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Kansas SBDC March 5, 2018 Leave a Comment

La Harpe Telephone Company Inc.

For more than 64 years, La Harpe Telephone Company, Inc. has been “the phone company” in La Harpe, Kansas.

As the industry has changed, so has La Harpe Telephone.

In 1990, cellular telephones were introduced to the consumer market, and La Harpe Telephone was one of the owners of Kansas Cellular, which sold in 1999 to Alltel. Today, La Harpe Telephone is one of the 29 owners of Kansas Fiber Network, a communication system that delivers broadband connectivity to rural Kansas.

With La Harpe Telephone’s leadership and foresight La Harpe, Kansas has moved from landlines with a local switchboard, to a fiber optic network and wireless broadband. In addition, La Harpe Telephone has begun expanding wireless broadband throughout its region, through its subsidiary New Wave Broadband. New Wave provides wireless high speed internet access and a range of video options in several locations in surrounding counties.

La Harpe Telephone has been owned by the Lee family since 1950. When La Harpe Telephone recognized that it needed outside help to make its next leadership transition from the second to third generation of ownership they contacted the Kansas SBDC at Pittsburg State University (PSU). The team at the SBDC has been able to help with setting goals and deadlines to guide the company as well as refer the family to outside sources to help ensure a successful transition.

Tom Byler, Kansas SBDC at Pittsburg State University (PSU) regional director, provided a few points to think about when transitioning a business. Tom was then able to connect the Lee family to two family business transition specialists from whom they chose one to work with to help them design the transition to the next generation. La Harpe Telephone

Company Highlights:

• The Lee family purchased the business in 1950. The business consisted of a switchboard and one operator and miles of rusty ground return party lines.

• Over the next few decades, they upgraded the ground return party lines to aerial metallic lines and ultimately to buried copper cable one party service. Additionally the switchboard and operator was replaced by a mechanical “step switch” and then by successive generations of state of the art digital switches.

• One of the founding owners of Kansas Cellular in 1990

• Kansas Cellular was purchased by Alltel in 1999

• Invested in fiber-to-the-home for La Harpe, KS, and surrounding rural area providing telephone and internet services in 2005.

• One of the founding owners of Kansas Fiber Network in 2009.

• Purchased AT&T microwave tower in Gas, Kansas in 2014 to serve as the beginning of a tower network throughout a 17 county region – providing fast, reliable, fixed wireless internet connections to the service area. Reliability is enhanced because of built in redundancy on backhaul. This is a result of lessons learned by decades of operating a telephone company.

• Contacted Kansas SBDC for assistance in transitioning from second to third generation of family ownership. Transition is ongoing.

More About La Harpe Telephone Company

Website: La Harpe Telephone Company
Facebook: La Harpe Telephone Company

Kansas SBDC Advisor

Tom Byler, PSU

How Kansas SBDC helped La Harpe Telephone Company

Market Research
ProfitCents Analysis
Business Transition

Kansas SBDC March 4, 2018 Leave a Comment

KEA Advisors

KEA Advisors provide businesses with detailed analysis of business operations, with thoughtful implementation of innovative strategies that leverage current teams and systems.

KEA creates and assists in the implementation of custom plans for companies and departments, providing assistance focused on transformation and profit for the business client.

KEA began working with Kansas SBDC, at the University of Kansas (KU), with the regional director Will Katz in June of 2011. They were working through a new marketing and sales plan. KEA worked with the SBDC through advising and training and successfully rolled out a new brand one year into their work with the SBDC.

Recently we had an opportunity to sit down and talk with the team about their experience.

Kansas SBDC: What specific challenge(s) prompted you to contact the Kansas SBDC?

KEA Advisors: Our first contact with the Kansas SBDC several years ago was focused on revenue growth and project management, as well as helping us define the leadership portion of our engagements. We have continued to work with the SBDC on building processes and procedures for our business and helping develop the structure of our business to maximize the valuation of our company. The focus has been to move our business from “entrepreneurial” to “professionally managed.”

Kansas SBDC: How did your Kansas SBDC advisor or advisor team help you overcome these challenges? What solutions did you and your advisor discover together?

