With the economic turmoil depleting personal finances, displacing employees and forcing some to go into new career paths, more and more Utah County residents are turning to self-employment to support themselves and their families.

"I'm an artist behind the chair but I'm computer illiterate," she said. "I was either going to start up my own place or go to another salon."

A free resource provided to entrepreneurs, startup businesses and existing merchants, the Orem Small Business Development Center is one in a network of such centers across the state tasked with not only helping the self employed get into business, but stay in business, said Ken Fakler, the Orem center's managing director.

Funded through the Small Business Administration, the state of Utah and Utah Valley University, the Orem center assists clients in applying for SBA loans, putting together a business plan, market research and strategies, and learning the nuts and bolts of business ownership. It serves clients in both Utah and Wasatch counties.

Martinez said Fakler and Orem center consultant Laurie Ann Thomas taught her how to write up a business proposal, where to find resources, apply for funding and how to navigate the often treacherous waters of self employment.

In October, Martinez and her husband, Marcos, opened Katumba's Day Spa and Salon, 1015 S. State Street in Orem, that offers a wide range of services from hair styling, massage therapy, skin care and esthetics. Their salon employees a full staff of stylists and therapists and business is slowly but steadily increasing, she said.

"Ken is absolutely incredible and knows what he's talking about," Martinez said. "It was a huge, huge help. I would say they are a major aspect of getting me started."

With the housing slump and high gas and food prices hurting businesses and residents, Fakler said the center has seen a large influx of clients in recent months. From the newly unemployed to every day people looking to earn some income on the side, the center's clients come from all walks of life and range in age from college-aged students to clients in their 70s.

The center supports clients who owned businesses with dozens of employees to stay-at-home moms that want to take their e-Bay sales to the next level.

The center works with about 35 to 40 new businesses a month, or nearly 500 per year. About 50 percent of the center's clients are women entrepreneurs, Thomas said.

"It's really an entrepreneurial area," she said.

Because approximately 80 percent of small businesses go under in the first five years, the center stresses the importance of formulating a strong business plan and funding options as well as forming a long-term relationship with the owner to continue to provide advice as their companies grow. Free classes on a variety of related topics taught by professionals in the industry are also offered at the center.

"We have very, very few businesses that go broke if they're doing the things we ask them to do," Fakler said.

Just two weeks ago, Martinez said Fakler stopped by her salon to inquire about her business's progress and see if there was anything he could do to help. Without the assistance of resources like the Orem Small Business Development Center, she doubts if she would have taken the risk of living out her dream.

"I would have probably ended up going to another salon," she said. "I wouldn't have had the guts to try go out on my own."

For more information about the Orem Small Business Development Center and the services it offers, contact them at 863-8230, send an e-mail to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or go online to www.uvsc.edu/sbdc/.