Kneaders Bakery & Café may just be the greatest thing since sliced bread. In its 12 years of business, the sandwich shop sensation — led by founders Colleen and Gary Worthington — has risen right along with its key ingredient. Just take a look at its dedicated customers.

Before heading to the hospital with his soon-to-deliver wife, one Utah Valley man stopped at the Orem store in a hurry.

“His wife was in labor out in the car,” Colleen says. “But he said the minute she was done having the baby, she wanted a Kneaders sandwich in her hands.”

Then there’s the gentleman who endured chemotherapy — with a little chicken soup for his soul.

“During his treatments, his wife bought him Kneaders chicken noodle soup every day. So when he got his doctor’s permission to go out, he wanted to come to the store, see what it was like and thank me for all of the great soup,” she says. “It was sweet to meet him.”

Colleen describes that contagious customer connection with one word: comfort.

“We do our best to make everything comfortable — we serve comfort food, and our stores are warm and cozy,” she says. “People can buy things, but they can’t buy comfort.”

Kneaders, a history
Interestingly enough, Kneaders wasn’t always in the Worthingtons’ life recipe. The couple owned nine Subway stores in Utah and Colorado for 12 years, but when Subway told them they had to start opening on Sundays, they decided to sell and go into retirement.

That is, until they actually retired.

“We got really bored in our retirement,” Colleen says. “We were doing a lot of volunteer work, which was wonderful, but we decided to look for something else to do.”
As it turns out, looking to the future meant looking to the past.

“My husband comes from a family that baked their own bread every day — they never bought a solitary loaf of bread,” she says. “Bread and baking were a part of our makeup. It just made sense.”

So Kneaders opened its Orem location in 1997, selling freshly baked European breads and pastries. Notably missing were sandwiches — thanks to a non-compete agreement they signed with the man who bought one of their Subway stores.

“Under the contract, we weren’t allowed to sell sandwiches for 10 years, but everyone kept asking for them,” Colleen says. “So we went to him six months after we opened and told him to name a price for us to get out of the contract. He did, we paid it, and we were on our way.”

And then there were eight
It’s 2009, and Kneaders is all grown up. There are now eight locations in Utah and Arizona, seven of which are franchises. The first franchise opened in Provo, and the most recent locations opened in Lehi and Arizona this past year.

“It’s really exciting to see them so successful,” Colleen says. “Each new store has the biggest ever opening, and it’s thanks to the other franchisees who have worked so hard and done well at what they do.”

But while it’s exciting to see her franchisees thrive, it’s also hard to let go.

“I once had a franchisee say to me, ‘It’s OK, it’s our baby.’ And I thought, ‘I think you adopted MY baby!’” Colleen laughs.

To make sure the adoption is in tip-top shape, she spends much of her time training the franchisees and familiarizing them with the policies and practices of the “mother store.” And when the new location is out of state, the schooling only gets more intense.

“My kids call my training at the Arizona store the ‘21 Day Seige,’” Colleen says.

Family in knead
Part of the Kneaders fun comes from it being a family affair. Colleen and Gary are partners with their son, James, and son-in-law, David.

“It’s great working with family,” Colleen says. “I guess it could be hard if everyone didn’t pull their weight, but we’re all really determined to carry our load. Plus, it means my little grandkids come running through the store. Nothing makes a grandma happier than that!”

And when she says they each pull their weight — she means it. Colleen is regularly seen wiping tables, taking orders at the drive-through or doing anything that requires good old fashioned hard work.

“Work energizes me,” Colleen says. “And it’s wonderful to be in a position where I can have this wonderful job and still take care of my wonderful family. They’re my No. 1 priority.”

To keep their priorities in perspective, the Worthingtons have added family touches throughout the store. In fact, one of the smoothies was named after Colleen and Gary’s “meet cute” all those years ago.

“We met and worked at BYU, and every morning when Gary passed my desk he’d say, ‘Morning, Sunshine.’ So that’s what we called the smoothie,” Colleen recalls. “Everything in the store is really personal to us.”

Economy Drivers features Utah Valley entrepreneurs and is sponsored by Brent Brown Automotive Group. Brent Brown was named one of Utah Valley’s Top Revenue Companies in BusinessQ’s UV50.