KEA Advisors: The initial solutions were to attend a Profit Competencies workshop. We utilized that workshop to identify profit leaks and to start to move our company away from a lone wolf organization. We also identified cost and project management tools and marketing ideas to help the business grow. From there, we engaged with SBDC and the University of Kansas entrepreneurship class for a deep dive into our project management process. This provided us some process and project management ideas, as well as continued marketing ideas. The SBDC continued to work with us at company meetings as well as one-on-one to review financial performance and continual organizational development. Our last engagement with SBDC was to start to identify transition processes to continue the movement from entrepreneur leadership to professionally managed. This, along with transition to potential new ownership, will continue to be the basis of our relationship with SBDC.

Kansas SBDC: What specific results or outcomes have you experienced in your business since implementing these solutions? How have these results changed your business?

KEA Advisors: Improved project management and “line of sight” in terms of project status and profitability. We now develop logical and well thought out budgets for our projects and have established a pricing methodology to apply to this logic. We then are able to analyze our actual job profitability and performance.

This has helped us reduce our cost of sales as percentage of sales by two percentage points, as well as open additional capacity for our business. This equates to about $50,000+ per year. In addition, the continued defining of our organizational structure has helped us to improve the role definitions of our business. This has helped us to maintain growth in annual sales and operating profitability. Our sales have grown by 83% since 2011, and our operating income has increased by 230%+ since 2011. We have been able to improve our project quality while retaining a significant amount of our sales increase.

Kansas SBDC: When assisting you with your business, what did the Kansas SBDC do really well?

KEA Advisors: They listen very well to the concerns that we have and help us craft customized solutions unique to our firm. They have also been able to help us at various stages of our business growth and in various areas of our business.

More about KEA Advisors

Website: KEA Advisors
LinkedIn: KEA Advisors
Facebook: KEA Advisors

Kansas SBDC Advisor

Will Katz, KU

Summary of how Kansas SBDC helped KEA Advisors

Marketing Plan
Market Research
ProfitCents Analysis
Business Transition

Kansas SBDC March 4, 2018 Leave a Comment

HMC Performance Coatings

HMC Performance Coatings, a Hobby Monster Customs, LLC company is family owned and operated in Tonganoxie, Kansas.

Once a personal hobby that ‘morphed out of control’ HMC was developed as a full-service powder coating facility for custom and manufacturing projects.

In January of 2014 on the recommendation of a business acquaintance, the team at HMC contacted the Kansas SBDC at the University of Kansas (KU). Initially the big challenge was to conduct market research to test the theory that the retail business would succeed. However, as the business changed its focus, the challenge shifted from marketing to business development. As the company has grown, the challenges have shifted.

HMC is a great example of how the SBDC works with a client business as their needs change over time. The following is a short Q & A with the HMC team that highlights their experience with the SBDC team.

Kansas SBDC: What specific challenge(s) prompted you to contact the Kansas SBDC?

HMC Performance: Entrepreneurship comes with a host of challenges. We had an amazing vision, but in truth, we knew very little about planning, launching or building a business. In our search to learn more, we discovered America’s SBDC Kansas at the University of Kansas. Initially, we reached out for assistance in finalizing our business plan to obtain funding. Will Katz, our SBDC advisor helped to educate us on the vast support and resources available to entrepreneurs ready to build a successful business for little or no costs. The SBDC has become HMC’s “one stop shop” for business related resources. Despite what many might believe, the challenges of entrepreneurship do not get smaller as the business grows, however, our capacity to meet those challenges continue to develop thanks to the mentoring and coaching relationship we have with SBDC.

Kansas SBDC: How did your Kansas SBDC advisor or advisor team help you overcome these challenges? What solutions did you and your advisor discover together?

HMC Performance: As new entrepreneurs with limited business background we understood that we had many challenges ahead of us. HMC initially launched as a ATV/UTV specialty shop, offering powder coating services to further customize the machines. Within the first few months of business, the demand for our outstanding powder coat finishes and fast-growing reputation of unbeatable customer service spread well beyond our atv/ utv enthusiasts. The revenue trend of our powder coating services continued to grow and consume all our available resources. Armed with our company’s data, HMC worked closely with the SBDC to determine which path was best for the future of Hobby Monster Customs; continue to stretch HMC resources to “stick” with the original business plan OR use our data, embrace it, and redefine who we would become. The opportunity to work closely with Will analyzing balance sheets, profit/loss statements, and further market research allowed us to become laser focused on the profitable stream of the business and develop a plan for eliminating less profitable sections of the business. This was a momentous decision with great outcomes for our business.

