Tux MacAuley and his wife Darlene turned a difficult situation into an opportunity.  Tux was laid off from his job in 2001 when the dotcom bubble burst and wasn't sure what he was going to do next.  He and Darlene made the bold decision to turn their hobby, selling collectibles on eBay, into a full time job. The couple offered their eBay expertise to sell others' valuable collections for a fee. They then offered the company's services to businesses with rooms full of unused technical equipment in need of liquidation. Auction Partner liquidates technical assets of medium and large companies, primarily on eBay

The MacAuley's contacted the City of Austin's Small Business Development Program who directed them to BiGAUSTIN for a $35,000 micro loan.  They used the funds from BiGAUSTIN to provide working capital for their quickly expanding business and inventory purchases. Additionally, participation in BiGAUSTIN's training course Taking Financial Control of Your Business, provided Darlene and Tux guidance in managing and growing their business.  Darlene recommends BiGAUSTIN's training courses to any small business owner seeking help.  "The course provided us the ability to better understand the financial state of our business." said Ms. MacAuley.

Auction Partner is now growing by leaps and bounds.  Since 2003, they have increased their revenue by over $900,000, moved to larger facilities and have over 50 clients. Auction Partner has also created jobs for nine people.