 August is Black Business Month, a time to acknowledge and appreciate Black-owned businesses across the nation and all they represent in America's continual striving for diversity and equality. While it is of incredible importance to focus your efforts on these communities during the month of August, it goes without saying that this should be kept top of mind year-round.
Why?
So what are the best ways to get involved? With Your Dollars Shop at Black-owned businesses. Restaurants, hair salons & barber shops, clothing stores, gifts -- Utah has it all if you know where to look! Two of our favorite directories of local Black-owned businesses throughout the state are:
With Your Network Even if you’re not able to monetarily support Black owned businesses to the extent you would like, spreading the word is just as important! Building awareness is something you can't put a price on.
With Your Connections Utah has some pretty amazing resources for small business owners, but people don't always know about them.
Our mission is to help small business owners across the state of Utah access funding and training, with a focus on the underserved. Our microloan program is available to business owners wanting to get their idea started or to grow their existing business. In addition, the UMLF provides virtual classes as well as a digital class library for small business owners. These are free and open to the community. Learn more here: UMLF Classes Use the hashtag #utahblackbusiness to tag your excursions and make a habit of celebrating Black businesses this month and every month. ❤️
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 Owner Elif Ekin Located in a beautiful restored Victorian in downtown Salt Lake City, Kahve Cafe with Turkish Coffee and Mediterranean inspired sweets and savories. Never tried an authentic Turkish Coffee? Don't worry, owner Elif Ekin is going to walk you through the experience of Kahve, our August Business of the Month.
UMLF: Hi Elif! We’re so excited to interview you as our Business of the Month. Tell our readers about yourself. Elif: My Name is Elif and I have been an entrepreneur for over 10 years with my business Bohemian Baklava where I provided fresh baklava to various restaurants and cafes around town. I am a single mom of teenager who has become quite the sidekick with me as we run this new café business venture. I am of the mentality that if I want Mina to go after her dreams, no matter how hard, I must first step in to show that it can be done. I am half Turkish / half American and grew up on the East Coast in RI. I moved to Utah 21 years ago when I first got married and stayed even after I got divorced because I loved how Salt Lake City is so supportive of small businesses and entrepreneurs. The level of community support and assistance is something that I wouldn’t be able to find if I had moved back East. As a single mom, I wouldn’t be where I am now without this community that I can turn to as I have navigated all the ins and outs of the various businesses I have done over the years. UMLF: What’s the story behind Kahve Cafe and how you got started? Elif: Kahve Café is my pandemic Pivot. When the world shut down, so did all the restaurants and cafes which sort of killed the baklava business. If I was to keep this baklava business from dying, I had to pivot and pivot hard. I had been saying for years that I had wanted a Victorian downtown to be able to house all the things that I do and one presented itself in June of 2020. It took until February of 2021 to be able to get keys, but I needed the time to really work out what I really wanted the café to embody. People had asked me to years to open a Turkish restaurant, but I knew I didn’t want to do all that. A Turkish Café was do-able. For years, friends would come over to my house for Turkish tea and coffee and just stay for hours talking because it felt like home. That was the essence I wanted to infuse the café: the feeling of home and family. Turkish Hospitality begins in the home, and therefore having a Victorian home was an important element for the environment. I want people to feel like that are family and it has been lovely to see UMLF: What can someone expect from their first visit to Kahve? Elif: I like to think of a visit to Kahve like visiting your old quirky aunt who has traveled the world, collected eclectic treasures to decorate the house. I want it to feel like you have come home, like visiting long lost family. There are lots of little nooks and crannies to hide away in with a good book as you drink your unlimited tea. I want people to feel like they aren’t in Salt Lake City anymore and went traveling abroad. It takes a minute to take in all the things because the environment is so different than any other café around. We guide you through the whole process and explain all our different drinks, pastries, and savories. Kahve Café is an immersive experience in coffee where the coffee is made for you in hot sand. UMLF: You recently started catering events and private parties, what are some of the goodies available? Elif: We did! We have a variety of house made dips, slow cooked Turkish vegetable salads, fresh salads and of course our Borek and Baklava! We offer our Borek in big family size spirals as well as Borek bites or even in portion sized triangles. We try and accommodate food allergies and make all our salads vegan and most GF. Our cakes are all GF and sold as whole cakes for parties and events. Baklava is always available in house for spur of the moment boxes of assorted flavors or ordered in bulk by the tray. UMLF: (If not answered above) Tell us about the Wise Dragonfly Collective. Elif: The Wise dragonfly is the overall umbrella company for the whole building. It is a creative collective with Kahve Café as the anchor store on the main floor. The second floor consists of micro businesses, art studios, and massage therapists. The main floor can be rented for events and gatherings as well as our multi-use room on the second floor and our loft on the third floor. I named it the Wise Dragonfly to pull in the old wisdom of gathering, community, and growth balanced w the dragonfly element of transformation. Our multi-use room on the second floor and the Dragon’s Loft can be rented by the hour or with a membership program of 5, 10 or 15 hours a month. We have various amenities with our rooms such as: a full set of charka sound bowls, 2 hand tied drums (bear & buffalo) tuning forks, massage table, Photo studio supplies (9 ft & 5 ft pull down screens) I affectionately call my businesses and tenants of the Wise Dragonfly, The Dragons of Downtown. We have become a small family and because of this, we are able to create a foundation to grow together. When one business grows, it lifts the others. UMLF: Every business has its highs and lows. Can you tell us about a challenge you faced as an entrepreneur and how you overcame it? Elif: Being an entrepreneur is a harder road than most. Having a brick-and-mortar shop amp up that exponentially. It pushes you to grow like nothing else. This year has been the biggest growth for me as a person than ever before. It is hard to be a boss as well as a landlord. I have cried and laughed about equally this year. It is no joke when they say you have highs and lows. Both extremes come into play with a first-year brick and mortar. It’s not just me and Mina any more to responsible for – Now it is 7 employees and 7 tenants that I carry with me in the decisions I make for the businesses. It is a choice to view it as a weight or a gift. I am hopelessly optimistic to a fault because I can see, feel, taste, touch the future. Holding that line and that vision keeps me going. It’s an interesting journey because you know that you will give your blood sweat and tears to make it work but you also have this peace that it is also ok if, despite all efforts, it doesn’t work. You have to let go of the fear of failure and embrace hope and vision. Be stubborn, but not rigid. I have learned that things always work out and not in the way your imagined. Surrounding yourself with people who can help you move past those bumps helps enormously! I am a high creative and all this business/financial stuff hurts my brain because at the end of the day, I just want to feed people and make them tea. Find people to help you in the areas that are not your strength. UMLF: How do you feel like the Utah Microloan Fund has helped your business? Elif: The UMLF has help me get my footing and get grounded in my business. The Funding helped me to expand our menu offerings and product lines to meet demands as well as hire staff to support me and the café as we grew. The classes and advisors there are always there to help me when I get stuck to get unstuck with alternatives and/or solutions. I have used UMLF for many years with the Banking on Women program and have met with them over the years as my baklava business grew. Their advice before I opened the café and now has been so appreciated because they understand my businesses and they know ME as a person and know how to help me through my weaknesses in order for me to grow and expand. Go have a cup of coffee and delicious treats at 57 600 E, Salt Lake City, UT 84102 Website: www.kahvecafeslc.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/kahvecafe Instagram: www.instagram.com/kahvecafeslc  Located in the heart of Millcreek, Retreatment Wellness is our July Business of the Month! Keep reading to learn more about Dr. Alessandra Young and her wellness center that will make you feel serene inside and out.
UMLF: Hi Alessandra! We’re so excited to interview you as our Business of the Month. Tell our readers about yourself. Alessandra: I am a holistic healthcare provider with a Doctoral degree in Acupuncture & East Asian Medicine, specializing in the treatment of pain, anxiety, women's health, and facial rejuvenation. I have been a clinician at the Disney Cancer Center in Burbank, CA, and also at the Clinic for Pain & Anxiety in Beverly Hills, CA. For the past two years, I've been seeing patients at a clinic in The Avenues called Flow Acupuncture. I am proud of my work there, providing excellent care at a clinic that has been rated "Best in Utah" for the past two years by readers of the SLC Weekly. This accolade is a wonderful acknowledgment of the healing work done there. I moved to Utah in November of 2020 from Los Angeles to live in the mountains and enjoy the beauty of the four seasons. I have lived all over the country from New York City to a tiny town in New Mexico. I have traveled all over the world. So I say this as a person who has seen a lot of what the world has to offer: Utah is a beautiful and special place to live. My family and I are happy to be here and to be welcomed into this community. UMLF: What’s the story behind Retreatment Wellness and how did you get started? Alessandra: I started Retreatment Wellness to provide signature treatments that are unique to my skills and that use advanced technologies not available at other Acupuncture clinics - like Microneedling & LED Light Therapy & Sound Bath Meditation. I align beauty with health. I've created a place where, for example, you can take care of your back pain while also addressing signs of aging. Or, you can address the inflammation in your gut with acupuncture while also reducing anxiety while enjoying deep restorative meditation in a sound bath. The thing about facial rejuvenation acupuncture is that many of the points on the face that have cosmetic applications are also what we call "shen" or "spirit" points. "Shen" points are used to treat psycho-emotional disharmonies like anxiety and insomnia. So, it's a lovely two-for-one for women to have the benefits of great skin and a feelings of serenity in one treatment. I hope to have created efficiency around self-care by providing multiple healing and beauty modalities in one session. The need for this business arose in my mind when I was treating a patient with an Acupuncture Sound Bath at a busy clinic. The patient was having a personal and transformative moment that deserved quiet and privacy but instead there was a loud and busy conversation right outside of the door that interrupted the sacred space that had been created. This experience, and also my personal experiences of healing while in retreat, brought to mind how important quiet, peace and privacy are to deep healing. To start my business I needed to find the perfect venue. When I walked into the private, peaceful, second-floor suite at Soma Sage & Soul, I knew that I had found the place! Soma Sage & Soul is a holistic healing collective in Millcreek in what was once a family home - so it feels safe and warm and homey. The collective are highly credentialed women practitioners offering yoga therapies, massage, pelvic floor therapies, and talk therapy - we're a well-rounded bunch with a broad set of skills. (Pun on the word "broad" was intentional!) There is also a community room where I hold Sound Bath Events that are open to the public. I hope that I have created a space and an experience that is like being on a retreat - where transformative body, mind & spirit healing occurs. And where you can address the signs of aging. UMLF: For someone new to acupuncture and Eastern medicine, what can they expect from their first treatment? Alessandra: Relaxation. I know it sounds strange because the idea of getting poked with needles is less than relaxing for any reasonable person. But what studies have shown is that Acupuncture is excellent for reducing inflammation and it causes a cascade of "feel good" neurotransmitters. With a reduction in inflammation, your body can start healing itself. And with the "feel good" effects people usually report having an excellent night's sleep and a lifted mood. UMLF: You have some cool retreats and events coming up, tell us about those? Alessandra: Twice monthly on Wednesday nights, I guide a community sound bath meditation with Acupuncture. It's a way for people to more easily access deep meditative states. Many