Kansas SBDC: What specific results or outcomes have you experienced in your business since implementing these solutions? How have these results changed your business?

HMC Performance: HMC has experienced tremendous growth since focusing solely on powder-coating and media blasting services. Our business went from one employee to one part-time and 16 fulltime employees, with an increased facility of 8,400 square feet from 3,600 square feet since our doors opened for business four years ago. HMC continues to grow and looks forward to another successful year capitalizing on low cost professional development courses and other resources of the SBDC.

More about HMC Performance Coatings

Website: HMC Performance Coatings
Facebook: HMC Performance Coatings

Kansas SBDC Advisors

Will Katz, KU
Jack Harwell, JCCC

How Kansas SBDC helped HMC Performance Coatings

Cash Flow Projections
Business Plan
Marketing Plan
Market Research
ProfitCents Analysis
Strategic Management Program

Kansas SBDC March 2, 2018 Leave a Comment

Lost Creek Supply

Lost Creek Supply started with a building, a market in the community, and a need for flexibility and time with family.

Kaid Bauman was looking for a business that could meet all three needs.

In April of 2017, Steve Hanson at Pioneer Development Inc. referred Kaid to the Kansas SBDC at Fort Hays State University (FHSU). Bauman was seeking assistance to develop a business plan that could secure financing for his new venture. Bauman remembers the initial meeting, “I learned so much from just sitting and talking for that hour.”

Working with Rick Feltenberger, regional director at the Kansas SBDC at FHSU, Bauman developed a business plan and received funding for the business. To complete the business plan, Rick and Kaid worked together on cash flow projections, market research, and benchmarking to help this new business owner understand how to manage his new business by the numbers. Lost Creek Supply, a farm supply store in Kensington, Kansas, opened in June of 2017.

When working with the Kansas SBDC one thing that stood out to Kaid was Kansas SBDC market research. One challenge Kaid noted in starting his business from scratch was knowing what to sell, how much inventory to carry, and how to manage seasonal items. The research identified potential customers within a 50mile radius of the store. This in turn provided Kaid a starting point for his marketing plan.

Kaid’s advice as a new small business owner is to “do your homework and get in with good companies.” “Go talk to the Kansas SBDC. You may think you know what you are doing, then you sit down with them.” Even though his doors are open, Bauman looks forward to working the SBDC team to keep things on track. “We don’t want our experience with the Kansas SBDC to be a one and done experience. We want to keep using the center’s knowledge as a tool as we continue.”

At the end of 2017, only a few months into the business, the farm supply store is performing better than projected.

Kaid says the best thing about being an entrepreneur is being your own boss. He appreciates being flexible to do things the way he wants, whether they are right or become learning experiences. He has been able to talk with the community and fill his retail floor with inventory and find the best deals for their needs. Bauman was also able to give his father a project working indoors in the store and out of the elements on their family farm.

“We have an older community, but there are a lot of young people coming back to the area,” said Kaid as a representative of a new generation of emerging business owners. Kaid’s schedule remains flexible to spend time with his own family of five.

More About Lost Creek Supply

Facebook: Lost Creek Supply

Kansas SBDC Advisor

Rick Feltenberger, FHSU

How Kansas helped Lost Creek Supply:

Cash Flow Projections
Business Plan
Market Research
ProfitCents analysis

Kansas SBDC March 2, 2018 Leave a Comment

Double D Family Mat Shop

In 1995 when Dale Goetz began using old tires as door mats on his family farm in Park, Kansas, he didn’t know it at the time, but he was laying the groundwork for what would become Double D Family Mat Shop Inc.

While Dale had created a pragmatic solution out of old tires, a fellow feedlot owner from St. Francis noticed a different opportunity. He noticed the tire treads being discarded to make the door mats and asked Dale if it would be possible to produce mats from the treads to be used in the feedlots.

This made total sense to Dale. Tire tread was an effective and durable anti-slip surface. By applying the material attributes of treads, Dale could develop mats that could be used to protect his cattle from injury. ‘‘I fed cattle my whole life,” shared Dale. “I noticed that they would slip, fall and get hurt in our feedlot. Those injuries were costing us a lot of money. The concrete surface was uncomfortable for them, and it made the processing area very noisy.” Dale cut the sidewalls out of the tires and created a machine that would cross cut the tread so that it was able to lay flat. To create the mats he would manually assemble basket-weave style mats cattle could walk on.

