Partner Success: Growing a Business Means Knowing When You Don't Have to Do It All!

Written by: Lil Deloach, Owner of Mitty Supply

How Mitty Supply went from one woman doing everything to a growing team—and found a technology partner along the way.    

Twelve years ago, Mitty Supply started with a simple idea: help homesteaders get practical, dependable equipment and the right tools to fulfill their homesteading lifestyle.  

In the beginning, like many small-business owners, I did everything. I talked to customers. I sold the machines. I packed orders. I troubleshot equipment.  I answered questions. And most importantly, I got to know our customers one-on-one.  Those conversations helped shape Mitty Supply into the company it is today because we learned firsthand what homesteaders actually needed—not only the right equipment, but the knowledge and support to use it successfully.

As the business grew, so did the team. That's when Michael came into the picture.   Michael brought strong technical skills and a very analytical mind to the company. Later, Jared joined the team, bringing management skills and helping us create more structure around our growing operation.  Little by little, Mitty Supply was no longer one woman trying to do everything. We were becoming a company. And that's when I discovered something nobody really tells you about growing a small business.  The business grows… but so does everything behind the business.

More employees meant more computers. More orders meant more software. Better customer service required better systems. Then came printers, phones, antivirus protection, networking, backups, security and all the other technology necessary to keep a modern company operating. Before I knew it, we were using as many as six different software systems, and it seemed like every other day something wasn't working.  Technology had become my weakest link.

And when you're an online store processing orders and credit cards every day, technology isn't a luxury. Your business depends on it. I could troubleshoot a milking machine with a customer. I could work with manufacturers. I could pack an order. I could sell our products and understand what our customers needed.  But somehow, I was also supposed to understand computers, printers, software, antivirus  protection, phones, networks and everything else. Then one day, a sales representative from Digital Office Equipment walked through our door.  The conversation started with a printer.  Then I learned they could help us with IT services.  And computers.  And phone systems.  And office equipment.  And furniture.  And technology support.  I remember thinking:  "WHERE WERE YOU?"

That was the moment I realized something important about growing a business.  I didn't need to learn how to do everything. I needed to learn who I could trust to do the things I shouldn't be doing myself.  And then came the day that REALLY put that relationship to the test.  The Day QuickBooks Crashed.  Not just a little error.  Our complete company file crashed.  For a few seconds, I think my heart stopped.  My hands were sweating. I was staring at the computer thinking about years of company information, transactions, accounting records and everything we depend on to operate the business.  This was one of those small-business-owner moments when your mind immediately goes to: "Oh my God. What are we going to do?"   

So we called Digital Office Equipment.  And they connected remotely.  They worked on the problem.  And they fixed it. Remotely.  I didn't have to load up a computer and drive somewhere. I didn't have to figure out who to call. I didn't have to become a QuickBooks expert overnight.  They took care of it.  When everything was working again, they asked: "Ms. DeLoach, do you need anything else?"   And after the stress I had just gone through, there was only one thing I could say: "Darling, this is the kind of company that when I get the bill, I would be so happy to give them a TIP!"  And I meant it.  Because when you own a small business, you eventually realize that the value of a great partner isn't measured only by what they sell you.  It's measured by how you feel when something goes terribly wrong—and you know exactly who to call.

Twelve years later, Mitty Supply continues with the same mission we started with: helping homesteaders become more self-sufficient by providing practical equipment, dependable solutions and real support.  We've grown. We've learned. We've made mistakes. We've improved our systems. And we've surrounded ourselves with good people along the way. Perhaps that's one of the biggest lessons I've learned from building Mitty Supply: Growing a business doesn't mean learning how to do everything.  It means learning what you do best—and finding people you trust to take care of the rest. 

For us, Digital Office Equipment became one of those people.  And yes… I'd still give them the tip.

Meet Mitty Supply!

A small dairy-equipment business out of Glennville, Georgia, serving homesteaders, small-to-medium farms and universities teaching agriculture since 2014. They specialize in portable and fixed milking machines for cows, goats, sheep, and buffalo, along with spare parts and milk processing equipment, all stocked in-house for fast, free shipping. What started as one woman handling everything herself has grown into a small, dedicated team — and their 5-star customer reviews speak to the same hands-on, personal support that built the business from day one.