Brothers Allen and Johnny Gullett opened Gullett’s Custom Cuts in Hattieville on July 17, one year after contacting the Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center for assistance with their project.
Gullett’s Custom Cuts specializes in processing beef, pork, and venison for farmers and hunters. Prior to starting the custom meat processing business, Allen worked in meat packing for a number of years.
“Our motivation for this business was to help farmers and ranchers get their cattle processed in this community instead of having to drive way off. We have also wanted to start a family-owned business for a long time that could help us reach our financial needs,” he said.
The family worked with the ASBTDC at Arkansas Tech University to start the business.
“Our relationship with the ASBTDC during our start on this journey was very helpful,” said Allen of the assistance they received, which included guidance on their business plan and financial projections for their lender. “They also helped us know what was expected of us as for getting licenses and what we needed to do to get our LLC started.
“We learned a lot from the information the ASBTDC provided us. We are very grateful for their assistance in our business journey.”
Trying to construct the meat processing house during a pandemic was a challenge for the Gulletts. While building their facility, materials were in short supply, making the building phase take longer and cost more than originally estimated. “The pandemic had banks unsure of any kind of loans,” said Allen.
“We were able to get Centennial Bank to give us the loan. They were the only financial institution that would even give us a chance,” he said.
When asked about lessons learned while starting a business, Allen remarked, “I have learned one real valuable lesson: figure in all the small expenses you can think of because they add up real fast when you are building a business from the ground up; don’t overlook the little things.”
Learn more at 501-669-2538 or at www.facebook.com/gullettscustomcuts.