Robert Slover leaned on the WESST Farmington Women’s Business Center for extensive one-on-one consultation sessions in the early days of his cell phone repair business. Cell Phone Doctor sells new and factory-refurbished phones, including iPhone, Samsung, LG, Motorola, and Android, and it services all brands of cell phones and tablets. The business also sells PlayStation and Xbox gaming systems and can network unlock phones. When the Gallup business was ready to expand, Stover turned to WESST again, this time for a small business loan.
Slover’s relationship with WESST initially focused on cash flow and financial planning. Soon after, Slover worked with consultant and trainer Holly Patterson to understand how to use digital marketing tools to improve his social media postings. Help with marketing strategies aimed at growing his target markets was next.
As the business grew, Slover looked to inventory management as a way to increase profit. WESST helped him create an inventory tracking process to determine the value of his merchandise from month to month, which allowed him to optimize orders instead of overstocking and tying up cash.
Credit counseling with WESST’s loan operations officer Melissa Toland helped Slover improve his personal credit standing, significantly increasing his credit score. When Slover realized a new piece of equipment would help the business, he was ready for a loan.
Slover’s knowledge, acquired with the help of WESST, was not just academic. The cash flow projections and financial reports he produced justified borrowing and enabled the loan, which was paid back within a few months.
WESST is a nonprofit economic development organization that offers business training, consulting, and loans to entrepreneurs and business owners. It serves clients throughout the state from offices in Albuquerque, Farmington, Hobbs, Las Cruces, Rio Rancho, Roswell, and Santa Fe. Read more about WESST and visit its website.
Visit Cell Phone Doctor at 401 W Coal Ave in Gallup and learn more about its services from the WESST-produced video on the company’s Facebook page.