A few years after purchasing Grandy’s Cycle and ATV in Vienna, Georgia, Amanda and Jason Smith were looking to expand their business to offer hunting supplies in addition to ATV repairs. They needed the funding to make it happen, so they reached out to the University of Georgia Small Business Development Center (UGA SBDC) for assistance.
With the help of the UGA SBDC, they were able to qualify for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL), streamline their accounting processes and develop a marketing plan. Since 2016, their business has grown nearly 3,000% and their store’s footprint has increased tenfold.
“When we purchased Grandy’s in 2016, it was strictly ATV repair,” said Amanda Smith. “A few years later, my husband suggested we buy a pallet of deer corn to sell to our customers, more for convenience to them than for a profit. We sold that pallet in one week and knew we had another business idea.”
The sales success from that pallet of corn led to their next business, The Buckstop. Avid hunters themselves, the Smiths wanted to build a hunting supply business that allowed them to share their knowledge of hunting and sell the proper gear and equipment.
They connected with Nema Etheridge, area director at the UGA SBDC in Albany.
“I realized they were eligible for EIDL, something they had not thought of, so I walked them through the application process for that,” said Etheridge.
EIDL provides the necessary working capital to help small businesses impacted by a disaster survive until normal operations resume. Many business owners, including the Smiths, were able to utilize this funding source during the pandemic.
“Nema really helped us walk through the administrative steps to apply for and secure the EIDL funds,” said Amanda Smith. “They helped us keep track of where we were in the process and that all pieces were done correctly.”
The Smiths were able to increase their inventory to offer supplies and equipment for deer and turkey hunting.
“We are hunters serving hunters. We love what we do and love our customers,” said Amanda Smith. “We are thankful we were able to expand to serve our customers in a better way.”
After their expansion, the Smiths continued their relationship with the UGA SBDC, working with David Lewis, area director at the UGA SBDC in Brunswick, to clean up their financials and accounting practices and get set up with a CPA.
They also participated in the UGA SBDC’s Digital Marketing Bootcamp, a class that covers the fundamentals needed to build a powerful online presence. Attendees learn the skills needed to master social media platforms and increase website SEO.
“The Digital Marketing Bootcamp was mind-blowing,” said Amanda Smith. “It made me aware of all the resources of digital marketing we were not tapping into.”
Since purchasing Grandy’s Cycle and ATV in 2016 and expanding to create The Buckstop, the Smiths’ businesses have seen a 2,900% growth in revenue, combined. They plan to continue expanding their offerings in the future with the help of the UGA SBDC.
“As a business owner, I’m all over the place and always busy. I can ask the SBDC consultants questions, and they can find me the exact answer or put me on the correct path I need to find the answer quickly. The UGA SBDC is the best kept secret for small business owners.”
All programs of the UGA SBDC are open to the public on a non-discriminatory basis. Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities will be made if requested at least two weeks in advance.
Funded in part through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration.
The University of Georgia
Small Business Development Center
382 East Broad Street
Athens, GA 30602-5412
P: (706) 542-2762
