ASSUME = THE WORST
So you’re family. So you’ve known each other since you were tots. So you’re closer than two business partners could possibly be.

Even so — assume nothing.

“It’s one of the biggest pitfalls family businesses can fall into,” says Fritz Black, who runs Cowboy Leaders in Birdseye with his two nephews. “They’re family, so it’s easy to assume you know what they’re thinking. And then you jump to conclusions based not on fact but on what you think. It’s not a good place to be.”

IT’S ALL A BLUR
Jessica Devenish lives, works and breathes family.

“Oh, the lines are totally blurry,” says the founder of Provo-based Checknet, who works with her parents, her husband and two of her sisters. “But we are learning to set boundaries in a clear way so we’re not always working.”

In actuality, blurry is A-OK — it would be unrealistic NOT to have crossover. But that other, more difficult B (boundaries) needs to be equally present.

“Feel free to go home and talk about issues related to the business. That’s not the problem,” says Gibb Dyer, a professor at the BYU Marriott School and a consultant to families in business. “The problem comes when there are frustrations at work and you let those frustrations affect the quality of your family relationships.”

COMPENSATION CONTEMPLATION
Bluefin Office Group is no family business amateur. The Orem-based company has been in the Benson family since the ’60s, and the kids practically grew up in the store.

These days, the kids are grown —and running Bluefin with their father, Dean, and mother, Pat. And when it comes to tackling sensitive issues like compensation, they know the challenge — and are up to the task.

“Compensation is a tricky, complicated area,” says Dale Benson, Dean’s son and CEO of Bluefin. “It’s obvious you need to look at performance and contribution, but there are added layers in a family business. Should salary also be based on how many children someone has? Should it be based on who’s been there the longest?

Getting everyone on the same page is difficult. So to keep things fair, we’ve left that to my dad — he handles compensation relative to family members.”

The lesson? When it comes to a sensitive matter like compensation, pick a person or policy everyone agrees upon and is comfortable with.

THE RIGHT DIRECTION
Family knows best — but a little outside perspective can give you some much needed direction.

“One of the most important pieces of advice I can offer is to have a board of directors that includes non-family members,” Dyer says. “It’s the best way to get unbiased advice, critique and support.”

ENTITLEMENT SCHMITLEMENT
At a young age, Devenish learned an unforgetable lesson from her father: Earn respect — don’t demand it.

And so when it comes to Checknet, entitlement is never an issue.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re family or not — you start from the bottom and work your way up,” Devenish says. “All of us have earned our respective positions on our own merit. And having that kind of attitude goes a long way.”

Neal Dastrup couldn’t agree more.

“Family members will become stronger if they have to start from scratch,” says Dastrup, who owns Dastrup Insurance and currently works with five of his seven children. “Handing your kids a job on a silver platter will send your business down the tubes before you know it. But if they have to build it, they will respect it.”

FORMALLY SPEAKING
In a family buisness, it’s revenue one minute and Thanksgiving dinner the next. But while those two worlds can exist (see: B, It’s All a Blur), be wary of keeping the company too casual.

“There are certainly situations where family businesses have lost all formality and are neglecting to discuss the important issues at hand,” Dyer says. “Have official discussions, take minutes, vote on issues that are important. Your business needs some semblance of formality.”

GO FOR GOALS
A family business can’t succeed without family goals. So sit down together and come up with a shared vision — and a plan to get you there.

“To have a shared vision that is bound by our family bond is a fun thing,” says Chris Dexter, who founded the Orem-based law firm Dexter & Dexter with his brother, Bryan.

HOME FREE
Every once in a while, when you’re home and feeling extra daring, talk about something other than the business. Potential topics may include — but are not limited to — the weather, music, movies, sports, politics and Betty White (she’s very in right now).

IN YOUR BEST INTEREST
You know that good old fashioned self interest? It’s time for a new perspective.

“The first law of economics is everyone acts in their own self interest,” says Dale Gunther, chairman of the board of Bank of American Fork, a family business. “But we need to rise above that and say, ‘I’m doing this for the good of the whole. It’s not for me. It’s for the good of the customers, for the good of the employees and for the good of the shareholders.’ Manage with that philosophy, and you’ll be more successful and have more joy in your business life than you can imagine.”

Dr. Brian Trapnell, who founded his Utah Valley orthodontic practice with his three brothers, is on the same page.

“Our No. 1 priority is the client and our employees,” he says. “If those needs are met, everything else will fall into place.”

DO YOURSELF JUSTICE

Equality is a tricky topic in a family business. On the one hand, family members should get some preference. It is a family business, after all.

But on the other hand, you don’t want your non-family member employees to feel like outsiders looking in.

“The truth is, family businesses can never really be completely fair,” Dyer says. “All things being equal, family members should have preferential treatment because they are members of the family. The problem comes when a family member is incompetent and promoted above others. Don’t hire incompetent family members.” (Someone should really needlepoint that on a pillow.)

To make it a win-win, strive to create a family environment for everyone at your business. Since you’re a family company, it should come pretty naturally.

“This is a tough one, because with so many of us at the company, I can see how non-family members could feel like everyone is their boss,” says JaNae Harrison, who works at the Orem-based McGee’s Stamp & Trophy with her father, Jesse McGee, and her six brothers and sisters. “But we have consciously tried to make everyone feel like family. That’s been our motto from day one.”

KID AROUND
When Neal Dastrup built his insurance business more than 30 years ago, he kept it all in the family.

“When my kids were little, their job was to clean the office,” he says. “They would come in on the weekend to vacuum, dust, clean the restrooms — you name it. And when they were in high school, they’d work here in the summer.”

Eventually, those odd jobs turned into full-fledged careers.

“They grew up having a relationship with the agency, and now every one of my children but one is either in the business or planning to be,” Dastrup says. “It’s the best feeling in the world.”

In short? Involve your kids in the business from a young age. That familiarity will serve you (and them) well.

FOR THE LOVE
In the midst of business plans and spreadsheets, don’t forget the all-powerful motivator: love.

“I love my family,” Bluefin’s Dale Benson says. “It’s wonderful to rub shoulders with them every day. It’s the best benefit I can imagine.”

“There’s nothing better than being able to work with people you love,” Fritz Black, of Cowboy Leaders, says. “I’m fortunate they are my family, and I’m even more fortunate they are my associates.”

