Sara Parker, from Utah Central Credit Union shares the story of one UCCU member who is doing it the right way.
Take Dusty Robertson of West Jordan, owner of Avian Control Solutions. His novel idea was to keep nuisance birds away from freeway overpasses, airports, private homes and businesses – places like the Capitol Theater in downtown Salt Lake where patrons would exit the theater only to find exit stairs and ramps loaded with bird droppings. To fix the problem, Dusty installed bird spikes to keep them off railings and overhead perches.
At 90th south and I-15 his nets are saving Utah taxpayers millions of dollars from concrete erosion. “Nobody understands how toxic and destructive birds can be from their droppings as well as nesting in public places.” Bird feces can eat through concrete and make roadways unsafe, not to mention unpleasant underneath the overpasses.
At a Lindon strip mall, restaurant and spa retailers were battling pigeons and starlings until Dusty installed special netting and bird spikes. The netting matched the color of the new timber beams which hung over the walkway – so not only kept the birds away but was esthetically pleasing.
For a dozen years, Dusty observed the problems birds could create and when he was laid off from work in 2009, decided to turn his idea into a business. He cashed in his 401K, got certified training in California and is the only bird control expert in the state. UDOT is one of his biggest customers.
“Pigeons are the number one nuisance birds, but barn swallows are the second most troublesome.” Last spring barn swallows built mud nests near a University of Utah Air Med helicopter site. Once the birds migrated in the fall, Robertson removed their nests and installed preventative measures. Now University of Utah AirMed helicopters can operate safely in Park City.
If birds get caught in Dusty’s netting, they are always humanely removed. Dusty was able to get a head start with his business thanks to having some financial planning and support from Utah Central Credit Union where he is a member. Now, his business is the only one in the state and one of the few in the country! Because the service is in demand around the Intermountain region, Dusty must have the right financial planning in place to support that growth. He has a checking account at Utah Central, but also made a smart decision when he opened a rainy day savings account that he uses for emergencies and capital improvement. This is really important if you have a small business.
One feature that lets him to do business on the go is examining his bank statements online. He can also easily transfer money back and forth electronically between checking and savings to keep up with accounts receivable and accounts payable. Right now he has two workers but as he adds more, intends to use Utah Central’s payroll deposit service as a convenient way to pay worker salaries.
You really can’t succeed in today’s economy unless you have an established financial partner. When the business starts growing and needs more capital, that established trust will pay off.
This year, Dusty anticipates he will have several capital needs, like a boom lift or a scissor lift as well as a truck for his business. So he’s thinking about getting a small business loan at Utah Central. Because we’re already well acquainted with Dusty and his business, we’re anxious to help him grow.
For more information on how you can get help for a small business or any financial need, contact Utah Central Credit Union at www.utahcentral.com
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