people think that they can't meditate, so they don't benefit from a practice that is proven to improve measures of health and well-being. And sometimes experienced meditators become frustrated with their practice because they are experiencing blocks. The binaural beats created by crystal singing bowls entrain the brain to operate in meditative brain wave states. The acupuncture allows the body to more easily "downshift" into the "rest, relax and repair" aspect of the nervous system. So, I like to say it's like meditating with "training wheels" - it makes the practice easier for most people. Of course, if a person just wants to experience the sound bath without needles, that is also beneficial. I'm so excited about the retreat! It's an immersive healing experience at Maple Grove Hot Springs in Idaho from Sept 30 - Oct 3rd. It's going to be like summer camp for adults but with yoga and sound bath meditations and acupuncture and reiki and group shadow work and bodywork and hot springs and autumn colors... *sigh* It's an opportunity for people who have felt overwhelmed and anxious to reset their nervous system and feel supported in community. UMLF: Every business has its highs and lows. Can you tell us about a challenge you faced as an entrepreneur and how you overcame it? Alessandra: As a start-up business the greatest challenge has been learning how to differentiate myself in the marketplace and attracting customers. This is something I am currently working to "overcome." Certainly, opportunities like this interview are so valuable - to be "seen." There has been a lot of trial and error with Google Business and Google Ads and SEO companies etc... And then there is the social media aspect with the constant refining of messaging etc... Hiring people to manage all of these aspects is not financially feasible for a start-up of my size. So, it's a lot of work and the mistakes are costly. I am currently discovering how valuable professional partnerships are to the viability of new businesses and this is where UMLF comes in... UMLF: How do you feel like the Utah Microloan Fund has helped your business? Alessandra: The UMLF has been integral to every aspect of my business. The thoughtful review of my business plan caused me to rethink and refine some of my approaches which saved me from making some poor decisions. And now I am benefitting from coaching around marketing my business and understanding the best practices to develop new business in these high-pressure economic times. UMLF has helped by always offering expert advice and support. I am so grateful for the support. Aw thank you! To book a session with Alessandra visit:
  Lacey Bagley - Owner/Clinical Director This is the place. Utah has been known for the best snow on earth, amazing national parks, a flourishing culinary scene, real housewives, a stellar economy, low unemployment, the list goes on. But did you know Utah also has a higher suicide rate than the national average? On top of that LGBTQ+ adults are two times more likely to attempt suicide compared to heterosexual adults. For LGBTQ+ youth the risk is even higher. With a largely conservative culture, where can people go for love and support while navigating their personal journeys with their identity? Where can families go for resources on how best to support their loved ones? Enter Celebrate Therapy. We interviewed Owner/Clinical Director Lacey Bagley to share with all of you this gem of a resource to our Utah community. Find out more about our June Business of the Month below. UMLF: Can you tell us about yourself and the team behind Celebrate Therapy? Lacey: "Hi, I'm Lacey Bagley and my pronouns are she/her. I'm a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in the state of Utah and I'm the Owner/Clinical Director of Celebrate Therapy. Celebrate is comprised of a team of queer clinicians and together we provide LGBTQIA+ affirming mental health services to the queer community all across Utah! I grew up in northern Minnesota and bring a lot of the northland into my therapy practice by creating a safe, nurturing environment for queer people to grow and learn to celebrate their unique identities." UMLF: For those who are new to the concept, tell us about Queer Therapy and why it’s so essential to our Utah community? Lacey: "Celebrate Therapy is the very first clinic in Provo and the surrounding area that is owned and run by a team of queer clinicians. First and foremorest, we work to support clients in becoming confident and supported in their own queer identities. We also work alongside family members who are learning how to create, strengthen, and promote support for their queer loved ones. We hope to lead a transformational change in Utah County and beyond! Our goal is to help client's and family members nurture and grow their authenticity, in whatever way they need to. To the queer community: you, your loves, and your family are important to us and we promise to courageously advocate for you and the larger queer community in Utah County." UMLF: Who could best benefit from your different therapeutic services? Lacey: "We provide therapy services to anyone in the LGBTQIA+ community, as well as their family members. Many of us are trained family therapists, so we enjoy working with family systems. Overall, we provide therapy to entire families, parent-child dyads, couples and/or polyamorous networks." UMLF: Do you do telehealth as well as in person? Lacey "We provide both telehealth and in-person services. You can find out more at our website, www.celebratetherapy.org and online at our social media accounts at @celebratetherapy." UMLF: Can you tell our readers about additional resources and services that you provide? And community partners you recommend? Lacey: "Other resources we offer include group therapy and political advocacy work in the community. We are excited to celebrate June as Pride month and will have a booth in SLC this upcoming weekend at Utah Pride Center's Pride Festival. Please stop by and say hi! As far as the larger community goes, we work closely with community partners like LGBTQ.UT, Encircle Therapy, and Flourish Therapy. For BYU students, we partner and are involved with affirming organizations like USGA, The RaYnbow Collective, and Cougar Pride Center. And for UVU students, we endorse Spectrum as a community of support and celebration!" UMLF: How can allies best support our queer community during Pride month and beyond? Lacey: "To affirm LGBTQIA+ members, you can practice sharing your own pronouns during introductions as well asking others for theirs until it becomes a habit. Together, we can strive to create safe havens in our community where the freedom to express queer identities thrives, and where individual rights and needs feel advocated for. Finding, supporting, and promoting small businesses owned and operated by LGBTQIA+ members is another great way to support the community every day." UMLF: How do you feel like the UMLF has helped your business grow? Lacey: "We used the UMLF to consolidate startup fees which has given us the foundation from which we’re able to thrive and grow from. We plan to continue working together to empower LGBTQIA+ mental health providers to start their own clinics across the state of Utah." Thank you Lacey and your team for the amazing work you do! ❤️    Executive Director Liz Pitts Spring has sprung, love is in the air, and folks, Pride Month is here! Is there a better time to feature our friends at the Utah LGBTQ+ Chamber and the awesome work they do? They serve as a connector across the state, bringing the community together through business while advocating for civil rights and small business. The chamber is open to all sizes of business, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression, yes that includes allies too! Keep reading as we interview Executive Director Liz Pitts below. ✨
UMLF: Liz, tell us about yourself and your journey with the chamber? Liz: “I'm a Salt Lake City native and have for many years been a social justice activist and community volunteer in Utah and elsewhere. I served as the Utah Pride Festival Director in 2017 & 2018; was on the founding Board of Project Rainbow Utah and am one of the producing directors of the Redrox Music Festival. I earned bachelors degrees from the University of Utah in Women's Studies & Political Science and a Masters of Library and Information Science from the University of Washington. I'm a librarian by trade and worked for many years in enterprise system sales, technical sales operations, event management, and training before pivoting to a career in local LGBTQ+ non-profit work. I'm a mother and an avid skier. I love travel, live theater, all things outdoors, and I operate a ski lift in my spare time. I joined the Utah LGBTQ+ Chamber in 2019 and was immediately impressed with the entrepreneurial spirit and sense of community & affinity which permeates this group of hard-working, fun-loving business owners. In January of 2020 I joined the Chamber Board of Directors and helped to advance the programming and membership of the Chamber throughout the COVID pandemic. Up until November of 2021 the Utah LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce was a volunteer run organization. A very dedicated board of directors team, led by Tracey Dean, kept the Chamber growing steadily and the programming focused and impactful. It became very clear however that our growth and potential were outpacing our volunteer capacity, so the decision was made to hire our first-ever paid employee. I am honored to have been selected to fill this role and am excited to continue to work toward social justice for LGBTQ+ and allied business owners and contribute to the overall economic health of our State.” UMLF: Y’all have a ton of fun events and happenings. Can you tell prospective members what they can expect? Liz: “Yes, all work and no play... JK. Our annual flagship events are our springtime Queer Food FEASTival & Membership Drive and our Utah LGBTQ+ Economic Summit. Through these events we mix networking, education, and community connection to provide spaces for LGBTQ+ and allied business owners to come together, learn from and support each other, and have a great time while doing so! We also offer a number of educational workshops and networking events throughout the year including our 3rd Thursday breakfasts (being held on the Sugarhouse Coffee patio monthly throughout August - 7.30-9a ) and Taste of Success Best Damn Lunch & Learns. All of these events are open to chamber members and prospective members alike and, if you join in, you can expect lively conversation on topics of importance to LGBTQ+ business owners, lots of business referrals and a good time!” Save the Dates: - The 4th Annual Utah LGBTQ+ Economic Summit will be held September 22nd in the Zion's Bank Founders Room in downtown SLC and will be broadcast for remote attendance - The 2023 Queer Food FEASTival will be held May 12th UMLF: Tell us more about the LGBT-Owned Business Enterprise Certification and why business owners should consider applying? Liz: “As an affiliate of the NGLCC (National LGBT Chamber of Commerce), we offer guidance and support to local LGBTQ+ owned and operated businesses who choose to become LGBTBE (r) certified. Chamber members whose businesses are at least 51% LGBT owned are eligible to certify through the NGLCC free of charge. LGBTEBE (r) certification opens many doors for small business owners and opportunities to connect with and win contracts from local and national corporations, institutions of higher learning and government entities.” UMLF: You also have an awesome program, Utah LGBTQ+ SafeZone. Can you share more about it? Liz: “Absolutely! SafeZone Utah is the key program of the Utah LGBTQ+ Chamber Foundation 501c3. SafeZone works to increase local business owners’ understanding of experiences and issues faced by LGBTQ+ community members, and to educate them about how they can take a leading role in the effort to provide allyship and create safe, inclusive spaces for LGBTQ+ employees, customers and community. The goals of SafeZone Utah are to promote LGBTQ+ safety and sense of belonging statewide; to raise awareness among business owners about the importance of supporting LGBTQ+ inclusivity and equity; to reduce bullying and harassment of LGBTQ+ people; and reduce suicide risk in the LGBTQ+ community. We do this by offering free training to small businesses and nonprofit organizations throughout the state; and offering the opportunity for businesses to become designated LGBTQ+ SafeZones, where community members can access resources, information, and safety, if needed. This effort is especially important in the many rural communities of Utah that lack culturally-competent, LGBTQ+ affirmative services and safe environments where members of the LGBTQ+ community can freely and safely express their identities and participate or see themselves represented in all spheres of community life, including leadership, government, business etc.” UMLF: How can allies best support during Pride month and beyond? Liz: “There are so many ways allies can support LGBTQ+ folx throughout the year and one great way is to support the local businesses who serve the community! Shop, eat, drink, get a new roof, find great health service providers and more in our member directory!” ❤️ - To stay in touch with the Chamber visit below -❤️ Website: www.utahlgbtqchamber.org Facebook: www.facebook.com/utahlgbtqchamber Instagram: www.instagram.com/utahlgbtqchamber It's no secret we live in the digital age. With meetings on Zoom, hangouts in virtual reality, instant streaming, and texting/emailing being king, it's important we still show people we time and care offline as well. One easy way? Sending a thoughtful card in the mail. Old fashioned? Heck no! That's where our May Business of the Month Mailed It!, a women-owned greeting card subscription company, comes in. Keep reading to learn about Mailed It! from owners Kendall Watson and Ashleigh Phillips below.
