Todd Rodriguez is confident in his skills. He can turn a pipe wrench with the best. He thrives in putting right what has gone terribly wrong from the manifold to the main.
He admits to struggling a bit with the “softer side” of sewers. He needed assistance with marketing and the business start-up process.
He had questions but lacked the answers. How do you get the phone to ring? How should a professional invoice look? What about Uncle Sam?
Rodriguez, owner of Done Right Plumbing, of Mustang, discovered the answers were a phone call and a short drive away, down Interstate 40 in El Reno.
He was introduced to Emily Beesley, Business Development Specialist at Canadian Valley Technology Center, which partners with nearby Redlands Community College to operate the Small Business Development Center.
The SBDC was founded in 1984 as a statewide network (now in 16 locations) providing quality, no-cost entrepreneurial and small business management advising. The network’s goal is to help Oklahomans start businesses, grow them and prosper them.
Rodriguez said he had longed for growth eight months after opening his business. Done Right provides both residential and commercial water, sewer and gas services.
Another issue was the lack of a reliable work truck. He said banks were reluctant to lend money for a vehicle until his fledgling business matured.
“I persevered and finally found a banker who believed in the opportunity at hand and more importantly, I got the newer work truck that is keeping me working,” he said.
His business began to thrive through social media, which is another tool utilized by the SBDC. The phone started ringing – a lot. Revenue increased significantly.
Beesley also provided an online business presence review, and she worked with Rodriguez on a marketing plan and provided social media strategies for his online footprint.
“My business is starting to show up organically on Google, and people are very interactive with my Facebook,” he said.
The attention to online details has already paid dividends. Done Right Plumbing was voted “2023 Best of the 405,” as published in the May issue of the lifestyle-focused “405 Magazine.”
Rodriguez said he is learning as a business owner that you must adapt and continue learning to survive. He admits to not knowing what to expect before working with Beesley.
“What I got was well beyond what I thought it could be,” he said.
CV Tech’s Workforce Development Team can assist area companies in Canadian and Grady counties with a wide array of services, including affordable, customized industry training, and much more. Call the SBDC office at (405) 422-2271.
