Hutton Auto Repair Races into Business

When Robert and Debbie Hutton first came to the Illinois Small Business Development Center at ISU, they were concerned about being approved for the loan that would start their new business in LeRoy. Although they had good credit and had saved up to purchase approximately $100,000 in equipment and tools, the concept of a business plan was overwhelming.

"Bobby can complete race-car modifications with ease, but working in Excel or Word was not his strong suit," admits Illinois Small Business Development Center Director Elizabeth Binning. "I did a little more typing of their hand-written plan than normal."

"Elizabeth was so encouraging and helpful. She really kept us going," said Debbie Hutton, who assists in the Quick Lube oil change bay.

Ten months after first coming to the Illinois SBDC, Hutton Auto Repair completed renovations on their newly purchased commercial building and opened in LeRoy in late 2006.

Debbie says she's especially proud of the honest work they do because of her own past car repair experiences. "Now I realize I was overcharged for things I didn't even need. There are a lot of women who come here because they know that won't happen to them."