Sneak Peek for our Trade Show!

Here is a map to the facility: 

JT McDermott Remodeling Contractors Tour

Mr. Josh McDermott, Business Owner
Mr. Tim McDermott, Founder
JT McDermott Remodeling Contractors – Investor

This week the class went to JT McDermott Remodeling Contractors.  Tim and Josh McDermott explained how the company was started and how it has grown over the years . They impressed upon us how important relationships are in their company; both clients and employees. After presenting in their conference room, Mr. Josh McDermott led the students on a tour around the facility.

Written by Erik Faulkner

Save the Date: SWIC Elevator Pitch Competition

Just a reminder! Come by to the Allsup Elevator Pitch Competition to see our very own David Rauckman give his pitch for his company 'OurGnome'! The event will take place on Wednesday, April 20th from 5:00PM-8:00PM at SWIC Southwestern Illinois College, 2500 Carlyle Ave, Belleville, IL 62221. 

Just a Reminder!

Our door is always open. Entrepreneurs, visitors, guests, and friends are welcome and highly encouraged to join us. Drop in and share your story with our students or participate in our class discussions. Check out the schedule on the website.

If you are interested in hosting our students for an educational visit about your business operations or would like to speak to the class and share your story, please email the facilitator, Julie Siebers, at jsiebers@bths201.org or call or text her at 618.719.3177.

Journal Tidbits

Timonty Ferris is an author and entrepreneur.  I was looking at quotes and his quote stood out to me.  He said, "Think big and don't listen to people who tell you can't be done.  Life's too short to think small."  I hold this saying close to my heart because I relate to it more than I should.  People have always told me to dream big, but when I do they tell me I have dreamt too big.  I am not letting them stop me, though.  It is my life and they cannot tell me my dream was too big when they said to me to have aspirations. 

This week we had the opportunity to visit JT McDermott Remodeling and listen to Josh and Tim McDermott.  Josh did not enter the business right after college.  He knew about the business because he had the chance to work in it during the summers when he was younger.  After college, he decided to work in the pharmaceuticals.  What was surprising about that is Josh has met my dad through it.  I thought it was pretty awesome.  When Josh came into the business, he really knew it and had a vision and transformed it. 

Tim, Josh's father, started the business because he loved the concept of experience something new.  He was able to make his soul happy and enjoys being with people.  Tim taught us to be an entrepreneur who have to be able to find solutions and recognize our weaknesses.  I really enjoy our visit there and thankful for them helping me with my trade show booth.

This whole week I had to figure out how I want to implement my vision for my business.  My idea is quite clear and hopefully people will be able to envision it, too.  I have a lot of people helping me.  Honestly, I would not be where I am without them.  In business, you cannot work alone.  I learned I will need help and in the long run, the vision can be amazing.

 Written by Sandy Amorado

This week was a little less uneventful than most weeks but I was a well needed work week. Each week I'm finding it harder and harder to run my business and juggle all the stuff that comes with senior year. Although I'm not making a product, I have to do a lot of preparation behind the scene for customers that takes a lot of time.

Visiting  McDermott remodeling was fun. I've never had a house remodeled so I wasn't too familiar with that type of business. It always blows my mind how in the past, big deals were done and sealed on a handshake. I can't imagine how that would go over if deals were still done like that in today's world. This makes me wonder if lawyers were popular back then. Because it most people have lawyers to draw up legal contracts for them now, but if everything is done on a handshake, are they necessary to have?

I'm excited to see everyone's booths at the trade show. From what I've seen in class, it looks like our trade show will be very colorful. I hope we have a good turnout of people who come to see our finished product. I've been talking to a lot of the patients at my job that come on a regular basis about coming to our trade show. So hopefully they'll  some people from the public come.

On Monday I went to another oils class to learn some more things and on Friday of last week, the event was going to be canceled because there weren't enough people signed up. But by Monday morning, there were over 90 people that showed up. This all happened because of promoting it on Facebook. There's some people online who only sale oils and run their business online so I've been looking into this method so that it'll be easier for me to continue my business when I'm in college.

On Friday I was running some errands after school and I ended up in the Shiloh/ofallon area by Dierbergs. While I was over there, I went into the new float center. I started talking to them about our class and they said that they'd love for us to come and take a tour of their facilities one day. So I gave them our website and contact info but they said that they prefer if you contact them so that you could figure out some times. I'm not at home at the moment, but I'll send you their information when I get some free time.