Colleen Worthington at a glance
Age 61
Family Husband, Gary; 6 children (ages 26-40)
Hometown Provo
Wakes Up 4 a.m.
Goes To Bed 8 p.m. (“Or else I’m pretty grouchy.”)
What Makes Her Laugh Grandchildren
How She Relaxes Work. (“When I’m worried about something, all I want to do is scrub the tile in the store or frost some sugar cookies in the back. That’s how I feel better.”)
Favorite Kneaders Bread French Country Sourdough
Favorite Kneaders Sandwich Turkey Bacon Avocado (“I’m with the customers on this one.”)
Favorite Kneaders Treat Key Lime Tarts
In Five Years Kneaders Will  Expand. (“We’ll be about four times bigger than we are right now. I see us having 40 stores open and doing more out of the state.”)

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Ironically, Provo Craft & Novelty isn’t in Provo anymore.

Nor does it still specialize in crafty items like paper, stickers or buttons.

But “novelty” is still accurate in the “newness” sense of the word.

Jim Thornton — president and CEO of Provo Craft — considers his company a “$250 million startup.”

In 2005, the craft industry was going through a lull. While Provo Craft wasn’t going down, company leaders felt there was still room to climb if they had the capital and leadership strong enough to do some lifting.

Enter Sorenson Capital and Fraser Bullock.

In 2005, representatives from Sorenson Capital contacted Jim — who was working as the president of the consumer products division for Apogee Enterprises, Inc. — and he agreed to move from Chicago back to his home state of Utah.

Dawning of a new day
“When I came out, it was pretty clear we needed to go in a different direction,” Jim says.

That’s when Robert Workman — one of the original owners of the company who continues with Provo Craft as chief executive creative officer — proposed an idea. The company should take a large, professional-grade die cutting machine and miniaturize it, which would lead to widespread distribution and sales.

What followed was the Cricut — a personal electronic cutting system that now boasts about 1 million users.

“The Cricut saved the business,” Jim says.

The Cricut also ushered in a change of focus to Provo Craft. Instead of being a paper, stickers and buttons company, the Spanish Fork-based venture turned into a consumer electronics manufacturer devoted to developing the best electronics for a predominately female clientele.

“We wanted to create markets, not just lead them,” Jim says. “We created a league all our own with tools and technology categories that set us apart.”

That’s been key to Provo Craft’s success. While other personal die-cutting machines exist — including some manufactured by local companies — Jim believes no one can match the Cricut.

Under new management
The inspired leadership Jim brought eased the transition.

Looking back, Jim recognizes the challenge he had in saving the company. From where he stood, there were two keys to getting the $250 million startup going: get the Cricut™ off the ground and develop a quality management team.

While the Cricut did see immediate success, Jim points out it’s the second part — bringing in the best people — that has truly been the key.

“Business leaders often say success starts with people,” Jim says. “The first thing I did (as president and CEO) was ask for an investment to hire new people. That’s counterintuitive. We paid good money to bring in quality people. That’s the only thing I’ve done right.”

From there, the good people took over. In fact, it’s hard to get Jim to take credit for much of anything other than hiring good people. He deflects praise to people like Ted Rock (chief operations officer), David Chase (chief financial officer), Brad Brusa (executive vice president of sales and marketing), Tonia Conger (director of marketing) and Jeff Coulter (director of business development).

Getting the product on shelves
Ironically, it was the relationships created by Robert that enabled Provo Craft to get the Cricut on shelves.

“Thank goodness Robert had built a good reputation with some core partners,” Jim says. “They trusted him.”

That trust led them to carry the Cricut. After a year of great sales of the Cricut, clients looked to Provo Craft for the next season’s “must-have” product. Luckily, Provo Craft had it for them. Now, each year, Provo Craft rolls out another product that stores can rely on to sell. In fact, Provo Craft has products lined up for the next several years.

In the meantime, they study ways to make manufacturing less expensive, which makes the products more affordable to the end user. The company also studies market trends to find the right time to release new products.

Culture shock
When an organization that’s been around for more than 20 years gets new ownership, a new president, a new team of executives and a new product line, continuity is in question.

“Change can be hard for folks, but here folks have a desire to win,” Jim says. “Even in our economy, we continue to hire and grow — everyone likes to be part of a winning story.”

