Superior Equipment & Supply Company: Focus on customers’ needs

THE BUSINESS

Sammy said, “Our focus is on our customer success! At Superior Equipment, we understand the importance of having the right commercial kitchen equipment at the right time. Our teams are dedicated to helping restaurant owners and industry professionals at every stage of the foodservice journey, whether replacing a single piece of equipment or building out a new commercial kitchen.”

Superior Equipment provides the essential equipment and supplies that make foodservice and hospitality possible. The business started with Mike and Sammy and a couple warehouse employees and has grown to include a staff of 13 full-time employees, including their four sons.

THE OBSTACLES

In the beginning, Superior operated on its own revenues until a line of credit could be secured. Sammy said, “I want to give a shout out to Pyramax Bank and my banker Andrew Freter who worked with me to establish a line of credit through the Small Business Administration (SBA). It was very difficult to be competitive in a capital-intensive industry, especially as we sought to represent more commercial equipment and expand into larger retail grocery stores, restaurants, and other food-related businesses. As families do, we pulled together and minimized our salaries to build equity and focused our efforts on growing our business.”

Throughout the years, Superior Equipment made continued inroads in small local business operations; however, access to big contracts was difficult. Eventually, they succeeded in creating partnerships that gave them purchasing power and national reach, which enabled them to provide more competitive pricing while still maintaining the flexibility to specify exactly the right piece for a customer’s use.

THE ASSISTANCE

Sammy and Mike were originally referred to the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) by Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC). The SBDC helped with refinancing options, capital access, financial projections, business strategy, staffing, and small business resources. Sammy said, “We look forward to implementing the tools and methods taught by the SBDC and fully expect our company culture and profitability to benefit from the consulting they provided. The best thing about SBDC is their experts in the verticals of the industry, which helped us in our business transformation. My team and I want to thank the SBDC team for always maintaining our confidentiality and integrity.”

Sammy said of her with work with Athena Agoudemos at the UW-Milwaukee SBDC, “Athena’s method of breaking down problems into simpler micro-problems and then solving them with respective frameworks helped us achieve our accounting, inventory, and financial goals at an accelerated rate.”

Athena said, “Sammy is an inspiring force, and the growth and potential of Superior Equipment & Supply are testament to her leadership and vision. Her impact is evident to customers, her family members working in the business, and any partners who have the opportunity to engage with her. She exemplifies the entrepreneurial spirit through her work ethic, strategic thinking, and vision. Even in the hardest of times, she never gives up and always finds a way forward. It has been rewarding to support Sammy on this journey!“

In addition to SBDC, WEDC and SBA, Sammy and Mike used many other Wisconsin resources dedicated to small business success, including Wisconsin Procurement Institute and UW-Milwaukee (UWM) School of Continuing Education. The UWM group helped them with a custom-tailored class and assisted them in partnering with The Kellan Group, who mentored one their sons, Sam Mahmood, on a $5.1 million contract. They also participated in the Green Bay Packers Mentor Protégé program with mentors Northwestern Mutual.

THE GROWTH

Superior Equipment & Supply Company started a shared kitchen facility that originally offered classes teaching how to grow and prepare fresh foods to both kids and adults. They had over 550 kids attend the classes in one summer! The space, called Superior Culinary Center, is now a shared-use commercial kitchen available to residents of Southeast Wisconsin who wish to start or expand a food-related small business. For a small hourly fee, the kitchen provides food entrepreneurs with the resources they need to get their dream off the ground without having to invest in costly food-processing equipment and maintenance.

In addition to kitchen space, the Culinary Center provides storage for bulk supplies and packaging, technical support, and business development services. They also have a Test Kitchen designed as a place to train with experts, test new menu items, use innovative equipment and products, and host events.

Superior Equipment is working on being strategic and savvy in their efforts, investing time and money in e-commerce, social media marketing, and content. Sammy said, “We can now reach potential customers worldwide, allowing us to grow and expand our customer base in ways that our traditional brick-and-mortar store could not.”

Sammy shared her advice to others with entrepreneurial aspirations, saying, “The key to success is to be passionate about what you’re doing. You have to be prepared to work hard and sacrifice to make your business successful. I focus on learning and investing in myself and my team. I learned that working backwards from a customer’s need is core to being a great entrepreneur. A focus on earning and keeping our customers’ trust ensures our company doesn’t sacrifice long-term value for short-term results.”