Rich resources: big help for Utah's small businesses.

• Author: Beers, Heather
• Position: RICH RESOURCES

A couple years ago, Alex Adema moved from New York to the Beehive State to join DPS Skis as COO. Upon arrival, he made a beeline for World Trade Center Utah. He knew the organization could make a difference for DPS Skis, because he had already seen what the World Trade Center Association could do back in Buffalo. There, when Adema helped launch an economic development organization, he had worked closely with WTC Buffalo.

Now, thanks to the connections WTC Utah has helped DPS make, the carbon fiber ski manufacturer has made significant headway with its international business. WTC Utah is just one of several business development organizations that are propelling small businesses statewide, lending powerful resources that can be a big boon for Utah's up-and-comers.

Getting centered

When John Lane founded Logical Front in 2003, he wasn't sold on the need for a commercial office headquarters. He had previously worked for LANDESK (now Ivanti) as a senior field service engineer, and found that his local and national clients preferred meeting at their own offices--which meant his space at LANDESK was going to waste. So Lane launched Logical Front, a value-added systems integration IT consulting company, from his home office.

As Logical Front grew, however, he wanted to find a right-sized solution--one that provided a place for his home-based employees to gather, without the unnecessary overhead of leasing a large commercial space. Enter Miller Resource Business Center, a collective of services and organizations all dedicated to helping businesses grow.

"We've been at the Miller Center for about six years. It's been fantastic," says Lane. "First off, with the Business Incubator program, we get access to a commercial mailing address, access to the conference rooms and training rooms, and if we need it, we can grab a desk or cubicle at any point. We're there about once a week--and it costs just a little over just $50 a month." He then jokes, "My only concern is if I tell you how affordable it is, they're going to send my rates up!"

Lane has also taken advantage of other training programs and business events hosted by MBRC, and he's encouraged his employees to do the same. "I've sent my marketing team to the marketing-centric events. They've found it useful," he says.

MBRC offers more than just its Business Incubator program. Its departments include the Global Business Center, Utah Small Business Development Center, Conference and Event Center, and Park City Business Resource Center. Perhaps most notably, it's also one...