Business

A cut above the competition

Valley minority business claims honors in Columbus

The effort Alexi Psaras and Dajwan Stubbs put into their businesses -- Buzz Bros LLC and DLX Contracting Inc. -- extends beyond their work in the field.

It includes the time outlining a financial game plan, obtaining counseling and connecting with customers -- current and potential -- in Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties.

Last month, the two-man operation garnered statewide accolades.

Buzz Bros LLC, based in Youngstown, claimed the People's Choice awards for Top Minority Business Enterprise and Top Family Business at the 2026 OhioMBE Awards. The event took place Oct. 22 at Huntington Park in Columbus. DLX Contracting also was nominated in the Top Family Business category.

More than 13,000 votes were delivered across four categories, according to event organizers.

"A lot of people helped us out,” Stubbs said. "It was something awesome for both of us."

Psaras said the partners appreciated the community involvement.

"I would say the feedback from the community was crazy," he said. "So many people called us (saying) 'Youngstown needed this,' or 'Finally, a Youngstown business dominated, let alone won.

"We didn’t know that other people even knew about it, or how the word spread so big."

Started three years ago, Buzz Bros offers a variety of lawn services to residential and commercial clients, such as grass cutting, property maintenance, leaf removal and pressure washing. DLX Contracting focuses on renovations, remodeling and restoration.

"I just think they’re great guys," said Tanisha Wheeler, regional director of the Ohio Department of Development's Minority Business Assistance Center. "I think that it speaks to how the Valley pulls together when it needs to.

"They were up against some pretty large companies (in Ohio) with pretty large revenue. To see the amount of people that showed support, voted for them, and supported them, I think that means a lot."

Psaras and Stubbs said working with two local economic agencies -- Valley Economic Development Partners and Wheeler's Minority Business Assistance Center -- was important in the companies' development.

Valley Partners, located in Liberty, provides small business lending, technical assistance through its Business Resource Center, education classes and grant programs.

"They’re working with earlier-stage companies; companies that are still kind of in ideation," Wheeler said.

The center, located in YBI's offices in downtown Youngstown, supports startups and businesses in Ashtabula, Trumbull, Mahoning, Columbiana, Jefferson, Belmont and Monroe counties.

Buzz Bros and DLX Contracting are now Minority Business Enterprise certified after working with the two agencies, Wheeler said. The certification allows them to bid on specific state contracts.

"The state has a 15% set aside of its annual budget for minority business enterprise certified clients," she said. "They’re able to bid on some of those contracts through the state that are very competitive, and that is one of the ways that they’re able to elevate their business through procuring those through those agencies."

The center's services are free, Wheeler said. The assistance has proved valuable.

"We’ve seen clients increase their revenue for the business," she said. "We’ve seen clients increase the contracts that they are acquiring. We’ve assisted clients with creating jobs as well as retaining jobs.

"Once clients are able to meet with us and see the services that we offer, we’re able to kind of create a tailored plan for their business based off the resources that we offer."

Wheeler said her agency's financial adviser recently met with Psaras and Stubbs.

"I’m just excited for them. I’m hoping that they continue to grow and maintain their relationship with us as a client."