Recent graduate receives business franchise opportunity through Northwest partnership

When Cody Kliethermes enrolled at Northwest Missouri State University as a non-traditional online student in 2021 his primary goal was to earn a bachelor’s degree that could help him advance his career in law enforcement. But he realized an added benefit to earning his degree last spring.

At the conclusion of the spring semester, Kliethermes completed a bachelor’s degree in management information systems with a cybersecurity emphasis. He also was awarded the opportunity to own and operate the next DocuLock franchise.

“I got more than I hoped for with this business,” Kliethermes said of his Northwest experience and receiving the franchise. “It’s a great opportunity when you look at the dollars it takes to start a business.”

In May, DocuLock LLC – a service-based business that specializes in document scanning, archiving, management, retention and shredding – announced it was awarding its newest franchise to Kliethermes. The $43,500 franchise fee was waived for him, and he chose O’Fallon, Missouri, for its location. Further, he is receiving no-cost assistance to start the business through the Small Business Development Center at Northwest.

Kliethermes is the second Northwest graduate to receive a DocuLock franchise through a partnership with the University after Spencer Engelman became the first in 2023. Since opening his franchise, Kliethermes has devoted time to learning about the business, in addition to joining community organizations such as the local chamber of commerce and building his client base.

“Not only did he come out testing highest across the board to begin with, but being an active duty police officer for over a decade now, married with kids – he’s seen the elephant, so to speak, and definitely somebody that I was excited about bringing on board,” Paul Janicek, DocuLock LLC chief executive officer, said. “We got his lead generation up and running, and he’s already talking to several clients. It’s fantastic.”

Janicek, who founded DocuLock in 2017, formed a partnership with Northwest and its Small Business Development Center in 2022 to offer the franchise opportunity to an entrepreneurial-minded student enrolled in the University’s business strategy and decision-making course. Janicek, a military veteran who had a 20-year career in corporate information technology sales before launching DocuLock, hopes to continue the partnership and award franchises to Northwest students on an annual basis.

“It’s really exciting,” Janicek said. “One of my big pushes has been to educate and help elevate people into entrepreneurial roles, regardless if it’s DocuLock or not. The point is to find these folks that are hungry and they want to make something from nothing. They want to grow it, and I feel very honored to be able to do that.”

Now 32, Kliethermes and his wife, Sandy, have three children. He completed an associate degree in 2012 and has spent the last 11 years working in law enforcement. He currently serves as a resource officer in the Wentzville School District.

But as his family grew, he held hope of returning to school in pursuit of a bachelor’s degree. During his search for an institution that met his interests, Kliethermes was attracted to Northwest by its personable faculty and staff and affordable tuition.

Even as an online student, he made valuable connections with faculty and classmates through group projects and other course activities.

“I knew online was the only option I had at this stage in my life,” Kliethermes said. “So I was like, ‘You know what, I’m going to bite the bullet and I’m going to get it done.’ All the teachers were very helpful if you emailed them or you had questions. Some of them would post recordings of them giving their lessons to their normal class, so you could watch the videos.”

As an online student, Kliethermes thought the odds of him receiving the franchise were slim in comparison to traditional Northwest students who may have a stronger rapport with faculty. By applying for the opportunity he hoped that he might, at least, take advantage of a chance to practice his job interviewing skills.

“Being the online-only student, I wasn’t ever on campus,” he said. “I didn’t have face time with my teacher. It was a very different experience just going to college in that way in the first place. So when I put in for it, I thought, ‘There’s no way.’ ‘If these teachers don’t know me, they’re not going to recommend me,’ is the way I kind of saw it.”

But the interview process went well, and Kliethermes eventually received the call from Janicek that he would be the newest DocuLock franchise owner.

“Once he said it – he called me and said it had been awarded to me – I was kind of shocked and surprised,” Kliethermes said.

He plans to continue working in law enforcement in addition to operating his new franchise.

“I saw the opportunity and I was like, ‘Well, you know, being my own boss doesn’t sound too bad,’” he said. “If I can turn it into something one day where I’m making enough money with it, where I can support my family and (retire from law enforcement), that would be great. Worst case scenario, it’ll be at least a little bit of extra money in my back pocket on the side.”

For more information about the partnership, visit www.nwmissouri.edu/services/sbdc/student-franchise.htm or contact Rebecca Lobina, regional director of the Missouri Small Business Development Center at Northwest, at 816.364.4105 or lobina@nwmissouri.edu.