Business Operations Intern Returns to Integrity Fencing for the Summer
Jolei is back as an intern for Integrity Fencing this summer! As she nears graduation from her business program, she’s learning more and more during her internship that’s applicable to her studies, and is bringing new ideas and processes to the company in turn. A current college student at an east coast business school, Jolei is eager to receive hands-on experience in business operations. Shawn Beard, owner of Integrity Fencing, is thrilled to have Jolei back this summer.
Let’s hear from Jolei about her internship this summer . . .
When we spoke last summer, you had aspirations to own your own business someday. Do you still think about that and if so, what makes you want to own a business? Has your time at Integrity Fencing influenced that?
I still have my own aspirations to own my own business someday, and as I approach the end of my educational career, this is still very much in the forefront of my mind. I want to own my own business because I have seen the people around me, like Shawn, build really amazing things for themselves and I see myself joining them in that. I also love to lead and have a passion for people, so I want to continue to expand that through owning a business someday. Like I mentioned before, Shawn has definitely shown me what being an entrepreneur looks like and has allowed me to see how you can create something really amazing. My time and experiences at Integrity have taught me so much about leading and owning a business that books cannot teach you!
What’s something you learned in your studies in the past year that you might apply/implement at Integrity Fencing?
The program that I attend for school is very entrepreneurship focused, so I feel that a lot of what I have learned in my studies is applicable to Integrity Fencing. Though, I took a critical strategy course that taught me a lot about how to approach very large-scale problems and break them down into steps to be able to solve. I think this has given me a lot of skills to approach Integrity Fencing with a new perspective this summer.
What’s new at Integrity Fencing?
So much has changed since last summer when I was here. First, we are at this amazing new location that is really showcasing all the growth that has happened. The new location is for one, a bigger building, but to me it also showcases that we need the extra yard and office space for more salespeople and more jobs going out. Then, it also just showcases that we are interfacing with people more, as this is a higher traffic area and around other big players in the industry. The biggest new thing though is just how much larger scale everything is. Last summer, it felt like Integrity Fencing was still a small mom and pop business, but now they are a proper big player, and you can see it.
What projects are you working on for Integrity Fencing this summer?
I am working on a lot of things this summer, but mainly focusing on operations and how we can improve internal processes as a company. We are rolling out new software and estimating processes that should really transform our ability to get estimates out. Additionally, we are working on a big safety program that will help us get larger roles that I am spearheading. My role in these projects is to connect with the representatives from the software company and safety company to get things rolled out in time and up and running. I am also working on schedules, trainings, and other technologies that can improve our efficiency. I am looking at doing some analytics with how these improve our operations.
Is there a best practice at Integrity Fencing or something that you think is a great business model, that you might share with your fellow business students once back in school?
I think the thing that stands out to me is how they have managed to grow and still keep things that are important to them close. That is really hard to do, and many companies lose sight of those core things when they get larger.
Shawn Beard gives a lot back to the community and encourages his employees to volunteer in the community as well. Do you engage in any volunteer activities?
I am really excited about volunteering in the community. Volunteer work has always been a huge passion of mine, and while I haven’t had the opportunity to engage in ones through Integrity Fencing yet, I am very excited about the opportunity to get to in the future.
Knowing all you know about the fencing business now, what kind of fence would you choose for your yard, and why?
I love this question, working here has definitely made me notice fences so much more than I ever thought I would. I would choose Trex fencing because I love the way it looks and how much privacy it gives you, and also because it has good wear and tear over the years due to the composite material.
Jolei is back as an intern for Integrity Fencing this summer! As she nears graduation from her business program, she’s learning more and more during her internship that’s applicable to her studies, and is bringing new ideas and processes to the company in turn. A current college student at an east coast business school, Jolei is eager to receive hands-on experience in business operations. Shawn Beard, owner of Integrity Fencing, is thrilled to have Jolei back this summer.