2005 SUCCESS STORIES

2005 Existing Business of the Year: Mid-West Business Service

On January 1, 1999, Patrick Johnson took the opportunity of a lifetime and bought Mid-West Business Service in Emporia, Kansas, a producer of all types of business forms.   The business was well-established and Pat had worked for the company since it began in 1965, starting out in maintenance and working his way up to become the owner.  He had seen the company grow through the years and as the owner, wanted to expand the product line and make it bigger and better.

When Pat contacted the Emporia State University KSBDC in 2000, he had a five-year plan outlining what he wanted to accomplish with Mid-West Business Service in terms of expanding its products to include book binding, increasing the forms business and adding employees.  The KSBDC’s role was to assist with financial projections in order to obtain adequate expansion capital to sustain a healthy cash flow and accomplish company goals.

Since Pat’s acquisition of Mid-West Business Service, he has stayed with the five-year plan, always modifying and improving on it.  In 2000, Pat successfully obtained expansion capital with a SBA guaranteed loan.  Since that time, the company has increased its production of business forms and added new products and services.  Along with the growth in production and sales, Mid-West has added new equipment to increase quality and production capacity.  As a proactive business owner, Pat sees more growth, expansion, and updated equipment in the future of the company.  Congratulations to Pat Johnson and the employees of Mid-West Business Service for sustaining and growing a solid and successful company! 

2005 Emerging Business of the Year: Walburn’s Athletic Club Inc.

In 1979, Kenny Walburn started Walburn’s Gym in the basement of the Godfather’s Pizza building in Emporia, Kansas.  At that time, Walburn’s was recognized mostly as a place for hard-core body-builders.  There was no such thing as a personal trainer, let alone any guidelines, and the basic culture of fitness and overall health that we have today did not exist.  A lot has evolved in this industry between then and now, and Walburn’s too, has evolved and expanded into a successful family-owned-and-managed business with the reputation of a clean, friendly, all-around fitness center with something for everyone, including personal trainers, if desired.

In 2000, Kenny’s son, Brian, sought assistance from the Emporia State University KSBDC with expanding the business and incorporating, to facilitate the ownership of he and his wife, Frannie, along with Kenny.  The KSBDC counselor worked with Brian on business planning and projections for the expansion.  After obtaining SBA approval for a guaranteed loan, the original lender backed out, but Brian persisted and found a bank that wanted their business and was supportive of the project.

The vision of Walburn’s is building a healthier community, one person at a time.  They have worked very hard on their vision, which is evident from the expansion; membership has grown from 98 members in 2000 to 950 members in 2005, floor space has increased from 2,900 square feet to 10,000 square feet, and 48 pieces of equipment were added, as well as both men’s and women’s locker rooms and showers, tanning booths, massage therapy, Kids’ Korner child care, and many new fitness classes.  In 2004, Walburn’s opened in McPherson, Kansas, where Kenny manages the facility.  The business supports many schools, local charities, and various fundraisers.  Congratulations to Walburn’s for building such a successful and well-managed family business!

Coburn’s Family Restaurant

Jeff and Brenda Coburn opened Coburn’s Family Restaurant in January, 1998 in Emporia, Kansas. Jeff had previously managed two restaurants over a span of eleven years and worked for a beverage distributor. Brenda’s background was in banking where she had been a branch manager and worked in sales and public relations. Both Jeff and Brenda had wanted to start their own restaurant for quite some time and when a well-established local restaurant decided to go out of business, the Coburns, with the consent of the owner, decided to open a similar restaurant across town.

Jeff and Brenda were dedicated enough to their venture to work for the well-established restaurant for eight weeks while it was still operating, in order to better learn how they ran their operation and produced quality food products. They also began planning for their restaurant approximately one year before they opened. They started their business plan as well as the acquisition of equipment and contacted the Emporia State University SBDC in the summer of 1997. The SBDC worked with them on the business plan and financial projections in preparation to request a loan. They were successful in obtaining financing and began renovating their new location. Coburn’s is known for its fresh high-quality hamburgers and other home-style menu items as well as a clean, family-oriented atmosphere. Since the first day of operation, Coburn’s has been one of the busiest most popular restaurants in town and has performed even better than initially expected. Congratulations and appreciation to Jeff and Brenda for their outstanding efforts and astute management in building such a successful business.