Curious about performance of the mats, Dale tested several at a St. Francis feedlot.

After seeing the mats in action at the feedlot, farmers and feedlot owners from surrounding towns began contacting Dale to purchase his mats proving the concept of the product.

Dale and his wife Dena decided to officially launch their cattle mats manufacturing business in 1995.

Since that time their journey has been full of successes both domestically and internationally. In 2014, the company decided to enter the global market. Their first major international order came from Mort & Co., feeding lot specialists in Australia.

‘’In the beginning, it was difficult and scary because we had no exporting experience’’ says Christin Merwald, marketing director of the company. ‘‘That is when we decided to contact the Kansas SBDC. The SBDC was very helpful in providing initial export guidance on how to correctly file export documentation. They referred us to the right resources – like the International Trade Administration and the U.S. Commercial Service – who helped us participate in the Alberta Beef Industry Conference in Canada. We generated $10,000 in sales from this connection. They also guided us in the process of obtaining a D.U.N.S. number and provided us with a list of potential local customers in a 100 miles radius.’’

The company has successfully entered the Canadian and Australian markets. In three years, they have shipped over $270,000 worth of products. Currently, they ship annually three containers to Australia and an average of 10 pallets to Canada. ‘‘We are looking forward to continuing our work with the Kansas SBDC and Mariel, our advisor, to help us find distributors in Australia and Canada, and develop an international business and marketing plan that will allows us to successfully enter new markets in South America, Central America and Asia.’’ says Amber Hutchison, Double D Family Mat Shop’s COO.

Dale’s advice to someone thinking about starting a business is to ‘’Go for it. Whatever your idea is, don’t be scared. But always be careful who you let in the door. Protect your secret of success, and take the time to find and use the resources available to help you grow.’’

This year, Double D Family Mat Shop celebrates 22 years of manufacturing custom-built, heavy-duty livestock slip reduction mats.

More about Double D Family Mat Shop

Website: Double D Family Mat Shop
Facebook: Double D Family Mat Shop

Kansas SBDC Advisor

Mariel Huasanga, FHSU

How Kansas SBDC helped Double D Family Mat Shop

Business Plan
Marketing Plan
Market Research
Export

Kansas SBDC March 2, 2018 1 Comment

KYVZ Super Hits 106.1

KYVZ super hits 1061 fm business award

Broadcasting was something Joe Vyzourek knew he wanted to do since he was a kid.

Joe’s idea to manage his own business came from a conversation with his dad years ago.

‘’My dad and I were listening to a baseball game on the radio. During a pitching change, we started talking about working for yourself,” shared Joe Vyzourek, owner of KYVZ radio in Atwood, Kansas. “My father has been working for himself for over 40 years as a farmer. He told me that as long as you work for someone else, that person will always determine your pay and hours. When you work for yourself, hard work will pay off.’’

What you may not know about Joe Vyzourek is that he’s visually impaired. Joe never let his visual impairment stop him from achieving his goals.

After receiving his degree in broadcasting from Colby Community College, Joe landed a job at Colby’s local radio station KXXX. Joe was recognized multiple times as one of the main radio personalities of the network.

One evening in September of 2013, Joe was reading information on the FCC website, and noticed an upcoming auction for a construction permit for a radio station in his hometown. Joe recalled that day. ‘’My mind went back to when I was a kid. I jumped at the chance and purchased the construction permit while dreaming of the day I would turn on the transmitter for my own radio station.”

Vyzourek was excited with the possibility of making his dream come true, but he knew he needed business assistance to be able to obtain the funds required to make it happen. ‘’My banker told me to contact the Kansas SBDC to help me put together a loan package,” said Joe. “My consultant at that time helped me develop a strong business plan and effective financial projections. The result was that I was approved for a commercial loan and an e-community loan; and when we first went on the air, we were already cash flow positive.’’

Joe had to overcome multiple challenges along the way that tested his perseverance and confidence on his project. ‘’The largest challenge I faced was finding a tower. I worked for several months trying to find a tower owner that would rent tower space to a small radio station in this area. Finally in March 2015, I thought I caught a break. The Kansas Department of Transportation had a tower 12 miles west of Atwood and gave me a reasonable quote. Unfortunately, they had some internal changes over the following weeks, and no longer were willing to rent tower space for my antenna. By then, I had already quit my full time job in Colby.’’

