THE BEGINNINGS
In 2002, Rolly and Marimel were both working for a chemical distributor when the owner of NCeed Enterprises was ready to retire, and they knew this was a great opportunity to become entrepreneurs. They purchased the business, changed the name to ChemCeed, and adjusted the branding. The new, certified woman-owned and minority-owned business was established.
THE GROWTH
Since then, many new changes have enhanced this chemical supplier based in Chippewa Falls, WI. They grew their staff to 13 employees and quadrupled product offerings based on current customers’ needs. They also expanded into different industries. “We now work with rubber and metal working as well as personal care industries along with several others,” Rolly said.
“We credit much of our success to our care and kindness when it comes to customer service. We pride ourselves on personalized and respectful service that incorporates our Midwest, small town values,” Rolly said.
Accomplishments with UW-Eau Claire
- Financial strategy
- Business plan
- Accounting details
- Networking
THE ASSISTANCE
Similar to many small business owners, financing was a struggle in the beginning. “We had to start with high interest rates through an asset-based lending company. Then, after a couple of years, United Bank stepped in to help, offering us a line of credit with a more traditional interest rate,” Rolly explained.
The owners worked with the Chippewa Economic Development Corporation (CEDC) starting back in 2008. Charlie Walker, President and CEO of CEDC said, “It wasn’t that long ago that Rolly was looking for the right lot to build his new building. CEDC introduced him to an industrial lot within the Riverside Industrial Park in Chippewa Falls and the rest was history. Rolly stuck to his plan, hired great people, treated his customers well, and grew his business to the point that he needed to add onto the building. Rolly continues to grow the company. He is a great entrepreneur who gives back to the community in so many ways. Rolly has organized charity golf tournaments, and he volunteers by mentoring the next generation of business leaders.”
CEDC referred Rolly and Marimel to the UW-Eau Claire Small Business Development Center (SBDC) in 2010, where they worked with Jim Mishefske. “Jim helped us answer so many questions. We quickly learned that running a company was much different than working at one. He truly considered our financial needs and how to best address them. He assisted us with creating our business plan and financial statements, and he helped us understand how to organize our accounting details,” Rolly said. “He helped us realize the importance of networking, the value in making business and industry connections.”
ChemCeed collaborated with volunteers at SCORE, whose mission is to foster small business communities through mentoring and education. They also developed leadership and management skills through the Chippewa Falls Area Chamber of Commerce.
THE FUTURE
“I love the challenge of creating or finding new opportunities. For example, during the COVID pandemic, people saw the word ‘chemical’ in our business description and started asking if we could produce hand sanitizer or acquire disinfectants. We had to think fast, and ultimately CF Products, a division of ChemCeed was born. CF Products is a cleaning and janitorial supply company,” Rolly said.
The small business looks forward to more growth in the future as well. “We would love to build a larger scale warehouse to house chemicals, but also to offer to other businesses in need of warehouse space. We know that local companies are growing out of their existing spaces and we would like to meet this demand.”
Rolly’s vision for the future is inspiring. “We know that using AI and other innovation is important, and we must diversify our product line even further. Industries ebb and flow, so diversity helps us support any changing needs of the current market,” Rolly said. We look forward to seeing what ChemCeed does next!