UMLF: Tell us about Mailed It! and the team behind it. Mailed It: We began as coworkers and grew as friends who couldn't wait to work together again! With a shared love of similar small town backgrounds and current western lives, we are as alike as we are different. One thing is for sure, we never miss an opportunity to celebrate...whether that is a random Tuesday, the birthday of a lifelong friend, or anything in between! Greeting cards have always been a constant thread as our work lives weaved through the years. We have a drive to bring you the most fabulous cards out there, and to encourage everyone to get back to mailbox celebrations. And, thus, MAILED IT! was born. Sure, digital is always an option, but taking the time to show up for each other in a thoughtful way is the mission at MAILED IT! UMLF: What got you ladies into the greeting card biz? Mailed It: We both grew up in the South, where you always have a stash of stationery ready... and there is nothing more exciting than getting a card in the mail, no matter the occasion! With our professional experience being in the retail gifting and stationery business, we knew that greeting cards were common ground for everything we loved about those jobs, as well as our own personal preferences. UMLF: You have an awesome subscription program, tell us more about it? Mailed It: We felt pretty passionate about choosing the subscription avenue for MAILED IT! because the idea of being in the habit of celebrating our friends and family is important to us. The world moves so fast and is so digital, greeting cards can be the disruptor and really mean a lot to the recipient. We want our customers to be eager to send the cards they receive monthly and have the ability to have a stash to send when the occasion presents itself! Here's how a MAILED IT! subscription works: Subscribe - Choose either our THREE or FIVE card monthly plan. Sign up by the 1st of the month to ensure delivery. THREE includes rotating categories everyone will enjoy sending, and the FIVE includes all cards from the THREE + two additional cards for the avid sender. Receive - It will be a GREAT mail day every month when you receive your package containing the selected number of cards + the STAMPS to send them! Your cards will ship by the 15th of the month. Send - Sign, address, seal, stamp (included!), and get to your mailbox to send love to those near and far. UMLF: These aren’t your momma’s cards, tell us how Mailed It cards are different? Mailed It: "We have been in the industry for a while, and our personal card assortments run reallllllly deep. We spend a lot of time researching new vendors, local artists, and put together an assortment you won't find anywhere else. Each month, whether you receive three or five cards, you'll receive only one card per artist and all from a different category." UMLF: Every business has its highs and lows. Tell us about a challenge you faced as an entrepreneur and how you overcame it? Mailed It: "We think being a new business in any capacity right now is tough. You have so much competition online! We are confident that we know our target market, and we would recognize our customer anywhere. We are creating our assortments for them, and we know we'll find one another!" UMLF: How do you feel like the Utah Microloan Fund has helped your business? Mailed It: "The Utah Microloan Fund helped us by believing in us from the start. Although they are for small amounts, microloans are tough to come by when you are a brand new business with no sales history. We appreciate that UMF took the time to read our proposals, spreadsheets, and plans, to see the business that we know Mailed It! will be. The funds we received helped us hit the ground running and launch as everything we knew we could be." To stay in touch with Mailed It! or to subscribe visit: Website: www.clubmailedit.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/clubmailedit Facebook: www.facebook.com/clubmailedit TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@clubmailedit   Shelly Wood, UATP Did you know that the Utah Microloan Fund partners with the Utah Assistive Technology Program to create economic opportunities for Utahns with disabilities? Through our partnership with their foundation, we are able to provide reduced interest rate small business loans to those who qualify. Keep reading to learn more about this awesome program for Utahns from Financing Coordinator Shelly Wood.
UMLF: For those who don't know, what is the Utah Assistive Technology Foundation? And how does it relate to the Utah Assistive Technology Program? Shelly: The Utah Assistive Technology Program (UATP) founded in 1989 is the statewide assistive technology (AT) program for Utah. UATP is one of 56 similar programs located across the country designed to provide AT services to Utahns of all ages with disabilities. UATP currently has three locations to serve Utahns with disabilities: Logan, Salt Lake City and Vernal, Utah. Although we only have offices in these three locations, we provide AT services throughout the entire state. UATP provides device demonstration, device reutilization and device loan, in addition to a financing program, the Utah Assistive Technology Foundation (UATF). UATF founded in 1991 offers small grants for low-income individuals, low interest rate loans to purchase AT devices and equipment and small business loans to start or expand a small business. UMLF: Why do you love working for the UATF? Shelly: Being part of an organization like UATF is rewarding on many levels, because of the number of Utahns with disabilities we’re able to help through the use of AT and seeing the device change their lives and give them more independence. AT can help change people’s lives by improving their quality of life, safety and a greater level of independence. Our small grants, low interest rate loans and small business loans can literally change a person’s life with more independence, safety and better quality of life. UMLF: Who is eligible for your small business loan program? Shelly: All Utahns with disabilities of any age are eligible to apply for our small business loan program. These loans are designed to help individuals with disabilities that experience barriers to traditional employment (fatigue, transportation, lack of opportunities, etc.), or individuals with disabilities who have an interest in starting or expanding a small business. UMLF: What are some of your favorite businesses that have utilized this program? Shelly: We have helped provide small business loans for a wide variety of businesses such as: gluten-free bakery, automotive repair shops, long haul delivery, building wood furniture and products out of wood pallets, counseling services, providing music lessons, sports photography and many others. UMLF: What are some of the other services provided by UATF and UATP? Shelly: UATP provides AT device demonstration, device reutilization, device loan and alternative financing (by way of the UATF). We are a statewide program and our purpose is to provide services to individuals throughout the entire state of Utah. We currently have staff at three different locations: Logan, Salt Lake City and Vernal, Utah. We also collaborate with other statewide disability-related organizations to ensure AT services are available throughout the state. UMLF: What are some ways people can get involved? Shelly: We have volunteer opportunities available for individuals with basic mechanical skills at all three of our locations, to assist with mobility equipment refurbishment. Anyone interested can call us at 800-524-5152 for more information. To learn more about the Utah Assistive Technology Program visit: Website: www.usu.edu/uatp Loan Program Website: www.usu.edu/uatp/financing/small-business-loans Facebook: www.facebook.com/UtahAssistiveTechnologyProgram  On Wednesday April 6th, 21 Utah non-profit organizations were invited to lunch with Square Financial Services and the Community Foundation of Utah. The purpose? To be awarded $2,100 each to help further our missions of serving our Utah community. Why? Keep reading! In 2021, Square launched their amazing 21 Squared Grant Initiative in partnership with the Community Foundation of Utah. This grant program awards microgrants of $2,100 to 21 501c3 nonprofits throughout Utah focused on community development efforts that align with Square Financial Services’ core values and priorities for community reinvestment. “Smaller nonprofits have experienced acute disruption throughout the pandemic and we’re introducing our first grant program with them in mind,” said Lew Goodwin, CEO of Square Financial Services. “Microgrants enable us to provide fast, direct financial support to nonprofits, empowering them to use the funds as they see fit to best spearhead change in their communities. We’re honored to support and deepen our connections with organizations that are striving to break down barriers and expand access to underserved groups.” “Our partnership with Square Financial Services to support Utah nonprofits engaged in vital community development work is core to our mission,” said Alex Eaton, Chief Executive Officer of the Community Foundation of Utah. “Nonprofits, especially small ones, are often integral organizations to the communities they serve, and we’re thrilled to continue supporting the critical work they undertake through this new grant program.” In alignment with Square’s purpose of economic empowerment, the 21 Squared Grant Initiative is intended for nonprofits in Utah that engage in community development work focused on one of the following areas:
Organizations honored included:
 There's always a chance that certain clients and customers won't pay their bills in a timely fashion. The good news is that there is a new business opening up this month in Ogden, Utah that can help you not only reduce your number of unpaid bills but also improve your customer service. Meet our Business of the Month highlight, Skyline Hills Financial. Read more from Tyler Nancollas, Alex Benitez, James Wilson and Ashton Daniels below.
UMLF: Tell us about Skyline Hills Financial? Skyline: Skyline Hills Financial provides clients with peace of mind when it comes to their company's debt recovery. Through professional strategies, application of analytics, and certified training, different businesses will see their debt efficiently and effectively recovered. Skyline Hills makes it a focal point to provide clients and debtors with transparent, respectful, and professional communication in every interaction they have. This helps build trustful and respectful relationships with clients and their consumers, while at the same time not alienating both sides due to the aggressive background in collections. By providing a modern and professional debt collection service, clients will see a positive impact on their cash flow while being able to focus on the services that they provide. No debt that is received will go overlooked no matter the amount that is owed. Each client can rest assured knowing that trained professionals are working day in and day out to ensure the best returns possible. Based in Ogden, Utah, Skyline Hills strives to leave a positive impact on communities all throughout Utah. UMLF: Introduce us to the team behind Skyline.
UMLF: You guys have a lot of experience in this industry, what made you start your own company? Skyline: The company’s story began when co-founders Tyler Nancollas, Alex Benitez, and James Wilson worked together at one of the biggest debt collection agencies in the state. After noticing inefficient areas in the debt collection industry, communication techniques, and overall customer service seen within the industry, the owners wanted to make a change. They realized that these services could be provided while benefiting both the client and the consumer. In addition to this, the owners wanted to make a positive impact on the community they love so much. All of these reasons, along with a passion for helping others, sparked the idea for this company. In no time, the three co-founders began working tirelessly to make this dream become a reality. Through advanced technology, elite customer service, and a strong dedication to help others, the owners founded Skyline Hills Financial to not only accomplish those goals but to exceed them as well. UMLF: Who could most benefit from your services? Skyline: Skyline Hills Financial primarily provides services to a wide variety of different sized businesses, from startups to established organizations. We offer professional collection services to a broad range of industries, but will specifically specialize in the medical industry. With that being said, companies from almost any industry can experience major benefits from this service. Business owners who care about their customers, as well as their customer retention rate, will see positive impacts on their company due to the customer-oriented approach Skyline Hills has. Not only this but their customers will benefit greatly from the additional debt recovery services that are offered including free financial advising, online resources, and more. The employees will be trained and prepared to collect on any type of debt that might be seen. Any company looking to increase their cash flow while being able to focus on the services/products they provide will benefit from the services Skyline Hills offers. UMLF: What are each of your favorite thing about living in Utah?
UMLF: Every business has its highs and lows. Tell us about a challenge you faced as an entrepreneur and how you overcame it? Skyline: Our company, like many other start-ups, has seen its ups and downs. One of the biggest challenges we’ve faced as entrepreneurs is our time management. Waiting for things like our licensing to be approved or having our software configured can take time. Making sure that we make the most out of our downtime has been an area that we have constantly been improving on. Organizing our days intensively and being proactive, instead of reactive, has helped us make major improvements within our operations. By doing this, we were able to become much more efficient, which truly helped make a positive impact on our company and its culture. In addition to this, funding has been another big challenge our company has faced. We were able to overcome this challenge that many entrepreneurs face thanks to the Utah MicroLoan Fund. Without their help, we would not be where we are today. UMLF: How do you feel like the Utah Microloan Fund has helped your business? Skyline: The Utah Microloan Fund has helped our business immensely. Not only have we gained the funding that has been crucial to our company’s success, but the additional resources that they provide has helped our company grow. Whether it is online classes or guidance from personal meetings, the assistance that the Utah MicroLoan Fund provides goes beyond funding. In addition to this, we have been able to learn valuable skills that have not only benefited each of us as individuals, but as entrepreneurs as well. We have personally felt the great customer service that they provide. Our company was not expecting to receive the care and support that the UMLF has offered. Being able to work with such a great company like them has been such an amazing experience and opportunity that we have appreciated deeply. UMLF: When is your official opening? Skyline Hills Financial will be open on April 25, 2022! To stay in touch with Skyline visit: Website: www.skylinehf.com Instagram: www.linkedin.com/company/skyline-hills-financial Facebook: www.facebook.com/SkylineHillsFinancial   Owner Nick Nelson Founded in March 2018 Logos Coffee Company started up not only to become an addition to the up and coming specialty coffee scene in Utah, but also to stand out as an all-around premium product. With their thoughtfully-sourced beans and their meticulous roasting process, Logos Coffee is pure, inviting, and flavorful, just as coffee should be. Keep reading to learn more about this local gem with owner Nick Nelson below.