Joe did not let that event discourage him from pursuing his dream of having his station on air by the end of 2015. He actively continued to look for a tower to purchase. A few months into his search he found a small tower company in Texas that was able to provide a tower and travel to Atwood to install it. His parents provided the funds and let him use part of their land to build the tower. ‘’My parents, my wife Becca and our marketing coordinator, Chelsea, were my strongest support during the journey, I wouldn’t have done it without them.’’

In 2016 Joe spent the last months filling out the required paperwork, getting the station ready and supervising the tower construction. Finally, on March 17th, 2016, KYVZ radio went on the air.

Running the only locally-owned and operated radio station in Western Kansas and Southwest Nebraska, and being recognized as an example of entrepreneurship in the region, are only a couple of Joe’s successes. If you ask Joe one of his biggest accomplishments is in the support and what he’s been able to give back to his community. ‘’It is gratifying to me that our station can support area projects. We have been able to donate to the local 4H dog training, playground equipment, local cheer squad, high school sports clubs, and other projects that help our small town move forward.’’

Joe believes that his secret of success lies in patience and planning to fail. ‘’Honestly, I think a lot before investing, I did a lot of research on equipment, I was able to purchase good used equipment and that saved me a lot of money. I look for alternatives, talk to other independent radio owners to get their opinions and make more informative decisions. Also, I have always been told to plan to fail, never fail to plan. Looking back to when this journey started, I am glad I did.’’

Joe’s advice to entrepreneurs and small business owners is to “get ready for an emotional rollercoaster ride. One day you are full of excitement, and another day you ask yourself why you are doing this. You are going to face many obstacles, but never give up. Remember to do your research, and then when you think you are done, do more research. Talk to as many people as you can that are doing what you are trying to accomplish. Fight the battles that you can’t afford to lose. If you know that the future of your business depends on you doing a project, make it happen, don’t be afraid to go out on a limb from time to time; but at the same time, learn to know when it’s the right moment, both financially and strategically, and for that you have to be patient.’’ In a challenging industry, KYVZ radio continues to grow. ‘’I plan to keep growing, add more employees and features. I want it to be the best independently-owned radio station that I can make it to be.’’

Currently, Joe and his Kansas SBDC advisor are working on a website where people will be able to listen to his station live while reading the latest local and state news. ‘’I believe that the future of broadcasting goes hand-in-hand with the internet. You need to make yourself available for listeners on computers and smartphones. I think it helps with the exposure of the radio as an important communication medium.’’ Joe and his advisor have already planned their next project, the KYVZ Android/iOS app.

More about KYVZ Radio

Website: KYVZ Radio 106.1
Facebook: KYVZ Radio 106.1

Kansas SBDC Advisor

Mariel Huasanga, FHSU

How Kansas SBDC help KYVZ

Marketing plan
Market Research
Website Development, Photoshop, HTML coding

Kansas SBDC March 1, 2018 Leave a Comment

Radius Brewing Company

Radius Brewing flight of beer

In 2012 U.S. microbreweries were on the rise.

For Justin “Gus” Bays, chef at the Grand Central Hotel in Cottonwood Falls, this was the right time to explore an opportunity. He approached his friend and nascent brewer Jeremy “J.J.” Johns about the idea to open a brewpub in historic downtown Emporia, Kansas. Emporia, the county seat of Lyon County and home to Emporia State University was undergoing a renaissance.

Bays and Johns began putting out feelers to learn if the Emporia, Kansas, market was ready for a microbrewery. Together they sought out the local Kansas SBDC at Emporia State University (ESU) and began meeting with SBDC regional director, Lisa Brumbaugh, to talk about their plans. Brumbaugh pulled in SBDC business advisor, Jim Stephens, to help with the process.

Since a brewpub was a relatively new business model for the area, it took some creative funding to get the business started. Bays and Johns worked not only with the SBDC, but also with Emporia Main Street and NetWork Kansas, to secure loans they needed. To ensure the business model would thrive, the team crowdsourced a critical piece of the funding. Bays and Johns put out a call for private investors willing to lend $5,000 with creative terms: The principal is repaid in full in cash after seven years, and interest is paid in the form of $30 monthly food credits at Radius Brewing Company, LLC.

The funding model worked.

