Success Stories Archives - Page 6 of 7 - Oklahoma Small Business Development Centers

Shorty’s Caboy Hattery

Lavonna “Shorty” Koger, owner of Shorty’s Caboy Hattery, knew a lot about rodeos and making quality cowboy hats. However, she did not know a lot about running a successful small business until she visited with Susan Urbach at the University of Central Oklahoma Small Business Development Center (OSBDC). Today, her company, located in historic Stockyards City, is bursting at the seams thanks to management and technical advice received from the OSBDC. Sales have increased 400 percent. Staff has doubled, and the company offers better salaries with employee benefits.

Bicycle Alley

“It was just perfect,” says Terry Enos owner of Bicycle Alley. “The OSBDC provided us with the tools, and three months later we had a business plan.” Enos had years of experience in the corporate world but wasn’t sure how to bring his ideas into focus. “Carlos asked all the right questions,” says Enos. “Carlos Amaya and the Oklahoma Small Business Development Center showed me the ropes and gave me the structure I needed to open my business.”

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.

Davis Welding, LLC

In 2007, Scott Davis needed a way to haul large round bales of hay without investing in a large tractor or putting a hay spike in the back of his truck. Using his 25 years of welding skills and experience, Davis went to work and built the “STICK WAGON” hay hauler. “I came up with it out of necessity,” says Davis. The STICK WAGON is uniquely designed to be used with an ATV such as a 4-Wheeler or a John Deere Gator, small garden tractor, or other small motorized vehicle that normally could not be used to move large round bales of hay.

North Central Construction

Gary and Micki Rogers juggled project deadlines, overdue receivables and equipment maintenance issues for eight years. Like many small business owners, the couple knew first hand that the struggles and challenges can be hugely overwhelming. Upon reading an article in a local newspaper, the owners were led to Susan Urbach and the Oklahoma Small Business Development Center. Susan recognized that North Central Construction in Stillwater was a sound business but needed some direction. She first advised the partners to save money by consolidating their equipment loans.

MultiPrint

After 24 years of friendship, Dean Martin and Tracy Johnson discovered they had a common goal – to become business owners. The pair met while Dean was a sales representative making the rounds at an area manufacturing plant where Tracy worked. “We had a strong friendship, trusted each other completely, and knew the time was right for a change,” says Dean Martin.

Meek Machine & Manufacturing

With the confidence and exuberance of youth, Derrell Meek started his first business at age 24. Opening his doors and eager to conquer the world, Derrell quickly found there was far more to business ownership than he could have imagined. “I didn’t like the stress. I could produce the products, but I needed more experience in management and finance.”

Gold Star Graphics, Inc.

Gold Star Graphics, Inc. started as a part time project for Pam Guffey when a friend from Dallas, who owned a successful graphics business, encouraged Pam to try the same in Oklahoma City. After just three months, Pam had more screen printing and embroidery orders than she could fill. Turning to her husband Stan for help, they became full-time entrepreneurs that fall of 1987.

BETT Enterprises

For the last five years, Gayla Williams has been proving that she knows what she’s talking about when it comes to commercial painting. Because of her reputation for quality work, Williams’ company, BETT Enterprises Inc., has grown from three to 21 employees, and gross revenue is expected to top more than $1 million this year. BETT provides a complete line of professional paint finishes for all types of commercial construction.

Hastings Steakhouse

In the spring of 2007, Scott and Stephanie Hastings took their first step toward the fulfillment of their vision and prayers. Scott had enjoyed a successful career as a Process Engineer for an automotive remanufacturing plant in Oklahoma City. And, Stephanie enjoyed being a stay-at-home mom, wife, and home schooling their four children. Life was very good, but soon to get much better.

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