Mother/daughter Milwaukee company with BMO from the start celebrates two decades in business

June Perry-Stevens started her company “Best Ed Business” in 2004 in Milwaukee providing office and safety supplies, equipment and strategic sourcing servicing, office furniture and more as the company continues to grow and expand. When her original partner retired a few years ago, her daughter, Krystle Rogers, stepped up to fill the role of co-owner and business development manager at the company she grew up watching. 

Now this mother/daughter duo is still taking on new growth and expanding wherever possible, something that didn’t always feel easy according to Perry-Stevens, who says as a women and minority owned business, sometimes just getting in the door can be the hardest part. 

“One of the things that we deal with is people thinking that we don’t have the capacity because we are small, because we are women. They look at us sometimes just as a project rather than a business.” 

They’ve persevered over the years with increasing not only their products and services offered, but the size of contracts they can deliver. In 2021, Best Ed was selected as the sole provider of N95 masks for Milwaukee Public Schools in a $1 million deal. 

Through it all, June and Best Ed Business have maintained a loyal relationship with BMO, their financial institution since day one thanks to the deep and meaningful business relationships they’ve found at the bank. 

“When you walk into a branch you know that you are respected as a customer…and the fact that we can get that personalized service kind of gives you a sense of security.”

– June Perry-Stevens
Co-owner, Best Ed Business

Now June’s favorite words of advice for other business owners are to make sure you find that true connection with not only your bank, but your individual banker to help set you up for success. By having that meaningful relationship with a person and being able to utilize the additional resources and networking offered by a bank like BMO, June and Krystle are hopeful for another 20 years of success and beyond.