Edgemaster Franchising Inc.
Salem
Formed October 2008What it is: A franchiser of mobile sharpening companies called Edgemaster Mobile Sharpening.
What stage: Eight franchises granted so far, including three in Portland. It’s fielding inquiries from as far away as Uruguay.
Revenue: The company charges a $20,000 franchise fee, plus a weekly $45 service fee.
The founder: Jon Holmquist, 70, was born in South Dakota and moved to Salem at age 10. He attended Oregon College of Education, now Western Oregon University in Monmouth, for one year before going to work for U.S. Bank and other financial institutions, managing branches throughout the state over the next decade. He then became a serial entrepreneur, starting 10 companies of various types over a 25-year span, including a drive-through coffee shop in Salem.