A HUG-IN-A-CUP TO HELP EMBRACE THE DAY

Sips is a specialty beverage restaurant in Bountiful that provides signature crafted caffeinated beverages including coffee, energy drinks, sodas, and teas, as well as smoothies, breakfast sandwiches, and treats. The Sips model is to provide a unique customer experience by delivering custom-designed drinks with drive-through convenience and speed. The company motto is “A hug-in-a-cup to help you embrace the day.”

Matt Perry, Sips owner, said he has wanted to open his own business since he was young. When he moved to Davis County in 2002, he realized there was an opportunity for a specialty beverage drive thru since there appeared to be none in the area.  

“When I originally began, we were a small kiosk-style drive through in a Kmart parking lot,” he said. “In 2016, due to redevelopment of that location, we moved around the corner on Highway 89 in Bountiful. We built a new building and worked to rebrand our business with an expanded menu with recipes inspired by the local community. Besides the challenge of relocation, a new Starbucks was built in the redeveloped retail space, creating an uphill charge to recover and reestablish ourselves.”

Matt has faced many challenges over the years and learned valuable lessons from each one. When faced with roadblocks, he has worked to turn each one into opportunities to learn, improve, and grow.   

“One of the most important things I’ve learned is how to pivot to stay relevant and to always persist and move forward,” he said “The best part about being an entrepreneur and having your own business is the ability to create and have some control over your own destiny.”

Matt regularly offers support to other small businesses so they can benefit from his journey and the lessons he’s learned.  

“Your own business is one of the most challenging things you will ever do; however, it can be the most rewarding,” he said. “Business ownership is definitely not for the faint of heart, but for me it is a source of pride and accomplishment that I could not obtain working for someone else. But it takes persistence, persistence, persistence!”  

Matt has built Sips and positioned it for growth by his focus on creating unique experiences for his customers, taking care of them, and making them feel like family. His philosophy is that if he can create a fun experience for his team, they will, in turn, have fun with customers.  

His website states, “Being a local business, we have the benefits of building personal bonds with our customers. Not only do we know their preferred drink, we also call many of our customers ‘friends.’ We are the charming, small-town experience you won’t get in a big city.”  

Matt believes he has a responsibility to make a difference.  

“We pride ourselves on creating a diverse, comfortable workplace for our employees,” he said. 

This year, he received the Golden Key Ace Citizen Award for providing job skills training for those with special needs.

In the beginning months of COVID-19, Matt made quick changes to help minimize contact between employees and customers, and he implemented strict sanitation protocols.  

“Our ability to create a safe work environment along with a safe customer experience helped us continue to stay open and serve our patrons, while watching our competitors close due to COVID-19-related issues. This brought a new influx of customers to Sips, which we capitalized on by creating repeat customers.”  

With help from the SBDC, Matt was able to receive Paycheck Protection Program loans to retain all his employees. The SBDC also brought in subject matter experts with CARES Act funds, and Matt met with online marketing, social media marketing, and leadership specialists.  

From the beginning, Matt knew he wasn’t alone, and he used the services available from the SBA Resource Partners. 

“I opened my first store with the help of the SCORE Business Center in 2002,” he said.  “In 2016, I met Winthrop Jeanfreau, director of the Utah Valley SBDC, and he helped me develop a plan for growth. Since I was located in Davis County, they directed me to Andrew Willis and the Kaysville SBDC in 2017.  They have been instrumental in helping me grow my business and providing me with resources. 

“Multimillion-dollar corporations often have unlimited resources and enormous groups of people to help them develop and create their business and strategies. To have something like the SBDC help small businesses that usually lack those type of dollars and resources really helps level the playing field in a world that favors large corporations.” 

After 18 years of success and building a strong foundation in his Bountiful store, Matt recently opening his second store in Clearfield. In 2021 and 2022, he has plans to build two more stores in the Davis and Weber County areas.