“I honestly love working with family,” Checknet’s Jessica Devenish says. “It’s a great pleasure of my life, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

MAD SKILLS
Oh, conflict. It’s inevitable in every business.

But family businesses have the added bonus of history. Oh, history.
“Drama can tear a company apart,” Devenish says. “So we really work at that. Learning to agree to disagree has been our biggest key to success.”

And when conflict does arise, know when to talk it out and when to seek help.

“If it’s a complex conflict — conflict rooted in history like, ‘My brother sat on my face as a kid,’ get some counseling,” Dyer says. “A family therapist can help you work through those issues.”

But if it’s simply a difference of opinion? Make like Devenish and her family and get rid of the drama.

“With simple conflicts, face the issue head on as a family and solve it,” Dyer says.

A HOUSEHOLD NAME
Chris Dexter drives around town with a personalized license plate — and he’s a different driver because of it.

“Realizing that people know who I am and know my last name reminds me to behave myself,” Dexter says. “Knowing our business has our name on it makes us acutely aware of how we do business. It’s a great reminder that we should always act with integrity.”

Trapnell Orthodontics also knows the power of the family name.

“Anytime a family owns something, there is more personal attention,” Dr. Brian Trapnell says. “Our name is on every smile that walks out our door, so there’s an added incentive to make sure it turns out great.”

CALL TO ORDER
Rather than shoot from the hip, set up a structure to measure performance and keep family members accountable.

“One of the most common pitfalls is failing to setup a clear mechanism to monitor performance — to reward family members when they do well and to discipline them when they don’t,” Dyer says. “This is one area you can’t play by ear.”

PINK SLIP
In our Spring 2006 cover story, Hal Wing, of Springville-based Wing Enterprises, was clear on the family business plan: “Work or get fired. And I’ve had to fire some family members.”

Obviously, no one wants to be the fired family member (or the one doing the firing, for that matter). But just knowing it’s in the realm of possibility might strike motivation into the hearts of family members everywhere.

QUARTERLY CHECKUP
Once a quarter, sit down for a reality check. Revisit your goals, evaluate your progress and talk through any unresolved conflict (although after this article, we obviously expect said conflict to decrease exponentially).

ROLE OF A LIFETIME
One of the first — and most vital — steps in creating a family business is defining the roles of each family member. Be clear about who does what and what is expected of each person. Try and cater to each family member’s strengths (your business will appreciate it), and get specific, people!

Because when everyone is working to their potential in a family business, no one can touch you.

“What I love is everyone brings different talents and skills to the table,” Devenish says. “We all have different strengths and weaknesses, so the division of duties has been really natural. It’s been, ‘You love legislative? You get it. You love financial? You get it. You love operations? You get it. You love marketing? You get it.’ It’s been a natural road map for our company’s success.”

SUCCESS-ION
In 1966, Jesse McGee was working at the post office when he had the opportunity to buy a stamp machine.

And buy it he did.

Forty-four years later, he’s running McGee’s Stamp and Trophy with his seven children and two grandchildren.

The next question, then, is who’s next?

“One of the biggest challenges is how do you pass it on to the next generation,” JaNae Harrison says. “There’s seven of us McGee kids, and each of us have worked for the business at different times and in different capacities. Things can get tricky, so it’s extremely important to have a plan in place.”

Harrison couldn’t be more right.

“Having a succession plan is the No. 1 piece of advice I can give, ” Dyer says. “And you need to have two plans — a short-term contingency plan in case the head of the family passes away unexpectedly, and a long-term plan where the head of the family identifies a successor to the business and a timetable in which they will retire.”

This is a non-negotiable, folks.

THE FAMILY TRUST
When you’re working with family, it doesn’t get better than trust.

“What I love about being in a family business is I trust them completely,” Fritz Black says. “We all know what our life goals are and there are no hidden agendas. In our family business, everything is on the table.”

A UNITED FRONT
In the immortal words of Sister Sledge: You are family — get up everybody and sing.

VENT-ILATION
Remember when you blew up at your brother in his office and then went home to your wife and vented about it? And then remember when your wife didn’t talk to said brother for weeks?

Remember when it’s all in the family, it’s all in the family.

THE WRITE WAY
In your efforts to up the formal factor (in a cool and casual way, of course), put your essential and sensitive agreements in writing. Handshakes can certainly be trusted, but it never hurts to give that hand a pen.

“It simply makes things more clear, which is always a good thing,” Dyer says.

Dale Gunther is a firm believer in the “write way” of doing things, and he practices what he preaches at Bank of American Fork.

“It’s a necessary thing to do,” he says. “After you’ve defined your policies and procedures, get them in writing and familiarize employees with them.”

XTREME COMMUNICATION
(Editor’s Note: Yes, we just spelled extreme with an X. You try coming up with an “X” word that’s not Xerox or xylophone.)
Ahem. Now that that’s settled, let’s talk talk. Because bottled up feelings? You’re not welcome here.

“Communication is the key. And I’m talking quality communication,” says Bluefin’s Dale Benson. “I wouldn’t give us an A on this yet, but we’re working on it all the time. It’s that important.”

“Communicate, communicate, communicate,” Checknet’s Devenish says. “And if you still don’t get it, communicate a little bit more.”

YEARS GONE BY
Whether your family business is five generations old or whether you started it in your living room last week, appreciate your company’s history and document all you can. Your kids and grandkids will be better for it.

FOR ZEAL
“There’s nothing better than working with family,” Dastrup Insurance’s Neal Dastrup says. “I’m a happy man.”

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When life hands you lemons, make them blue. Coming off its one-year anniversary, Blue Lemon Restaurant and Bistro is blowing out candles and breathing in some well deserved success. Opening a restaurant is always risky. But opening one in a less-than-ideal economy? A risk worth writing about. The company’s delicious triumph is a tribute to its owners and to its niche. Lychelle and Aaron Day picked a concept — a family friendly take on the clean food movement — and committed to it. But taking the plunge was never a question to Lychelle, who hails from quite the entrepreneurial family (Orem-based Xactware and Costa Vida, to name a few). In fact, when naysayers took their shots — as naysayers do — Lychelle and Aaron proceeded with dashes of gumption and naiveté (for good measure). True blue entrepreneurs, indeed.