UMLF: You obviously have a lot of passion for the art of coffee roasting, where did you get your start and how has that continued today? Nick: I developed an interest when I was living in Colorado. I had couple friends who were in the industry and I immediately started exploring the craft by frequenting specialty coffee shops around the Denver metro area. It’s continued because the specialty coffee scene has grown a ton in SLC since I’ve moved back. I meet a lot of specialty coffee enthusiasts at the markets and it fuels me to dive into the industry more. UMLF: You say that Logos is a Nordic style specialty coffee, roasted in small batches and that you are part of the third wave, bean-to-cup coffee movement. Can you break that down for us coffee newbies? :) Nick: The idea behind Nordic (light roast) is to pull out the full flavor profile potential of any particular coffee that darker roasted coffee wouldn’t. Region, altitude, processing, etc. can influence flavors of coffee. Even after roasting, the way one brews, can influence different flavor profiles. This is why I’ve decided to get into coffee, because it’s a constant learning process while I experiment. UMLF: What’s next for Logos? Nick: I partnered with Eric Lo last summer and brought on Sapphire Jensen as well last Fall to help expand the business and take it to the next level. Next, we are expanding and growing the subscription program, and opening up a coffee shop this spring! Our subscription program is completely customizable where you can choose the frequency, grind size and if you’d like it to be shipped or you can come pick it up locally to save on shipping. We ship nationwide and offer competitive discounts and free shipping based off of quantity ordered. We carry 5-6 single origin coffees and 1 house blend and 1 espresso blend. We also just revamped our website which is extremely user friendly for both home consumers and wholesalers. UMLF: Every business has its highs and lows. Tell us about a challenge you faced as an entrepreneur and how you overcame it? Nick: Where do I start? It’s every day of highs and lows. I would say the biggest challenge for me was being taken seriously as a coffee roaster or even business owner. A lot of coffee businesses started when I did or even after and gotten a coffee shop up and running, where I’ve had to be patient and take it slow to get to that point. I started this company from scratch out of a shed and I’ve put my blood, sweat, and tears in this company to get it where it is now. I’ve surrounded myself with amazing friends and family who have encouraged me through this whole process to keep pushing. UMLF: How do you feel like the UMLF has helped your business? Nick: The UMLF helped me tremendously take my business to the next level. I’ve viewed Logos in phases. 1st phase was the initiation and learning phase. 2nd phase was UMLF helping get to the point where I can be recognized as a true coffee retailer and wholesaler. Now UMLF is a part of the 3rd phase helping Logos becoming a place where people can come enjoy the product outside of their home. To stay in touch with Logos and to order some delicious coffee visit:
 El's Pampered Paws opened its doors in October 2020 to fulfill a much needed spot for pet accommodations, training and things to do for both pets and parents in the Richfield, Utah area. Today, they are a sought after destination for travelers and locals for their luxury boarding, structured dog daycare, and training services. Along with owner Danielle Peterson, their staff is committed to ensuring the health and safety of the dogs and are passionate about doing whatever it takes to keep them happy, healthy and comfortable while in their care as well as the pet parents mind at ease for leaving their baby. They even send photos and updates to parents that need the extra love! Keep reading to learn more about our February Business of the Month!
UMLF: Why are you passionate about dog training and boarding? Danielle: My passion came from raising pheasant and farm dogs while growing up with my two grandpas. Anytime they were working the dogs on recall, fetch, bearding or just playing in the river I was right by their side. Over the last 15 plus years I have just always done it as a hobby until 2018 when I put that passion and hobby into serious consideration as a life skill and job. I have self-trained my own service dog over the last 3 years as well as helping others train household pets, and helping those in trouble and seeing the change one dog has on the mental and physical self is just amazing to behold. Watching a fearful dog change its entire life around with the right family and the right guidance is why I do what I do. There is hope always, I never want to turn someone away because of trouble and or just not having the knowledge to help themselves. UMLF: What makes El’s Pampered Paws better than other training/boarding facilities? Danielle: We strive to be the best stress-free option for dogs when you have to be separated from your four-legged family member. Our “home sweet home, away from home” feel take us to the level of comfort your dog needs when your away. When daycare is also needed while everyone goes back to work or school without worry the dog will destroy the home while they are away, we offer a safe and supervised exercise and play space that will help social skills and tire out any dog. As well as offering support and help to better you and your dog communication skills and have an over all happier healthier life together. Because we know personally how much we love our own pets, and how hard it is to leave our fur children with just anyone we wanted to create a place where I’d like to leave my own dog. We have high expectations and standards to keep your fur kid and you as happy as can be. UMLF: Every business has its highs and lows. Tell us about a challenge you faced as an entrepreneur and how you overcame it? Danielle: The challenges we have faced is the small town troubles of being new and unknown, being able to get the vision and support through to the big wigs at the banks and city council to get this up and running. I started this with no funding, no loans, just $5000 of my own savings during the pandemic. Another small town problem is old school zoning and people not wanting to rent to pet businesses. We have been on and off with city zoning commissioners to get zoning approved to be in the town and after six months or so we were devastated when they halted that change up and essentially made us leave where we were and find a new place of business in under 30 days. Again this was a huge surprise and financially hit us hard. We were able to get fundraising from our wonderful clientele and support of friends and family to keep us open. While I found a new location and any and all options for funding to help us move and stay open. That’s how I found the Utah Microloan Fund. UMLF: How do you feel like the Utah Microloan Fund has helped your business? Danielle: This loan made it possible to get the new location set in writing and upgraded with the specific modifications to keep us heated, clean and safe. This also helped upgrade us from 15 kennels up to a much needed 28-30 kennels. So we are able to help more people in need of our services. We also got some much needed upgrade and advertising. With this help and with the move we have boomed. I have now hired my first two employees and have loved watching them love the dogs and business as much as I do! UMLF: Most fun dog names you have encountered at your business? :) Danielle: Dog people are the most creative people on this planet and also the most safe when it comes to naming their dogs. I have heard it all. From the ten dogs named the same Ace, Ranger, and Koda to the fun and interesting names like Skyla, Sprocket the Rocket and yes I’ve even a dog named Corpse. But my all-time most fun name has been Spud the Stud!! To stay in touch with El's Pampered Paws visit:
 Your business cannot survive, much less thrive, if you don’t get paid by your customers and clients. If you are working with a tight budget, even one habitually late customer can mean the difference between growing and struggling.
At the same time, you don’t want to damage your relationships with valuable customers. So, what do you do if you have a customer who is chronically late in paying their invoices but that otherwise helps your company move in the right direction? We have listed some practical tips below! Hire Help One way to make sure you stay on top of invoices and prevent late payments is to hire people to help your business. For instance, an accountant or bookkeeper can go a long way in collecting payments and helping your company maintain healthy financial management in many other ways. To find qualified professionals, ask around your professional network for referrals. If no recommendations come your way, you have a couple of options:
Working with a recruiting agency means that you would not have to commit the time and energy to evaluate the profiles of multiple candidates to see which candidates can provide the skills you need within your budget. You can use the time you save to focus on other aspects of running your business. Make Your Expectations Clear Sometimes late-paying customers do not understand the expectations of the company. You want to avoid this miscommunication and make your expectations apparent. Before providing services to any customer, make sure they agree on how, what, and when they will pay. An example of this would be communicating that you wish to get paid through direct deposit or PayPal within a specific timeframe. Request Upfront Payments Another option is to request that your customers pay you upfront for your services. If this sounds strange, understand that more and more freelancers and agencies are employing this technique to avoid late payments. You receive either full payment or partial payment before you begin work for the customer, which means that you have the responsibility to deliver and eliminate the need to send an invoice after the fact. Tailor Your Invoice Schedule If you deal with consistent late payments from a particular customer, but they are still paying you (eventually), consider asking if you can customize your invoicing schedule. This could mean that you divide their payments into installments. For instance, if you sell a $1,800 service to a customer, you could send them three invoices for $600 over three months. Paying more frequent, smaller invoices could put your customer in a better position to pay on time. Use Email and Text Messaging Finally, one of the most practical ways to prevent late payments in the future is to send follow-up emails a few days before each due date. You can also send a professional, friendly email reminding your customer to pay if the due date comes and goes without payment. Many times a customer allows an invoice to slip through the cracks. With that in mind, wait at least one week after the due date to send a follow-up email. Customer relationships are critical when it comes to running a business. But at the end of the day, you will not be able to survive or grow without getting paid for your work. If you are consistently dealing with late payments from customers, consider the tips above. With any strategy you use, however, be sure to maintain a friendly and appreciative tone to keep your customer relationships healthy. Would you like to read more helpful content or learn about the training and loans we provide for under-served and low-income communities? Visit UtahMicroloanFund.org today! Article by guest writer Eleanor Wyatt.  Owner Morgan Rust Looking for a new hobby to start the new year? Look no further than goat packing. Keep reading to learn more from business owner Morgan Rust of RustPack about his company, his passion for the sport and how you can do it too!
UMLF: For those of us out of loop, what the heck is goat packing? RustPack: Some people call it a sport, but I call it a lifestyle. Most everyone is familiar with packing on horses, mules and even llamas for camping, riding and hunting. Goat Packing is the same idea but with greater qualities. A goat is one of the most loyal companions when raised in the correct way. On the trail they follow you out of love. No halter, collar or lead needed. They will pack up to 50 pounds of your gear for miles and miles into the backcountry. Another great quality about pack goats is that they're browsers so they're able to eat anything out in the wilderness. From bark, pine tree needles, grass and other various plants. So there's no need to bring any feed for them! Which makes it very effective for packing in gear. From my experience they are the best pack animal you could have. UMLF: Tell us more about RustPack and why you started it. RustPack: I've always been the kind of person that wants to do more in life; be a bigger part of something and give back. On my path to finding that, I stumbled upon pack goats through a really good friend. When he began raising his first pack string I immediately fell in love with the whole idea. The very next spring I got my first two pack goats and decided I wanted to do more in the small, but growing pack goat community. RustPack was then born. I started making shirts, hats, hoodies and other apparel items with the goal to allow people to wear what they love; goat packing. It then grew with the great support of the community and the opportunity to take over Northwest Pack Goats presented itself. RustPack now designs and produces all pack goat equipment from adjustable aluminum saddles, panniers, halters, pads and much more! We're very grateful to be a part of the community and create quality gear for the ones we share this lifestyle with. UMLF: What personally got you into this sport? RustPack: There's so many things that I love about pack goats, too much to write! One of the number one things I like most about packing with goats is the experience. To help explain this I'll share a story. I was hunting near Challis Idaho in the spring of 2021. We packed in about 8 miles with 12 goats onto the top of a beautiful mountain range overlooking miles and miles of pristine, tree covered valley's. We got up early the next morning and came out of our eight man tipi tent to the most beautiful sunrise. Our entire string of goats were grazing the mountain side enjoying the morning sun. As soon as the goats saw us all 12 of them came running over to greet our morning. We saddled the goats and went off on our morning hunt. It sounds simple but when you experience this for yourself it's truly amazing to be in the wild with a heard of goats. To share your time and energy with the mountains and such an amazing animal. There's experiences with this particular lifestyle that you can't get anywhere else. That's what personally got me hooked. UMLF: If someone wanted to get into goat packing what is some must know info? And gear you recommend? RustPack: If you're looking to get into pack goats there's a few things you should know. They're a very low impact animal so there's very little clean up and care. I keep my string in my back yard and the grass never gets eaten down so it stays beautiful and green. This also transfers over to the wilderness as well. Raising a pack goat is arguably one of the most fun aspects about pack goats. But you must understand that this is a time commitment. When first starting out your baby goat will need two 16oz bottles of milk every day! This will ensure a big, strong, healthy goat. Along with feeding them premium, high protein grain, which can get pricey. But don't worry, feeding them milk only last for about two months on average and you only feed grain until one year of age. So keep in mind the time commitments and feed costs, although goats are much cheaper compared to other pack animals. Veterinary costs is also another great thing to consider. There's just some unplanned occasions that you have to prepare for. Which leads me to my next point. Goats are very affordable. At this point in time you can get a baby pack goat for $500. Compared to other pack animals where they can easily reach $10 thousand! Just for the animal! When you factor in gear, vaccinations, feed and other needs, comparable pack stock is considerably more expensive. A full set up for a pack goat would cost you around $600 on RustPack.com. This would include saddle, panniers, halters and collars, goat coat and a few other things to have everything you need! If you are considering getting goats check out RustPack.com for the best gear and information. UMLF: You own some cute goats! Did they get anything good for Christmas? :) RustPack: My string of pack goats definitely get pampered during the holiday season. With the cold weather moving in, my entire string received brand new RustPack goat coats to keep them warm! UMLF: Every business has its highs and lows. Tell us about a challenge you faced as an entrepreneur and how you overcame it? RustPack: Starting a business can be very scary considering the risk factor. With all of the craziness in this world there's even more risk than ever. A challenge that my business faces all the time is material supply and demand. With the given shipping crisis of 2021 it's always a challenge to get the things I need to manufacture products along with wait times and delay's. To overcome this it's very important to develop good relationships with multiple suppliers. They have the access to many other companies that can help you find what you need. It's also crucial to know your inventory in and out. Stay organized and be proactive about material orders. If there's a large wait time on a specific item, be sure to forecast ahead and put it in early so that you can keep your customers happy. UMLF: How do you feel like the Utah Microloan Fund has helped your business? RustPack: The Utah Microloan Fund was a huge help in the growth of RustPack. They were absolutely amazing to work with and got me through the process quickly and smoothly. They have an amazing procedure for each of their clients. It really made me look deep into my company and answer some really hard questions that most people look over. They did more than just help financially, they helped guide me into building and growing a successful company. Website: https://rustpack.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/the.rust.pack Facebook: www.facebook.com/RustPack-100264325613583   Do you need an escape? Need a new idea for family night, hot date, or outing with friends? Look no further than the soon-to-be-open Escapism, an escape room concept opening this month in St. George, Utah. Keep reading to learn more from owner Brendan Taylor about why this needs to be added to your calendar, ASAP!
