Small Business and Franchise Success Stories

A Small Business Legacy: Mark Larson of Modern Craft Winery

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Growing up in a family that owned a small town car dealership, Mark Larson learned what it takes to succeed in small business. So, when he was outsourced in 2010, he began looking for opportunities.

“I was both looking for a job and looking for a business I could buy or start.”

Larson says he had loved wine since he was stationed in southwest Germany in the late ‘70s with the U.S. Air Force, so opening a wine tasting room was a natural fit.

He began researching ways to use his retirement funds to start the business and found Guidant on the Internet. After speaking with two tax attorneys and another financial firm, he knew Guidant was the right choice for him.

“Working with Guidant Financial was very simple. I was concerned about how difficult it would be, but those fears were unfounded. I was walked through each step [of the process] and the attorney I was paired with was great.”

When asked what he would tell aspiring entrepreneurs who are looking to do the same thing, he advised, “Do your homework. Each person has their own tolerance to factor in. Starting this business debt-free reduced my start-up risk and that made the difference for me.”

Larson holds a Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and also has experience in construction. As a veteran, Larson recognizes that many of the skills he’s now applying to start his business, he gained while in the military.

“I was exposed to people and areas I would have never seen otherwise," says Larson. "The job experience was great too—I worked in engineering and got a solid background in facilities design and construction management. The sense of mission you get in the military cannot be overlooked.”

In his spare time, Larson enjoys fishing, cooking, hiking and canoeing. Larson will open the doors to his new wine tasting room later this month.

Watch our blog for updates on the opening of his new business.

Mark Larson is the second recipient of our veteran scholarship award. Click here for additional details on VetFran.

Making Math her New Mission: Dr. Jennifer Nicholls of Mathnasium

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

As her retirement from a 20-year career in the U.S. Navy drew near in 2011, Dr. Jennifer Nicholls began a full job search. She wasn’t even considering starting her own business until she discovered the Mathnasium franchise. She explains:

My father was a math teacher, and I have always been good at math. While growing up, my dad tutored math students, so I have always been aware of the demand for supplemental math education. I have university level teaching experience both at the United States Naval Academy in the Systems Engineering Department, and at the George Washington University in the Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Department. Education is really my passion, but I wasn’t interested in getting a credential so I couldn’t go the pure teaching route. Mathnasium seemed like a great fit combining my passion for education with my extensive program management experience.

While investigating ways to utilize her Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) for business funding, she found Guidant. Mathnasium, coincidentally, also recommended Guidant’s services.

“The process with Guidant was very easy to navigate,” notes Nicholls. “They answered all of my questions—even the silly ones. The sales team, legal counsel and tax folks were/are extremely helpful and continue to answer any questions to this day.”

With academic degrees in aeronautical engineering and systems engineering, and a wealth of experience in the military as a government program manager, “budget and execution are old hat,” says Nicholls of running her own business. The challenges come with things like credit card processing, payroll taxes and learning the specific requirements of business ownership.

Nicholls credits her years as a Naval Officer for her strong work ethic, leadership skills and accountability. “These are all things that were introduced to me early on, but the military recognizes and rewards these attributes in a stronger way than I have observed in the civilian world.”

She states that she doesn’t have just one favorite memory from her time in the Navy. What she remembers most are the people, “Extremely talented men and women from varied backgrounds, all committed to working toward the same goals. It was truly an honor to serve with every one of them.”

Nicholls reflects on her intentions for joining the service over two decades ago:

I originally joined the Navy to fly airplanes, but it turned out that for me, being in the Navy wasn’t about being a “warfighter.” It was about serving my country, a mission in which I believe in totally and completely. I learned that I needed to believe completely in the mission to feel like I was contributing something worthwhile. I retired because now that I have a son, being deployed to a war zone is no longer palatable.

Now that she’s transitioned into civilian life, her new role as a franchise owner allows her to give back in a different way, “Mathnasium provided a way for me to serve the community on a smaller scale. I couldn’t have opened just any business, but I believe in the Mathnasium mission just as strongly and in some ways with more passion.”

Her franchise is located in Virginia Beach, Va., where a large majority of the population is made up of military families, so the children she’s serving are largely the sons and daughters of service men and women. She sees this as a bonus.

“All of the opportunities presented to me were as a result of being a woman with very strong math and engineering skills. My goal is to give as many boys and girls as I possibly can the same opportunities that were given to me,” states Nicholls.