My husband and I were on a food kick. We enjoyed the raw food diet for about a month, but it wasn’t realistic for young kids. We went vegan, thinking it would be easier, but we ended up traveling towns just to get the food we wanted. So my sister suggested I open a restaurant.

I thought, “Oh no.” But then I thought more, and I warmed up to it. I knew we could do a family oriented restaurant that was healthy. We had something here.

The initial concept was super healthy — vegan, specifically. But then my husband said we’re not going to have men come into the restaurant if it’s vegan. So I looked into other moderation diets and found the clean food philosophy, which has no high fructose corn syrup and no hormones in the meat. That’s when we stopped being vegan. We had to test our own food, right?

We teach what we preach. We have a demo kitchen where we teach cooking classes. We also have a space for luncheons and banquets, as well as a bistro, where we sell merchandise, coffee and hot chocolate. The bistro is still finding its niche. Surprisingly, coffee has not been the biggest hit in Highland.

The restaurant business isn’t always a kind one, and there were some initial fears. We had a number of financial advisers warning us not to do this. But we felt strongly about it. We were trying to create jobs for people in a down economy. It felt like the right thing to do.

Looking back, we were a bit foolish. We were brazen. At the time, people were shocked, saying, “I can’t believe you’re taking this on!” And we were like, “Really? Why?” We just had so much faith in the concept there was never a question. But knowing now how much we’ve had to go through — and knowing 50 percent of restaurants fail in the first year — I can see their point. Lucky for us, being naive worked to our advantage.

The restaurant’s name doesn’t really have a back story. It was going to be Essence Café, but it didn’t feel right. We started looking at other restaurants — Applebee’s, Chili’s, Costa Vida — they were all fun names that didn’t mean anything. So we started playing around with something light and fresh, and my husband came up with Blue Lemon. I wish we had a cool back story, or that the name represented some visionary tree out of Africa. But it’s just fun. Let me know if you have a back story for us.

The most difficult time was getting open. It was an uphill battle with finding the appropriate staff and the right chef and menu. There was a whole laundry list of items, and we tried opening three or four different times before we finally did. We ended up finding our wonderful chef at UVU. He came on and redesigned our menu. He was heaven-sent.

The high point has been customer feedback. Last spring I was in a dressing room in Nordstrom, and the associate asked me what I did for a living. I told her we opened a restaurant called Blue Lemon, and the lady in the stall next to me squealed, “I love Blue Lemon! We go there all the time.” We have such loyal customers. The restaurant has been uniting for the community.

My family has a history of entrepreneurship, and that certainly has helped. We don’t really know much different. We’ve always just taken chances and gone out there and done it. We don’t feel more confident we’ll succeed, but we feel more confident trying.

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What It Is A provider of search engine optimization.
Why It’s Watch-Worthy What started as a $5,000 bootstrap has turned into a million-dollar company, thanks to rock star leadership from serial entrepreneurs with a passion for business and bootstrapping.
The Big Break “Warner Music was our first big account. We spent a month listening to Michael Buble, Madonna, P. Diddy and Ashley Tisdale.”
The High Point “Our first hires were four really smart high school students. These young men have performed tasks that most college graduates could not perform. It has been fun to help these students develop skills that will help them to go out and change the world.”
The Low Point “We made a few poor hires. It is always tough to have to terminate people.”
The Advice “Read ‘Bootstrap Business’ (a shameless plug for our book). A second would be to fail efficiently. There are going to be failures. Do it as rapidly as you can because that will bring the successes quicker.”
In 2015 “Sold! I will have created at least three more multimillion dollar companies by then.”
Editor’s Note: Shortly before press time, BusinessQ was notified that CastleWave has officially been sold to Crexendo (www.crexendo.com). That makes Rich Christiansen’s 2015 prediction a fact and BusinessQ’s watch-worthy recognition that much sweeter. Congrats, CastleWave!

NO. 2 COMPLETE MERCHANT
SOLUTIONS
Founded 2008 City Orem Employees 26 Industry Electronic payments Web site www.cmsonline.com Founders David Decker, 35; Kyle Hall, 27; Trever Hansen, 32

What It Is A provider of merchant services.
Why It’s Watch-Worthy With staggering revenues in its short lifetime (the company grossed $2.5 million in its first year of business), Complete Merchant Solutions has used strong management and expert execution to become an instrumental force in its industry.
The Big Break “When we were officially accepted as a registered bankcard processor for Visa and MasterCard.”
The High Point “When an industry legend accepted our offer to assume the reigns as CEO.”
The Low Point “The second we realized we were scammed by a professional Russian Mafia group out of California for $110,000.”
The Advice “Test as many different industries as you can early in your career. Once you’ve identified the industry you want to set your stakes in, focus on the soft spots (i.e. under-served areas). Tailor your go-to-market strategy to fully capitalize on those soft spots and start chipping away at market share.”
In 2015 “We’ll be a nationally recognized brand within our industry, acknowledged as a ‘Top 50 Bankcard Processor’ in America (based on transactional volume), and listed in the top 10 of BusinessQ’s ‘Top Revenue’ list.” (Editor’s Note: We’ll see you in 2015.)

NO. 3 BLUE LEMON
Founded 2009 City Highland  Employees 26 Industry Dining  Web site www.bluelemonutah.com Founders Lychelle Day, 29; Aaron Day, 29
What It Is A restaurant and bistro that specializes in the “clean food” movement.
Why It’s Watch-Worthy Opening a successful restaurant at any given time is worth a celebration. But opening a successful restaurant in a recession? Now that’s parade-worthy.
The Big Break “Just getting open. It was a battle.”
The High Point “The customer feedback. We have such loyal customers.”
The Advice “Have a good idea, a good foundation and a strong conviction. And then just go for it.”
In 2015 “We’ll have multiple locations.”

NO. 4 FAMILYLINK
Founded 2007 City Provo Industry Technology Web site www.familylink.com  Founder Paul Allen
What It Is A provider of a family social experience platform.
Why It’s Watch-Worthy FamilyLink has found monumental success with more than 60 million users, 500 million family connections, 20 million monthly active users, 1.2 billion indexed names and 200,000 poll responses daily. Plus, its flagship application, “We’re Related,” is the top family application on Facebook.

