Diné entrepreneur named outstanding client

After less than three years in business as Total Office Solutions, Kathy Begay is already earning accolades for her business sense.

On Feb. 25, Begay, 50, was named outstanding client of the year by the University of New Mexico-Gallup Small Business Development Center and was honored at a special ceremony at the state capitol.

"Total Office Solutions has had great sales growth through excellent customer service," said Dan Sanchez, SBDC interim director, in a news release. "Their greatest asset is their knowledge of the needs and requirements of their customers in the surrounding areas."

Total Office Solutions provides office supplies and furniture, janitorial supplies and school supplies to businesses in the Four Corners, Pueblo of Zuni and Albuquerque.

In July 2008, Begay bought a majority interest in the company, then based in Vanderwagen, N.M. Partnering with local businesswoman Patty Hewett, she moved the business to Gallup and sought counseling and training from the Gallup SBDC.

Begay, who is Kinyaa'áanii (Towering House Clan), born for Áshiihí (Salt Clan), quickly learned that major sacrifices in her personal life were required if she wanted her business to succeed.

"In the beginning, you have to reduce your personal cash flow so that more goes back into the business," she said.

In addition, Begay found herself working longer hours so she could oversee all aspects of the business, from accounting to delivery.

When she agreed to become principal owner of Total Office Solutions, Begay had to learn about profit margins, operating costs and how much she had to sell to make a profit.

It wasn't completely new territory - she'd gotten a snapshot of what it would take to own her own business in her previous work.

As a bookkeeper with the Navajo Nation Shopping Centers, she worked with prospective tenants who were new to the business world.

"I helped several people start their own businesses by working on their proposals, giving them guidance and telling them they had to pay their taxes on federal, state and Navajo Nation taxes on time," Begay said.

At Navajo Oil & Gas, Begay worked with vendors from whom she would solicit information about the business environment on the Navajo Nation.

"Some would tell me about their hardships and how they handled them," she said. "I received a lot of inspiration from them."

As a result, Total Office Solutions became the first office supply company in the area to offer online ordering and expedited delivery. Begay and Hewett made the company's Web site user friendly, so customers can easily place orders online.       Together they created a sales team to conduct one-on-one training with clients to familiarize them with the ordering process.

"We just got approved for HUBZone [certification]," Begay said. The Historically Underutilized Business Zone program helps small businesses in urban and rural communities gain preferential access to federal procurement opportunities.

Now Begay's company is seeking certification from the U.S. Small Business Administration to compete for government contracts that are set aside for small and disadvantaged businesses. The "8(a)" tag also will help the company gain access to private procurement markets.

"After we get that, we can start expanding our client base to more BIA and BIE agencies," Begay said. "We've been advised to be ready and increase the volume of our inventory so we are ready when we receive 8(a) certification."

Already, Total Office Solutions has two important numbers needed to do business with the federal government - a CCR (Central Contractor Registration) and a DUNS (Data Universal Numbering System).

"The SBDC has been very helpful in providing feedback on my business plan, managerial procedures and financial situations," Begay said. "I also received assistance in understanding the QuickBooks program... I also participated in a number of workshops that helped me to improve our business operations."

In the competitive office-supplies business, "we do try to get feedback from customer on how we can improve our customer service," she added. "We've been given top marks in our delivery service."

Her favorite part of doing business is "meeting new customers and talking one-on-one with them whether it be about what products we sell or on how to use our website."

If Total Office Solutions can't deliver a requested service or product, Begay refers the customer to other local companies that might have it. She also visits with local business owners to get feedback and business advice.

"I get feedback from different companies on how they deal with day-to-day activities, and utilize tools they give me," Begay said. "I want to keep my company going and moving forward in a positive manner.

"Different people ask me for advice and I try to help as much as I can to give back," she said, proudly showing off a jacket she received for helping during the inauguration of the new Navajo Nation president and vice president.

Begay, who is eight credits short of a bachelor's degree in business administration, said her late parents, John Nez and Mary R. Begay, gave her the basic advice needed to succeed in business: "if you're honest and good and do things in the right way, good things will come back to you."

Back to top ^