Jennifer Nicholls is the first recipient of our veteran scholarship award. To learn more about Dr. Nicholls’ Mathnasium, visit her center’s official website. Click here for additional details on VetFran.

Labels: 401(k) rollover , Franchise , franchise financing , Guidant Financial , Mathnasium , success story , veteran , veteran scholarship winner

Good Business is His Style: Jim Butenschoen of Career Academy of Hair Design

Friday, March 16, 2012

Jim Butenschoen, Owner

After 22 years in corporate sales and marketing, Jim Butenschoen of Springdale, Ark. decided that he'd had enough. "Corporate became more important than the customers. Internal processes and procedure, while important, were valued more than the needs of our clients. I really wanted to control my own destiny. As with any good salesman, success or failure is wholly dependent on my own initiative. Why not apply that to my own business?"

So that's just what he did.

Butenschoen spent five years searching for the perfect business to buy and decided on a beauty school. It's not the industry he thought he'd enter into, but the fact their financials were audited brought him great comfort, and he liked the idea of growing a mom-and-pop operation.

Put simply, since its inception his business has flourished.

He initially opened two schools, and by the second year had opened a third. By the third and fourth years, they moved the first two schools to larger facilities to accommodate continued growth. To date, they've expanded to include 375 students, including 117 who are still in high school. They'll be opening the doors to a fourth location later this year, and accepting up to 100 more students.

What is his secret of success?

Butenschoen says he "constantly preaches" to his staff that their corporate objectives are 1) Customers 2) Employees 3) Financial 4) Growth. He tells a story to support this:

A year ago we had a student move three hours away to Little Rock after completing our course here. The owner of the salon where she went to work called us, unsolicited, to brag about the student's abilities and capabilities. More importantly, the salon owner knew that the difference in our student and others she'd hired locally was the quality of our school and the education that student had received. That told me we were doing something right.

Butenschoen went on to say that if his first two objectives were addressed correctly, the third and fourth "would not be a problem."

Before his schools were up and running, he utilized Guidant's iFinance service for funding. "The most impressive aspect of Guidant was their comprehensive approach to the entire process from incorporation of the business with all of the supporting documentation to the annual reporting requirements."

When asked if he had hesitation using this method of financing, Butenschoen stated, "I was initially concerned with the IRS issues and of course a little afraid of stirring that pot. However, I have been very satisfied with Guidant's mastery of the IRS regulations and rules. I have complete confidence in Guidant's compliance with the IRS."

Although long hours are spent running the business, Butenschoen does still make time to enjoy his hobbies. "I'm an avid bad golfer," he jokes. "Actually, I was fairly decent until I bought the business. Then my time on the golf course dropped dramatically. I'm hoping to spend more time there this year."

He certainly deserves some days on the links.

For more information on the Career Academy of Hair Design, visit their official website.

Labels: 2012 , Career Academy of Hair Design , Franchise , Guidant , Guidant clients , Guidant Financial , Small Business , success story

Man's Best Friend = Booming Business: Mark Schottland of Dogtopia

Monday, February 13, 2012

Mark Schottland, Owner

Mark Schottland of Nashville, Tenn. always knew he wanted to own his own business.

After working for years in the financial services industry, getting married and completing graduate school, the time was right. But he needed a smart way to preserve spending capital for his new Dogtopia franchise. That's when he turned to Guidant.

"The [iFinance] program was smart, elegant, and Guidant led me through every step of the way. It couldn't have been any easier. Looking back, it was the smartest business decision we made. Because we used retirement dollars to help fund construction, we had savings to use as operating capital instead of taking a larger loan."

So, why pet care?

"Dogs shake up your life in the most wonderful ways. Their faces are pure joy when they see you walk through the door. They are always SO happy to see you, and it is hilarious to see which possession was chewed up while they waited for you. In my old career, I couldn't have a dog because I traveled so much. I guess we kind of went overboard. Because we take care of people's 'children,' I think we have a much more meaningful interaction with our clients than a typical service. My wife and I marveled at how we have deeper relationships with our clients at Dogtopia than we ever did with our financial services clients. Obviously, some things matter more than money. Other great perks are: no suits, no shaving and no travel."