NO. 5 FRANCHISE FOUNDRY
Founded 2008 City Orem Employees 12 Industry Franchise development Web site www.franchisefoundry.com Founders Christian Faulconer, 38; Corey Spencer, 35; Ryan Frandsen, 34

What It Is A growth capital/consulting services firm that invests in and helps emerging brands grow through franchising.
Why It’s Watch-Worthy In just a short window of time, Franchise Foundry has redefined what it means to be a franchise consultant by actually investing capital in its clients — and it’s paying off. Under its direction, Spoon Me grew from two franchises and three corporate stores to 13 franchises, three corporate stores and a 25-store master franchise agreement with Western Canada; and Fairway Divorce grew from six to 17 franchises in Canada and zero to six franchises in the United States.
The Big Break “When we added Fairway Divorce to our portfolio, it was a big deal for us. They took a risk on a company that hadn’t proved itself yet, and we’ll always appreciate them for that.”
The High Point “Capping off a successful 2009 during a tough economy.”
The Low Point “The day the team talked me (Faulconer) into wearing a hotdog suit.”
The Advice “Do what you love and work hard.”
In 2015 “By 2015, Franchise Foundry will have changed the way the franchising industry helps emerging franchises grow.”

NO. 6 KYNETX
Founded 2007 City Lehi Employees 15 Industry Software Web site www.kynetx.com Founders Stephen W. Fulling, 46; Phillip J. Windley, 51
What It Is A provider of development tools that create context-sensitive, cross-platform apps that help build relationships between app owners and users.
Why It’s Watch-Worthy Founded by leaders in Utah’s tech field (the pair created iMail, the first e-commerce platform for small to medium-sized merchants), Kynetx is quickly on its way to standout success with a unique product, big buzz and strategic partnerships.
The Big Break “Strategic investment with Acxiom.”
The High Point “Signing our first deal with a multibillion-dollar company through our strategic investment partner, Acxiom.”
The Low Point “The first pitch ever. We sucked.”
The Advice “Believe.”
In 2015 “The next billion-dollar company in Utah.”

NO. 7 METER SOLUTIONS
Founded 2007 City Provo Employees 20 (on average) Industry Utilities Web site www.metersolutions.com Founders Paul Dickson, 24; Taylor Turnbull, 24
What It Is An installer of automated meter reading devices on water, gas and electric meters.
Why It’s Watch-Worthy With an ever-growing industry and smart execution, this student-run company has positioned itself as an industry leader and installed more than a quarter million devices.
The Big Break “We were awarded a contract with Questar Gas company to install AMR devices on every gas meter in St. George and Cedar City.”
The High Point “We were named the BYU Student Entrepreneurs of the Year.”
The Low Point “The first project we did was in California, and the company who hired us didn’t pay its final invoice of more than $25,000, which really hurts a cash-struggling startup.”
The Advice “Don’t be afraid to start a company if you believe in it and are willing to work hard.”
In 2015 “We will grow Meter Solutions into the premier AMR/AMI installation company in the nation. We should also have a strong international presence in Europe, South America and Canada. Currently, more than 70 million devices are planned to be installed in coming years, which provides an incredible growth opportunity for our company.”

NO. 8 FOR EVERY HOME
Founded 2008 City Lindon Employees 20 Industry Direct sales Web site www.foreveryhome.net Founders Becky J. Anderson, 50; Paul Anderson, 54
What It Is A direct sales company that sells fragrance products and is a sister company to For Every Body.
Why It’s Watch-Worthy With more than 1,700 consultants and more than $1 million earned in its first year of business, For Every Home has catapulted to success. And with For Every Body doing nearly $20 million in sales in 2009, For Every Home has a strong home base to grow from.
The Big Break “Puerto Rico. The business down there is growing so quickly among working moms.”
The High Point “Seeing the business take off and women being successful.”
The Low Point “The long hours of work and the down economy. However, all challenges are opportunities, and we have learned a lot.”
The Advice “Stay at it, have passion, think big and look at challenges as opportunities. One of my favorite quotes is, ‘It’s the fast that eat the slow, not the big that eat the small.’”
In 2015 “We’ll be recognized as the most successful innovative home fragrance company in the country.”

NO. 9 INSTANTAV
Founded 2009 City American Fork  Employees 8 full time, 11 contractors  Industry Software/Signage Web site www.instantav.com  Founders Bob Long, 55; David Daniels, 52
What It Is A provider of portable digital signage solutions.
Why It’s Watch-Worthy With an experienced and proven executive team at the helm (they have a combined history of more than 80 years in high-tech solutions), InstantAV has an exciting future with its one-of-a-kind product in a developing market.
The Big Break “Our first sell was to a high-profile client that validated our entire business plan.”
The High Point “Assembling a talented team of people that we like to work with, starting with a bold vision and working to create an entirely new product in a totally new and undeveloped marketplace.”
The Low Point “Raising investor capital during the worst capital market in 71 years.”
The Advice “Begin with a bold vision and then be willing to burn the ships in the harbor. Once you start, there will be plenty of obstacles. But each one presents an opportunity to adjust and move forward.”
In 2015 “We’ll be the world leader in digital signage product and services.”

NO. 10 MAAKOA
Founded 2009 City Orem Employees 14 Industry Network marketing  Web site www.maakoa.com Founders Bruce Davis, 48; David Simpson, 52
What It Is A direct sales company whose flagship products are the antioxidant beverage Koopuwa and its line of MXP3 Xtreme Performance Protein Powders.
Why It’s Watch-Worthy In a valley that’s been more than kind to network marketing companies, Maakoa has made quite the splash. Since its launch last year, the company has skyrocketed in growth and invested an interest in local programs (the company was the title sponsor of the Stadium of Fire last year and is a major sponsor of the Utah Flash).
The Big Break “We’ve been blessed with a solid, steady growth from the beginning, and every day Maakoa gets stronger and stronger.”
The High Point “Coming out with our two amazing products in a perfected state. They were sent back multiple times before they were accepted.”
The Advice “I don’t care who you are, believe in yourself and never quit.”
In 2015 “We’ll be global and one of the most successful network marketing companies in history.”
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
The Startups To Watch list was selected from a pool of applicants that have less than three years of operating history. The winners were determined by BusinessQ’s editorial board.

