Eau Claire (WQOW) - Typically, graduation ceremonies are
held for students, but Wednesday, the pomp and circumstance was designed for a
local business.
"We fabricate
commercial and residential countertops," says Selective Countertops
Co-Owner, Tim Heinbuch.
Jackie Pavelski, who
sits on the Chippewa Valley Innovation Center Board of Directors, says, "It's a real success story for
us to see a graduation."
Wednesday, a local company was
recognized for their growing success. Selective Countertops was born at the Chippewa Valley Innovation
Center.
"We've been growing
in sales every year since we started and it hasn't leveled off yet," says
Heinbuch.
After five years at the Innovation Center, Selective Countertops is ready
for a place of their own. They purchased a building on Melby Road, as the next place to set up
shop.
Selective Countertops
Co-Owner, Nate Olson, says, "The good thing about the Innovation Center
is they start you out at a pretty low rent but every year it goes up. So by the
time we're out of here, we're pretty much paying what we're going to be paying
rent-wise for the building."
Five years ago, Tim Heinbuch and
Nate Olson knew, nothing about starting a business in a tough economy would be
easy.
Olson says,"We
thought, if we can do it now with this economy, five years from now we'll be
smelling like a rose once it turns around, it's going to turn around. People
thought we were crazy."
It took a lot of hard work and some
help to get where they are today.
"They needed a lot
in the very beginning in terms of help, both finding financial resources as
well as how to run a business," says Pavelski.
"They did provide a
lot of services as far as training new employee hires, sales, how to run your
business, financials," says Heinbuch.
Olson says, "One
thing it helped us do is, it helped us save a lot of money. We put a lot of
money away."
Pavelski says, "One
of the critical parts that we view as success, is their ability to create jobs."
In its first year, Selective Countertops
started with just two employees and could hire more after the move.
Olson says, "I
think we maybe got up to five or six by the end of the year, and right now we
are at 11,12. 11 full time and one part time."
The space Selective Countertops was renting will be available the first of the year. To find out more information, click here or
call (715)-834-0070.