With sales at about $250 million for 2008 and revenue up 38 percent in two years, Provo Craft is winning.

As for that name?

“I think we’ll stay true to ‘Provo’ — even though I’m a (University of) Utah and Notre Dame guy,” Jim says with a smile at their Spanish Fork offices. UV

Economy Drivers features Utah Valley entrepreneurs and is sponsored by Brent Brown Automotive Group. Brent Brown was named one of Utah Valley’s Top Revenue Companies in BusinessQ’s UV50.

Company Capsule
Company Provo Craft & Novelty
Number of employees: 700
Company president: Jim Thornton
Recent awards: Jim (along with Provo Craft founder Robert Workman) received the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2007
Company products: Consumer electronics primarily devoted to the craft and hobby industry
Company sales (2008): $250 million
Top product: Cricut (about 1 million users)
Number of products: 6,000 proprietary
Business advice from Jim: “I believe in a non-executive culture. We all have titles and responsibilities, but when we meet (as an executive committee), we check the titles at the door and feel free to have open discussion.”

MORE INFO
Read about Jim’s approach to recruiting the management team in the June 2008 edition of Inc. Magazine.

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In 1947, Randy Park’s dad opened Park’s Billiards on the corner of 800 North and State Street in Orem. It was adjacent to Park’s Café — owned by Randy’s grandparents — and eventually, the billiards hall started carrying a small stock of sporting goods.

Ten years later, The Sportsman opened a few blocks south of the original location. In 1973, with Randy firmly involved, The Sportsman changed its name to Park’s Sportsman.

But how does a business that competes so closely against big-box retailers last for 60 years? By delivering what the customer needs, being willing to change with the times and giving back to the community.

Hit the film room
Randy and his wife Jeri (the store’s general manager) are constantly researching what the customer needs and how Park’s fits into that.

“We understand our customers and do what we think they want in a store,” Randy says. “I think that’s why we’ve been able to be around for so long.”

And what customers want is an expert who cares. Passionate, expert salespeople aren’t hard to find. But the key is training those salespeople to listen to customers, evaluate their needs and make the right recommendation.

“We get passionate people, but we train them to fit customers with what the customer needs — not what is great for the salesperson,” Randy says.

Park’s long-standing ski rental area is an example of how the company stays committed to customers. They understand Utah Valley residents enjoy letting children get their feet wet with skiing before wanting to buy expensive skis. This is something lost on some of the store’s competitors that have come and gone.

“Other stores come in and fail because they only look at the market’s numbers,” Randy says. “We understand how people do business here and what they want in a store.”

Be able to audible
About four years ago, Park’s Sportsman stopped carrying guns and ammunition and started carrying a line of bikes. Why the change? Because hunting had evolved into a more specialized — and complicated — arena Randy and Jeri didn’t feel was best for their customers.

Cycling did fit.

“Extreme sports customers — snowboarders, climbers and mountain bikers — are the same guys who are camping, fishing and hiking,” Randy says.

“The change made it easier to balance the product line,” Jeri says.

The store researches to stay up on products and trends in each of their departments.

“When they’re not here, we want our people up on the mountain or on the river,” Randy says.

In fact, Randy and Jeri send sales representatives to test new products every year. The reps make notes on 3×5 cards, explaining pros and cons of each product.

“We use that information to help in purchasing decisions,” Jeri says. “If we order products the sales team doesn’t believe in, we won’t sell many of them. We need their input and support.”

Praise those around you
“You have to give back to the community,” Randy says. “If you are all take, owning a business will be very unfulfilling.”

This attitude has led Randy to be heavily involved in local youth football leagues.

“It’s a gratifying thing to be involved in,” he says. “We run a pretty lean group so we don’t have to turn kids away. We try to do everything we can to make it fun for every kid.”

The league has teams from Provo, Orem, Springville, Spanish Fork, Payson and Heber City. Last year, the league included a player with Down syndrome. Randy recalls letters of appreciation for what that player taught his teammates and opponents alike.

The reasons Randy and Jeri are involved in youth sports in the area have little, if anything, to do with economics. They feel like it’s the right thing to do.

