Orem SBDC Success Stories: September 2009

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Bee Safe Systems

Bee Safe Systems, LLP
Bonnie and Terri Snow
795 W Center Street #2
Provo, Utah 84601

In 2002, during a family graduation party, seven-year-old Virginia Graeme Baker was out swimming in the families private pool and hot tub. Her sister ran to get her mom because something was very wrong. Nancy Baker jumped into the hot tub trying to pull her daughter free of the drain, but she was no match for the suction force of the drain. Two men took over and broke the drain in order to release Virginia’s body. The child was rushed to the hospital but was dead on arrival. Nancy Baker, in the midst of her grieving, consulted her father-in-law, James Baker III, White House Chief of Staff for President’s Reagan and Bush, to pass a law about anti-entrapment drain covers. The Virginia Graeme Pool and Spa Safety Act was passed in 2007, requiring all public pools to have proper anti-entrapment drain covers in place by December 2008. Many public pools across the country have closed for the summer of 2009 because they did not have the means and funding to put in place an approved anti-entrapment drain cover. Other pools that have been caught without proper security have received a $5000 a day fine until the facility is fixed or closed.
In 2005, Bonnie Snow and her daughter Teri read about the accident and thought this would be a possible invention to tackle. They spent many afternoons discussing possible solutions to such a problem. In 2006, Bonnie was doing an inspection for Utah County and fell into an insecure sewer drainage that collapsed. Breaking her back and destroying her knees. She was on bed rest for months. One day, Teri told her to start researching their idea more. Together, they thought of a contraption that would save lives. Thinking of a design like a bee-hive, with strong tubular joints, they started inventing a device.
In October 2007, Bonnie and Teri started coming in to see Ken Fakler. Ken pointed them towards many helpful resources such as Internet Marketing and QuickBooks classes, assistance with taxes, and people they would be able to make contacts with for developing their product. Of all the sources that Bonnie and Teri tapped into, Ken never steered them wrong. Ken also believed in them and never let them give up. After months of testing that failed on their product and wanting to stop, Ken kept pushing them forward. After two times of failed testing through the ISOD machine that checked plastic standing against UV Rays, Ken pushed them forward and explained that the testing might be faulty. Bonnie and Teri went back to find out that even ISOD created plastic could not withstand the testing. With this new knowledge, ISOD readjusted their scale and temperatures and Bee Safe Systems passed. The specialized plastics had to pass food grade plastics tests, strength tests, stretch tests, and many others. Bonnie found a company called Georgia Gulf to make the plastic. This company was so excited by Bonnie’s product, that they even helped fund the testing.
In March 2009 the product finally passed all the testing. By April 2009 the Snow’s made their first massive sale of $100,000. Sales continued strong throughout May, June and July. They just received another major order in Logan under Utah Plastics for August. Just recently, they received a letter from the Director of Health in Tennessee saying that he was so excited about their product that he has mailed their brochure to all public pools in Tennessee along with their yearly license safety renewals. Canada has just passed a similar law and they are planning to advertise their next.

SBDC In The Spotlight

The Orem Small Business Development Center, located just west of Utah Valley University, assists startup business owners and entrepreneurs to navigate the often treacherous waters of becoming self employed. Among the center's staff are (left to right) consultants Eddy Yujra, Marynika Miche , director Ken Fakler, consultant Camille Pendleton, and administrative assistant, Karen Wenn. Michael Rigert - NORTH COUNTY STAFF With the economic turmoil depleting personal finances, displacing employees and forcing some to seek new career paths, more and more Utah County residents are turning to self-employment to support themselves and their families. Floralyn Martinez, a master hair stylist for 17 years, researched the possibility of opening her own salon last summer. It was at that time that she came into contact with the Orem Small Business Development Center located just west of Utah Valley University. She didn't have a clue about the steps to starting her own business."I'm an artist behind the chair, but I'm computer illiterate," she said. "I was either going to start up my own place or go to another salon."A free resource provided to entrepreneurs, startup businesses and existing merchants, the Orem Small Business Development Center is one in a network of such centers across the state tasked with not only helping the self-employed get into business, but stay in business, said Ken Fakler, the Orem center's managing director.Funded through the Small Business Administration, the state of Utah and Utah Valley University, the Orem center assists clients in applying for SBA loans, putting together a business plan, doing market research and strategies, and learning the nuts and bolts of business ownership. It serves clients in both Utah and Wasatch counties.Martinez said Fakler and Orem center consultant Laurie Ann Thomas taught her how to write up a business proposal, where to find resources and apply for funding, and how to navigate the often treacherous waters of self employment.In October, Martinez and her husband, Marcos, opened Katumba's Day Spa and Salon, 1015 S. State St. in Orem, which offers a wide range of services from hair styling, massage therapy, skin care and aesthetics. Their salon employs a full staff of stylists and therapists, and business is slowly but steadily increasing, she said."Ken is absolutely incredible and knows what he's talking about," Martinez said. "It was a huge, huge help. I would say they are a major aspect of getting me started."With the housing slump and high gas and food prices hurting businesses and residents, Fakler said the center has seen a large influx of clients in recent months. From the newly unemployed to people looking to earn some income on the side, the center's clients come from all walks of life and range from college-age students to people in their 70s.The center supports clients who own businesses with dozens of employees to stay-at-home moms who want to take their eBay sales to the next level.The center works with about 35 to 40 new businesses a month, or nearly 500 per year. About 50 percent of the center's clients are women, Thomas said."It's really an entrepreneurial area," she said.Because approximately 80 percent of small businesses go under in the first five years, the center stresses the importance of formulating a strong business plan and funding options as well as forming a long-term relationship with owners to continue to provide advice as their companies grow. The center also offers free classes on a variety of related topics taught by professionals."We have very, very few businesses that go broke if they're doing the things we ask them to do," Fakler said.Just two weeks ago, Martinez said Fakler stopped by her salon to inquire about her business's progress and see if there was anything he could do to help. Without the assistance of resources like the Orem Small Business Development Center, she doubts if she would have taken the risk of living out her dream."I would have probably ended up going to another salon," she said. "I wouldn't have had the guts to try to go out on my own."