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Bozeman Businessman Named Montana's Small Business Person of the Year
Joe Billion, of J.C. Billion, Inc., has been named the Montana Small Business Person of the Year for 2013 by the U.S. Small Business Administration.
Billion was nominated for the honor by David Ely, President/CEO, Energy Design Service Systems.
Billion has more than 45 years of direct experience in the auto industry. During that time he has spearheaded the expansion of J.C. Billion, Inc. leading to a growth of 12 times the annual sales from 1978 to 2007. Over the years, he has also made a point of learning the responsibilities of each position within the dealership to develop an understanding of the importance each person plays in determining the overall success of the business. Billion is committed to his employees and the community he serves, evidence of his annual bonuses to employees and his personal generous contributions to charitable organizations.
What may be the most impressive accomplishment of Joe's is his recent business expansion. Since 2010, Billion has been engaged in the construction of Billion Plaza II. This project features three, state-of-the-art, energy efficient dealerships that include large showrooms, office spaces, service and part areas and facilities for employees to use. The recession that hit the U.S. economy in 2008 had an extremely devastating impact on the U.S. auto industry and easily could have prevented the Billion Plaza II from becoming a reality. However, Billion's business planning allowed him to scale back operations during this time to remain profitable. Throughout this tumultuous time, Billion never lost sight of his goal of creating the Billion Plaza II and by working strategically to secure the necessary funding, he was able to break ground on the first dealership in 2011, with all three dealerships being completed by early 2013.
Billion was chosen as the state's top small business based on its history as an established business, growth in number of employees, increase in sales and unit volume, and response to adversity and innovation of products and services offered.
Billion, along with other award winners, will accept his award during the Montana Small Business Week award luncheon on June 13, at the Hilton Garden Inn, Bozeman. The public is welcome to attend, contact the Montana District Office at 406.441.1081 for more information.
Other 2013 award winners include:
- Inga Lake and Julie Brubaker | Apage Home Care, Inc. | Kalispell
- Serena Rundberg | The Nova Cafe | Bozeman
- Rachel Carlyle Edington | Gluten Free Mama LLC | Polson
- Chris Parson | Kalispell SBDC Director
- Glacier Bank
- Montana Community Finance Corporation
Attached files: RSVP card online.pdf
SBA STEPping Up to Help Montana Businesses Export
Did you know 95% of the world’s consumers live outside of the United States? That is why it’s so important for small businesses to explore the opportunity of exporting their product(s) and/or continuing to expand their existing global markets. Exporting helps bring new revenue into Montana which helps our business community sustain and grow, supports other local businesses and creates good local jobs.
In 2011, Montana businesses exported $2.46 billion worth of products and services to countries like Canada, Republic of Korea, Mexico, China, Japan and many more.
The President has a goal to double U.S. exports and give America a stronger competitive edge in the global market. To build on this goal, as authorized under the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010, the U.S. Small Business Administration initiated a pilot grant program called the STEP (State Trade and Export Promotion) Program. This program, administered by the Montana Department of Commerce, aims to increase the value of exports for those small businesses that are currently exporting.
JM Grain, of Great Falls, is one of the many companies that have taken advantage of this program in Montana. JM Grain has 13 employees and currently processes and exports lentils, green and yellow dry peas, and chickpeas around the world..
JM Grain used the STEP program to attend the Gulfood Trade Show in Dubai, UAE where they were able to make sales with six new buyers, accounting for an estimated $600,000 in additional export sales over the next 12 months. That’s right $600,000 in new sales!
In addition to the new sales, a new opportunity became possible due to a request made at the show regarding the UAE market that may hold promise for a branded product in retail size packages. JM Grain has not offered retail packaging before, but currently is exploring the idea.
With a small investment from the U.S. Small Business Administration, via Montana Department of Commerce, JM Grain was able to take advantage of a new market and significantly increase their sales; creating a positive economic domino effect that helps the community, employees and other local businesses.
Bitterroot Gymnastics Transformed with Help of MCDC and SBA
This is a story about being nimble.
Later this week an industrial warehouse in Missoula, which has been completely transformed, will reopen as Bitterroot Gymnastics – providing children and families throughout our community with a safe space to learn and practice.
While the concept of a big space for a gymnastics school isn’t necessarily innovative, the path to making it happen certainly has been.
Owner David Stark had done everything right. As a former student and then employee of the company, he already had extensive knowledge of the gym when he purchased it in 2005. Then, as an owner, he had worked hard to save costs, provide great service, and grow the business. Now that his work was paying off and his business was expanding, he simply needed more space. But he didn’t have the capital to expand. He knew that his business showed solid profits and great income potential, but he didn’t have strong collateral and so wouldn’t qualify for traditional financing.
When David came to visit Montana CDC, things fell into place. The US Small Business Administration had just come out with its new Community Advantage program. David became the first business owner in Montana and, in fact, the entire SBA region 8 to take advantage of it. Now Bitterroot Gymnastics is about to open a new gym and our community is about to see more jobs.
While we don’t always think of government agencies as being innovative or quick to react, the SBA’s Community Advantage program is a shining example of how good government and smart businesses can work together to make communities prosper.
SBA administrator Karen Mills explains that the Community Advantage program is a reaction to tightening credit markets. The program’s goal is to make more loans available to small business owners, minorities, and women in rural areas. The SBA has similarly reacted with products and programs in the wake of natural disasters such as flooding and hurricanes. It’s all about a government agency learning to serve customers and coexist in an ever-evolving marketplace – just like companies – big and small – must do all across the country.
This is the nimble part.
In Montana alone, the SBA lent out over $137 million dollars for businesses last year. They did it through lending partnerships with national and community banks and non-bank lenders like Montana CDC all across the state. The SBA also responded to businesses in need by providing disaster recovery loans, awarding grants and programs to help with technical assistance, and instituting training programs in entrepreneurship, business development and government contracting.
In January, President Obama elevated the Small Business Administration to a cabinet level position, with Karen Mills appointed as Cabinet Secretary. This is in conjunction with a proposal to consolidate the SBA with five other related agencies including the Department of Commerce, Office of the US Trade Representative, the Export-Import Bank, the Overseas Private Investment Corporation, and the Trade Development Agency. The reasoning behind the consolidation is that it will ease the regulatory burden on businesses and save money from the duplication of services. The hope is that the new alignment will also increase cross-agency collaboration.
We like to think of it in business terms as a merger – that the government is acting as a company facing an ever-changing marketplace and agilely responding to best compete and provide services for its customers. We hope it is successful and that the SBA remains as innovative and competitive as they have proven to be here in Montana.
In the meantime, the SBA, banks, and non-bank lenders are out there reacting and responding to market conditions and working collaboratively to meet the needs of small businesses. By using innovative financing solutions like the Community Advantage program, borrowers who fall outside the traditional realm of bankability are now venturing into new product lines, expanding their locations, serving new markets, and creating new jobs for Montanans.
Montana business owners like David Stark often have a sophisticated understanding of their industry and their specific markets – they just need the capital to put their ideas for business growth in motion. Thankfully the SBA will continue to be there to spot them.
