Farmerboy Customs, LLC: Serving People with a Passion for Tractors Through his business, Farmerboy Customs, Kevin Pontel does what he loves: painting, restoring and repairing tractors. Evidence of his craftsmanship can be seen in the two tractors he restored for the lobby museum at the Case New Holland Industrial headquarters. After his business launch in 2012, the quality of his work quickly attracted customers. But even with a growing list of satisfied clients, finding funding to grow Farmerboy Customs wasn’t easy.
Challenges obtaining financing
“I wanted a second opinion. Am I being smart? Am I going in the right direction?”
“It’s been a struggle, and that’s where Bud came in,” said Kevin, referring to Ronald “Bud” Gayhart, director of the UW-Whitewater Small Business Development Center. They began working together in May 2015. Kevin said, “This business is a passion for me, and I wanted a second opinion. Am I being smart? Am I going in the right direction? Bud told me, ‘I think this can go somewhere.’” But “going somewhere” would require operating capital Kevin didn’t have. He faced challenges when it came to seeking a loan: He and his small business lacked the strong financial track record commercial lenders typically require. Plus, he did not have a business plan, “which wasn’t unusual,” Bud said. “I encouraged Kevin to start putting his thoughts together.”
SBDC helps owner prepare
Bud helped Kevin frame his ideas into a structured business plan format, including financial projections aided by a template developed by Luke Kempen, UW-Eau Claire SBDC Director and a CPA. Then Bud introduced Kevin to area lenders. A meeting with one lender “was cordial, but their loan committee turned him down,” Bud said. A meeting with the president of a locally-owned bank was more fruitful. Financing was finalized in late October 2015. Kevin’s skills were acquired around his family’s farm as a boy, where he started painting some of the older farm equipment. “It just seemed to come naturally,” Kevin said. While employed in various trades, he thought
about turning his unique skills into a business. When the timing was right, a shed on the family farm near Whitewater provided a location.
Financing obtained, company grows
Farmerboy Customs has grown steadily since its launch, thanks to marketing through a website and social media including Craigs list, eBay, and Facebook. Kevin’s customers are as passionate about vintage tractors as he his. “For 85 to 90 percent of my customers, it is all sentimental value,” he said. One restored tractor is being used by the fourth generation of a farm family; another was inherited by a Chicago architect from his grandfather. After spending seven years puttering with restoration in his suburban garage, he called Kevin. “He just wanted it done. On the day I delivered it, he drove it around for three hours,” Kevin recalled. As of the end of 2015, business has grown to the point where Kevin is planning to hire an employee. He also intends to expand the business by branching into parts sales. Relationships are at the heart of Farmerboy Customs’ growth, starting with his supportive family and his Facebook followers. But family and Facebook would not have been enough to ensure Kevin’s success: “Financing was absolutely critical to his growth,” said Bud. The SBDC’s support with business planning, documentation, and introductions in the financial community have helped Kevin Pontel’s tractor painting and repair business to shine.
At a glance Name: Farmerboy Customs, LLC Location: Whitewater Year founded: 2012 Employees: 1 Website: farmerboycustoms.com WI SBDC at UW-Whitewater, 262-472-3217
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Wisconsin Small Business Development Center wisconsinsbdc.org 608- 263-7812
