Located in Southern California, Moon Family Enterprises produces premier name tags for large corporate clients. They also create merchandise sold to the public through company stores and are launching a new product.
We recently caught up with Jeremy Moon to learn more about his business and how proceeds from an SBA loan are helping his company expand.
Moon is no stranger to entrepreneurship. He helped start a small business, JT Woodcrafts, with his father. “My dad does woodworking as a hobby. It’s his passion and he wanted to make sure I had that skill set.”
Moon’s father also wanted to make sure that Jeremy had a business mindset. “He was always mentoring me in business. He would give me new books to read every month.” The father and son both believe that it’s important to be self-taught and are voracious readers. “My dad reads 35 – 40 books a year, mostly about business.”
Jeremy doesn’t just use books to increase his business knowledge. “I wanted to figure out communication, relating with others and learn more about presenting.”
All of the self-taught business strategy that Jeremy and his father learned has served them well. JT Woodcrafts produced unique wooden name tags sold in gift shops and that led to the current business.
Moon Family Enterprises has been in operation since 2000. “My sister was initially running the business while I was working in the travel industry. It got too big for her to handle – she has six kids – so my mom and I took over.” The business was registered as a limited liability company (LLC) in 2009.
It’s a tightly run operation with just Jeremy, his mother and another employee operating out of Jeremy’s home office. “We’ve always been home based and it’s worked out nicely to save on overhead. Also, I’ve found that in an office, you can get taken away from the busy work that needs to get done. We like to get work done quickly so we can use our time to build the business or spend with family.”
Speaking of family and business building, Jeremy now has two new reasons to grow his enterprise. Newborn twins just joined his 3-year-old daughter. “They are my motivation to grow the business in the coming months.”
Moon Family Enterprises has already started growing with the help of an SBA loan facilitated by SmartBiz. The business always used personal finances and this is the first time they sought outside funding. “I found SmartBiz through an online search. I did a lot of research and felt that SmartBiz had the best rates and customer service.”
Jeremy secured $70,000 SBA loan and was helped along the way by a SmartBiz Relationship Manager. “It can be scary when you start looking for financing. I wanted to work with a company that was legitimate and trustworthy. Huy’s follow through and professionalism was 10x what the competitors had.”
The loan proceeds from an SBA loan facilitated by SmartBiz are being used to purchase a piece of equipment that will help create better products and expand into a new market.
The new machine, an LED printer, prints and cures the paint leading to a higher quality nametag. “We could have just stuck with silk screening. Now I’m trying to maximize what we’re doing and keep the costs down. We’re bringing our business into the 21st century. In addition to name tags and other merchandise, we can now create braille signage required in California by the ADA. ”
Marketing for the new product will be old school. “I’m going to pick up the phone and work my connections. We have a good network of vendors who can connect us with clients. I always try to schedule face-to-face meetings, I’ve found that that’s the best strategy.”
Jeremy has good advice for other small business owners. “As a business owner, there are months when you’re doing really well and months when the orders aren’t there. It’s important to save and plan for unexpected months. Make sure your business is taken care of first.”
Like many entrepreneurs, he knows that perseverance is key. “Keep pushing and talking to people and don’t give up. Always find new connections. When you stop trying to find customers you start dying.”
The SmartBiz team wishes Moon Family Enterprises the best of luck as they find new customers and grow!
Do you need extra funds for your small business? An SBA loan is the best bet for small businesses with low rates, long terms and low monthly payments. Visit SmartBiz Loans® today and discover in about five minutes if you’re qualified to apply for an SBA loan with one of our bank partners.