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Talk about built to last. Eighty-five years ago, W. W. Clyde and Co. sprung up in Springville with a sturdy promise: “Our word is our bond.” And with each company they’ve constructed or acquired — Sunroc, Geneva Rock, Gorge Rock, Beehive Insurance and Clements Concrete (now all under the umbrella of Clyde Companies) — that promise has only gotten more powerful. “Businesses need to build on the foundation of character and integrity,” says Wilford W. Clyde, CEO of Clyde Companies and grandson to the founder of W. W. Clyde. “There’s no substitute for honesty.” And with 2,100 employees, $480,000,000 in 2009 sales and a rock-solid reputation, we couldn’t agree more.

My first job with Clyde was back in high school. I worked on the asphalt crew after school. But it was never my plan to work at Clyde long term. That’s why I went to school in accounting — I was going to be a public accountant and do my own thing.

But when I got to the end of school, there was an opportunity at Geneva Rock for a full-time accountant. So I started there in 1977, became general manager in 1987 and was made president in 1988.

It’s been a great career for me. It’s a lot of fun. I like coming to work every day, and I enjoy the people I work with. It also doesn’t hurt that there were great people before me who did all of the hard work. We have a lot to live up to.

In 1998, we decided to create a parent company called Clyde Companies. We had a number of businesses founded by my grandfather that were somewhat integrated but operating as separate entities. It just made sense to bring them together.
There were definitely challenges that came with getting all the companies to work as one. From centralizing the accounting to figuring out logistics and administrative issues, people had to make adjustments with the new policies and procedures. But with the change came a greater cohesiveness. It was definitely a big milestone for us.

It’s a huge responsibility to employ people and be responsible for their livelihood, and it’s something we take very seriously. I can’t stress how important it is to get the right people. It’s an absolute necessity. If you are going to be the best, you have to attract the best.

Our roots are firmly established in Utah County, and we feel privileged to have our headquarters here. This is a great place to live, and the quality of people is high. When you hire people in Utah County, you hire people who care.

We’ve been successful because we were founded on the value system of “our word is our bond.” My grandfather believed that. He believed in being financially strong and not overextending yourself. He believed in quality work and quality products and the idea that if you do it, you do it right. It doesn’t matter what type of business you own, those are the ingredients to success.

The vision for our company is building a better community. We build roads, we supply materials to buildings and we complete construction projects. But truly, our goal is to build a better community from the standpoint of providing employment for employees and contributing to this wonderful area. We’ve been involved with a number of universities in the state, specifically UVU and its construction management program, and making a difference in the lives of locals is the best thing we do.

The economy is tough right now. We’ve had to look at cutting back our expenses so we can compete. It’s going to be a tough two or three years, but we’ll survive because we work hard and stay conservative. That’s actually my No. 1 piece of advice to companies: You have to be conservative on your projections, because if you can be successful with conservative projections, you will be successful. Period.

There are so many things to look forward to, so you have to focus on the positive. Work hard, and look at the good around you. If you don’t dream the dream, the dream won’t come true.

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The Company A direct sales company that sells skin and beauty products.
The Success With revenues upwards of $1 billion, this 26-year success story has been an instrumental force for good in both Utah County and the world.

NO. 2 CLYDE COMPANIES*
Revenue in 2009 $480,000,000 Founded 1926 City Orem Employees 2,100 Industry Construction Web site www.clydeinc.com President Wilford W. Clyde, 57

The Company A construction company with six subsidiaries: Geneva Rock, Sunroc Corporation, W. W. Clyde and Co., Gorge Rock, Beehive Insurance and Clements Concrete.
The Success With building blocks of hard work, integrity and conservative values, this family-owned business has risen to be one of Utah Valley’s top employers and a fundamental force in our economy.
The Advice “Have a good business plan, and be conservative in your projections. If you can be successful with conservative projections, you will be successful.”

NO. 3 OMNITURE*, a division of Adobe
Revenue in 2009 $345,700,000** Founded 1996 City Orem Industry Technology Web site www.omniture.com Founder Josh James, 36
The Company A provider of online optimization software that is now a division of Adobe.
The Growth Since its inception in 1996, Omniture has catapulted off the growth charts. And with Adobe acquiring the Orem-based company last year for $1.8 billion, its impressive success isn’t going anywhere.
** Due to Adobe’s acquisition of Omniture and a change in its fiscal year, the Orem company’s sales are measured from Q4 2008 to Q3 2009.

NO. 4 PROVO CRAFT*
Revenue in 2009 $279,970,097 Founded 1964 City Spanish Fork Employees 1,100 Industry Craft Web site www.provocraft.com Founder Robert Emmett Workman, 54
The Company A consumer electronics manufacturer in the creative marketplace.
The Success With a willingness to reinvent its product lines and make significant leaps in technology, Provo Craft has become a leader in its marketplace with explosive growth.

NO. 5 BIG-D CONSTRUCTION LINDON*

Revenue in 2009 $41,261,583 Founded 1967 City Lindon Employees 18 Industry Commercial construction Web site www.big-d.com Vice President Greg Fix, 36

The Company A construction management and design-build services company.
The Success Big-D Lindon began with two employees in 2004, and it’s now a stalwart force in the commercial construction market. The company works on projects from under $1 million to more than $100 million, and its values of hard work and integrity are a big draw for Utah County.
The Advice “Seek for outside counsel from other industries — you’re not alone. Sometimes the outside-looking-in perspective is just what you need.”

NO. 6 HADCO CONSTRUCTION
Revenue in 2009 $32,203,000 Founded 1989 City Lehi Employees 220 Industry Civil construction Founder John D. Hadfield, 41
The Company A civil construction/earthwork/excavation contractor.
The Success Thanks to stellar employees, loyal customers and big-name projects (Hadco will construct the Mountain View Corridor in 2011), Hadco has become a go-to contractor in Utah.
The Advice “Pay as you go, watch out for debt.”
That First-Million Feeling “After going through the recession, I’ve realized it’s harder to keep than to make.”

NO. 7 BEST VINYL*
Revenue in 2009 $30,178,663 Founded 2000 City American Fork Employees 108 Industry Home improvement Web site www.bestvinyl.com Founder Vance Barrett, 33
The Company A fabricator and installer of vinyl fence, decks, pergolas and gazebos.
The Success With a strong management team and high-quality employees, Best Vinyl has become the largest company of its kind in the country.