This business also makes the case for doing something you love—just eight months after opening their doors, Dogtopia turned a profit. Since then, they were voted Nashville's Best Daycare/Boarding Facility. He attributes their success to a variety of factors: the franchise domain name, the education, the clients, the location, the Web presence and the customer service.

"Our employees go far above and beyond what we require. One of our clients was deployed for an extended period. While the owner was gone, the house sitting plans for the dog fell apart. Our employee stepped in and the dog is now living with her until the owner returns. That is the kind of effort that makes our business so easy to manage."

He also notes the difference of environments from corporate to small business:

"I was not a big fan of the corporate anxiety filled world. Accidents and inefficiencies happen in business as in life. In small business, you learn quickly that wasting time assigning blame often costs more than the original mistake. Sometimes, things just go wrong and you have to help people understand why and how to improve. Each member of your team responds to different approaches, and you have to learn what motivates them personally. The most enjoyable moments in this job come from learning and teaching how to do better the next time."

Now that he's a business owner, Schottland finds that he can enjoy his hobbies and activities that he didn't have time for when he was in the corporate world.

"[My wife and I] spend a great deal of our free time with our two huskies. One of which failed his evaluation and is not allowed to come to our own daycare. Go figure."

For more on Dogtopia, click here.

Labels: 2012 , 401(k) rollover , Dogtopia , Franchise , Guidant clients , iFinance , Small Business , success story

A Coffee Commitment: The Mallett Family of Coastal Coffee Roasters

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

The Mallett Family (photo credit: Chrys Rynearson)

“Life is too short to drink bad coffee.”

Jacki Mallett, wife of Brad Mallett, echoes this saying often, and with good reason. She and husband Brad own and operate Coastal Coffee Roasters, a Summerville, S.C. organic coffee company that emphasizes sustainability and fair trade practices.

Before venturing into entrepreneurship, Brad was an operations manager for Verizon in the northeast, but the corporate atmosphere was unhealthy, and the weather in the region wasn’t the greatest, so the family decided it was time for a change.

He and his wife approached a roaster in New York and spent a few days learning the craft of coffee bean roasting hands on.

With that knowledge, they took the skill a step further and modified the process to their specifications. Coastal Coffee Roasters was born.

So, how did they find Guidant Financial?

Brad read an article about using a 401(k) to self-invest. He investigated and researched extensively (at the recommendation of Guidant), then decided to use their services. He cites the “no pressure approach” as what helped them decide to take the risk.

His advice for those who may be apprehensive about starting their own business is this:

“Over capitalize by a large percentage. The government seems to be embedded very deep in regulations. We have very expensive codes to work with—Energy Code, Seismic Code, International Building Code, etc. You become frustrated when you see the guy next door able to operate under different rules because he was open earlier.”

Of course, there are great benefits to owning a business as well. Brad says, “After more than 20 years in customer service it feels AWESOME to be doing something that truly puts a smile on people’s faces. When we see our children enjoying the same results, we know it is the right way forward.”

Up next for Coastal Coffee Roasters are additional building renovations and a continued commitment to providing the freshest coffee around.

In his spare time, Brad likes spending time with his family. He says his motto is “Everything happens for a reason…We just have to figure the reason out.”

A clever philosophy for sure!

To learn more about Coastal Coffee Roasters, please visit their official website.

Labels: 2011 , Coastal Coffee Roasters , coffee , Guidant , Guidant clients , Guidant Financial , Small Business , small business financing

Promoting Good Habits: John Immen of Immense Innovation, Inc.

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Have you ever attempted to kick a bad habit? Maybe you’ve tried hypnosis or just going cold turkey—but have you ever tried a miniature coffin?

That’s the method behind Bury the Habit, a product created by Guidant Financial client John Immen.

With 25 years of experience under his belt, working in sales and marketing with a Fortune 100 company, Immen was confident he could start his own business successfully.

So how did the idea for such a novelty come about?

Immen says, “I was a business marketing major in college and one of our case studies was learning about appealing to consumers with either a ‘functional’ or ‘emotional’ attribute. The examples at the time were Nike running shoes (didn’t claim their sole was thicker or stronger) and how they appealed to consumers on the emotional level to ‘Just Do It.’

We were challenged to come up with our own examples and submit a paper on this topic. I chose cigarette companies and how they were very much marketing ‘emotional attributes’ for the many different brands. At an early age I realized just how effective/deceptive some marketing campaigns can be and their potential good/bad consequences for consumers. It really made me want to market a cigarette on a ‘functional’ attribute basis with full transparency … like we will kill you faster than any other brand just to let consumers know they were being bamboozled by big tobacco marketing. I had to laugh 20 years later when the Thank You For Smoking film was introduced because I feel like I could have written a lot of the content.

