Valley Office Solutions Celebrates 30 Years
BOARDMAN, Ohio -- U.S. Rep. Bill Johnson, R-6 Ohio, joined employees, family and friends of Valley Office Solutions Inc. Thursday as they celebrated a milestone, three decades in business.
"I don't have a formula," laughs Valley Office President Steve Blakeman, reflecting on the last 30 years. "In fact, when we started, I didn't even have a plan."
In 1983, with just $833 in the bank, Blakeman and his wife, Kathy, took $800 and purchased two used copy machines. Within two weeks, they sold them for $2,000 each, laying the foundation of what today is Valley Office Solutions. It employs 40.
"By God's grace, we were able to make good decisions, hire hard-working people, and really were not willing to give up, even when it got tough," Blakeman said.
Today, the company has emerged as a provider of not just sophisticated office machines, but high-tech software products companies use to make their operations more efficient.
"Over the years, if we remained just a copier company, we wouldn't be in business," Blakeman said. "As technology changed, we had to adapt."
Addressing issues companies face such as document management, inter-office logistics and monitoring their networks are some of the services the Valley Office provides. They are its fastest growing market segment.
"Many companies can't afford to have an IT person on staff," he said. "We have software now that can identify their network problems before it's a problem."
Johnson said the Blakemans represent the kind of entrepreneurial spirit that builds American business and opportunity. "Families that pass down the tradition of hard work, innovation, sacrifice, he said. “It is tough today to keep a business afloat."
Obstacles such as taxes and regulations so hamper the growth of small businesses in this country, Johnson said, that "to survive five, let alone 30 years, is a really big deal."
Johnson reports that he's been busy meeting with local companies such as Valley Office and constituents throughout the 6th district since Congress began its summer recess Aug. 5.
"We've been holding health care forums so that we can help health-care providers and beneficiaries understand more about what's coming with the health-care law," Johnson said. "So, we've been very busy."
Businesses are still very concerned about how the new law will affect their operations, Johnson said. "About 74% of American businesses said they're going to have to cut back hours or lay off workers in order to meet the mandate," he stated. "Some businesses I've talked to simply said they're going to have to close their doors because they're not going to be able to afford the premiums."
But it's not just the Affordable Health Care Act, Johnson noted. Unemployment remains high in many of the counties in southeastern Ohio where the 6th district lies. "They want to be able to go to work, to get a job," he said. "When you look at the regulatory burden and the tax burden that's coming out of Washington, D.C., it's a problem for entrepreneurs and small businesses like Valley Office."
Copyright 2013 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
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