Success Story…TnT Quick Stop

 

Dustin Sheppard was no stranger to entrepreneurship when he decided to start a new venture in Roff, Oklahoma. Dustin had grown up watching his father run a family dairy farm. The purchase of one truck to help with hauling soon turned into more trucks, and that snowball eventually found the family out of the dairy business and running a successful trucking line.

Dustin was hooked and learned everything he could about the industry, finally ending up with his own string of trucks. As the business grew for Dustin and wife Christy, they realized they could streamline their business by providing the fuel for their own trucks.

As a graduate of East Central University in Ada, Dustin was aware of the business assistance offered to the community through the Oklahoma Small Business Development Center. When Dustin told his family he was interested in a starting a new venture, his mother suggested he get help from the OKSBDC located on the university campus.

“They were awesome. If it hadn’t been for Ann, we would still be doing paper work,” Sheppard said. “We recognized that the Sheppards could apply for a community express loan and we started the paperwork immediately,” said Ann Ritter, OKSBDC Business Advisor. “We helped them put together a business plan and cash flow projections to complete their loan package.”

The couple qualified for the SBA loan which gave them the working capital they needed to open the doors to T&T Quick Stop. “The kids now have a safe, clean place to eat. We’re really excited about the possibilities. We are putting in a smoke pit and hope to be serving B-B-Q soon,” said Sheppard. “Direct access to fuel for our growing truck line has boosted our profitability and given us the satisfaction of helping the community at the same time.”

“The OKSBDC team was a lifeline. They walked us through the process, helping with the strict licensing required for dispensing gas and serving food. I would highly recommend to anyone thinking about a new business -call the OKSBDC. They will help you get it done the right way.”

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