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Customer Wise: Meeting the many demands of a booming clientele
You could say Cory Robison has the right business at the right time. In his area of Utah, he says, someone will turn 65 every 23 minutes this year. So there’s big demand for his product: modern,...
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Customer Wise: Making violins and tuning for growth
Anton Krutz has one of the most complex businesses around: making violins and other stringed instruments. As if making a finely crafted stringed instrument weren’t challenging enough, his company,...
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What new grads may learn from business owners (part 1)
With college graduation season under way, we want to share with the Class of 2015 some wisdom we’ve heard from some of our successful business clients that may be useful for anyone who’s starting a...
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What new grads may learn from business owners (part 2)
With college graduation season under way, we want to share with the Class of 2015 some more wisdom we’ve heard from some of our successful business clients that may be useful for anyone who’s starting...
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Made Here: Going global with U.S. innovation & quality
Manufacturing in America is alive and well. In our “Made Here” series, we talk to some of our manufacturing business clients and learn how they’ve flourished in spite of tough odds in recent years. The...
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Made Here: Lifetime warranties drive growing business
Manufacturing in America is alive and well. In our “Made Here” series, we talk to some of our manufacturing business clients and learn how they’ve flourished in spite of tough odds in recent years....
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‘Fortifying Your Business’: A fraud protection guide for manufacturers
One of our small business clients recently compared cyber-security attacks to natural disasters, pointing out that both can be equally devastating to a business. The analogy seems fitting. Just as...
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Survey: U.S. small businesses move beyond stability toward growth
Today we released our fourth annual Bank of the West Small Business Survey, titled “Primed for Growth” because it summarizes well what we’ve learned this year. As the overall U.S. economy continues to...
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Customer Wise: Flexibility paves the way for growth
To look at Greg Swart’s business, you’d think he is marching to an aggressive growth plan based on steady investment in Yakima Avenue Medical Clinic: hiring, acquiring another practice, and upgrading...
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Customer Wise: Core mission helps in managing through uncertainty
Running a small business can be fraught with uncertainty. Just ask Donald and Loraine Sanchez, owners of Paradigm Physical Therapy and Wellness in New Mexico. The 19-year-old business, which operates...
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Made Here: Careful financing and customer selection drive growth
Manufacturing in America is alive and well. In our “Made Here” series, we talk to some of our manufacturing business clients and learn how they’ve flourished in spite of tough odds in recent years....
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New guide may help U.S. manufacturers with smart growth strategies
Small business growth has been a focus for us in 2015. We’ve spent a lot of time talking to our business customers about growth, studying themes related to expansion, and sharing insights and...
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Made Here: Credit helps play a role in sustaining growth
Manufacturing in America is alive and well. In our “Made Here” series, we talk to some of our manufacturing business clients and learn how they’ve flourished in spite of tough odds in recent years. ST...
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New report offers guidance on succession planning
Sooner or later, most small business owners have to consider a big topic: succession. Letting go of your business and stepping aside can be an emotional and complex process involving major financial...
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Customer Wise: Making a path for family succession
Keith Hawkyard went from being an insurance agent to a computer consultant to a turnaround expert for an electrical supplies wholesaler in California’s Central Valley. He stepped in to help his...
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Customer Wise: A picture of perseverance
Dave Hanson is a model of perseverance and small business savvy. Currently one of our business banking clients, he got into the bicycle business in 1976, when he was a high school sophomore. Ten years...
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Customer Wise: Making a path for family succession
Keith Hawkyard went from being an insurance agent to a computer consultant to a turnaround expert for an electrical supplies wholesaler in California’s Central Valley. He stepped in to help his...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Customer Wise: A picture of perseverance
Dave Hanson is a model of perseverance and small business savvy. Currently one of our business banking clients, he got into the bicycle business in 1976, when he was a high school sophomore. Ten years...
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Attitude check: Small business owners say it’s all worth it
Small business owners know that uncertainty, long hours, and near-constant pressure may come with the job, but those realities don’t compare to the benefits, said most of the respondents in our annual...
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The personal qualities make a difference
I really love the wisdom that often emerges from communities of small business owners talking about their experiences – there’s always something in those experiences that can help us all. I see it...
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