Take opportunities that come your way—even if you’re unsure how your business will manage them, advised Winton Machine Company CEO and Co-Owner (and NAM board member) Lisa Winton in a recent interview.
The background: The 29-year-old Suwanee, Georgia–based Winton Machine, which produces factory automation equipment, had an unusual start, Winton said on an episode of “Business Trends Today,” an America’s Small Business Network interview series.
- George Winton (Lisa’s husband and company co-owner), who has an engineering background, wrote a technical article that cited a specific type of fixture.
- “[S]omeone [read it and] called us and said, ‘Can you make these fixtures?’” Winton recounted to show host and ASBN Co-Founder Jim Fitzpatrick.
- “We didn’t have anything. We had a screwdriver, a wrench—like, nothing. [But] we were like, ‘Sure, we can do it. … We’ll figure out a way to do it.’”
- Today, Winton Machine has a staff of around 40 employees and conducts business in about 15 countries.
A recent win: In July, the Small Business Administration’s Freedom 250 Patriot Pitch Competition named Winton Machine a finalist. The competition celebrates America’s 250th anniversary by “bring[ing] together entrepreneurs from across the country who are <a href="https://bitcomme.com/walmart-building-high-tech-fulfillment-center-in-georgia/” title=”Walmart building high-tech fulfillment center in Georgia”>building and scaling businesses within their communities.”
- On Sept. 18, the finalists will compete in Washington before a panel of judges for $1 million in prize funding, said SBA Southeast Regional Administrator Tyler Teresa, a guest on the “Business Trends Today” episode with Winton.
Supporting small business: Some “98% of all manufacturers are small businesses,” Teresa said. He added that the SBA has taken several recent steps to support these companies:
- Its “Made in America” bank loan program provides loans that come with a 90% federal guarantee.
- In May, the SBA also decoupled 7(a) loan balances from the 504 loan program so that businesses can now receive up to $10 million in financing.
Advice to prospective manufacturers: “If you’re interested in starting a manufacturing business, this is the time in our country to do it,” Winton said. “Just look [to] your resources. There’s a lot available. We’re a member of the National Association of Manufacturers; I sit on the board, and I have found it incredibly helpful in all aspects. … We have a great community out there.”
