Trucker Glenn Sasser's routines have become more of a barometer of what takes priority over time wasters. Adhering to a tight schedule can mean the difference between getting paid for making a haul on time versus filling an order to remesh 100 old frames so that a wholesaler can have them back in time for the grand opening of a new restaurant.
He likely takes on a no-nonsense demeanor to keep the focus on building A Plus Silk Screen, a small business in Odenville, Ala., a one traffic-light town of 3,585 about 20 miles northeast of Birmingham. Sasser takes used frames, turns them into new ones and applies a silk screen so that designs can be transferred on everything from cereal boxes to bottles to ink pens.
How Sasser came to start up his fledgling10-year old business is a series of twists and turns peppered along the way with personal and financial setbacks. The $590 million Alabama Telco Credit Union in Birmingham, Ala., filled the voids after several banks flatly refused to provide financing. Among them, BB&T and Bank of America.
At one point, Sasser had 13 different accounts at Telco. While most were on the consumer side, he held a few business deposits at the cooperative. But he moved his business accounts to BB&T because Telco didn't offer international wire transfers. After being insulted and nickeled and dimed by the bank, Sasser, in February 2012, found out that Telco now had a full suite of business services that now included international wire transfers. He made quick tacks back to his credit union.
Sasser's silkscreen business fell right in with Telco's target business loan audience–small to medium-sized with annual revenue of $5 million or less. The fledgling manufacturer currently employs two independent contractors.
"His business is a perfect example of a small business that is expanding," said Julie Thomason, developer of Telco's new business services unit. "His product was so unique because not many people were doing it."
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