Welcome to Spotlight on Small Business, a Klamath County Chamber of Commerce series aimed to highlight a few of the incredible small businesses in our area during National Small Business Month. Today we are pleased to bring you “Questions & Answers with Kylie Nichols”.

What kind of problems do people come to you to solve?

We help solve all kinds of problems for our customers. One minute it’s a seasoned farmer looking for a specific seed blend or variety, and the next it’s a new customer who just bought their first chickens and doesn’t know where to start.

We help folks with pasture health, drought-tolerant seed options, fencing projects, feeding programs, fly control, animal nutrition, and much more. We even help landowners find solutions to prevent erosion and invasive weeds. We like to say we’re “chameleon investigators” because we truly work with all walks of life.

Sometimes that support goes beyond the store. If an elderly customer doesn’t have a truck and trailer to haul hay, we’ll deliver it. We love questions because they give us the opportunity to learn, to find solutions and to support our community.

How has the business evolved since you first opened?

My business partner, Will Oxley, and I took over the feed store in March of 2024. From the beginning, we knew we wanted to do more than just keep things running—we wanted to build something better for our customers and community.

Since taking over, we’ve made significant improvements to the retail space, yard organization, operations, and technology. One of the biggest milestones was expanding the retail side of the store into a much larger portion of the building. That vision became a reality in September of 2025 when we celebrated our Grand Opening and ribbon cutting ceremony with the Chamber of Commerce.

We also launched a Rewards Program to give something back to our loyal customers. The response has been incredible, and customers are already enjoying the coupons and benefits they’ve earned.

Our business has evolved tremendously in a short amount of time. We’ve grown quickly, expanded our product offerings, and increased our employee base so we can better serve our customers.

What’s something about your early days that people might not know?

Having previously worked at the store before taking ownership, I always had a vision for what the business could become. In the early days after Will and I took over, there was a lot of hard work happening behind the scenes to make those ideas a reality.

One major change involved rethinking the customer flow. Previously, customers stopped at the back office to order, pay, and get loaded out all in one place. After expanding the retail space up front, we moved the register to the front of the store and added a second register to help reduce wait times and improve efficiency.

Change can be difficult, and we definitely experienced some pushback at first. But ultimately, it’s helped bring more customers through the retail space to see all the new products we now carry while also improving traffic flow in the yard.

We’re now planning to convert the old back office into a conference room where we can sit down one-on-one with customers who have larger or more complex projects and help find solutions in a quieter setting.

Why is it important to you to serve the local ag and pet community?

This community is built on people who care deeply about their animals, land, and livelihoods. Being able to support that means a lot to us.

We understand that whether someone owns a large ranch, a few backyard chickens, or a family pet, those animals matter to them. We want to be a reliable resource people can trust for products, advice, and support.

At the end of the day, our business exists because of this community, and we never lose sight of that.

What do you love most about doing business in this area?

The relationships are what make this area special. You get to know people over time—their families, their animals, their operations, and their stories.

As a newer business in town, especially with big box stores both established and continuing to move in, it means a lot that so many people choose to support local and do business with us. That’s something we never take lightly, and we’re incredibly grateful for it.

What’s a memorable or funny interaction you’ve had with a customer?

One interaction that really stuck with me was when a local producer came into ON 140 Feed & Seed to discuss a completely revamped bull sale they were putting together called Basin Bull Fest. You could tell right away how much pride and work had gone into it, they had expanded the event and the producer lineup, and were trying to turn it into something bigger than just another local sale.

What made it memorable was their genuine excitement when they asked if we would be the presenting sponsor—or “King of the Ring,” as they called it—and their willingness and desire to work with us.

It was one of those moments that reminded me how agriculture businesses aren’t just stores, they become gathering places and trusted partners in the community.

What’s one thing people are often surprised to learn when they come into your store?

A lot of people are surprised by how much more we carry now compared to when we first took over.

With the expansion of our retail side, we added thousands of new products. In addition to greatly expanding our animal supply section, we now carry hardware supplies, tools, adhesives, locks, bulk chain, seeders, and much more.

People often walk in expecting “just a feed store” and quickly realize we’ve become much more of a one-stop shop than they anticipated.

What’s one product you carry that you think more people should know about?

It’s hard to narrow it down to just one product because we’ve expanded our inventory so much. But one area we’re especially passionate about is our livestock fly control products.

