MORGANTOWN — West Virginia University student Connor Laney is getting a taste of what it’s really like to operate a small business.
Through sponsorship from Young Entrepreneurs Across America, engineering major and business management minor Laney was given the opportunity to manage a small business in Morgantown and Fairmont called Student Painters.
“My current mentor reached out to me to see if I would have an interest in seeing firsthand what it would be like to run a small business,” Laney said. “One of my goals is after I spend some time in the aerospace industry, I would like to open up my own firm. I figured this would be the best way to experience that before having to put all of my money on my mind and having already done the experience. This is a good way to really see if opening a start-up or private practice would be something that I’m interested in.”
Laney has been in charge of choosing the business and getting it up and running for the summer season which included the marketing and initial hiring process.
“Student Painters is an organization that does anything exterior,” Laney said. “We paint exterior buildings and decks, and we do power washing. We are partnered with Sherwin Williams, so we have high quality paint. Besides Young Entrepreneurs of America providing insurance and flyers and stuff, everything else is on me.”
Laney said he has currently 10 students hired to work this summer who are highly qualified and experienced.
“We are all students, so it’s pretty cool to be helping out my peers by helping them get a job,” Laney said. “It’s also pretty cool to experience what it’s like to have that weight on my shoulders to have jobs lined up. I have all of these people kind of counting on me, so it’s an interesting experience.”
If anyone is interested in Student Painters’ services, Laney said that the company does offer free, no obligation estimates. For more information, email studentpainters@yahoo.com or call 302-383-0868.
“So far I’ve learned that at the beginning it can be a little bit of a slow start, but it’s also really rewarding,” Laney said. “I haven’t had to do a lot of the management yet or anything. It’s been mostly looking at resumes and determining if this person would fit with the crew I have, and also putting together a marketing plan. So I’m looking forward to continuing the process.”
Email Kaitlyn Neff at kneff@timeswv.com and follow her on Twitter @kneffTWV.
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