Our item is not smoking-centric as we respect that there are many other bad habits which can be addressed in a similar manner, but the inspiration was the result of decades old cigarette marketing.”

Once the idea and plans were in place, Immen turned to Guidant for funding assistance. He read an article about Guidant’s ability to help entrepreneurs start their dream business by tapping into their retirement funds without incurring early withdrawal penalties and decided to go for it.

So, how was the process?

“My Guidant experience has been fantastic. The quality of individuals and responsiveness to questions/needs has really been exemplary. The only advice I would offer others is to be certain about the level of risk and funding they are willing to take to pursue their dreams.”

When asked if there are any challenges associated with owning a business vs. working for someone else, Immen notes, “It is important to expect some unanticipated reactions and be open to new learning and skills, which take you outside of your comfort zone.

I didn’t fully anticipate some of the challenges/biases of being a single item company (for the time being) and challenges that could bring both gift brokers and selected retailers as one example. There are also unexpected upside surprises that I wouldn’t have expected. [Specifically] there are some casket makers and funeral homes that have purchased our item in larger quantities (not sure why I thought people in the funeral industry would not have personalities).”

And has Immen ever used his own product to kick a bad habit?

“I have dabbled with each and every habit we list on our package so I’m not a stranger to bad habits, that’s for sure! I still have a few bad habits, which won’t fit in the coffin. ;)

Seriously, there are people I’ve known who have put their credit cards in a block of ice in their fridge or who have scheduled a party at a bar to celebrate the last day of smoking so more inspiration was derived elsewhere. Although, I do have a Bury the Habit coffin on my desk right now—I’m using it as a candy dish reminder to go easy on the sugar leading up to Halloween.”

What’s next for Bury the Habit?

The product will be featured in most major national catalogs for the upcoming holiday season and Spencer Gifts will test the product in their stores in 2012. Immen says, “We want to continue to grow the brand with our current item through increased distribution in major retailers. We also have two other very fun/topical items in different stages of development, which we hope to bring to market soon.”

If you’d like to kick a habit and want to give Bury a Habit a try, visit the official website.

Labels: 401(k) rollover , bad habits , Bury the Habit , Guidant clients , iFinance , Investing Retirement Funds , product , success story

Turning Hobby into Harmony: Randy Biehl of Eveningside Vineyards

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Randy, at the winery.

Transitioning from a career in law enforcement to owning a winery can’t be an easy thing, but Randy Biehl is living proof it can happen.

He was a United States probation and parole officer for almost 25 years and developed a passion for wine in his early 30s. He later decided he wanted to plant a vineyard and open a winery, which he would call Eveningside.

Why that name?

Biehl explains, “I live in Western New York (Buffalo area) and due to our close proximity to Canada we pick up radio stations from Toronto. Many years ago I would hear traffic reports on a Toronto radio station talking about how traffic was backed up on ‘Morningside Rd.’ I liked the name, so I flipped it to Eveningside.”

After an 18-month search for the perfect property to plant the vineyard, he was on his way.

To get his winery going, he turned to Guidant Financial after hearing about the company through his son, who had received a recommendation from a colleague.

“I have been very impressed with the level of service, the professionalism, and friendliness of Guidant staff and management.”

He also recently endured an IRS audit, but came through with flying colors.

“An IRS audit is very unsettling but Guidant stood by me every step of the way and that brought me great comfort. We were successful!”

On being his own boss, Biehl states, “You need to be very orderly yet creative in your thinking. Working for someone else is easier in many ways but that never gives you the freedom and ownership we all seek.”

He likens caring for a vineyard to gardening because “a great garden takes great care and so does a great vineyard,” and mentions that his life and his spare time are all consumed by his love for wine. “You know you have a passion when your hobby becomes your vocation.”

Eveningside wines are currently available online and in various fine dining establishments and stores throughout New York.

Biehl has aspirations to expand into building a facility to host events such as weddings at the vineyard.

Learn more about Eveningside at their official website.

Labels: 401(k) rollover , Eveningside Winery , Guidant clients , Guidant Financial , iFinance , Randy Biehl , Small Business

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