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Mountain Mudd owners win top praise from SBA

May 10, 2002 /

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When Brenda and Dennis Burkhartsmeier built their first coffee kiosk in a neighbor’s
garage, they weren’t expecting to be asked to testify before a congressional committee on the
importance of the Small Business Administration.

By MONIQUE BALAS
Medill News Service

Nor did the couple, Billings owners of Mountain Mudd and Mountain Manufacturing, expect to learn how to
use technology in their business directly from a panel of experts from companies like AOL, Dell and Office
Depot. But that’s what has happened since the Burkhartsmeiers were recognized by the SBA as being among
the savviest small-business owners in America.
The agency last week honored owners from each of the 50 states, Guam and Puerto Rico during
celebration of Small Business Week. Winners have had the opportunity to draw from the knowledge of
business leaders, federal officials and each other.
"We weren’t going to come to Washington. We were so busy," Brenda said shortly after being interviewed
by PBS for a coming show. "But sometimes you have to take a step out of your business to learn more about
your business."
And they have been learning. They met with
Treasury Secretary Paul O’Neill; Dell Computer
founder Michael Dell; SBA Administrator Hector
Barreto; and, from Montana, Sen. Max Baucus and
Rep. Denny Rehberg.
One of the most valuable things about their
experience, they said, is meeting other
smalsbusiness owners and learning from their
experiences.
"When we got here Saturday, we didn’t really know
what to expect," Brenda said. "But the conferences
we’ve been to have been extremely … "
"Enlightening," her husband offered, finishing her
sentence. "There are so many businesses out there
that are so impressive."
Brenda said she was inspired by her fellow
winners. "Everyone comes to something like this
hoping you’ll win," she said. "But when you see what
the others have done … you’re just really impressed
with some of the people."
Some of the fellow winners build yachts, ships
and guitars. The national winner was a Vietnamese
man who owns a French bakery in Hawaii.
When they first started out, Brenda said, they considered using a carnival-style cotton candy trailer to sell
their coffee. Now, eight years and 200 stores later, they hope to find time before they leave for home to visit the
Mountain Mudd kiosk in Fairfax, Va.
Brenda, a former saleswoman, persuaded her husband, a former movie cameraman who helped film "A
River Runs Through It," to go into the business when she and his sister Louise got the idea for a drive-through
coffeehouse.
"I went into it kicking and screaming," Dennis admitted. But that was then, and the couple seems to have
no regrets.