Startup: TerraCon Technologies offers advice for other startups

TerraCon’s soil conditioning device is displayed by Gregg Whittaker, one of the majority owners.

Business: TerraCon Technologies, 1416 Woodbury Lane, Liberty; 816-792-0747; www.terracontech.com

Majority owners: Stephen Carr (founder), Tony Hartlage and Gregg Whittaker.

About the business: TerraCon is a research and development company. The three technologies owned and developed by TerraCon are the TerraStar Soil Conditioning Device, the TerraSystem and the TerraCycle. The company is in discussions for distribution of the TerraStar device, which is manufactured by a company in Ohio. The other products are in the prototype stage and expected to be introduced for the 2008 growing season.

How long did it take you to start your business?

“Stephen Carr has been involved in the development and research of the TerraStar and other agricultural technologies for more than 10 years,” Whittaker said. “In 2005, Stephen engaged my firm, The Whittaker Group, to work with him to further develop and commercialize the technologies.”

What things worked in starting the business?

“The technologies and the science involved worked from inception. The relationships we have developed with our manufacturing and research partners have worked wonderfully. Being in constant communication with everyone involved is essential.”

How did you select your firm and product names?

“AgStar was the first name we used. But we are seeking to build a quality brand, so we decided that we needed to be more strategic about our company and technology names. TerraCon comes from Terra (which is Latin for soil) and Con (which is short for conditioning). Therefore TerraCon Technologies aptly describes us as a soil conditioning technologies development company.”

Do you have advice for others who hope to start their own business?

“The single most important factor in the success of a start-up company is the management team. Find qualified people with whom you can develop a strong working relationship. Build a team of trustworthy but largely unreasonable people. It takes unreasonable people to refuse to accept defeat in the face of daunting obstacles. And such obstacles occur with regularity in the start-up process.”

Did you ever reach a low point in the process, and how did you overcome it?

“In the area of financing, we went in saying we needed a certain amount of financing, and we had difficulty getting it. We had to bootstrap our company; our team either took reduced salaries or didn’t take any salary at all, but we all decided to go forward. Our core team stuck together and never faltered. Starting a business is like driving a bus — you need to get the right people on and the wrong people off.”

Anything else you would like to share?

“If you have a dream, realize that no one will be as committed to it as you. So don’t grow discouraged if others don’t share your dream. Lead by example, remain focused and don’t give up.”

Ruth Baum Bigus, special to The Star

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