Radius began producing beer in January 2014, and began selling it for off-site consumption in February while construction of the restaurant wrapped up. Radius completed their team towards the end of construction by adding Chad Swift to the team. Swift had just graduated from Wichita State with a business degree and filled the role of General Manager, adding some much needed business knowledge, and “Front of House” aka bar experience.

On April 24th of 2014 they opened their doors for full restaurant and bar service. More than 4,500 customers were served in the pub’s first 10 days according to Johns.

Swift became a co-owner in 2015 joining Johns and Bays to complete the Radius team.

Since their start, Radius has drawn in numerous customers from outside the area with a few famous customers visiting as well. In June of 2015 William Shatner (aka Captain Kirk/Star Trek aka Denny Crane/Boston Legal) stopped in with a film group to taste the local fare.

More about Radius Brewing Company

Website: Radius Brewing Company
Twitter: @RadiusBrewing
Instagram: radiusbrewingco

Kansas SBDC Advisors

Jim Stephens, ESU
Lisa Brumbaugh. ESU

From Jim Stephens, SBDC business advisor: For me as a business advisor, I believe a business plan is a living instrument that creates success.

Sometimes creating a business plan can be a grueling process for startups as they want to ‘just get it done.’ Most have an idea of a plan in their head. The key is to get it out and make it concrete in order to follow it. With Radius we worked together to dig deeper and deeper into what became a working plan. The guys persisted and ended up with a plan that gave them a road map to success. That road map, according to Justin and J.J. was still used a year ago rather than sitting on a shelf.

How Kansas SBDC helped Radius

Cash flow projections
Business Plan
Market Research

Kansas SBDC February 7, 2018 Leave a Comment

Kansas SBDC Strategic Planning

growthwheel model overview graphic

KANSAS SBDC STRATEGIC PLANNING Our clients come to us at a point where they need a team from the outside to provide a fresh look into their businesses.

THEY WANT help with planning, a third-party review

WE PROVIDE facilitation, support, market research, Growth Wheel certified instructors

THEY BENEFIT We help our clients develop strategies they can live and work with while meeting their current obligations and future goals.

For Kansas SBDC business clients, we break down the complexity of strategic planning. We make it manageable for small businesses to stay focused on their current day-to-day operations while helping them develop plans for the future. We advise, refer, and connect businesses to the resources they need to succeed.

We make it manageable by providing a customizable approach to fit their specific needs.

Do you need help weighing your options? We invite you to contact a location near you when you are ready for assistance.

Business advising is confidential and at no cost to the owner. SBDC services are made available to you and your business by funding from the U.S. SBA, Kansas Department of Commerce, and university hosts and other partners. Curious? Read our FAQs.

So, how does this work?

First, to become a client, you sign up online. Next, a center rep near you will contact you to cover your next steps. Next steps may include an online assessment, training, or it may be a one-on-one meeting with a business advisor.

When you meet with a business advisor the advisor’s role is to listen to you and learn about your financial challenges in a judgement-free environment. The advisor will ask about your goals, your needs, and your expectations. They’ll ask about the implications that your strategies have on other aspects of your business. We know that a plan doesn’t exist on its own, so to really help your business, we like to look at the whole picture.

When you and your advisor agree on a plan of action, we’ll proceed.

kansas sbdc strategic planning

What you might discover

You might find that we work best as objective outsider that can be there to talk through ideas or to serve as a sounding board. Or you may need us to dig in and help you prepare or revise a strategic plan. Or you may find that you need us to get deep into the details and work together to develop strategies and tactics to test for a specific product or for your overall brand. Whatever approach works best for you, we’re here to assist.

If we discover that what you need is beyond our scope, we can refer you to great resources operating as other small businesses in Kansas. Even if we refer you to outside resources, you’ll find that we willing to be there to work with you as you implement new programs in your business.

Want to get started? Sign up online.

Businesses interested in financial analysis were often also interested in

Kansas SBDC February 7, 2018 Leave a Comment

Kansas SBDC Succession Transition Exit Planning

KANSAS SBDC SUCCESSION TRANSITION EXIT PLANNING Our clients are often unsure of what steps to take to make a smooth transition so we help them plan for a future with which they can be comfortable.

THEY WANT help valuing a business, working through the details of the process

WE PROVIDE planning, strategy for value acceleration, and business valuation, including a 1-hour business value estimate

THEY BENEFIT By working with owners on how to make the most of their business value, we address their retirement or exit financial needs, and plan for what happens after they sell. Our advising helps reduce the stress of the process.

