unleashing
national impact
igniting local
transformation
The journey of establishing a small business is inherently challenging. OxEon faced a multitude of hurdles during its inception. We encountered fierce competition for talent with major aerospace corporations in Salt Lake, operated with bootstrapped funding, had to ensure that our business systems expanded in tandem with our growth, and placed an unwavering emphasis on quality in all our endeavors. However, every obstacle we encountered in the creation of OxEon has been effectively surmounted thanks to our exceptional team. Our people have been pivotal to our achievements, driving not only technological innovation but also devising strategies for competing with large corporations while operating on a smaller scale.
"Every team member plays a part in addressing issues with innovative solutions."
At OxEon, we've had the honor of collaborating with Andrew Willis from our Kaysville SBDC. Words can hardly capture the extent of the support we've received from Andrew over the past year and a half. Through regular phone calls and meetings, he has not only informed us about incredible opportunities we might have otherwise overlooked but has also extended support in ways that exceeded our initial expectations. Having the ability to reach out to the SBDC when we encounter obstacles has proven to be an immense advantage for our business. We eagerly anticipate ongoing collaboration with Andrew and the SBDC.
Since collaborating with our local Small Business Development Center (SBDC) for more than a year, we've witnessed a multitude of successes. The SBDC has offered us an array of invaluable opportunities, such as informative seminars that have enabled us to explore resources for business growth, leadership training sessions, constructive input and guidance on our business plans, and crucial connections within both state and federal government agencies. Notably, they facilitated a pivotal meeting with Administrator Guzman, a member of President Biden's cabinet, who leads the United States Small Business Administration (SBA). Each meeting with our SBDC significantly expanded our network and enhanced our available resources.
Becoming a USDA-certified dairy processing plant.
"Work hard, be creative. Life has a way of throwing us surprises."
Shawn Beus provided assistance as a sounding board for my ideas and expansion. I appreciate his constant support and vote of confidence in me. He also connected me with community resources, the City, and the opportunity to apply for the Wildcat Microfund grant.
SBDC introduced me to and helped me apply for the Wildcat Microfund grant, which helped me launch the business.
Starting a business with little to no money when you're in college is hard. Trying to scale that business, especially in an economy like the one we had during covid, is basically impossible. Through strategically taking advantage of various lines of credit and loans we've been able to scale our business successfully while maintaining a healthy level of debt.
"We hope that our affordable and durable paddles help bring people together while learning this fun and exciting sport."
Mark Holmes was the SBDC counselor that we worked with. Through his help we were able to get accepted for a line of credit from Wells Fargo. We were also able to get ideas for a marketing plan and additional perspectives on some of our business practices such as our accounting. Being able to talk to Mark helped us realize that we had a lot of work to do but that there are SO many resources available to help small business succeed. It helps that the SBDC is there to help and Mark did just that.
When I came to the SBDC, I had questions about one of our greatest concerns — which was funding to help us scale at the time. Mark pointed us in several directions including loans, lines of credit and more. He also helped us with a marketing plan to attract a more diverse customer base. Overall I'd say having a contact like Mark at SBDC was insanely valuable, even just being able to lay out your thoughts to a business professional is a great way to get the ball rolling on business endeavors.
