History
The Garage, the Turkey Farm, and the Grand Vision
Every great company history starts somewhere unexpected.
Ours began in Tim and Nicole Guenther’s garage in 2005. The vision was simple but focused:
- Capitalize on eCommerce: To tap into the budding online world to connect with customers more efficiently than traditional sales methods.
- Cultivate a Better Place to Work: To build an organization that wasn’t just financially successful, but where people genuinely thrived.
With a “nothing to lose” leap of faith, our first brand, US Cargo Control, was launched. That initial spark of entrepreneurial hustle—running operations from the Guenther’s home and later, renting space on a turkey farm—is the DNA of our resourcefulness today.
A Track Record of Sustained Growth
The immediate results validated the vision: we rocketed from $14,000 to $1 million in revenue in the first year alone. This early success set a non-negotiable precedent: reinvesting earnings back into the business and our people.
Our growth has always been focused on building a central hub that can support multiple thriving brands.
2011: We established our permanent headquarters in Urbana, Iowa, constructed to embody our culture—focused on enjoyment, connection, and collaboration.
2013-2017: Exponential growth demanded continuous expansion, culminating in a sprawling 135,000-square-foot campus.
2021-Present: We’ve strategically expanded our operational footprint to ensure we can execute our brand promise and support continuous growth. This includes:
- Constructing a greenhouse for our Pepper Joe’s brand (2021).
- Opening and then doubling the size of our distribution center in South Carolina for faster nationwide service (2022-2024).
- Expanding the Urbana headquarters warehouse by nearly 33,000 square feet (2024).
The ESOP Transition: Solidifying Our Ownership Culture
One of the most transformative chapters of our company history came with our transition to an ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan) company in 2017. This wasn’t a sudden decision; it was the inevitable destination of our founding vision.
Becoming an ESOP simply meant we were “walking the talk” by officially:
- Connecting Rewards to Growth: Employees directly benefit from the company’s sustained financial health.
- Formalizing Accountability: It reinforces the long-standing expectation that every single person takes true ownership of their work.
- Investing in People: It provides a profound way to build wealth and transform the lives ofthe individuals driving our long-term success.
Our unwavering commitment to our mission has been the constant throughout every chapter. Our history is a testament to the power of a values-driven, growth-focused culture.
Walking the Talk: An Ownership Mindset
Central to our journey are our unwavering mission and core values. We don’t merely proclaim these values; we live them. Our actions align with our values, creating a culture where we relentlessly pursue our mission while fostering meaningful growth for our team members. This alignment is the bedrock of our competitive advantage.
Although we don’t actively seek awards, the results achieved by our dedicated employee-owners have earned us local, regional, and national recognition, of which we are immensely proud.
Another pivotal moment in Clickstop’s history was our transition to an ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan) company. This transformative decision marked a new chapter for us and had several important implications:
- It allowed our employees to reap the financial rewards of being part of a healthy, growing company.
- It naturally resonated with our long-standing expectation of taking ownership of our work.
- It provided another way to invest in our engaged employees, transforming the lives of individuals within our organization.
Throughout all the chapters of our history, one constant remains: our unwavering commitment to driving business growth and personal development, all in harmony with our mission — to create a business that is enjoyable, sustainable, and provides opportunities for those who seek it.
Be Part of Our Next Chapter.
Our history has been defined by the people who made it all happen. If this journey of entrepreneurial spirit, employee ownership, and growth-driven culture resonates with you, we invite you to write your own chapter with us.