Local businesses contend with supply shortages

MAGIC VALLEY, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) — For small companies, volatility in the market can have dramatic impacts on business.

“It gets to be pretty quick,” said Small Business Development Center Director Bryan Matsuoka, “if you don’t do a lot of planning and kind of watch your inventory levels.”

Since the beginning of the pandemic supply chain, interruptions have become commonplace.

For Hands On Owner Ashely DeBois, it became clear that supply would be a problem when the world’s biggest supplier was not reliable.

“Amazon couldn’t even supply us with brushes anymore,” DeBois said.

While most small businesses don’t have large bankrolls to depend on, there are other ways they can support themselves when times get tough.

“The overt advantage of a small business is being able to shift and be dynamic,” Matsuoka said.

The companies I spoke with leaned into that advantage from developing new skills.

“We’ve acquired, probably, two dozen molds of some pieces that are popular that we will start pouring our own to offset that cost increase,” said DeBois.

To streamlining the process, keeping the process in-house.

“It made us, kind of, hone in on our mechanic skills, you know, fixing things,” said Bull Moose Bicycles Owner Chris Cawthra. “Because that’s our only option, replacing isn’t.”

Both companies told me the process of adapting has been difficult but, they feel they have grown as business owners through the challenge.

There is also one commonality between both of the companies’ triumphs.

“Yeah, everything would be a lot more difficult if we didn’t have the customers we have, the understanding customers and the loyalty,” Cawthra said.

“Our customers are amazing,” said DeBois, “they’ve supported us through this entire situation.”