly and receving help from the SBDC along the way, we established a solid foundation from which to grow financially in the coming years.”

In October, 2015, Petersen Glass moved out of the 1100 sq-ft garage into a brick and mortar retail space. Business expanded quickly as capacity grew to include showroom and workshop space.

All three of the consultants in the Aurora-South Metro SBDC Lone Tree office assisted the Petersens with financing questions and concerns, advertising direction and a solid marketing strategy. With the consultants’ guidance and discussing the financial pros and cons of ‘taking the leap’, “we have been able to ‘crack the nut’ with an online presence and a new physical location.”  (more…)

3 Ways to Spread Cheer with Holiday Marketing

November 14, 2016
By Maxym Martineau

The holidays are right around the corner, and people everywhere are hitting stores in search of the perfect present. Competing with big box retailers is tough regardless of the season, but with more shoppers on the prowl for the perfect gift, you’ll need to find a way to stand out from the crowd. Here are three things you can do to boost engagement with your customers and remind them to add your wares to their shopping lists.

Holiday Marketing

1. Create a fun holiday newsletter

Never underestimate the power of well-crafted newsletter. Seventy-three percent of millennials prefer email communications — that’s a huge market you can target with holiday-specific information.

You don’t have to toss your product spotlights and blog recaps to the side, but now’s your chance to add some holiday-themed festivity to the mix. Use language that represents the holidays without excluding any of your readership:  (more…)

A Dream Becomes Reality Through a Franchise Partnership

November 7, 2016
Success Story: Idaho

As Derek & Sophia Bates began seriously talking about their long-imagined dream of owning a bakery, a memory of a visit to the Great Harvest Bread Co. in Logan came back to them. They sent for an information packet and decided Great Harvest was a good fit.

Twin Falls, Idaho Great Harvest Bread Co.

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Three Surprises When You Apply for a Small Business Loan

November 1, 2016

Applying for a loanApplying for small business financing can be time-consuming and frustrating. Research from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York shows the average small business owner spends more than half a standard work week (26 hours) researching and applying for financing.

Unfortunately, putting in that time and effort doesn’t always pay off. The Nav American Dream Gap Report survey found that 45% of small business owners whose applications for financing were declined said they were turned down more than once. And research from the 2014 Joint Small Business Credit Survey found that in the first half of 2013, a quarter of firms with employees and nearly a third (31%) of those without employees didn’t even bother to apply because they didn’t believe their applications would be approved.

While no one wants to be rejected when they apply for credit, small business owners are at a particular disadvantage because major consumer protection laws don’t always apply to entrepreneurs seeking financing for their ventures.

Here are three things that may come as a surprise when they apply:  (more…)

‘Tis the Small Biz Season

October 25, 2016

Shoppers rely on small businesses to make their holidays special. From the perfect gift, to the best catering, consumers turn to the internet to connect with these local spots. To help businesses prepare, we’re teaming up with the U.S. Small Business Administration and partners across America to host a livestream event October 26th at 1:00pm ET to give small businesses the boost they need to reach more customers this #SmallBizSeason. Is your small business ready?

During the workshop, small businesses will learn how to create a free business listing on Google, optimize their website for mobile, advertise online, and more. There will be a Q&A at the end so be sure to submit your holiday questions using the hashtag #SmallBizSeason on Twitter.  (more…)