When Hurricane Wilma ripped through South Florida in October 2005, husband and wife duo Michael and Kristen Nevils saw a great need to safely store and dispense safe potable water. Thus, Michael Nevils teamed with his wife, melding his inventive skills and her marketing and organizational skills, to establish M.R. Crafts. This entrepreneurial venture replaced Michael's yacht repair activity and Kristin's human resources position. Their initial product was so special that it won the Grand Prize in the 2007 Inventor Search Contest.
However, M.R. Crafts wanted guidance to support their sales and product expansion. They turned to the Florida Procurement Technical Assistance Center for help.
Kristen Nevils worked with Mike Bell, a Procurement Specialist at the Florida Procurement Technical Assistance Center at Florida Atlantic University (FAU), to explore the world of government contracting. In this arena, Michael Nevils' status as a Service-Disabled Veteran came into play. Bell assisted Michael Nevils in obtaining verification from the Veterans Administration for his status as a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), allowing the company to be eligible for federal business contracting 'set asides'.
Success breeds success. As M.R. Crafts established itself as a viable supplier to the federal government, they came to the attention of Grainger, a worldwide provider of industrial supplies. M.R. Crafts exceeded Grainger's expectations, permitting the Nevils to expand well beyond their original product. They are now growing as an award-winning provider of emergency, healthcare, safety, and industrial products. M.R. Crafts provides product development, sourcing, and manufacturing to assist organizations with their procurement strategy, expand their product lines, develop new markets, and decrease costs.
When M.R. Crafts started with the Florida Procurement Technical Assistance Center, their gross was $10,000. Over the past three years, they've increased their total gross to more than $7 million.
The Nevils credit the Florida Procurement Technical Assistance Center for much of their success. The future is bright for the duo. They hope to sell more than $3 million in products and services in all their business segments, which they should achieve by 2015. To pay it forward, Michael Nevils is writing a book to inform other Veterans on how to start and build a successful business.
