Like many entrepreneurs, necessity sparked the decision for Boe and Kennedy Brodhun to open The Shop. Boe was a contract firefighter in Bend, Oregon who needed a fire shirt, but the closest one was 2-days away.
Seeing the forest through the trees
In 2021, they opened The Shop Forestry and Supply to ensure that Bend, Oregon's forestry professionals have access to the equipment they need, exactly when they need it. Four years later, their brick and mortar has blossomed into a gathering place for local forestry professionals and enthusiasts, and their emerging brand and product line are reaching an international audience.
Branching out with Shopify Capital
To make their dream a reality, Boe and Kennedy needed funding to keep their shelves stocked with basic, but expensive inventory, like $400 fire pants. Traditional funding options were limited, slow and complicated by rules and long waiting times. "Even with good credit history, as a small business, it was hard to get any sort of funding."
Kennedy was familiar with Shopify’s user-friendly platform from her previous marketing role, but she was pleasantly surprised by how easy it was to access funding through Shopify Capital. After their initial success selling on Shopify in store and online, they were eligible for a funding offer. "With no credit checks, our application was approved without having to go through all of these hoops that you would go through normally with the bank."
Boe was skeptical at first, but found that Shopify Capital’s performance-based funding and repayment terms were worlds apart from his past lending experiences.
I've had my fair share of bank loans, and everyone’s out to make money, but I feel like Shopify Capital is actually beneficial for both parties.
With Shopify Capital, repayments are based on a percentage of daily sales to give Shopify merchants the financial flexibility they need to power through any sales period. "It's nice that Shopify Capital doesn't have a traditional repayment process. It puts our minds at ease that if we have a slow day, we don't have to repay a huge amount like a traditional loan.”
For the Brodhuns, the long-term benefits of choosing Shopify Capital are clear. It’s more than just fast business funding; it’s an ongoing investment in their success.
A win-win partnership
To date, The Shop has taken 6 rounds of funding through Shopify Capital to fuel the growth of their business. Beyond keeping their shelves stocked, Shopify Capital has been crucial for helping Boe and Kennedy build their brand, a line of apparel and innovative chainsaw accessories manufactured in the U.S.
There's a lot of upfront costs and fees that go into building your own products. Shopify Capital has really helped when we don't have thousands of dollars available when we need it.
The ease of using Shopify Capital has given Boe and Kennedy more time and space to fuel their creativity. "Our whole plan for 2025 is based on our next round of Shopify Capital funding. We want to continue being creative and invest in marketing for our brand to release our line of products the right way."
After welcoming a baby to their family, Boe and Kennedy look forward to growing deeper roots in Bend this year, and continuing to blaze trails with innovative products that inspire the next generation of forestry professionals.
Available in select countries. All financing through Shopify Capital is issued by WebBank in the United States. Offers to apply do not guarantee financing. Reviews and results are based on individual businesses and their experiences. Results vary and are not guaranteed. Shopify Capital loans are repaid based on a percentage of daily sales. The maximum repayment term is 18 months, and 2 minimum payments apply. The actual time period within which the loan is repaid may be less than 18 months.
