Success Stories
Key Resources
Continued Success
Peer Networking and SBDC Consulting Support 40% Sales Increase and Job Creation
Nelson Sales co-owner, Scott Filter first contacted the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Small Business Development Center when a leadership and performance coach suggested that he consider joining the Waukesha area PeerSpectives group, a group led by UW-Whitewater SBDC director Bud Gayhart. PeerSpectives is a peer mentoring program that enables business owners of second stage companies to enhance their management resources to include the valuable perspectives of other CEOs and entrepreneurs.
Participating as a member of the PeerSpectives group has benefited Filter's business, serving as a tool during a two-year period in which the company experienced a 40 percent increase in sales and the creation of four new full time positions. In addition to the increased sales and jobs created, Filter considers the amount of trust their largest customers put in them during the last growth period a sign of the company's success.
"The PeerSpectives group has really been one of the keys to our continued success," says Filter. "It is important to get critical feedback on how you run your business. This group not only provides that feedback, but also shares experiences that help each of us grow from one another."
Nelson Sales distributes high tech products to a very diverse customer base. Filter describes his company as "more engineering oriented than most distributors." With experienced sales people from vast and diverse backgrounds, most of the company's sales engineers have been in the field for more than 20 years. This translates to better customer service, as Filter says, "The sales engineers are able to share those experiences and come up with very creative and cost effective solutions for the customer."
In addition to PeerSpectives, Filter has also benefited from one-on-one consulting with Bud Gayhart. One goal of SBDC consulting is to provide useful referrals to key resources. Filter reports, "Bud is always willing to share contact names and suggestions through the university and other businesses."
Summing up the assistance he has received from the UW-W SBDC, Filter adds, "We have had UW-W students, supervised by Bud Gayhart, come in and consult us on some of our marketing issues. All in all this has been a very good experience, and I look forward to continued support from this group."