But, surely, the appreciative mother who sees Randy turning on the lights and lining the field for her son may surely think of Park’s the next time she has to buy some socks or a new mouthpiece.

Keep your eyes downfield
While Park’s has enjoyed 60-plus years of winning over customers, what the company becomes is still open for interpretation.

For sure, Park’s is opening a second location in Heber City, which will be similar in size and scope to the Orem store. It will rent skis, supply top-of-the-line fly fishing equipment and carry the same spirit of customer service and satisfaction.

But Park’s is still evolving. The store is moving away from being organized as departments (i.e. fishing, camping, ski rental, team sports area) and will be creating several specialty shops under one roof.

The next time you walk into Park’s, you might see “Park’s Fly Shop” next to “Park’s Bike Shop.” Each will have a certain level of autonomy but will have the consistency expected from Randy and Jeri.

“We want to feel small and act big,” Randy says. “We need to be cool enough for the 18- to 40-year-old that comes in for the cool stuff of a specialty shop but still wants to get it for a good price. That’s a fine line.”

Economy Drivers features Utah Valley
entrepreneurs and is sponsored by Brent Brown Automotive Group. Brent Brown was named one of Utah Valley’s Top Revenue Companies in BusinessQ’s UV50.

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In 2004, Jimmy and Ruth Morrison lived in New York, where he worked on Wall Street and she was a stay-at-home mom holding down the family fort in Westchester County.

Then the family went on a trip, and Jimmy’s life was never the same.

“We were on vacation and my daughter called me a ‘vacation dad,’” Jimmy says. “She said that’s what she and her friends called their dads because they only saw us on vacation.”

The comment sounded a warning trumpet in the ears of Jimmy and Ruth. While the family had lived through numerous New York-associated challenges (including the Sept. 11 attacks), it was this observation by their 7-year-old daughter that motivated the couple to change.

And that’s where the story of Funfinity begins.

Jimmy and Ruth had met at BYU (both have accounting degrees) and have family in Utah, so deciding to move from New York to Springville wasn’t a major stretch. The next big move was to sell Jimmy’s Yukon Denali to fund the initial $40,000 investment. But the hard part came when their entrepreneurial choo-choo train got off track.

The couple anticipated starting a toy catalog company. But the first mailing was a disaster. The catalog was delivered late — missing the Christmas holiday rush — and the few responses the catalog received were to inform the couple the cover had been printed on upside down.

“We were left with $40,000 of inventory and no way to move it,” Jimmy says.

But the disaster turned into an opportunity. The couple quickly learned about online sales — including eBay — and started a successful online toy retailer.

The online sales led to the first Funfinity store opening in Springville in February 2005. Within six months, the store was overgrown and expansion was necessary.

“When we opened, we had 453 products and I knew where each one was and how many we had,” Jimmy says. “That’s not the case anymore.”

The need for more space led them to a storefront being vacated by friends who ran the Red Leaf Bookstore on Main Street in Springville. Funfinity moved to that location and began focusing more on children’s books — taking advantage of customers loyal to the Red Leaf.

The company opened a second store in Orem in 2007. The couple took over a lease from Shepherd’s Cake and Candy Supplies on University Parkway and kept some of the inventory from Shepherd’s — expanding the Funfinity brand to candy and chocolate.

Funfinity now does business in four primary areas: toys, books, chocolates and board games.

But in this day of big-box stores and video games, how can a store selling wooden toys, card games, board games and (gasp!) children’s books thrive?

“We have a face when you walk in,” Ruth says. “People know they can come in and we’ll give them quality advice. Our employees are knowledgeable, and they genuinely want the business to succeed.”

Funfinity has 12 full-time employees and is becoming easier for the Morrisons to manage. In fact, as of July 2008, Jimmy stopped worrying about the day-to-day details and Ruth has taken over. They’re quick to point out that hiring quality people — and training them in several areas — has been key.

“We’ve set up the business such that everyone knows how to do everything,” Jimmy says. “That way, if the retail store is slow, the employee can fulfill online orders or make some of the candies.”

The company’s success also comes from good old-fashioned charm.

“We have a lot of value,” Ruth says. “When you walk into our toy store, you don’t smell plastic. A lot of our toys are made of wood. The dress-ups we have can double as Halloween costumes. A lot of people throw the costume away after Halloween. With our stuff, you wash it.”