UMLF: For those who aren't in the know, what is Escapism? Escapism: "Good question! Escapism Room Escape Games is an escape room business that is opening shortly in St. George, Utah – the city’s third escape room. Expanding on the concept of escape rooms, they are generally one-hour, full-immersion games where a team solves puzzles and overcomes challenges, through one or more fully themed spaces, to reach an end goal that varies by scenario. For example, a team could be robbing a bank in the Wild West, or something as wildly different as escaping from a detonating starship. Escapism is dedicated to providing a singular experience and making our customers feel like they’re “actually there”. No scenario is off of the table for us to bring to life, and we look forward to engaging with our customers to decide what our future experiences should be!" UMLF: What inspired you to open Escapism? Escapism: "Both my wife and I are avid escape room enthusiasts and we have been since they became big in the United States. We have played more games than we can count, and our various experiences have ranged from highly impressive to sorely disappointing. That being said, very few escape rooms we have played have sought to completely disconnect players from reality, even the good ones, and we are attempting to do this the best we can – when you sign up to play “Mayan Temple”, we feel like you shouldn’t see blatant, out-of-theme light switches, A/C vents, or be able to look out the window to see cars driving around. All of these lessen the sense of immersion, and we have a deep desire to take an escape room to the “next level” by removing these from customer perception as much as possible and by focusing on a high standard of quality in general. While our passion for the industry is a primary driver, we also wanted to launch a family business that we can both be involved in and provide a legacy for our two-year-old twin sons. Since our sons were born, we have had notably less free time to spend playing escape rooms, but we are still passionate for the industry – our escape room business is something my wife and I are looking forward to building together and hopefully passing that excitement on to our children." UMLF: Tell us about some of your different escape rooms? Escapism: "Escapism is launching with two very different escape room experiences – one is themed as an ancient Mayan Temple and one is themed as a nuclear submarine. The setting for the Mayan Temple is that an archaeological team recently discovered a lost temple. After entering, communications were lost, and the team has not been heard from in two days. You are being sent in to rescue your colleagues but be careful – the temple has been found to be utterly rigged with traps and other pitfalls. You have an hour to get in and extract the missing team, as the oxygen level is not expected to sustain beyond that. As far as the nuclear submarine experience goes, your team of agents has infiltrated the crew of the submarine, and you must hack into the guidance systems to fire the weapon systems at an enemy target. The submarine is fraught with safeguards and countermeasures to prevent rogue agents from gaining control of its systems, and you must work to overcome its defenses. Get in, complete your mission, and escape before your team is discovered and captured. Without spoiling too much, both of these experiences will be fleshed out to the max, if you will, and are full of clever secrets and unique puzzles." UMLF: Is this good for families? Escapism: "Escape rooms are an excellent activity for families. The concepts and interactions in escape rooms can be enjoyed by young children, teens, adults, and even grandparents who enjoy a sense of mystery, accomplishment, and adventure. Most themes are also family friendly, and nothing in our escape rooms will ever be scary, gory, or explicit unless we have noted this on our website and during the booking process. While some of the concepts in escape rooms may be too advanced for younger children, being able to explore our fully themed spaces and discover hidden objects, even if they can’t necessarily decipher them, is half the fun! Besides this, children 4 and under play for free – so, what have you got to lose?!" UMLF: What are your favorite tips for first time escapers? Escapism: "I think the single biggest thing that has helped us beat escape rooms over our career is the act of splitting our team up in any given room during the discovery phase, finding all of our clues so that we had the whole picture, and then bringing it all back together with strong team communication. Essentially, teamwork is everything. Harness everyone’s strengths, and don’t fixate on a specific puzzle too long as an individual. Your teammate may have a puzzle that you would have particular strength in solving and vice versa. Some people are better at logic puzzles, while other people are better at physical and perception challenges – you just never know unless you keep your team clued in to what’s going on. That being said, even teams as small as 2 can successfully complete an escape room with enough persistence (and sometimes clues)!" UMLF: Every business has its highs and lows. Tell us about a challenge you faced as a small business owner and how you overcame it? Escapism: "Wow – what a question. Having poured hundreds to thousands of hours into the entire process from inception to finalizing our space, there were countless challenges along the way. That being said, I think the single biggest challenge that I faced as a new business owner was securing enough funding to finish our project. Many lenders were just not willing to work with me as a startup, and I spent many hours meeting with banks and alternative lenders to try to pull it all together. I also worked extensively with the Small Business Development Center (another great service) here in St. George bulletproofing my business plan to send off to lenders. Despite this and my solid credit history, it just took me somewhat aback by how difficult of a process it was to secure the last little bit that I needed to move forward with it all. Not only was it the most psychologically discouraging thing during the entire business startup process, but it also physically stopped me from making any further progress until resolved." UMLF: How do you feel like the Utah Microloan Fund has helped your business? Escapism: "Perhaps this is obvious from the above question, but the Utah Microloan Fund helped my business by, frankly, allowing my business to be actualized in the first place. Having visited countless lenders who were not willing to lend to me, the UMLF graciously came through with the full amount that I needed; fantastic and timely considering I had exhausted 99% of my other options. More specifically, the UMLF loan helped to pay off my contract with my vendor who is producing the props for Escapism – bringing our escape rooms to life. Truly, I could not have reached this point without the UMFL’s assistance and guidance." Opening dates? "Escapism is aiming to be open by January 1st, 2022, provided all goes well with our finishing touches, and January 8th, 2022 as our latest possible opening date. We look forward to seeing everyone there!" To stay caught up with Escapism visit: Website: https://escapism-escaperoom.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/escapismroomescape Facebook: www.facebook.com/escapismroomescapegames Located at: 250 Red Cliffs Dr., Suite #11 Saint George, UT 84790  Being an entrepreneur means that you are used to dealing with uncertainties and figuring out solutions to problems. If you’re new to entrepreneurship or business ownership, then it’s essential to have a set of consistent practices and habits that you can turn to throughout your journey. Below, we have listed some practical tips for entrepreneurs and business owners in any industry:
Building Your Reputation Much of your success or failure will be determined by the reputation you establish for yourself and your brand. Here are a few ways to make sure people associate your business with good things!
Growing Your Network The more helpful people you have access to, the better your chances of navigating challenges and growing as an entrepreneur!
Keeping a Solid Footing Finally, maintain a firm foundation for your business by staying organized, compliant, and financially sound.
Part of entrepreneurship is that you will always meet new challenges and have to adjust your strategies. By implementing solid practices and habits, you can position yourself to thrive in any environment. Along with considering the tips above, never stop looking for other ways that you can set yourself up for long-term success! If you would like to learn more about how we support entrepreneurs and small business owners in our community, visit UtahMicroloanFund.org today! Article by guest writer Carleen Moore.  Papa's Got Jerk is an authentic Jamaican Restaurant, the 1st one in southern Utah in fact! Located in sunny St. George, Papa's Got Jerk is set to open in early November. Growing from catering and participating in festivals, owner Cheryl Ashcraft is now excited to open her first brick-and-mortar shop at the Shoppes at Zion. Keep reading to learn more about Cheryl's inspiration for opening Papa's Got Jerk, her can't-miss menu items, and more.
