Encouraging examples of entrepreneurial excellence!



Washington Metropolitan Area District Office - March 2022





u s small business administration



SBA SUCCESS STORY

AARON UDLER, PRESIDENT

OFFICE PRO, INC.

Aaron Udler, President of Office Pro, Inc.

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*Training for Success*

Aaron Udler wishes he had been better prepared to lead Office Pro, Inc. when he bought the company from his father in August 2013. With a background in the trade show industry, Aaron had much to learn about his company?s three divisions: IT staffing, end-user adoption services, and software training. He recalls missing out on an important contracting opportunity due to his lack of experience. It was only his second day on the job. Aaron clearly needed help to keep his father?s legacy alive and well.

Fortunately, he heard about the SBA?s Emerging Leaders Initiative, an intensive executive training program for small business owners. He applied and was accepted to the program in 2015. Over the course of 100 hours of classroom training that included strategic marketing projects and public speaking assignments, Aaron was able to expand his professional network, sharpen his organizational leadership skills, and develop an actionable growth plan for his company. He adds, ?Aside from the valuable networking it provided, the program also taught us how to work with banks and the SBA.?

Aaron had leveraged his Emerging Leaders training to create new customers for his company across federal, state, and local governments. Large numbers of public sector employees had grown to depend on Office Pro to keep them current on using the latest technology to achieve their agency?s mission. ?When the pandemic struck,? Aaron recalls, ?the government stopped all classes, even though our trainings could have been delivered virtually.? Dozens of classes that had been scheduled were suddenly taken off the calendar.

As Office Pro?s revenues plummeted, Aaron had no choice but to reduce his team?s salaries by one-third. Before long, the federal government would announce the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), a forgivable loan program to help small business owners retain their workforce. Through the PPP, Aaron was able to return to his employees the amount taken out of their paychecks to keep the company afloat.?Aaron also applied for and was granted a COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL). The SBA-issued loan offers Aaron the flexibility to hire more workers at a moment?s notice. With annual revenues now hovering around $2 million, he may well need to add staff soon!

*DISCLAIMER:?*"All SBA programs and services are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis. This website is provided as a public service. It is not an official U.S. government website, and it may contain links to non-U.S. government information. Inclusion of such links does not constitute or imply an endorsement by SBA. SBA is not responsible for the content, accuracy, relevance, timeliness or completeness of linked information.?Please use caution when considering a product, service or opinion offered by a linked website."

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