Written by Aliyah Gillespie

It’s hard to believe we have less than a month of school left. It seems like yesterday we were doing team building with the guys from Vertical Performance and learning everyone’s names. Now, it is twelve days away from the Trade Show. Twelve. I had no idea what I was going to do for my personal business in the fall let alone three months ago. Somehow I found something I wanted to do with the help of everyone around me, and it is awesome. I have had fun doing it and made money. That right there is what I want to be able to say about my future career path. I don’t want to be stuck doing something I don’t enjoy or dread going to every day.

It makes me happy when we visit somewhere and the speakers enjoy doing what they do. I can always tell if they like it by the way they talk about it. On Monday we visited JT McDermott. Tim and Josh were nice to listen to because they seemed like they like their job. Tim especially seemed like when he owned the company that it was something he was passionate about. He had a lot of good quotes to tell the class. “It is a matter of finding out what makes your soul happy.” This sentence itself proves he had a job that made himself happy. He talked about how he is proud of his relationship with his clients he had also. He had a dream of being with people and using human compassion to help people and he fulfilled that dream with his job. My ‘perfect’ life would be finding something I love to do while helping people or making a difference.

Written by Heather Gosebrink

I really like when we go to places that we see on tv. What I mean is they do the same things as seen on HGT but what people don't know is how it actually works. It's crazy how much television makes everything look so simple and easy. I thought it was really cool for a father and son to be business owners together because when that makes it easier to run a business I feel. Josh already knew what to do so the transition wasn't as hard as if it was some random person.

I'm glad that we talked about what our tables are going to look like at the trade show because you guys all gave me great ideas.

 Written by Emma Gregowicz

Unfortunately, I have missed two days of class so I missed one speaker presentations but the trade show is in two weeks. Everything we learned in this class is going to show at the trade show. I am very excited to be starting my own business and finally having a chance to show the investors and others what my business is all about. Everything from my business is gradually coming together. Right now, I’m focused on my booth for the trade show. Color will be my main priority. There will be a lot of green incorporated into my booth so I want the color that it does have to be vibrant. I’m pulling a lot of inspiration from the color blocking scheme of Artigem Replacement Services. I’ve also been pulling lots of inspiration from plant nurseries as well. My cousin will also be helping me with the art aspect of my booth. In my business plan and elevator pitch, I stated that nature and art will coexist in this garden. I will have little art accents in several places. I have such a big vision for my booth which makes me very excited for the trade show. I still have so much to do in so little time which means that I must spend a little part of the rest of my days working on my booth.

Wrtten by Melony Allen

Monday we went to McDermott remodeling. That was cool because they were so updated with what they had. It wasn't like an “old” looking business. I feel like most of the people who we go visit have an “old” feel to their business. They were really cool in how they started it. I can't believe that they started out of their house. That is crazy. They were really nice. I loved how they had their examples of what they can do actually functional in their business place.

Written by Paige Montgomery

On Tuesday, the class went to JD McDermott Remodel Contractors. The company focuses on remodeling homes, and they keep their business running with the mindset that eventually, everyone needs to have their home remodeled and they can do it well. The company actually allows customers to feel and see what they’ll be purchasing. Since the company only buys in the materials, allowing the customers to see and feel the products, it gives them a competitive advantage. They are into the technology world and realizes it’s advantages by giving their workers Ipads to creatively do their work before implementing it into a person’s home. I really appreciated what the father of the company had to say. He told the class to do what makes our soul happy. If I got to have actual employees, I’d know to treat them right to keep them, but just remembering to have basic human compassion is one of his methods. I liked that they said concentrating on bringing the best out of people will make you successful.I am learning to do that more. THE GREATEST motivational advice I received was, “reach out and get what you think you deserve.” Well, this applies to my most basic goals everyday. But in terms of business, I am still figuring it all out. After Tuesday, I learned a great deal about living a life of integrity can earn you a good business life too, with hard work.

The rest of the week involved the class working on our personal businesses. It was exciting to see that effort and all of our ideas to work out well. I never would have thought we’d be here now, but we are and everybody’s businesses are so unique! 

Written by Malik Marks-McRath

This week in CEO was a short and somewhat uneventful one. First we had our one visit this week to McDermott Remodeling. Another generational business that seems to be doing quite well, which is pretty rare in this day. We have heard many people tell of generational businesses being absolute catastrophes and not making it past two generations. Although they have made it two generations but still haven't got past the usual hardest, the third. But in my opinion once you get past that generation your business plan must be very strong and will probably continue for a long time. The rest of the week was mostly a work week, getting a lot done in preparation for the trade show.

Written by David Rauckman