How Ron Norton, founder of The Hose Shop, expanded after 45 years in business
For Ron Norton, business ownership is more than just a career: it’s a practice in ingenuity. Ron founded The Hose Shop in Yuba City 45 years ago after working in hydraulic system design and encountering clients who needed pieces for their systems that were not available from standard manufacturers. “I would look at these people who were frustrated that we didn’t have the parts for them, and I realized that they’re not being jerks—they are desperate. They’ve been hunting all over the place,” Ron explains, reflecting on the beginning of his business journey. “So, I kept asking, well why can’t we do that?” Guided by this question, Ron started The Hose Shop LLC, which makes custom hoses and fittings for a variety of industries, from power steering and brake lines for automotive uses to fittings for air conditioning and plumbing systems.
Since the late 1970s, Ron and his wife have built their business from the ground up, serving their clientele with bespoke products and a penchant for problem solving. “We have to figure out what the customer needs, and how to solve the problem for them,” Ron says. “It’s very complicated, because they don’t know themselves what they want usually.”
As they have continued to meet the unique needs of clients from around the world, The Hose Shop began eyeing opportunities for expansion in early 2025. Working with a bank on acquiring a sizeable loan to purchase a second warehouse and retail building, Ron was directed to connect Sacramento Valley SBDC for support on creating a revised business plan and financial projections. Ron was matched with finance advisor Panda Morgan, who walked him through the fundamentals of estimating the company’s future finances based on factors such as cash flow, revenue, expenses, and more.
“We had a positive attitude about it because you can always learn, you can always improve and so we were positive about it. [Financial projections] were the one hold-up for us,” explains Ron, detailing the process of applying for the loan. “I was glad that we did it, and Panda was great to work with. She knew how to ask the questions and give us the right homework to make progress.”
With their financial projections in hand, The Hose Shop secured a loan from Plumas Bank that allowed them to purchase a building adjacent to their current offices. With expanded capacity, The Hose Shop will increase their retail offerings and be able to serve more walk-in clients and continue to solve problems, create jobs, and fuel the economy of Sutter County.
