{"id":14261,"date":"2026-11-02T08:59:30","date_gmt":"2026-11-02T14:59:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/?post_type=campus_story&p=14261"},"modified":"2026-11-02T08:59:31","modified_gmt":"2026-11-02T14:59:31","slug":"milwaukee-entrepreneur-highlights-the-impact-of-universities-of-wisconsin-small-business-resources","status":"publish","type":"campus_story","link":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/story\/milwaukee-entrepreneur-highlights-the-impact-of-universities-of-wisconsin-small-business-resources\/","title":{"rendered":"Milwaukee entrepreneur highlights the impact of Universities of Wisconsin small business resources"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"Photo:<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Natasha Broxton, owner of Select Auto Parts & Sales in Milwaukee, partnered with the Universities of Wisconsin\u2019s Office of Business & Entrepreneurship<\/a> (OBE) to access resources and support to grow her business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As Milwaukee\u2019s only indoor auto recycler, Select Auto Parts & Sales<\/a> has a unique position in the local automotive industry. Broxton saw significant growth potential but recognized that improving visibility and investing in infrastructure would be essential to reaching more customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through UWs\u2019 OBE, she accessed free programs that helped her pursue funding, strengthen financial management, and expand her marketing efforts. Through the State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) Technical Assistance<\/a> program, Nora Roughen-Schmidt, OBE\u2019s SSBCI Lead Specialist, helped Broxton prepare her business to pursue capital and identify funding opportunities. With this guidance, Broxton prepared a competitive application for The Confidence Project grant. Broxton\u2019s business was one of only 20 to receive funding out of more than 200 applicants, 30 of which were selected to pitch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Select Auto Parts & Sales used the $20,000 grant to fund exterior signage and visibility improvements. \u201cOur exterior signage and visibility project improved drive-by awareness, customer confidence, and ease of access to our facility,\u201d Broxton said. \u201cBeing selected validated the work we are doing and reinforced that our business model and impact resonated beyond our local market.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Next, OBE\u2019s Capital Readiness Program<\/a> helped Broxton identify where capital would have the greatest impact. Wendy Potratz, Financial Consultant at OBE, assisted with financial projections and provided hands-on QuickBooks and accounting support, giving Broxton stronger financial management tools to guide business decisions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through OBE\u2019s Digital Marketing Clinic, Broxton also partnered with University of Wisconsin\u2013Milwaukee students to develop social media templates and content for LinkedIn and Instagram, helping expand the business\u2019s digital presence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With improved signage, stronger financial practices, and expanded marketing efforts, Select Auto Parts & Sales is better positioned to reach new customers and strengthen its role as a reliable partner to Milwaukee\u2019s automotive service industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Broxton\u2019s experience illustrates how accessible resources, expert guidance, and university partnerships can help small businesses overcome barriers to growth and contribute to Wisconsin\u2019s local economies. Broxton said, \u201cIncreased visibility has already translated into greater awareness and engagement from both individual customers and business clients.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Written by Stephanie Robey, Universities of Wisconsin\u2019s Office of Business & Entrepreneurship (OBE)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Natasha Broxton, owner of Select Auto Parts & Sales in Milwaukee, partnered with the Universities of Wisconsin\u2019s Office of Business & Entrepreneurship (OBE) to access resources and support to grow her business. As Milwaukee\u2019s only indoor auto recycler, Select Auto Parts & Sales has a unique position in the local automotive industry. Broxton saw significant […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":14262,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","institution":[107],"story_category":[148,150],"class_list":["post-14261","campus_story","type-campus_story","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","institution-uw-milwaukee","story_category-economy","story_category-featured"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/campus_story\/14261","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/campus_story"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/campus_story"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14261"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14262"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14261"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"institution","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/institution?post=14261"},{"taxonomy":"story_category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/story_category?post=14261"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}