Posted
on Friday, November 1, 2024
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Small Business Spotlights
Pictured from Left to Right is Erik Oleson, Randy Navratil, Mary Navratil, Gina Navratil, and Bryce Sullivan.
Small Business Spotlight: A Book of Opportunity
After reading a book about the advantages of hydrogen peroxide, Randy Navratil's background in agriculture immediately sparked interest in its benefits to livestock and poultry. It later led him to the development of a hydrogen peroxide-based product called Oxy Blast. On February 1 of 2005, Randy and Mary Navratil opened Essential Water Solutions, Inc. in Story City.
Essential Water Solutions sells Oxy Blast through a network of distributors and dealers throughout North America and a few foreign countries. Following Randy's initial vision to help the agricultural market, their core clientele is livestock farmers. Oxy Blast cleans their water (including contaminants such as iron, iron bacteria, manganese, and sulfur) and waterlines to remove most biofilm. As an added bonus, livestock farmers say their animals seem to be healthier when drinking water containing Oxy Blast. The animals are reported to gain faster and have less death loss, as well as require fewer antibiotics to get them to market.
Over the years, Oxy Blast has expanded into other markets and applications including crops, swimming pools, and hot tubs.
The Navratil's favorite part about running their business, is that their product helps both people and animals. Additionally, they are able to help others start new or diversify existing businesses. To top it off, they are able to have some of the same freedoms that they previously had when they farmed.
Randy and Mary Navratil lived in the Story City area in the early 70's while attending Iowa State University. After college, they moved home until they had the opportunity to move back to Story City in the mid 80's. Randy says, "The people were friendly, helpful, and caring. When we started the Oxy Blast business, we knew we wanted to establish it in Story City so that we could continue to enjoy and be involved in the community in which we raised our children and are proud to call home."
The Navratil's have been working with Reliance State Bank since they started the business in 2005. They built an office addition to their home, which RSB financed. Years later, when they outgrew their office space, RSB financed a new property for them, which is their current business location. More recently, they diversified into real estate and received a loan for their first rental property. RSB also set them up with a line of credit, which created many opportunities. When they began doing international business, the Navratil's worked with RSB to find the best method to receive payments. Randy states, "The last few years have been a real pleasure working with Erik Oleson."
In Randy's words, "The staff at Reliance State Bank works with you one on one to really get to know you. They are always there, ready and willing to answer questions and help in any way that they can. They want you to succeed."