We carry supplement lick tubs with added fly control, garlic salt that naturally helps repel flying insects, and loose fly additives that can be mixed into minerals or salt. When used together, customers often see a significant reduction in fly pressure.

These products work best when started before fly season gets bad because the additives interrupt the fly growth cycle before populations explode.

What should folks be thinking about this time of year (animals, pasture, gardens, etc.)?

This time of year, it’s prime time to get ahead of flies—especially on the livestock side. Cattle prices are high, and there’s no sense in letting flies stress animals and take weight off your investment.

We offer several solutions to help customers stay ahead of the problem, including fly control lick tubs, garlic salt, loose mineral additives, horse fly sprays, and fly masks.

A lot of people don’t realize timing matters. These products work best when started early because the additives disrupt the fly life cycle before populations get out of control.

At the end of the day, fly control protects animal health, improves comfort, reduces disease risk, helps prevent issues like pink eye, and protects the owner’s bottom line.

What kind of impact do you hope your business has on the community long-term?

We hope our long-term impact is to be a solid, reliable resource for farmers, ranchers, and homeowners alike.

Giving back to the community is incredibly important to us because without this amazing community, there would be no ON 140 Feed & Seed. We take a lot of pride in supporting organizations and events including local FFA chapters, 4-H groups, Klamath County Cattlewomen, Ducks Unlimited, Pheasants Unlimited, Klamath County Search and Rescue, Tulelake Fairgrounds, various jackpot shows, and many others.

Through our sponsorships, donations, involvement, and participation, we hope our community sees how much we truly appreciate, respect, and value the people here.

What’s something about you that customers would be surprised to know?

I think something that surprises people is that we are truly a locally owned business here in Klamath County. We’re not a chain store, and we’re not owned by someone outside the community—Will and I both live and work right here.

While I haven’t lived here my whole life—I’m originally from Fossil, Oregon—this is home. And I know Will shares the same passion for showing up every day to serve our community and make it better any way we can.

“The best part of this community is…”

…the people who choose to support local.

As a newer business in town, especially with larger chain stores in the area, it means the world to us that so many people continue to choose to do business with us. We truly appreciate that support and never take it for granted.

We also welcome feedback, ideas, and suggestions from customers because that input helps us continue growing and serving our community better every day

You can connect with ON 140 Feed & Seed on Facebook, their website www.on140feed.com or stop by their retail location: 9732 Hwy 140 Klamath Falls OR

The Klamath County Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce the addition of Leslie Beanland as its new receptionist.

A lifelong resident of Klamath Falls, Leslie brings a deep appreciation for the local community and a growing passion for civic engagement. She is eager to step into a role that connects her more directly with the people, businesses, and organizations that help shape the Klamath Basin.

“I am so excited to join the Chamber of Commerce,” said Beanland. “One thing I’m really looking forward to is being more connected to the community than ever before. Growing up here, I didn’t always realize how much the Chamber and other organizations contribute to the events and opportunities in our area. It’s exciting to now be part of that.”

As a young professional, Beanland is enthusiastic about bringing a fresh perspective and creating a welcoming, positive environment for everyone who walks through the Chamber’s doors.

“I hope to create a space that is fun and enjoyable for anyone visiting the building, no matter which organization they are here to see,” she added. “I’m looking forward to building relationships with local businesses and being a helpful resource for whatever needs they may have.” 

In addition to her work with the Chamber, Beanland will be supporting some of the other businesses that are housed in the South Portal Building including KCEDA, the Downtown Association, BBSI and Klamath Basin Homebuilders Association.

Beanland also brings strong organizational skills and a collaborative mindset to her role, supporting Chamber staff and members in their shared mission to serve and strengthen the regional business community. 

“We are excited to welcome Leslie to the team,” said Heather Harter, Executive Director.  “Her energy, local roots, and enthusiasm for serving others make her a wonderful addition to the Chamber.”

ProfitWerx helps businesses get out of the weeds and into growth mode. By combining expert bookkeeping and accounting with website design and SEO, they bring clarity to your numbers and visibility to your business—so you can make smarter decisions and generate more leads. Join me as we ask some questions and gain insight into this small business:

Q – James, your website, profitwerx.com, mentions helping businesses gain clarity, control, and confidence—what does that look like in real life for a client?