NO. 8 PROPAY
Founded 1997 City Lehi Employees 90 Industry Payment Web site www.propay.com VP of Marketing Scott Nelson, 49
The Company A provider of credit card processing and electronic payment services.
The Success Armed with a solid product, niche markets, superb management and world-class customer service, ProPay has become an industry leader.

NO. 9 VITALSMARTS*
Revenue in 2009 $25,290,817 Founded 2001 City Provo Employees 83 Industry Consulting/Training Web site www.vitalsmarts.com Founders Joseph Grenny, 49; Al Switzler, 60; Ron McMillan, 58; Kerry Patterson, 63;
Mike Carter, 50
The Company A corporate training and organizational performance company.
The Success With three bestselling books and 30 years of ongoing research, the principles VitalSmarts espouses have been economy-proof.
Best Part of Being a High-Revenue Company “The more revenues we have, the more lives we are able to impact with our training.”
Worst Part of Being a High-Revenue Company “We have to pay more taxes.”

NO. 10 ONE ON ONE MARKETING
Revenue in 2009 $22,245,818 City American Fork Founded 2002 Employees 75 Industry Technology Web site www.go1on1.com Founder Nick Greer, 33
The Company A provider of consumer leads for the online for-profit education industry.
The Success With impeccable tools and an impeccable staff, One on One Marketing has successfully focused the business on one segment of the market — and hasn’t slowed down since.
That First-Million Feeling “Man, that took longer than I thought.”

NO. 11 AMP SECURITY
Revenue in 2009 $22,067,305 Founded 2007 City Orem Employees 100 corporate staff, 200 sales reps Industry Security Web site www.ampalarm.com, www.workatamp.com Founders Allen Bolen, 34; Ryan Lee, 37; Dave Bolen, 33
The Company A security alarm company.
The Success With expert market timing and a solid team (both in and outside of headquarters), AMP Alarm has catapulted to success right out of the gate and expects to make more than $35 million in 2010.
The Advice “Position your brand to your employees. It does more than anything else to recruit quality talent. Your team’s talent will make or break you.”
Best Part of Being a High-Revenue Company “You can get the attention you need from vendors and financial instituions to further your business.”
Worst Part of Being a High Revenue Company “Everything happens at once.”

NO. 12 FOR EVERY BODY
Revenue in 2009 $19,206,956 Founded 1995 City Lindon Employees 222 Industry Consumer goods, manufacturing Web site www.foreverybody.com Founder Becky J. Anderson, 50
The Company A candle manufacturing company. Additionally, the company offers home decor items and scrapbook supplies.
The Success As the largest woman-owned candle manufacturing company in North America, For Every Body has created a line of eco-friendly, soy-based wax candles that are sold to major retailers across the nation.
The Advice “Have passion, drive and tenacity. You can be, do and have anything you want or dream.”
That First-Million Feeling “We were so busy working I didn’t notice.”

NO. 13 ATTASK*
Revenue in 2009 $18,990,000 Founded 2001 City Orem Employees 150 Industry Software Web site www.attask.com Founder Scott Johnson, 40
The Company A provider of on-demand project and portfolio management software.
The Success A relevant and in-demand product has led to five office locations worldwide and influential clients like Apple, Amazon.com, Chevron, McDonald’s, Toyota and The Walt Disney Company.
The Advice “Never stop doing the good things.”
Best Part of Being a High Revenue Company “Being a little software company in Orem, Utah that is helping companies in 60 countries around the world get work done. Having an impact and being an influential player in our market is very rewarding.”
Worst Part of Being a High Revenue Company “Being relatively unknown in our own backyard.”
That First-Million Feeling “The Shizzle.”

NO. 14 SECURITYMETRICS*
Revenue in 2009 $18,944,796 Founded 2000 City Orem Employees 285 Industry Technology Web site www.securitymetrics.com Founder Brad Caldwell, 47
The Company An educator and tester of merchant businesses to ensure they are keeping credit card data secure.
The Success A push from credit card companies for merchants to comply with the industry’s data security standards coupled with increased awareness for data security and a “gift from heaven,” SecurityMetrics has experienced phenomenal success in an ever-essential market.
The Advice “Watch your initial company agreements closely, and don’t get venture capital too early.”
Best Part of Being a High Revenue Company “Handing out Christmas bonuses.”

NO. 15 ACCESS TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS
Revenue in 2009 $18,400,000 Founded 2002 City Provo Employees 70 Industry Technology Web site www.accessts.com Founder Chris Boyle, 47

The Company A provider of eCommerce technology and logistics that help retail and direct selling companies sell their products in international markets.
The Success Thanks to an ever-expanding international e-commerce market (especially in Asia), Access Technology Solutions has capitalized on that growth with an expert team, forward-thinking technology and cost-effective solutions for customers.
The Advice “Get the right people on the bus and the wrong ones off as soon as possible. Stay focused and build a culture of teamwork and respect.”
That First-Million Feeling “To be honest, we did not really stop to savor the moment, as we were really thinking about how we were going to make it to $10 million and then $50 and now $100. It certainly was nice to have money in the coffers, though.”

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
The Top Revenue Companies list was selected from a pool of UV50 applicants. The 2009 gross revenue figures have been verified by BusinessQ and are accurate as of March 1, 2010. BusinessQ disclaims any responsibility for companies that did not apply.

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Three-Year Growth
109%

Destined for entrepreneurship, 8-year-old Jon Moss was running a landscaping business when most kids his age were watching Saturday morning cartoons. But destiny hasn’t been easy. In fact, it’s been extreme. The highs have been pie-in-the-sky high, and the lows have been unjustly low. You see, Moss wasn’t supposed to lose everything. He wasn’t supposed to work as a janitor for 1,000 bucks a month at RBM Building Services, his dad’s commercial janitorial company. And yet those “weren’t supposed tos” are the very reason he’s sitting in our glossy pages with his wife, Janae, by his side. “The hard times make or break you,” Moss says. “And I wasn’t about to let them break me.” Did we say destiny? Make that downright determination.

As a kid, my parents told me I could have anything I wanted — I just had to work for it. So if I wanted a candy bar, I’d sell eggs. If I wanted a four-wheeler, I’d cut grass. I had so much determination. Quitting was not an option.

