Zaxx Computer Specialists, Ed Moreno
With help from SCORE mentor Carla Lenk, Moreno developed a business plan, completed the purchasing process, and created a marketing plan.
“She assisted with the business plan and any other questions that I may have had involving the purchasing of the company,” said Moreno. “At some points, we were emailing a couple of times per day.”
Whenever Moreno had a question, big or small, he would reach out to Lenk.
“She really helped me figure out what I needed to move my company forward,” he said. “Things such as who to reach out to for marketing, for example. The business was established already, but she helped me to make it more broad.”
Ed Moreno had worked for Zaxx Computer Specialists in Wisconsin Rapids, WI for several years when he decided to buy the business in early 2017.
Zaxx has been in business since 2003, selling, supporting, and servicing a full line of electronic devices.
Ed's experience was in the technical aspects of the business, and he realized he lacked experience in marketing, financing, administration, and writing a business plan. Consequently, he contacted SCORE for guidance on the behind-the-scenes work every small business must undertake to survive.
“I was never really in the whole business situation. I worked for the company, but the back end stuff, the marketing, and all that stuff, I was never too involved with that,” said Moreno. “When I started looking at purchasing Zaxx, I was reaching out for assistance in financing. The North Central Community Action Program in Rapids referred me to SCORE.”
For Moreno, SCORE’s help was fundamental to his success.
“Never doing this before, I kind of hit this blind. I had the working knowledge behind me of course, but business ownership was completely new,” he said. “Whatever it took to be successful, Carla was there.”
Moreno would recommend SCORE to anyone seeking help with starting or developing a small business.
“Them being there for me when I had questions and offering up any other resources that were out there to get my name up there more, that was a lot of help,” he said. “They are always there. They are very supportive. Whatever it takes to make you successful, they do. That was my experience.”
Director of the UW-Whitewater Small Business Development Center - 18 years. Director of the Emerging...