A – In real life, it looks like a business owner finally being able to sleep at night. So many owners come to us driving their business at 80 MPH with a muddy windshield—they check their bank balance to see if they’re making money, but they have no idea what their actual profit margins are or where the cash is going. When we step in, we clean up the mess, categorize everything, and give them a clear dashboard. Suddenly, they aren’t guessing anymore. They know exactly what they can afford, when to hire, and which services are actually making them money. That’s the clarity and control that builds real confidence.

Q – Can you share a before-and-after story of a business you helped?

A – We recently worked with a local service business that was months behind on their books and facing a looming tax deadline. They were stressed, overwhelmed, and trying to untangle a massive Quickbooks chaos on their weekends instead of spending time with their family. We stepped in, completely reconstructed their financials without having to rebuild their entire QuickBooks from scratch, and got them tax-ready in a fraction of the time they expected. The “after” wasn’t just clean books—it was an owner who finally felt like they had their life back and could focus on actually running their business again.

Q – A lot of people think bookkeeping is just tracking numbers—how would you describe what you actually do for businesses?

A – Bookkeeping is the foundation, but what we actually do is build momentum. We don’t just balance books; we translate the numbers into a language the business owner can actually understand and use. We take the historical data (what happened) and turn it into strategic insight (what to do next). We handle the financial heavy lifting so the owner can step out of the weeds and focus on growth.

Q – What’s something small a business owner could do today that would make a big difference in their financial clarity?

A – Stop mixing personal and business expenses. It sounds incredibly simple, but it’s the number one thing that creates a tangled mess. If you do nothing else today, make sure you have a dedicated business checking account and a dedicated business credit card, and only use them for business. That one boundary will save you hours of headaches and hundreds of dollars in accounting fees down the road.

Q – What do you wish more people understood about bookkeeping, SEO, or running a business behind the scenes?

A – I wish more people understood that you can’t out-market bad financials, and you can’t out-save a lack of revenue. They are two sides of the same coin. You need clean books to know if you’re profitable, and you need a strong digital presence (SEO and a website that converts) to drive the revenue in the first place. Too many owners treat them as separate problems, but they are deeply connected.

Q – You offer more than bookkeeping—how did you expand into websites and SEO?

A – Websites and SEO were the starting point. But once we got to know our clients, it became clear that a lot of them needed help behind the scenes too—especially with their books.

We added bookkeeping and clean-up services so we could support both sides of the business. It’s been a good fit because those two areas are more connected than people think. Books + Branding = Profits.

Q – If someone is feeling stuck in their business, where do you usually start with them?

A – We always start with a free strategy session to look at the reality of the numbers. You can’t fix what you can’t see. We look at their current financials (or lack thereof) and their current lead flow. Usually, the bottleneck becomes obvious very quickly—either they are pricing things wrong and bleeding cash, or they simply aren’t getting enough at-bats because their online presence is weak. Once we identify the actual problem, we build a custom action plan to fix it.

Q – What kind of impact do you hope to have on the local business community?

A – We want to help local businesses stop surviving and start scaling. Klamath Falls and Southern Oregon have incredible entrepreneurs, but too many of them are burning out because they are trying to do everything themselves. If ProfitWerx can take the financial and digital marketing burden off their plates, they can focus on delivering great service, hiring local talent, and strengthening our local economy.

Q – What do you love about working with businesses in this community?

A – We love the grit and the authenticity. Business owners here don’t want corporate fluff or fake polish; they want straight answers and real results. Our core values at ProfitWerx are “Keep It Real” and “Get Sh*t Done,” and that resonates perfectly with the hardworking people in this community. We can have honest conversations, roll up our sleeves, and get to work.

Q – What’s something about you that would surprise your clients?

A – Even though I spend a lot of time on spreadsheets and analytics, I’m actually pretty creative at heart. I see both bookkeeping and websites as solving a puzzle—figuring out how all the pieces fit together in a way that actually works. Over time, that’s also turned into being a trusted advisor for my clients—helping them not just understand the picture, but make better decisions from it.

Q – “Right now, we’re most excited about helping businesses…”

A – …stop guessing and start growing. We are seeing so many local businesses realize that they don’t have to settle for word-of-mouth alone. We’re excited to help them build a digital presence that actually converts, backed by rock-solid financials that allow them to scale with confidence.

Q – What does a day in your life look like?

A – It’s a mix of heads-down work and real conversations. I’ll spend part of the day in the details—numbers, reports, or websites—and the other part talking with business owners about what’s actually going on in their business.

I try to stay involved on both sides because that’s where the value really comes from.