UMLF: What inspired you to open Papa’s Got Jerk? Cheryl: When I immigrated from Jamaica, West Indies to New York City as a young child, cooking my favorite Jamaican dishes was one of the ways I felt close to home. My Jamaican roots ran deep and are very dear to my heart. My dad recognized my love of cooking and encouraged that love by spending a lot of time sharing family recipes with me. From a very young age, I have always wanted to own a restaurant. In my adult life, I remember telling my dad that when my kids are all grown up, I would love to fulfill that dream of being a business owner and my very own restaurant. Just before my dad passed in early 2012, he told me to not put my dream of opening a restaurant on hold anymore. He told me, "you know the saying...when you do what you love you will never work another day in your life". So, in December of 2012 with the support of my children, I decided it was time to expand my kitchen. I began catering events and attending local festivals in the St. George area in honor of my dad. UMLF: For those new to authentic Jamaican cuisine, what can people expect? (Flavors, highlights, etc.) Cheryl: Jamaican cuisine is a culinary melting pot that reflects the cultures that have influenced the island over the centuries. Every dish is flavourful and highlights the amazing spices grown on our very own island. If you appreciate a savory flavorful meal, your mouth will thank you when you sit down for a Jamaican meal. In a typical Jamaican restaurant, one can expect bright colors of green, yellow and black on the walls and the furniture representing the country's colors. However, at Papa's Got Jerk the atmosphere will be subtle and modern featuring a gallery wall highlighting my country's history with splashes of Jamaican colors and artifacts. UMLF: What are some of your can’t miss menu items? Cheryl: Just about all of Papa's Got Jerk menu items is a can't miss item. However, if you are an adventurer and enjoy a little spicy flavor, then you MUST try the Jerk Chicken plate. And if you are on the milder side of the spices, then most definitely the Brown Stew Chicken. My most favorite meal is the Curry Goat served over Rice & Peas (Jamaicans call all types of beans, peas :-) )with a side of steamed cabbage & carrots. Stew Peas & Rice is my 2nd most favorite. Who am I kidding, I love and recommend it all. There is something for every spice dare-devils out there and not so much dare-devil. UMLF: Besides dine-in we know you also offer meal prep and catering. Tell us more about this. Cheryl: So, we are actually limited to dine-in seating and are more on the take out and dine in the courtyard outdoor seating area side. So, the meal prep plan was created for the busy on the go person/family. As a single mom for many years, meal prepping was my saving grace and my kids were not fans of food that was pre-cooked and bland. Most often meal prep meals are flavorless and bland. Why not have delicious Jamaican meals everyday! The meal prep plans vary from 1 meal per day or 2 meals per day for an entire week. Catering - Have a feast without the fuss, just put it on us! We cater all events, weddings, anniversaries, office parties, etc. along with the option of buffet style or guest service. UMLF: Every business has its highs and lows. Tell us about a challenge you faced as an entrepreneur and how you overcame it? Papa's Got Jerk has definitely experienced highs and lows on many different levels. Being a black woman in Utah has had its challenges over the years in itself. But when I became a business owner, those challenges as a black woman were even more noticeable. I was told by my parents, I was always stubborn as a child and apparently as an adult my stubborn traits kicked in when faced with challenges. I always, always held my head high and viewed every obstacle or challenge as a character building experience. Nothing ever slows me down and I look at and embrace my challenges as an opportunity for growth. I love giving people opportunities for growth by educating them about me and what my intentions are as a business owner, not as a black woman business owner. UMLF: How do you feel like the Utah Microloan Fund has helped your business? UMLF has given Papa's Got Jerk an opportunity to maintain its financial obligations and has allowed Papa's Got Jerk to grow as a company. To stay in touch with Papa's Got Jerk visit: Facebook: www.facebook.com/papasgotjerk Instagram: www.instagram.com/Papasgotjerkstg Website: www.papasgotjerkstg.com Located at The Shoppes at Zion: 250 Red Cliffs Drive, Suite 16B St. George UT 84790   Did you know that US consumers will spend $933.30 billion on ecommerce in 2021 alone? Whether it is from convenience, the ability to price shop and compare items directly, folks staying home from COVID concerns, free delivery or more, online shopping is king. With this huge shift to online spending, customers are looking for fast and reliable shipping and great customer service, in addition to a great product. As a company grows, how can they still provide this while growing their customer base? That is where fulfillment centers like PackYak in Salt Lake City come in! Keep reading to learn more from our September Business of the Month and newest client here:
UMLF: For those who aren’t in the know, who is PackYak? What do y’all do? PackYak: PackYak is an eCommerce fulfillment company. We integrate eCommerce merchants’ online storefronts with our warehouse management software, receive products from their manufacturers, process and store their inventory, and upon an order being placed, we pick the appropriate product, package it, and ship it off to the end-consumer. What sets us apart is our hands-on approach and transparent billing practices. We provide immediate support to our clients via dedicated Slack messaging channels so that they can have unparalleled control and transparency over their product while still outsourcing the operations, fulfillment, and warehousing side of their eCommerce business. We also make it a point to be very upfront and clear about everything a customer will be billed for when they partner with PackYak, which, believe it or not, isn’t as common as you would think in our industry. UMLF: Tell us about your team and your backgrounds? PackYak: PackYak has four owners with extensive fulfillment and eCommerce experience. Erik is an Information Systems graduate from the University of Cincinnati, a serial entrepreneur, and cryptocurrency enthusiast. He has an extensive background in sales, marketing, music, epic campfire stories, and eCommerce. Grant is a Belmont University Marketing graduate, an attorney, musician, web designer, and content creator. Sean is a graduate from Wayne State’s Detroit School of Business with extensive sales experience at two Fortune 100 companies prior to founding PackYak. Sam went to Northern Kentucky University for Business Administration and has worked at numerous startups, focusing on marketing, operations, and client relationships. UMLF: When should a business consider utilizing fulfillment services? PackYak: A business should consider utilizing fulfillment services when they’ve reached a point where they have more online orders than they can keep up with on their own, are paying too much for shipping labels, or simply just don’t want to undertake the costs associated with acquiring more space and staff to manage the warehousing and fulfillment side of their business. A lot of people don’t realize that partnering with a fulfillment service can afford them way faster delivery times as well as lower shipping rates than they’re currently paying. Partnering with a fulfillment center like PackYak lets eCommerce business owners focus solely on growing and marketing their business instead of spending countless hours with a small staff just trying to keep up with large order volumes. UMLF: What are some of the types of companies you fulfill for? PackYak: We provide fulfillment for all kinds of companies all over the world! We have customers based in Thailand, the United Kingdom, Salt Lake City, and beyond. Primarily, we partner with eCommerce brands that ship small parcel items, but we have solutions for customers with larger parcel items as well. We currently have partners that sell apparel, workout devices, bluetooth speakers, decorative pins and patches, and more. We are open to working with eCommerce entrepreneurs from all walks, and pride ourselves on being able to provide custom-tailored solutions for our clients so that everyone comes out on top. UMLF: Customer service seems key to your company’s core values. What are some of the ways you achieve this? PackYak: Customer service is an absolutely critical aspect of our business and something we really pride ourselves on. In fact, it’s a large part of why we went into business. You can read countless horror stories from eCommerce business owners that partnered with a fulfillment center and had it go poorly - they can end up with enormous bills full of hidden fees they had no idea about, mis-shipped orders, and damaged or lost products. A recurring complaint is that they never had good communication with their fulfillment center and never really knew what was going on with their account. When we decided to start PackYak, we knew that this was the solution we wanted to solve. Most large fulfillment centers treat every customer with the same cookie cutter approach, which seems crazy to us at PackYak since we believe every business is a unique entity with very different needs. The way we solve the customer service problem in fulfillment is by setting up a dedicated Slack channel when we onboard customers so they can instantly communicate with the PackYak representative that is going to manage their account. We respond to all communications same-day and it's been an incredibly effective way for us to manage customer requests, questions, and special projects. Our customers love it, and it really helps us stay up to date with all of our client’s wants and needs. UMLF: Every business has its highs and lows. Tell us about a challenge you faced as a small business owner and how you overcame it? PackYak: To start PackYak, our four founders moved from across the country into an Airbnb in Salt Lake City, knowing that this was where we wanted our business to be based. Upon arriving in Salt Lake City, things got a little bit tricky for us. Our first two weeks in Utah looked like this: two of our founders contracted Covid-19, we had two warehouse locations fall through on us, and the pipes burst in our Airbnb rental and damaged a lot of our belongings. We would be lying if we said things weren’t a little bit dicey to start out - we worked long hours under stressful circumstances, but by staying persistent, we were able to get our first warehouse under lease and even signed our first two customers very soon after. UMLF: How do you feel like the Utah Microloan Fund has helped your business? PackYak: The UMLF has been an incredible lifeline for us at PackYak. One of our biggest upfront expenses are shipping costs - which can pile up really quickly in our business. The UMLF provided us with an invaluable reserve to cover unexpectedly high shipping costs, some additional funding to help purchase some of the racking for our warehouse, and funds to increase our advertising budget so that we can acquire new customers. Without the funding support, our business would be on a much slower growth trajectory than we are now. After just a couple of months in business, we are thriving and are on track to do well over $1 million dollars in revenue in year one. To stay in touch with PackYak visit: Website: www.packyak.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/PackYakPacks Instagram: www.instagram.com/packyakfulfillment  Handling a side hustle, working a full-time job, and also taking care of yourself is difficult. You probably want to give yourself entirely to all three, but it's likely impossible. However, to function properly and handle all you’ve got going on, you need to take self-care seriously — even though it might look like a waste of time at first. Here are a few tricks to help you find a balance.
Compartmentalize This is the most crucial step. Having another job on the side can be distracting because the passion for the new venture is fresh and you'll likely have a hard time focusing on anything else. But it's called a 'side' hustle for a reason. You need to put your project in a box to focus on other things: your day job, family, and self-care still need to come first. Still, if you can master compartmentalization with your side gig, you will better succeed in your activities and balance all the aspects of your life. Set Small Goals Having responsibilities and deadlines at both your jobs can become overwhelming, especially if you try to do everything at once. An act of self-care is, in this case, creating a list of the goals that you want to achieve. You can further split those goals down into daily, weekly, and monthly accomplishable goals to make them easier to meet and avoid burnout. Allow Yourself to Pause Think about how often you allow yourself to slow down and take a break. Even though this may feel a bit limiting at first — especially when there is so much to take care of — constant activity puts you at risk of anxiety, burnout, and overwhelm, resulting in unpleasant things like resentment, exhaustion, and lack of motivation. An easy way to avoid this is to schedule a time each day to take a break and zone out. Even taking a 15-minute walk, resting for a while in a room where no one can bother you, or asking someone for help so you can take a short break can feel life-changing. Give yourself permission to be present in the moment without having to create, give, or provide. Pausing also enables you to clarify what is working, what you need to change, and how you can make things happen. Commit to Something That Brings You Joy Most self-care practices suggest doing something that makes you feel good. Joy and laughter are medicinal, increasing serotonin and endorphins in the brain, relaxing the muscles, easing tension in the body, and more. Laughter also relieves everyday stress and worry, adds positivity and resilience to daily life, improves overall mood and happiness, and helps ease fear. Automate and Outsource When balancing a full-time job and a new side hustle, you need to understand the value of time. As unnecessary as it may feel to pay for a service to do something that you can do yourself, it could be in your best interest. Hiring help to tackle specific aspects of your startup will yield so much more as it helps you focus on other parts of the business that need more attention. The task of business formation, for instance, involves the many steps. Instead of stretching yourself even thinner to tackle each one, you can engage a service to start LLC in Utah for you. It might cost you money in fees, but it can save your energy, giving you the chance to focus on more important things, plus you can work with a formation service instead of a lawyer to keep costs low. Operating a side hustle requires lots of time, attention, and care. You should also adopt a few strategies to practice self-care, which is essential to every human being. Let the above steps help you find balance and thrive. Utah Microloan Fund aims to strengthen Utah communities by providing business training and small business loans. Call 801-746-1180 to learn more.  In a world where we hear the word "uncertain times" several times a day and the landscape for what we call normal changes daily, mental health is more important than ever. Self care, boundaries and taking care of one's health is so important, especially when big names like Simone Biles are making it a part of our national conversation. This focus is why we wanted to highlight our client Summit Counseling Solutions as our August Business of the Month along with the awesome recent advancements they have made in their field. Keep reading to learn more from owner Kate Plato below.
UMLF: Who is Summit Counseling Solutions? (SCS) SCS: We provides Day Treatment and Intensive Outpatient counseling/treatment services for adolescents ages 12-17, and their families. Using different combinations of individual, group, and family therapy along with academic intervention and support (Day Treatment only) students and families participating in SCS programs learn to address and cope with a variety of mental and behavioral health issues and decline. This helps them ultimately develop the awareness and coping skills necessary to become resilient and manage the challenges of life. In support of individual treatment, SCS families learn to support effectively and develop awareness, tools and skills that support healthy family communication and conflict resolution. To learn more about the individual mental and behavioral health issues SCS treatment can effectively address visit our website at summitcounselingsolutions.com. UMLF: Tell us about your leadership team and your backgrounds? SCS: The SCS Leadership Team is comprised of seven individuals in various leadership capacities charged with the oversight and implementation necessary to service 150-200 students and families each year. This remarkable team of tireless advocates has developed and applies a wealth of clinical and administrative knowledge and expertise necessary to strategically and interdependently break down and overcome the most common barriers to successful treatment for each and every family we serve. UMLF: You offer treatment for a variety of areas of therapy adolescents, tell us more about those? SCS: We serve adolescents ages 12-17 offering counseling/treatment for PHP (Partial Hospitalization/Day Treatment) and IOP (Intensive Outpatient) levels of care. SCS counseling and treatment services are also appropriate for adolescents struggling with anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, ADHD and other learning disabilities, personality/mood disorders, family conflict etc. UMLF: Do you have a specific service area? SCS: We’re located in Utah County and although we will serve anyone will to drive to our facility. The majority of our clientele come from areas within a 25 mile radius. UMLF: We heard you have made some very notable advancements in your field, tell us more? SCS: SCS, along with several other key community partners, helped establish and works strategically with a nonprofit organization called Extraordinary Options for Ordinary People to support mental health providers by teaching them to break down/navigate the most common barriers of the mental health industry that prevent providers from providing care. By providing tools, training, and other resources that connect providers to other providers and consumer to providers SCS supports the removal of barriers or obstacles that most often interrupt the roads to care and support. EO is launching officially in October with a tribute event concert performed by David Archuleta designed to honor and pay tribute to the tireless work and dedication of providers in adolescent mental and behavioral health. To learn more visit: Website: https://summitcounselingsolutions.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/summitcounselingsolutions LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/summit-counseling-solutions  Debt is not a foreign concept to small business owners. In fact, SEMrush reports that 40% of small businesses hold over $100,000 in debt! While taking on business debt is incredibly common—and often necessary—it can still be crippling. Thankfully, there are several steps you can take to get a handle on your business debt and eventually eliminate it altogether. Here are some tips from the Utah Microloan Fund to help you manage your debt and pay it off quickly.