Mel's Tire, LLC

“Service is not expensive; it’s priceless” is the key element at Mel’s Tire, LLC in Emporia, Kansas. Mel Reed, majority owner, has been in the tire business for many years but always before he was working for someone else, helping to make their business successful. As Mel put it, “I really started this business twenty-seven years ago by working for my former employers as if the business was my own and building a reputation”. Finally, in 2002, Mel decided to take a long awaited step and open his own tire store. His three partners, Al Mize, Todd Preisner, and Joe Dreier had been Mel’s co-workers for a long time and had been very strong about their desire to be part of the new venture. Impressively, the four together have more than 80 years experience in the tire business.

Mel’s Tire is a full-service shop. Besides selling and servicing tires and custom wheels, the shop specializes in alignments, brakes, shocks, and struts. The company handles car, truck, farm and industrial customers and built its own customer base very rapidly; really even before the doors were officially open.

The Emporia State University SBDC worked extensively with Mel on his plans and financial projections, helping to ensure the business would have enough capital and adequate cash flow. Mel was able to secure a lease on the building and start remodeling in the spring of 2002. By 2004, Mel’s Tire purchased the building. The business also easily surpassed the projected sales figures in its first year. Mel’s Tire, LLC has a “priceless” reputation for good, honest, timely service to its customers. Doing the right thing and going the extra mile are just part of doing business there. This business is truly an asset to Emporia and the surrounding region.

Guion's Showcase

In 1991, John and Jane Guion had forty-seven years of combined experience in the retail furniture industry when it became clear that the best choice for them was to start their own business. Prior to that they learned that the business they both worked for would be sold or liquidated and they contacted the Emporia State University SBDC for assistance in planning for either the purchase of the existing store or the start up of a new furniture and appliance store. The pros and cons of each alternative were discussed and the SBDC consultant explained the business planning process, the expectations of lenders, and how the Guion’s could prepare themselves to capitalize on either situation when the time was right. They worked closely with the SBDC to develop financial projections, ensuring adequate capitalization of the new business. In October, 1991, Guion’s Showcase was in business with eight employees and 20,000 square feet of retail, office, and warehouse space. After approximately two years in business, the store expanded to include an additional 25,000 square feet. Many further enhancements have been added along the way as well. Today, the Guion’s have a highly successful family business which includes their sons; Mike- General Manager, Doug-Office Manager, and Jim-Service Manager. Since starting the business the store has shown impressive increases in sales and profits which have far exceeded expectations. Guion’s Showcase proudly serves an eighty-mile trade area and employs fifteen people. A retail establishment of this quality is truly an asset to Emporia, the surrounding area, and the State of Kansas.

High Gear Cyclery and Fitness

Matt Brown started High Gear Cyclery and Fitness in February, 1999, when he was 21 years old. He was previously employed by another bicycle shop in Emporia, whose owner did not wish to sell the business as a going concern, and instead chose to liquidate the assets and retire. Anticipating that this would happen, Matt’s entrepreneurial character led him to start his own business. He originally contacted the Emporia State University SBDC in July, 1998 for help with his start-up plan. The SBDC consultant introduced Matt to the business planning process, helped him analyze his start-up costs and generated month-by-month financial projections for a three-year period. Just as Matt had planned, his new business was open before spring break, 1999. He had covered his bases very well and successfully lined up dealership agreements for the products he felt would best accommodate his market area. He had rented and remodeled his new location at 407 Commercial Street in Emporia and created an attractive store front. As Matt’s planning paid off and his business quickly grew, he sought an opportunity to purchase his own building and move the business. In January of 2000, Matt worked with the SBDC again for financial planning of the expansion. By May, 2000 he had renovated and moved into his current location at 504 Commercial in downtown Emporia. Matt, his wife Stephanie and his parents, Marvin and Gayle Brown, have worked very diligently to build a successful and attractive business. This business has made an important contribution to the Emporia area through not only increased sales, but through the development and improvement of an existing building in the downtown district, and the customer base it draws from a 100-mile radius.

 

Last Updated May 1, 2007