Q – If your business had a tagline beyond the official one, what would it be?

A – Realistically Our official tagline is the one we stick with as it embodies everything we do. Books + Branding = Profits, at the end of the day, our goal is simply to give business owners their time and peace of mind back.

You can connect with ProfitWerx on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profitwerx or their website: profitwerx.com

Klamath Falls, OR — The Klamath County Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce the addition of Jennifer Woodward to its team, serving in a membership and community engagement role focused on strengthening connections and supporting local businesses throughout Klamath County.

In this role, Jennifer will work closely with Chamber members and the broader business community to enhance engagement, expand networking opportunities, and ensure members are fully supported in accessing the resources and visibility the Chamber provides.

“We are excited to welcome Jennifer to the Chamber team,” said Executive Director Heather Harter. “Her background in community engagement and her passion for building meaningful connections make her a natural fit for this role and for our mission.”

Jennifer brings a diverse background in business, community engagement, and relationship-building. She is passionate about helping individuals and organizations navigate growth, strengthen connections, and create sustainable momentum within their work and communities.

“I’m excited to step into this role and connect with our local businesses and community members,” said Jennifer. “The Chamber plays such an important role in supporting economic vitality here, and I look forward to building relationships and helping members make the most of everything the Chamber has to offer.”

Jennifer will serve as a resource for Chamber members—supporting visibility, networking, and engagement opportunities—while also helping to strengthen connections across the local business community.

Community members and businesses are encouraged to connect with Jennifer through the Chamber office at 541-884-5193 or email jenniferw@klamath.org.

Hello Members,

There’s been a lot to digest this past week and I know it has brought some challenges and worry for us all. Today’s news is no less so. I want to let you know the Chamber is continuing to stay up to date on business related issues on your behalf and will continue to post updates as appropriate but in a way to not overwhelm you with information. You can visit here for more information. We also just received the newest executive order from the Governors Office that you can read here. Here are some of the finer points:

• All non-essential social and recreational gatherings of individuals are prohibited immediately, regardless of size, if a distance of at least six feet between individuals cannot be maintained. Gatherings of members of the same residential household are permitted.

• It closes and prohibits shopping at specific categories of retail businesses, for which close personal contact is difficult to avoid, such as arcades, barber shops, hair salons, gyms and fitness studios, skating rinks, theaters, and yoga studios.

• It requires businesses not closed by the order to implement social distancing policies in order to remain open, and requires workplaces to implement teleworking and work-at-home options when possible.

•It directs Oregonians to stay home whenever possible, while permitting activities outside the home when social distance is maintained.

• It closes playgrounds, sports courts, and skate parks, among other types of outdoor recreation facilities. Those that remain open are required to strictly adhere to social distancing guidelines.

• It outlines new guidelines for child care facilities, setting limits and rules on amounts of children allowed in care, and outlining that child care groups may not change participants.

• Failure to comply with the order will be considered an immediate danger to public health and subject to a Class C misdemeanor.

Retail businesses closed by Executive Order 20-12 include:

• Shopping: Outdoor and indoor malls and retail complexes, although individual types of businesses not subject to the measures may stay open.

• Fitness: Gyms, sports and fitness centers, health clubs, and exercise studios

• Grooming: Barbershops, beauty and nail salons, and non-medical wellness spas • Entertainment: Theaters, amusement parks, arcades, bowling alleys, and pool halls.

• Other retail businesses will not be able to continue to operate unless they can implement strict social distancing measures and designate an employee or officer charged with ensuring compliance. Retail businesses able to adapt to take-out style shopping experiences can also remain open. If businesses can have employees work from home, then they must do so. Many of the businesses outlined in the order have voluntarily closed their doors already, to do their part to protect Oregon’s communities. In addition, non-retail businesses like manufacturers and the construction industry must ensure that their employees are maintaining social distancing measures.

Our offices will be closed but we will be working and available via phone at 541-884-5193 or email to Heather at heathert@klamath.org or Marissa at reception@klamath.org. We are cancelling our in person Awake@8 networking meetings through the end of April but this week we will debut a virtual version that you can participate in. Details will follow soon. Again, your Chamber is looking out for you. I have been in contact often with elected officials sharing your voice and sharing your stories as they look for ways to provide the business community some relief. Please continue to email me with your questions, stories, and the impacts you are feeling.

Klamath County is strong and resilient. We will all get through this as a community.

Stay safe and talk soon.