The Little Things

The solo operation is especially tough because the El Reno, Okla., school won't let Clements charge more for printing than the cost of the materials. With a profit margin thinned out to a big fat zero, Clements did what anyone might when staring down a goose egg.

He asked for money.

"I knew of a private foundation in the area, and I wrote a grant for $9,000," he says. Clements didn't expect much—maybe a piece of the request, tops. But to his surprise, the grant was approved and the shop was nine grand in the black.