I am dyslexic. Growing up in school, my teachers didn’t know how to teach me. They told me I was stupid. Entrepreneurship was my way of proving to myself I wasn’t stupid.

I started my first business when I was 8 because I wanted to buy a four-wheeler. I mowed lawns and raised and sold rabbits, chickens and eggs. After four years I made enough to buy my four-wheeler, and my dad and I built a little trailer for it so I could haul mowers and tools around town.

When I was 12, I bought a five-acre piece of land in Fairview. It was my dream to build a cabin on it. At one point I was short $105 on the payment, and my dad let it foreclose because he wanted me to learn a lesson. Man, did I learn that lesson.

By the time I was 15, my landscaping business expanded so much I bought two trucks and a tractor and hired 16-year-olds to drive me around. I had four permanent employees and as many as 25 temps at a time for larger jobs — most of them older than me. A few years later, I met my wife, Janae. She was 17, I was 18, and we dated for over two years before we got married.

Then we lost everything. A pharmacy misfilled my prescription, and my life turned upside down. I didn’t know who I was and would disappear for days with no memory of what had happened. I was a total zombie, and by the time we discovered the mistake we had lost all our contracts and were completely bankrupt. We called poison control and found out I had been taking five times the correct dose and should be dead. We were ruined.

We were in court for four years. We had bill collectors at our door. We survived on deer meat from friends and food stamps. We ended up making enough back in the lawsuit to pay our creditors, but at the age of 22, we had four kids in a one-bedroom house we couldn’t afford to heat or cool.

When we lost everything, my dad told me I could come work for him at RBM for $1,000 a month. That wasn’t my dream. I had worked my butt off my whole life, and now I was going to have to work for my dad after losing all I had built.

But I came to work at RBM as a janitor, and I worked around the clock. I started bringing on new contracts for commission, and things grew from there. Janae and I bought the business from my dad in 2004 with 100 employees. My goal was to double it every year, and we have.

Our clientele list is long — XanGo, Nu Skin, Novell, Tahitian Noni, Franklin Covey and many more. It’s relationships that set our company apart. We know our customers. Plus, there isn’t one person here that won’t help clean a building all night if we need them to. You can’t ask for a better team. I didn’t build this business. My team did.

My dad comes to work just for fun now. He likes to be around the growth. When he bought it, it was a small Utah County business. And now we’ve expanded into Utah, Wyoming and Idaho and have more than 500 employees. It’s a big thrill for him.

I couldn’t have done any of this without my beautiful wife. She has stuck with me. I’ve spent countless nights taking care of buildings while she’s home with our six daughters. She is my business partner and best friend. I’d be nowhere without her.

The great thing about where I’ve been is now I’m not afraid of failure. I’ve risked it all and lost everything, and I’d do it again. I have no idea what’s next, but I’m excited. The risk of entrepreneurship is always worth it, and I’ll be on every ride I can — just holding on.

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Three-Year Growth
123%

In the case of Little Adventures, mothers do indeed know best. The Lehi company — which produces dress-ups for children, adults, dolls and plush animals — was founded by two moms with a problem: Dress-ups for their kids were expensive, itchy and hard to find. So like mother, like entrepreneur, Heather Granata and Jenny Farnsworth solved the problem by sewing their own — and a business was born. Eight years later, the business is all grown up. Its dress-ups are sold across the country (in places like Target, QVC and specialty toy stores) and sales reps dot the nation. And with nearly $2 million in sales last year alone, Little Adventures is all dressed up with everywhere to go.

I was running a daycare out of my home, and Heather’s little girl was one of the kids. When it came time to pick her up, Heather would always stay and chat with me. We became instant friends.

At the daycare, I’d have the kids in dress-ups because everything else created clutter and disasters. But it was hard to find dress-ups. The Disney Store was the only place, and we didn’t have one nearby at the time. Nor did we want to spend that much money.

Heather and I started talking about making our own line of dress-ups. We asked ourselves, “Could we really do this? Do you think they would sell? Let’s try it.”

We sewed, and sewed and sewed. I was pregnant at the time, and I was so sick. I remember sitting in my basement with an IV in my arm, sewing like a madwoman. But I didn’t care. I was just so determined not to have a daycare anymore.

We didn’t have a lot of success. We were selling some, but it wasn’t worth the amount of time we put in. So we decided to sell them on eBay. We tried putting them up for auction at $10 — and they wouldn’t sell. But then we started thinking that at $10, the value was too low. So we played around with the price. We went to $12 and then to $15 and then to $19.99 — which was our magic number. Turns out we were literally selling ourselves short.

After our success with eBay, people in the retail and wholesale markets started approaching us. And that’s where the true Little Adventures began. Our first order of business was to setup a factory. We went to a sewer locally, but she couldn’t get enough produced. So we went to a woman in Idaho and began producing them there. When we grew out of what she could do for us, we went to China.

We’ve set four goals: The dress-ups have to be comfortable, affordable, machine washable and adorable. Other companies only do one or two of these. But as moms, we know that the kids don’t just want to dress up in these clothes. They want to live in them — eat, sleep and play. If we were going to be successful, we had to do all four.

That emphasis on quality has been a blessing and a pain. A few years ago, our biggest learning experience came when we had a big shipment come in from China. The fabric was not what we approved and it was coming apart. We had to dump the whole shipment — a $100,000 order — at below cost just to get rid of it. We didn’t want to put our name on it because it would hurt us in the end. What we took away from that was taking more control of our outsourcing. We learned we need to be in China more and check on the orders before they come. It was a painful lesson, but one that we’re oddly grateful for.

Sales have been a surprise — a nice, nice surprise. They’ve just come naturally. When you make a good product, the sale is easy. You don’t have to force the issue.

We love everything about being located in Utah Valley. You are choosing from high quality people. The people that work for us value that we put our kids first no matter what — they always understand. You won’t find that just anywhere.

The most rewarding part of our success is our friendship. Business is really quite personal for us — and we love that we’re able to do it in a successful way. If you work at Little Adventures, you’re a part of the Little Adventures family. And when we look back at where we’ve been and how far we’ve come, man, it’s been fun. What a roller coaster.