The company continues to adapt to the market.

“We’re fostering good relationships with some of the local school districts,” Jimmy says. “We have a good group of educational toys and games.”

The Morrisons are helping kids all over Utah Valley, but they’ve also improved day-to-day life for their own family.

“It’s been better than we could have asked for,” Ruth says. “Our kids confide in us. They want to come to the store. They help in a lot of ways. Of course, who wouldn’t want to go to work with Mom and Dad when they own a toy store?”

Now every day with mom and dad feels like a vacation.

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The company Jeff Alexander started 29 years ago is not the same Alexander’s Print Advantage standing in Lindon today. Just scan through its “then and now.”
Then, the company was a retail copy center. Now, it’s a commercial printing business.
Then, Jeff had a Xerox 9400 copier and a single pallet of paper. Now, the company has a number of printers and clients such as FranklinCovey, IHC and Deseret Book.
Then, Alexander’s was a one-man show. Now, it’s an act of delegation.
This common (and often inconvenient) “change of plans” comes with the job title of entrepreneur. But luckily — or perhaps appropriately — Jeff understood the job description’s fine print.
“You have to adapt if you want to succeed,” Jeff says. “If the company needs new technology, you have to learn it. If it needs new policies, you have to implement them. And if something’s not working, you have to change it.”
Just call it Alexander’s advantage.

Youthful good looks
In 1979, Jeff Alexander was a sprightly BYU grad with a plan. The budding entrepreneur knew he wanted to start a business — the only question was what business.
Cue the research.
At the time, there weren’t any retail copy centers in Utah County, so Jeff decided to pioneer the movement. And in true ironic fashion, his inexperience helped rather than hurt.
“I didn’t know much about the business, but when you’re young you don’t seem to worry about whether something will fail,” he says. “You view the whole experience as more of a learning process.”
So Jeff worked and learned and succeeded. And when Utah County’s business community started to ripen — making way for a new, viable customer base — Alexander’s took the leap into the digital commercial printing world.
“It was the right move for us at the right time,” Jeff says. “That was when we became more than a copier. We became a business partner.”

Put ’er there, partner
With a degree in public relations, Jeff likes people. He enjoys meeting with them, working with them, and helping their businesses grow. Which, essentially, is why the transition to commercial printing made sense.
“We really don’t like to be known as ‘just that printer,’” Jeff says. “When people call us, they don’t just get a bid. They get a partner that will help them develop a number of projects.”
Some of Alexander’s “above and beyond” projects include creating a program called “Advantage” for Provo’s Nu Skin Enterprises, which helps the company manage marketing materials for its distributors online, as well as a “Printware” program for FranklinCovey, which helps the company with its “Design Your Own” planner pages.
“We become a strategic part of our clients’ businesses,” Jeff says. “And there’s no better way to do it.”
In addition to the client, Alexander’s other “partner” is its employees. Jeff places a special emphasis on making each person feel like he or she matters.
“You have to be loyal to your people,” says Jeff, who cites employees who have been with the company for 10, 15 and 25 years. “We try to promote an environment where there is open communication. Building trust is absolutely essential.”
That trust has been especially crucial while Alexander’s has grown to be one of the largest commercial printing companies in the country. In other words, trust translates to delegation.
“The bigger we’ve gotten, the more important it’s been to get the right people in place,” Jeff says. “We won’t succeed if I’m not able to delegate.”

The fine print
Building a business isn’t all fun and copies — unless, of course, you’re Jeff Alexander.
“I love creating and trying new things,” he says. “It’s rewarding. When you work hard and accomplish what you’ve set out to do, there’s nothing like it.”
And too often, people miss out on the chance to succeed.
“So many times people are afraid to try new things, and then they lose out on amazing opportunities,” Jeff says.
One opportunity Alexander’s never loses is the chance for expert customer service. The company lives by the “law of referability,” which outlines four principles: 1. Be on time. 2. Do what you say you’re going to do. 3. Finish what you start. 4. Be polite.
“If customers can’t depend on you, they won’t stay,” Jeff says. “Especially in this Internet age. With the onset of social networking, customers will hear about everything you do — good and bad. You have to live up to your word.”
Copy that.