For Kansas SBDC business clients, we help them through the challenge of leaving their business. We make it manageable for business owners to evaluate their options with confidence. We advise, refer, and connect businesses to the resources they need to succeed.

We help business owners who are interested in selling their business to internal or external buyers. Our advising helps reduce the stress of the process. Our clients include business owners in a variety of industries that want to transition their business to their children, to employees, or to partners as well as sell the business on the market to an outside buyer.

Do you need help weighing your options? We invite you to contact a location near you when you are ready for assistance.

So, how does this work?

When you meet with a business advisor the advisor’s role is to listen to you and learn about your financial challenges in a judgement-free environment. The advisor will ask about your goals, your needs, and your expectations. They’ll ask about the implications that your transition planning process has on other aspects of your business. We know that change doesn’t exist on its own, so to really help your business, we like to look at the whole picture.

When you and your advisor agree on a plan of action, we’ll proceed.

kansas sbdc succession transition exit planning

What you might discover when working with our team

You might find that we work best as objective outsider that can be there to talk through ideas or to serve as a sounding board. Or you may need us to dig in and help you prepare or revise a succession, exit, transition, buy, or sell plan. Or you may find that you need us to get deep into the details and work together to develop strategies and tactics to test for a specific aspect of planning or for your overall brand. Whatever approach works best for you, we’re here to assist.

If we discover that what you need is beyond our scope, we can refer you to great attorneys, accountants, and other business service providers operating as other small businesses in Kansas. Even if we refer you to outside resources, you’ll find that we willing to be there to work with you as you implement new programs in your business.

Want to get started? Sign up online.

Businesses interested in succession, transition, and exit planning or buying or selling a business were often also interested in

Kansas SBDC February 7, 2018 Leave a Comment

Kansas SBDC Financial Analysis

kansas sbdc profitcents example For Kansas SBDC business clients, we help them make sense of their numbers. We help business owners that are scaling up, reorganizing, or just starting. Our clients include business service providers, retailers, manufacturers, and others in business-to-consumer B2C and business-to-business B2B entities.

KANSAS SBDC FINANCIAL ANALYSIS Our clients come to us often looking for help with the data they need to be watching and what cash demand can mean to their business.

THEY WANT help with the data they need to be watching and what cash demand can mean to their business

WE PROVIDE benchmarking (using ProfitCents), cash flow projections

THEY BENEFIT We help them focus on managing by the numbers instead of having the numbers manage them.

Do you need help weighing your options? We invite you to contact a location near you when you are ready for assistance.

So, how does this work?

When you meet with a business advisor the advisor’s role is to listen to you and learn about your financial challenges in a judgement-free environment. The advisor will ask about your goals, your needs, and your expectations. They’ll ask about the implications that your marketing has on other aspects of your business. We know that marketing doesn’t exist on its own, so to really help your business, we like to look at the whole picture.

When you and your advisor agree on a plan of action, we’ll proceed.

What you might discover

You might find that we work best as objective outsider that can be there to talk through ideas or to serve as a sounding board. Or you may need us to dig in and help you prepare or revise a marketing plan. Or you may find that you need us to get deep into the details and work together to develop strategies and tactics to test for a specific product or for your overall brand. Whatever approach works best for you, we’re here to assist.

If we discover that what you need is beyond our scope, we can refer you to great developers and designers operating as other small businesses in Kansas. Even if we refer you to outside resources, you’ll find that we willing to be there to work with you as you implement new programs in your business.

Want to get started? Sign up online.

Search Results for: market research

For more than 64 years, La Harpe Telephone Company, Inc. has been “the phone company” in La Harpe, Kansas.

Company Highlights:

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KEA Advisors provide businesses with detailed analysis of business operations, with thoughtful implementation of innovative strategies that leverage current teams and systems.

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HMC Performance Coatings, a Hobby Monster Customs, LLC company is family owned and operated in Tonganoxie, Kansas.

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Lost Creek Supply started with a building, a market in the community, and a need for flexibility and time with family.

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In 1995 when Dale Goetz began using old tires as door mats on his family farm in Park, Kansas, he didn’t know it at the time, but he was laying the groundwork for what would become Double D Family Mat Shop Inc.

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Broadcasting was something Joe Vyzourek knew he wanted to do since he was a kid.

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In 2012 U.S. microbreweries were on the rise.

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