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Quest for Excellence Pays Off

Published in Deseret Morning News

From small things . . .
Like Cooper, the founders of McKinnon-Mulherin Inc. stepped out onto the small-business limb armed with little but their wits, an idea and determination. With no initial infusion of capital, Shauna Bona, Kathleen Reddy and Regina Davis relied on what Reddy said became the keys to their success: building a smart, fast, hard-working team that is treated well by the company and that can deliver high-quality work to clients; a solid business plan that covers all aspects of the company; and the ability to present and sell the company's services or product — which, Reddy said, "includes making MANY, MANY cold calls."

The firm, which began in 1997 with its three founding members, now includes 20 employees and reported 24 percent sales growth from 2005 to 2006. McKinnon-Mulherin specializes in creating corporate communication, from employee manuals to reports and proposals.

Along the way, it has emerged as one of Utah's top minority/women-owned businesses, both for its growth and its commitment to the community. Last year, Reddy received the 2005 Unsung Hero award from the National Association of Women Business Owners. The year before, the firm was named one of Utah's top minority-owned businesses by DiversityBusiness.com. And in 2001, Bona was named one of 30 "Women to Watch" by Utah Business Magazine.

But McKinnon-Mulherin isn't about past laurels. It's about smart growth, Reddy said, and better service.

McKinnon-Mulherin recently restructured, forming three divisions: technical writing, learning solutions, and sales and business communication. A team leader was appointed for each division.

And the company has launched a Web-based application, Banshee, which links together instructional design, customer service and data tracking capabilities with the power of technology.

"We want to grow our company carefully and continue to increase our sales," Reddy said. "We want to place more responsibility with our team leaders so that Shauna, Regina and I can focus on growing the company."