Economy Drivers features Utah Valley entrepreneurs and is sponsored by Brent Brown Automotive Group. Brent Brown employs 400 and was named one of Utah Valley’s Top Revenue Companies in BusinessQ’s UV50.

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Neways is ready for a new way — and a new reputation.

The direct-selling company has seen its share of negative headlines, but the recent news from Neways is positive and forward-thinking — rather than focused on the past hurdles of divorcing founders and tax-evasion allegations.

With 500 employees in Utah (most are in the corporate offices in Springville or the manufacturing plant in Salem) and $750 million in sales for 2007, Neways has been blazing economic growth in south Utah County since its incorporation in 1992.

However, the company’s economic influence is felt beyond these small Utah County towns — Neways has a presence in 29 countries.

“I have seen street people in Third World countries take our business plan and make a nice living,” says James E. Watson, vice president of human resources and organizational development at Neways.

He’s also seen conventions in Japan — the company’s most prolific country — that attract tens of thousands of attendees, such as a April 2007 conference in the Tokyo Dome.

“It’s an interesting feeling speaking in front of that many people,” James says. “You feel like a rock star.”

Adrenaline rush aside, James and other members of the board take as much satisfaction helping a small distribution base in Hungary as enjoying “rock star” Japan.

The growth-minded MLM benefited from two significant changes in 2006. In March, the Board of Directors named Eric Larsen as its chief executive officer. In November, the company was sold to Golden Gate Capital.

“We couldn’t be happier with (Golden Gate Capital),” James says. “They bring us a wealth of resources we didn’t have access to before.”

Golden Gate Capital kept the core executive team — including Eric and James — intact while adding people in specialized areas.

However, one change Golden Gate Capital did make was housing executives in the departments they oversee. For example, James’s office is near other human resources professionals and the public relations team rather than in a top-floor executive suite with the other vice presidents.

The change in ownership marked the end of the family-run aspect Neways had known since its beginnings being run by founders Thomas Mower Sr. and Dee Mower. The sale came as part of divorce proceedings between the two. And in stepped Golden Gate Capital.

“The changes we’ve made have made us more effective and efficient,” says James, who’s been with Neways for eight years. “Corporations are like sharks. They have to keep moving or they die.”

Neways is always adding products, but it is still dedicated to producing the highest quality cosmetics and the best health supplements on the market. It continues to utilize the multilevel marketing business plan popular with some of Utah County’s largest employers.

In fact, Neways success has stemmed, in large part, from its association with Utah Valley.

“This area has always been very entrepreneurial and people network well,” James says. “Plus, this area has wonderful assets in the labor base. We have a rich pool of people who speak a variety of languages and have actual life experience among a variety of cultures. They are educated — we have BYU and UVU right here. All those things have made this area a natural spring for our business.”

While Utah County has been a great home to Neways, James admits there are some misconceptions when he first approaches potential employees from other parts of the country. However, they are quickly cleared up if he can get people to come to the Wasatch Front.

“When they get here, they see the scenery, they meet the people and they realize what a great place this is,” he says. “When they move here, they are usually among the area’s biggest supporters.”

An outward manifestation of the company’s dedication to the area came in 2003 when the new corporate headquarters building opened off Exit 260 in Springville. The building quickly became a south county landmark.

A key to the company’s success has been its dedication to national and international distributors — numbering 1.5 million to date.

“We have to remember our success comes from the success of individual distributors around the world,” James says.

Whether in Japan, a Third World country or Springville.

Economy Drivers features Utah Valley entrepreneurs and is sponsored by Brent Brown Automotive Group. Brent Brown employs 400 and was named one of Utah Valley’s Top Revenue Companies in BusinessQ’s UV50.

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Brent Brown’s pattern for motivating himself and others began on a musical note.

In his youth, Brent was pursuing a rock music career.

“I decided it wasn’t taking me in a direction I should be going for the rest of my life, so I quit the band to go on an LDS mission,” he says.

Brent told everybody about his mission plans.

“I had to convince myself, so the more people I told, the more committed I was,” Brent says. “I did the same thing with my diet, and I do the same thing in business. I’ll declare that we’re going to do something, and I’ll stand up and raise the battle cry. Then I’ll turn around and say to myself, ‘Now I have to come through. I’ve committed myself.’”

