How did you get into welding, and how long have you had the business? Do you have any employees?
My life as a potential agricultural engineer began early. My career goals were truly born around the age of five; this is when my parents allowed me to set up my own small shop for beginning projects and fabrication.
During my sophomore year at Taylorville High School, my Agriculture teacher suggested I open a business to use my skills as well as meet a regional need for welding and fabrication. The business is called “Curtin’s Creations” and is a welding shop located where I live in the small village of Stonington in central Illinois. Regional demand for a welder is great, so I felt a small welding business would have big potential to succeed. I have been collecting tools and working out of my own two-door garage since the age of four. I began building barstools made out of tractor seats and car rims, lamps made out of salvaged engine parts, and pub tables that were also made from repurposed engine parts. Currently I offer the services of sandblasting, aluminum welding, MIG welding, painting, and plasma cutting, but I have the tools to complete numerous other small jobs for customers.
In order to attract business I opened up a Facebook page for my business which allows me to display the products I create. I rely on Facebook and word of mouth to spread the word of my business. The first year was slow because I had just started selling my welding projects, but the second and third year provided people I had not formerly known asking me to weld projects for them as well as many return customers. In order to further the advertisement of my business I created a business card, began selling products in a small gift shop in my hometown and built and sold products at local fairs
I grew up on a family grain production farm and I have learned how pivotal agriculture is in the scheme of economics. Due to my upbringing around agriculture, the unwavering demand for careers in agriculture, and my passion for designing and fabricating, I chose to pursue a career in agricultural engineering. I have had the business for over three years, and it has been three years of incredibly valuable lessons. I hope to someday have employees, but for now I run the business independently.
What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned about running a business along the way?
One valuable skill I acquired through running my business is a greater understanding of valuation and cost. Being able to use appropriate pricing for an object helps to assure that my costs are covered and my business can expand without discouraging my customer base.
An additional skill I acquired is being able to have quality customer relations. The key to attracting return customers is having a client that is satisfied with the product and service. The majority of my income is from return customers who were very satisfied with their products.
A priceless skill I developed through running my business is efficiency. Being able to produce a product in half of the time, while still charging the same amount, allows for a greater profit margin and more projects to be completed in the same work day.
You’re headed to Purdue University next. What do you hope to study, and what’s your career goal?
I begin at Purdue in the fall of 2015 to pursue my major in agricultural engineering. While attending Purdue I plan on participating in internships throughout the summer to better my understanding of the discipline of engineering. After completing college I plan to apply for an engineering position at a large corporation. At some point in my career I would like to strike out on my own and be the head of a developing product and build a thriving business.
My personal goal is to live a life that is significant and helps the world. In support of this goal I would like to invent a product, place a patent on the product, and follow the entrepreneurship route—opening my own business and expanding to a corporation that employs others who share my passion. I see my role as one of many innovators that collaboratively work toward improvements that streamline our ability to meet the nutrition needs of our world. As I move into this role, I hope to help address the global challenge facing the agricultural community; feeding a larger population while utilizing fewer resources.
Will you continue to run the business?
I am planning to continue to run the business throughout college, but I will focus the bulk of my workshop time in the summer months.