Rework Your Business Budget If you can’t afford to pay off your debt, reevaluating your business budget is the first thing you should do. You need to know exactly where all your money is going and how to best use those funds. Take a look at your budget and ask yourself a few questions. Are you meeting your revenue goals? Are your actual costs exceeding your projected costs? Are you struggling to cover your expenses due to cash flow issues? If the numbers aren’t adding up, find ways to reduce ongoing expenses and create more room in your budget for debt payments. Find Ways to Cut Costs Use your business budget to identify opportunities to reduce spending. You may have to make some drastic expense cuts until you can get your debt under control, so don’t be afraid to pare down to the essentials. Look for subscriptions you rarely use, professional memberships you can cancel, or time-consuming tasks that you can automate. Are you spending a lot of money on payroll costs? Online payroll and time-tracking tools can help you monitor how your team is spending their time and identify opportunities to cut costs. Look for a payroll platform that includes mobile timesheets, employee scheduling, real-time alerts, and smart reporting for valuable labor insights. Boost Your Income On the flip side of cutting costs, boosting your income will also help you better handle your debt. Of course, this is easier said than done. Revenue growth often creates new expenses, which can add new debt to your load. Look for ways to increase your business revenue while minimizing your additional costs. Encouraging repeat business from existing customers is one great way to do this. On average, it costs about five times more to acquire a new customer than to retain an existing customer. Focus on increasing customer retention over acquisition and your profits are bound to climb. Negotiate with Lenders Did you know that you can negotiate your loan rates and terms? Call your lender to discuss your options and see what they can do. If you’ve been making your payments every month, your lender may be willing to offer deferred payments, better interest rates, or reduced fees to help you get through a cash flow slump. Try to have this conversation as early as possible so you can keep your business credit intact and avoid hurting your reputation with your moneylender by missing payments. Consolidate Your Debt Debt consolidation is another option, especially if you’re holding a lot of high-interest debt. Debt consolidation involves taking out a big loan to pay off a number of smaller loans. This will bring all of your debt together under one loan, making it easier to manage and, ideally, reducing your interest payments. Look for a loan that offers a lower interest rate than you’re currently paying. If you can’t qualify for a traditional bank loan due to poor credit or insufficient collateral, look for lenders that offer alternative loan options. Managing business debt is critical to ensuring the long-term financial success of your business. While it’s hard to face debt head-on, it’s important to get things under control as soon as possible. Dive into your business budget, look for ways to cut costs, and take steps to improve your loan rates and terms so you can tackle debt once and for all! Looking for business funding? The Utah Microloan Fund offers loans to entrepreneurs and startups that don’t qualify for traditional bank loans. Complete our online orientation to learn more! Article by Brittany Fisher of financiallywell.info  Owners Hannah Hendrickson & Kate Lubing Bacteria, yeast, fermentation. Sound gross? No way! This is just part of the process of making kombucha, a sweet, fizzy fermented tea that has taken the health world by storm. Not only can you make some amazing flavor combinations but evidence also suggests that kombucha has a range of health benefits, including gut and liver health, and can be the perfect alternative to sugary sodas and juices. With local Han's Kombucha it was love at first sip. A small-batch, women-owned kombucha brewery located in the heart of Salt Lake City, the gals at Han's motto is "We brew for you! Any and all." Keep reading to learn more about our July Business of the Month in our interview with owner Kate Lubing, business partner to Hannah Hendrickson. Cheers!
UMLF: Tell us about yourselves and your backgrounds? Han's: Hannah was born and raised in Boise, Idaho and after graduating from the University of Utah with a degree in Public Health, she worked in the pharmaceutical industry for a short time before starting Han's Kombucha in the fall of 2018. Kate hails from Jackson Hole, Wyoming and after spending nearly two decades in Hospitality and Restaurant Management with a degree from Le Cordon Bleu'. Kate partnered with Hannah at the end of 2019 and they haven't looked back since. With Hannah's passion and innovative approach to the kombucha brewing world and Kate's background of sales and management, they are a perfect powerhouse duo brewing their kombuha with love for the state of Utah. UMLF: We are drooling reading over your menu. How do you guys come up with your unique flavors? Han's: We are also drooling. Sometimes it's an idea that comes to us in the middle of the day or a flavor combination that keeps us up at night with excitement to try it at the brewery the next day. We brew kombucha with flavors that we like to drink. Some flavors are simply classic like our front runner of Ginger Hibiscus and then some are experiments that take time and tweaking for many weeks like our Blueberry Lavender JUN kombucha. It's all made with love, which we think makes it taste that much better. UMLF: Your branding is obviously top-notch, tell us about your creative process? Han's: A graphic designer friend of Hannah's from college actually did the first label for the company. We are so lucky that he did. Over the last year we've brought on an AMAZING branding, film and marketing duo to help fine tune the brand and bring our future brands to life. We want to represent what's important to us as business owners, consumers and community members. The arch is representative of our beautiful state of Utah and we fill in around it with an approachable, inviting blend of content, colors and product information. UMLF: Every business has its highs and lows. Tell us about a challenge you faced as a small business owner and how you overcame it? Han's: Oh goodness. I think each day is filled with many highs and certainly a handful of lows. That's being a business owner and young company though. I think that scaling the production has definitely come with it's challenges but we've kept a positive attitude and fought through the unknowns that show up. As we scale, balancing the supply and demand has been an interesting adventure for us and probably always will be. What we do know is that there is nothing we can't work out and overcome together and feel incredibly fortunate for not only our business partnership but our friendship too. UMLF: How do you believe the Utah Microloan Fund has helped your business? Han's: The Utah Microloan Fund helped our business tremendously. We recently signed a long term lease on our very own space off of 300 West. Without the funding from the UMLF we wouldn't have been able to secure the equipment we need for our new space as well as cover the build out costs of the brewery production facility. Han's is grateful for this program and we implore other small businesses to apply. UMLF: Where can people find your kombucha? Han's: Great question. The best place to look is on our website www.hanskombucha.com, where we list a good portion of our retailers from Heber Valley to Moab. We hope in the near future that we can offer Han's state wide and one day start shipping. We also offer pickup and delivery online. While waiting for our new facility to be built out, we offer you the option to place your orders online, choose a pick up time at our production facility or delivery to your home. To get some tasty kombucha asap and to stay in touch visit: Website: www.hanskombucha.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/hanskombucha Facebook: www.facebook.com/hanskombucha  It's June in Utah, which means it's definitely construction season! Essential to the process are the dump truck companies who tirelessly provide materials throughout the state needed to complete the different projects working on our roads, homes, infrastructure, and more. HPG Trucking, LLC is a new trucking company based in Clinton, Utah that serves the tri-state area.
Lakasha Hodges and her husband Louis might be new to owning their own company, but the years of customer service and hauling experience in previous jobs have enabled them to now start their own venture. Keep reading to learn more about their journey. UMLF: For those who don’t know, who is HPG Trucking and what do you do? Lakasha: HPG Trucking, LLC ( Hodges Pretty Girl Trucking) is a dump truck company based in Clinton, Utah. We haul aggregates transporting large quantities of construction materials, dirt, rocks, asphalt, gravel, road base, and sand to and from construction sites. UMLF: Tell us about yourself and your background? Lakasha: I always wanted to own my own business. I have been interested in trucking for the past 15 years. I love the logistics part of the business. UMLF: What inspired you to start HPG Trucking? Lakasha: A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity came available when I heard about a new project that was available for owner-operators, giving us an opportunity to join their team. I knew that was the opportunity for me to achieve my dream. UMLF: What makes you different from other trucking services in Utah? Lakasha: HPG Trucking, LLC provides excellent service to our customers in the construction industry. We pride ourselves on the integrity, compliance and competence from our employees and we prioritize customer service above all else to remain the first choice for our clients’ hauling needs. UMLF: What is your service area? Lakasha: We service all clients within the state of Utah and the tri-state areas. UMLF: Every business has its highs and lows. Tell us about a challenge you faced as a small business owner and how you overcame it? Lakasha: The day-to-day maintenance and breakdowns are a challenge but with hard work and a little elbow grease we have gotten through them. Being a Black woman in a male-dominated industry is a challenge in its own, but once again I will make it! I am still learning being diligent and resilient in my efforts will help me reach my goals. UMLF: How do you believe the Utah Microloan Fund has helped your business? Lakasha: Utah Microloan Fund gave us the capital we needed to purchase my first dump truck which helps me achieve continued success and growth for our company. Website: https://hpgtrucking.com/  Owner, Jason Taylor (Photo by Daily Herald) Spring has sprung and as Utahns come out of hibernation, we all know one thing: It's time to start thinking about the lawn! When to start watering, what fertilizer or weed care to use, when is it time to start mowing, and most importantly, how is your lawn going to look this season? They say don't judge a book but its cover, but what about someone's yard? A good lawn can make all the difference in how your house is perceived amirite? For the more discerning lawn connoisseur, what if we told you your lawn could look as on-point and premium as a golf green? Jason Taylor, owner of TaylorMade Lawn, has made that very thing possible! Keep reading to learn more about this new Utah company.
UMLF: For those who don’t know, who is TaylorMade Lawn and what do you do? TaylorMade: TaylorMade Lawn is a premium lawn leveling, top dressing, renovation, and restoration service. We create and tailor your existing lawn into the lawn you've always wanted it to be. We can transform your lawn to look short and tight, like a golf course fairway, or into a level, lush 3” traditional lawn. UMLF: Tell us about yourself and your background? TaylorMade: I was born and raised in Utah and I love this area and the outdoors. I love golfing and making music. I am a father and a husband and enjoy spending time with my family. I come from the securities and business development world. I thrive around people and love making genuine connections! UMLF: What inspired you to start TaylorMade Lawn? TaylorMade: After working for others for years I wanted to work for myself but I was not sure in what capacity. I love creating things and I enjoy beautifying my own yard. I challenged myself to totally transform my own lawn in a way that is unique to Utah. I studied and experimented on processes. Through my own yard transformation and feedback from friends and neighbors I realized I could bring this service to others and create a niche in the landscaping industry. UMLF: What makes you different from other lawn care services in Utah? TaylorMade: There are many offering lawn maintenance or installing new landscaping. I am exclusively offering lawn leveling and renovation services that are tailored to those who want a unique and upper-end look to their yard. This is a premium service for those who are passionate about their yards and desire an exquisite lawn. UMLF: What is your service area? TaylorMade: We service the Wasatch front area in Utah. I have clients from Bountiful to Nephi. UMLF: Every business has its highs and lows. Tell us about a challenge you faced as a small business owner and how you overcame it? TaylorMade: Starting my own company during a pandemic when resources are low for everyone was a challenge. I wasn’t sure how to get started. My company needed specialized and expensive equipment. I had to be creative in getting funding to get my company off the ground. I weighed all of my options and found financing and got things started. UMLF: How do you believe the Utah Microloan Fund has helped your business? TaylorMade: I did not know how I was going to get funding for my business and wasn’t sure anyone would be willing to take a chance on a start-up company during a global pandemic. I am grateful to the Utah Microloan Fund for the opportunity to get my company the money needed to start my business and give me guidance along the way. To drool over some beautiful lawns, follow TaylorMade Lawn here: Website: https://taylormadelawn.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/taylormadelawn Instagram: www.instagram.com/taylormadelawn   Spring has sprung and so has the imaginative power of Brian Jensen and Alicia Lockwood, a dynamic brother and sister duo in St. George Utah who own and run 6BIT Creative, LLC. Who are they you might ask? Not only are they the Utah Microloan Fund's choice for our April business of the Month, 6BIT is a company that offers professional creative services, making and selling creative products and digital assets. They are located in a historic part of the heart of downtown St. George, UT at 55 N. Main Street but are also available for work around the state. Keep reading to learn more about Brian and Alicia and why you should think of them the next time you are in need of creative services for your business.