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Three-Year Growth
277%

One on One Marketing wasn’t supposed to last six months. Well, according to the building manager of the company’s first office space. “He told me he’d be surprised if we lasted longer than that,” says Nick Greer, founder of the American Fork-based company that provides lead generation in the for-profit education industry. “But it didn’t offend me. I was able to talk him into a six-month lease, and then I got to prove him wrong. It motivated me like you wouldn’t believe.” Eight years later, One on One Marketing has nothing left to prove. The company is one of the largest lead aggregators for for-profit and post secondary schools in the nation and did more than $22 million in revenue in 2009 alone. And with a company focus of employees, employees, employees, One on One is here to stay.

In 2002, I had a company with a partner, and one of our clients was Ancestry.com. They paid us $10,000 to generate free trials for their genealogy subscription service. We went to a group in Salt Lake, and they said they could generate those leads for us.

They generated six free trials, and Ancestry.com wanted their $9,910 back. My partner said, “We’ve got to give the money back.” I told him we couldn’t. We had to come through for them on those leads. Within six months, we became Ancenstry.com’s No. 2 acquisition leader.

Around that same time, I broke off from that partner and company. I love that partner to death — it was just time to move on. We were both ready for a change.

So with $2,000 in the bank, I loaded my 1997 GMC Suburban with a desk from my old company and a chair I got from ZCMI, and I went over to our new office space and prepaid $750 for my first month’s rent. I was almost in tears. That was July 17, 2002, the day I created One on One Marketing. In August I was moving into a home, and it was the first time I was going to have a mortgage. But I knew it would be good motivation to have something (everything!) on the line — I knew it would take mental toughness

We started cranking. We generated leads for Ancestry.com and also for a health and fitness club in Logan. We quickly started getting clients. We did a lot of work for Nordic Track, and we started doing some leads for customers in the medical billing industry. Then we got into the education arena, which is where our focus is today. Education is really where we skyrocketed. One great thing led to another great thing.

We are excited about where we’ve been and where we’re going. It’s fun to tell our story because we have a unique culture here. Our employees are rock stars. I know a lot of companies say that, and it may sound typical or like you might read in a textbook, but truly there is a special vibe here. The people we have are vested in the company. They fight for us each and every day. If I say, “Let’s turn it up,” they instantly crank it up. They’re a machine — a good machine, not a robotic machine.

Everything is hard if you look at it as hard. I’ve always looked at work as enjoyable. Each and every challenge is motivation to do better. When I look back at everything in hindsight, every time there has been a challenge, a reward has been just around the corner. Every time a challenge seems impossible to overcome, the second we overcome it is when we take the business to the next level. Challenges push us to become better. Every business has challenges — it’s the way you approach them and the way you grow from them that matters. Running a business isn’t rocket science. It’s a simple process so many of us overanalyze.

What I love about Utah Valley is the people. The talent you can find here is incredible — it’s like a hidden golden chunk of talent. I was talking to a group the other day who asked me about the talent pool here, and I told them to come out and see for themselves why businesses thrive here — it’s the talent.

The best part of being an entrepreneur is having a vision in your mind and implementing that vision. And then it’s taking those around you and watching them expand that vision to greater heights than you could imagine. It’s such a rush. Some people love to go ice climbing, some people love to jump out of a plane. Building a business is my rush.

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Three-Year Growth
1,171%

You gotta love the garage. Four years ago, Kory and Stephanie Boyd started KS Marketing out of their home. And the company, which sells retail and wholesale products primarily in the scrapbook and craft industries, took up residence in the ever-iconic garage. “We shipped hundreds of packages a day,” says Kory Boyd, founder of the company that sells products such as Provo Craft’s Cricut. “We did it rain or shine, and we even made it through a few blizzards with product blowing all over the place. You should see some of our pictures.” That picture-perfect entrepreneurial beginning has led to a “happy middle” – with no ending in sight. In its short life-span, the company has catapulted in revenue and reputation, and it ships more than 1,000 products a day to customers in all 50 states and in countries worldwide. Oh, and did we mention KS Marketing was named BusinessQ’s No. 2 Startup to Watch in last year’s UV50? We love it when we’re right.

After working at Provo Craft, I knew the craft industry. I knew I could start a business and make it work. But even though unemployment was my choice, it was hard. I had never done it before, and I felt that burden of being a pure entrepreneur — of wondering whether or not I’d be able to provide for my family. But my wife and I prayed about it and decided to go for it.

We started doing well right out of the gate. Within the first couple months, we were bringing in six figures. After three or four months, we brought in a partner, Randall Hild.

In 2007, we decided to incorporate, and we moved into a 1,000-square-foot warehouse. As we continued to grow, we moved to a 3,000-square-foot warehouse in Pleasant Grove. Now we have three of them … and we need to move again.

Our strategy has been to be extremely conservative — and we’ll stay that way. We operate completely in the black. If we can’t afford it, we don’t pay for it. We don’t hire people until we really, really feel it. I don’t know of any other company that has the number of employees we do with the amount of revenue we bring in.

We have a great relationship with Provo Craft. They’ve really helped us grow as a company. We are one of their top accounts, right behind Michaels, Wal-Mart and Jo-Anns. Those companies are the real deal, and it’s satisfying to know we can hold our own with the big guns.

As we’ve grown, we have started developing our own products by making accessories to other products in the industry. And actually, our original products are some of our bestsellers.
Not to sound trite or ungrateful, but sales have been easier than we thought they would be. We have great products with a great niche, and we’ve marketed the right way. We pride ourselves on customer service, especially since people can buy our products from a number of other places.

Since its inception, our company has changed in every aspect except our ideals — affordability, quality and integrity. And one of the most rewarding aspects of our growth has been taking care of our employees. We have 14 families that depend on our company, and it’s a great feeling to come through for them. Handing out Christmas bonuses this last year was really, really fun.

The best part of being an entrepreneur is the invaluable experience we’ve gained. Whether we succeed or fail, we’re doing something many people are unable to do. We’ve self-financed this company, and there is value in saying we took the plunge ourselves.

In five years, I see us as a leader in manufacturing and re-selling. We’ll have a couple hundred employees and be a solid company in the valley. Our successes thus far are just little milestones. We’re still on the journey and enjoying the ride. Sometimes rides come to an end, but we’re going to make this one last as long as we can.

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