Jamie Kocher and Steve Raketich relied on the agency for guidance.

As many small businesses struggle with sales and financing in the current economic climate, San Diego-based landscape retailer Backyard X-Scapes uses SCORE San Diego’s free counseling and low-cost workshops to remain financially sound and profitable.

While setting up national distribution of faux waterscape products more than six years ago, Jamie Kocher and Steve Raketich became convinced they could streamline the process by purchasing direct from the factories.  As a result, they started Backyard X-Scapes, a landscape retailer/wholesaler specializing in fountains, pottery, bamboo fencing, bamboo products, thatch palapas, thatch products, artificial turf, artificial rocks, and rock waterfalls.