ST. GEORGE – Southern Utah-based tech companies busybusy.com and CABOsoft have joined forces to provide solutions for an expanding client base and harness the power of the digital industry. A grand opening event, complete with ribbon-cutting ceremony was well attended by representatives of the region’s education and business sectors on Thursday at busybusy.com’s new headquarters on South Mall Drive in St. George.
History of busybusy.com and CABOsoft
Though the joining of busybusy.com and CABOsoft was just made official in December 2013, the companies have a history of working hand-in-hand.
In 2008, software developers Jim Boyd and Brad Campbell started CABOsoft with the goal of providing custom mobile app development to new and existing businesses.
“Our idea has always been to grow the tech community in Southern Utah and hopefully see another company like us in the future,” Boyd said. “We want to inspire confidence in the local tech economy.”
CABOsoft now has over 10 apps and programs to its name, including: “Expense Snapper,” a tool that helps small businesses balance their books; “Buckshot,” a photography scavenger hunt game; and “My Sister’s Budget,” a personal finance manager.
Busybusy.com was created four years ago by Isaac Barlow, who, while working in the construction industry, observed the difficulties companies experienced while trying to manage the hours and payment of contractors, subcontractors and others.
“My idea was to simplify the process of tracking employees’ work,” he said. “I’m an analytical person. I knew there had to be a better way.”
He designed a prototype for an app that would essentially serve as a digital time clock and conducted a market research study, which received an overwhelmingly positive response.
Connecting with CABOsoft gave Barlow the jump-start he needed to make his vision into an actual product. They invested in the fledgling company and took busybusy.com on as a client, eventually developing an iOS, Android and online app.
Though catered to industrial contractors, the app is used by an extensive and varied client list of over 100 businesses, around 40 of which are based in Southern Utah. As busybusy.com continued to grow, Barlow started hiring software engineers away from CABOsoft.
“It’s by far the most successful company we’ve helped develop,” Boyd said.
With the two companies already linked, a full partnership seemed like the logical next step.
“Busybusy.com is really catching traction and CABOsoft has wanted for some time to become less of a custom software shop and more of a product shop,” said Jill Elliss, director of USTAR South, a state-funded resource providing financial initiatives to startup companies with a focus on technology.
New partnership and outlook
Barlow said the deal is more of an acquisition than a merger, as CABOsoft is being fully absorbed by busybusy.com and will essentially cease to exist. However, all employees (including Boyd, Campbell and their partner, Jason Madrid) are being retained, and business will continue as usual for current clients.
The acquisition will facilitate the short and long-term growth of the young company, which is currently expanding by about 20 percent each month.
“We’re going to be able to focus on busybusy.com and turn it into something pretty amazing,” Boyd said.
Busybusy.com has added two developers to their team in the month since the deal was finalized, and 15-20 additional workers will be hired by the end of 2014. A few years from now, Boyd said, having several hundred employees is a very likely prospect.
“We’ll be able to provide high-paying jobs for local graduates, allowing them to stay in the area and boosting the local economy,” Barlow said.
Additionally, the partnership will boost further development of “RxTrax,” a mobile tracking and delivery service for pharmacies that CABOsoft is building with the assistance of grants from USTAR South.
On Thursday, busybusy.com held a grand opening event for their new headquarters, located at 446 South Mall Drive in St. George. Following a ceremonial ribbon-cutting and brief speech from Barlow, representatives from Dixie State University, Dixie Applied Technology College, the Dixie Business Alliance, the St. George Area Chamber of Commerce and other Southern Utah businesspeople were invited to take a tour of the building, enjoy refreshments and view a slideshow of testimonials from satisfied clients.
“I’m very impressed with what they’ve got; a group of young adults that are excited and ready to make a difference,” said Jinks Dabney, member of the Dixie Sunshiners, a group of local business professionals who welcome new companies to the community. “St. George is a hotspot for businesses involving technology. It’s really growing.”
“We’re on the cutting edge,” Barlow said.
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Software and hard drugs have landed in sweet STG. Every day I read the drug task forces numbers and the great but sad success. The end of the world as we know it. Oh and interestingly the pop up ad is for a STG bail bondsman. Irony.
Jill’s off her meds today guys. I’ll handle it. This way to your room Jill dear, we have a nice soft bed, some puzzles and your favorite stuffed animal. I’ll close and lock the door so no one will bother you.
@Jill: haha… I don’t see how “software” is bad news for a city. LOL. 🙂 Cheer up a little bit! It’s growth in a positive direction, and St George is the place to be!