Brent has committed himself to Utah County and its automobile industry for more than 20 years.

In 1986, Brent was recruited by Utah’s Rick Warner organization to leave his job selling cars in Texas. Brent became part-owner of what was then Rick Warner Toyota in 1992, and then purchased the dealership in 1999 and renamed it Brent Brown Toyota. Since then, Brent has purchased additional dealerships and become Utah Valley’s first choice in automobiles (see the January/February Best of UV nominations in Utah Valley Magazine). His combined sales for 2008 will top $250 million.

Not bad for a man who barely graduated from high school — but would earn an “A” in risk taking.

“It was all along just crazy risk,” Brent says.

He was told he only had a 25 percent chance of pulling off his initial dealership purchase.

“I decided I would rather be sitting in the gutter completely bankrupt and homeless than to spend the rest of my life wondering if I could have pulled off the 25 percent,” Brent says. “That would be hell to not know. Every day I would have wondered.”

The first and all subsequent acquisitions have been based more on gut than GAAP (generally accepted accounting principles).

“I don’t spend nearly as much time in due diligence,” Brent says. “I just really believe things are going to work. I want my bullet flying before anyone else can get theirs up. Some people spend way too much time aiming and never get the bullet in the air.”

Although expansion has dictated that Brent no longer hands out every paycheck or knows all 400 employee names, he still keeps plenty on his to-do list. Namely, advertising and marketing.

“If I could speak every ad to every person face to face, that would be the truest form of advertising,” he says. “I have to rely on media to do that for me, but I want it to be exactly the way I want to speak to my customers. I can’t give that away to other people to do.”

Fortunately, Brent’s wife, Kim, owns Kim Brown & Associates, an advertising agency.

“We’d both be elected presidents of each other’s fan clubs,” Brent says about his wife of 27 years. “Her abilities in advertising are phenomenal, and she thinks I’m a whiz in the car business.”

People person
Brent builds relationships with employees by inviting them to go to lunch.

“I always have to preface it with the fact that I don’t have an agenda, I just want to spend some time with them,” he says. “Some of the good directions we’ve gone as a business have been the result of those lunches.”

Occasionally, Brent will go to lunch by himself to collect his thoughts. His dining spot of choice?

“Anywhere with a good salad!” he says. “I’ve lost 57 pounds. We had a diet contest at the dealership, and I won! I’m extremely competitive.”

Work hard, play hard
Brent is not an 80-hour-a-week entrepreneur. He has a “work-hard-play-hard” mentality.

“I try to do both to their fullest,” Brent says. “I will never be accused of being a workaholic. I don’t like workaholics under my employment. I’ve never been impressed with someone who skips their vacation or works their day off.”

Brent vacations about once a month.

“Because of the level of craziness in my work, I have to go and retreat,” Brent says. “I couldn’t keep this level up if I didn’t.”

The Browns like to leave work behind, but they come back into town “swinging,” Brent says.

“I feel very blessed to automatically shut off the business when I walk out the door,” Brent says. “When I lay my head on the pillow at night, it all shuts off and I sleep really well. But when I’m at work, I’m very much at work.”

Just a phone call away
Other than his ability to bend over backwards, Brent is perhaps most well-known for listing his home phone and cell phone on his business cards. He also has “red phones” around his dealership that ring straight through to his very own red Blackberry.

Although giving out his numbers seems like it would reduce his quality of life, Brent says it’s the most ingenious thing he’s done.

“By being so accessible, I bought myself freedom,” he says. “I’ve sent the message to my employees that if someone is having a problem you might as well solve it because if you don’t, they will call me. And then I’ll come to you and ask why you didn’t solve the problem. In essence it says, ‘Take care of it.’”

But the phone does occasionally ring — even in Italy at 2 a.m.

“I saw that it was a ‘red phone’ calling from the dealership, so I knew the caller didn’t know what time it was for me,” Brent says. “They were calling to say how great of an experience they had. That is actually the most common call I get — other than those who just want to see if I’ll really pick up.”

Economy Drivers is a new department for Utah Valley Magazine and will replace Eclipse Entrepreneur. As the sponsor of the department, Brent Brown is our first featured entrepreneur.

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