UMLF: Tell us about yourselves and your background? Brian Jensen, Co-Owner, 3D Designer, Graphic Designer, Artist Brian is our 3D Master! He can render just about anything and always loves a good challenge. Brian has a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Communication with a double major in Fine Art and Entertainment Art. Brian is very creative and his fine art is amazing and interesting! Brian's education and skills in entertainment art help with any video project. Brian's good humor and calm nature make him awesome to work with and be around. We are always laughing during our workday. Brian was part of the team in a mural project of Washington County in downtown St. George, that was for the Greater Zion tourism and Arts to Zion. Brian is also a cancer survivor. He is happily married, and a dad of two boys, one girl, and one angel boy. He loves to go explore and go on hikes with his family. Alicia Lockwood, Co-Owner, Graphic Designer, Photographer, Artist Alicia is our graphic design and printing guru! She enjoys tackling the projects that level up her design work. She says the best feeling is when her clients say, "wow! How did you make that based on my scribbles!?" Alicia has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Visual Communication with a double major in Graphic Design and Photography. Alicia's education and experience in photography is the icing on the creative cake. Alicia's whirlwind ideas and energy keep everyone on their toes. It is never a dull moment during the workday. Alicia is an active member of several organizations. Alicia has served on several boards and currently serves on the Advisory Board for the Modern Farm and Artisan Co-op. Alicia was one of the 30 in their 30's Influencers in Greater Zion 2019 recipients. She is a 1st place, award-winning photographer. Alicia is a single mom to one girl. When Alicia is not creating for her clients, she is still creating art with her family on Friday Night Art Nights, playing games, or binge-watching Star Trek. UMLF: What inspired you to start 6Bit Creative? 6BIT: We both were doing freelance work but in different cities and we kept collaborating on projects. One evening on April 14th, 2018 we were chatting online about the fate of the future of both our businesses. It was at that moment we were talking about our futures and the idea came up for us to join forces. We decided to merge our two businesses together. We knew we were good at what we did, we loved, we knew we could work well together as a team, we knew we needed to do something to grow our businesses. By April 16th we had registered our LLC and had a logo. What was meant to just be us working remotely turned into a brick and mortar location in St. George, UT. UMLF: What is a creative company and how is 6Bit Creative different from others out there? 6BIT: A creative company is slightly different than a marketing company. Our specialty is taking your ideas and bringing them to life in creative ways. We offer a variety of creative services such as 3D visualization, graphic design, photography, videography, and illustrations. We also make and sell creative products, stock imagery, fine art, and offer printing services. We also have our photography studio and sound room available to rent. What makes us different is the idea that we are the company to complete the project and we have a range of creative services that we have. We structure our business model, subscriptions, and pricing to help those smaller businesses or individuals to bring their projects to life. Our tagline is: visually clarifying ideas. We believe that our clients know what they want to say or do, they just need someone to guide them, interpret it and build it, that is us. And the most important, is we are a brother and sister team. Perhaps it is a brother and sister superpower, or our combined 20+ years experience and combined education, whatever the case may be, we have this creative synergy that produces some amazing work when we come together. UMLF: We love your monthly and annual subscription options for business owners, what made you offer these and what is included? 6BIT: We realized that a lot of time we get smaller jobs that we spend more time billing than doing the actual job. This made it tricky. As the smaller projects were important to accomplish we couldn't figure out how to properly charge for the project. We also understood that hiring a professional graphic designer feels like it is out of budget or unobtainable. So we found a way that we can help our clients budget their graphic design needs, have affordable options, cut time and costs so we can dedicate more hours to graphic design time for our clients. There are no surprises for our clients when the final invoice comes. They know how many hours they have for projects they need to accomplish. We offering a one-time payment for a discount based on how many hours the client needs or we can break up the yearly subscription into 12 payments. Clients that utilize the subscription model love it. It is easier for them to submit projects and us to turn them around without that extra paperwork. Currently, we have graphic design and video services subscriptions. We are working on finalizing other kinds of service subscriptions. UMLF: 3D rending, graphic design, photography, video services, custom illustrations and promos. Is there anything you guys can’t do it? And how did you get so good at this? 6BIT: Actually, there is a lot we can't do, but when we first started we were trying to target a specific industry. It may have worked but we were finding out that we were missing opportunities to some other creative work. We changed our business plan to be a full creative business without being industry-specific. Crazy, right?! We love getting jobs that make us stop and say, "how can we accomplish this?" We love to innovate and learn. We watch tutorials and try them for our own business or personal projects first. We enjoy teaming up with our clients to discuss how to make their ideas happen. We want the projects that we have to research how to accomplish them. And if we can't, we will find someone to contract out that can. UMLF: Every business has its highs and lows. Tell us about a challenge you faced as a small business owner and how you overcame it? 6BIT: Social media—believe it or not! It has been a challenge to fully dive into what it can offer and it feels overwhelming at times. We know the power social media can have and we have so many cool things we want to share. We've embraced it by planning out what content we want to share and making sure we are more conscious about what and when we are posting, by using schedulers. We are figuring out ways to make it fun and exciting to do instead of dreading it. UMLF: How do you believe the Utah Microloan Fund has helped your business? 6BIT: We are incredibly grateful for UMFL! Honestly, when one of our computers died we were at a slow standstill. Alicia was working at night and Brian was working during the day to still accomplish all the projects we had. We had been so careful to keep our overhead low and save money but nothing could anticipate the need for a new computer during the pandemic! Having the opportunity to get a new computer changed the course of our business. It was a better, faster, machine than the other computer was and we were now able to produce more and at a faster turnaround time. It exponentially helped our business having the equipment we needed to provide that top-level professional service we strive for our clients. I was also in the Banking on Women program and it was a great program. It gave an opportunity to analyze the business and where to take it. It was great to learn more tools and ways to help it be successful. It was also great to make new connections and be a part of a great business community. To stay in touch with 6BIT visit: Website: http://6bitcreative.com/ Facebook: www.facebook.com/6BITCreative Instagram: www.instagram.com/6bitcreative   So 2020 was crazy right? These "unprecedented times" brought about a huge change in the ways we work, see friends and family, shop, and live our day to day lives. One big thing that became apparent was that people starting using their time to learn new skills, try new hobbies, and cultivate their spaces. Baking bread, gardening, knitting, painting, and cooking are just some of the examples of tasks that came back to the forefront of daily life. But what about beekeeping? Bee-Craft Consult LLC is a one-stop-shop beekeeping consulting firm that not only produces high-quality natural honey and other beehive products but also provides consulting to people wanting to bloom into beekeepers themselves. Learn more about how you can keep bees in your very own backyard with owner Adesina Oduntan Daniel Adesina here: UMLF: Tell us about yourself and your background?
Daniel: I am Adesina Daniel Oduntan, a Nigerian, an entomologist and a beekeeper by profession; married with 3 kids. I have been in this beekeeping business for almost 28 years. I am the author of a beekeeping textbook named "Beekeeper's Companion illustrated Field Guide". UMLF: What inspired you to start Bee-Craft Consult? Daniel: For a long time since I was young, I always want to be an independent and a successful person because I have seen many people around me that were civil servants working for government and were so poor. When I decided to study agriculture in University, I was determined to be self-employed. At my final year in my University in 1993, I discovered beekeeping through an advert in a national dailies paper for a 3 day beekeeping workshop at University of Ibadan, Oyo State. After the training, I started reading magazines, journals and books on beekeeping and I came across two American families of 5 to 6 generations in beekeeping business, their names are Dadant & Sons and A.I Roots and that inspired me to have my own business that will last many generations. UMLF: You teach the average person on how to engage in beekeeping. Why is this an important skill to know? Daniel: Bees are unique creatures created by God to minister healing to humanity. Everything about bees and products from bees are powerful, so as a result, much information is needed for people to make the best use of them. The usefulness of bees in agriculture (pollination), nutrition, & medicine cannot be over emphasized. The bottom line is that people need to be taught and there must be people like us (Bee-Craft) to teach them so that people will not be afraid of bees stings and know how to manage their bees well for the best profit. The Adage says, "use what you have to get what you want" I am such a person who doesn't like to beg or lobby for favor to get what I need. In Africa or even anywhere, to get money to start business is a problem, you need a bank loan or someone to borrow you money to start the business, and your lenders determine the final say, so I choose to take my life in my own hands and come to conclusion that what can I do to get what I needs by myself. I arrive at teaching people, consulting services can bring me the money needed instead of waiting on someone to determine what happened to me. UMLF: You offer online classes on how to keep bees at home. Tell us more about this awesome program Daniel: Our online beekeeping classes is part of our efforts to spread the Beekeeping Education and Experience Program (BEEP) to a larger audience. It is a distance learning program for those people that want to know more about the rudiments of beekeeping. 20 years ago, in 2001, in our effort to spread the good news of keeping bees among the students and youths in Nigeria, we took the program to the Ministry of Education in Ogun, Oyo & Osun States of Nigeria named "Beekeeping Education Extension Program" to educate the students by given them the right mind set of self-employed & self-reliant as well as, to empower the participants, by pulling resources (genuine & pure honey) together for sale at International markets. Our online classes are solely to educate participants that there is more than just honey in the beehive. We also want to empower them to make additional resources (money) from keeping bees. Bee-Craft Consult is planning a beekeeping education program in Utah Schools now, if approved by the Utah State Board of Education. UMLF: Every business has its highs and lows. Tell us about a challenge you faced as a small business owner and how you overcame it? Daniel: There are many challenges facing a small business owner, the 1st among many challenges is financing. Money to incur tools (materials), inventories, rents, advertisement, even to acquire knowledge (upgrade) e.t.c. I knew from day one that I would establish a beekeeping school to train people to make money. I have acquired enough practical knowledge about bees, and already training people locally, but modern beekeeping at that time in Nigeria was not really common and it sound strange that someone is culturing bees. In 1999, one of the radio station (Ogun Radio) presenter heard about me and he invited me as a guest on a live phone-in program (ORO SUNNUKUN) a Yoruba program to speak about bees and honey. Before the interview date, I had to negotiate to use a friend's office because I didn’t have one, so that I can direct the potential customers to where they can find me when they ask for address during the interview. The following day after the interview, people began to come to buy honey and someone among the customers just said can you please kindly organize a training workshop on beekeeping, that was how I got the inspiration to start planning the workshop. Before the day of the workshop, another presenter heard about my previous and he then invited me to his Sunday morning Live-On-FM, another phoned in program just 2 days away from my beekeeping workshop. That radio program boosted the workshop and, a lot of people attended. From the workshop, people registered for our Institute of Vocational Bee-Craft, and that was where I got more than enough money to secure my own personal office accommodation. UMLF: How do you believe the Utah Microloan Fund has helped your business? Daniel: The Utah Microloan Fund has helped me start my beekeeping business in the US. The loan that UMLF gave me was the first ever loan I got in 28 years of business. Despite the fact that I didn’t have record of my business in US, they trusted my integrity with the proof of my works in Africa and Europe (Germany) and granted me the first loan in 2017 and another in 2020. The organization is not limited to giving loan, but they also assisted in organizing training/workshop to promote my business. |
