Many students have already filled out countless summer job applications, searching for life beyond finals week – whether their aim is to suit up for an internship in the corporate world or slaving over a hot burger grill. But for those who want a little more control over their summer experience, one business giant wants to give students the keys to their very own business venture.
Tuition Painters, a partner of paint giant Sherwin Williams, offers college students the unique opportunity of running their own business over the summer to pay for school.
Vinnie Thomas, a sophomore finance major, is the district manager for the Blacksburg/Christiansburg area.
“Basically, I run my own branch of Tuition Painters here … meaning this area is mine. I get to recruit all my painters, mostly from Virginia Tech and Radford. I do all the marketing in the area — signs, door to door work, calling, mass mailings and things like that. All the painting that needs to be done in the area is under my control,” Thomas said.
Thomas has already employed 17 painters to help him this summer, but expects more.
“Blacksburg and Christiansburg is a really good area for Tuition Painters probably because it’s a college (area), so all the residents in the area obviously like to live near college students and work with them … It’s usually one of the best areas to have in terms of business, so we do need a large number of students,” Thomas said.
About 110 students across the country run their own branch of Tuition Painters, Thomas said. Most are located in California and East Coast states. Four of the 110 are from Tech (the other three Hokie owners run their businesses from their home towns.)
After deciding to be a district manager, Thomas attended a weekend training session in Maryland. There, during ten-hour days, he was taught the basics of marketing, public relations, job site training, dealing with customers, managing painters and paint technology.
“I’ve probably learned more in the training sessions and in the past two months than all of my business classes combined, and I’m a sophomore,” Thomas said.
Having completed the training, Thomas began recruiting painters and clients. Tuition Painters allows Thomas almost complete control of his business, and he said that as long as he meets a set of minimum requirements, they do not interfere.
Owing to his out-of-state home, Thomas must contend with pricy out-of-state tuition. “An average student generates about $40,000 in sales, which means they get around $10,000, and it’s probably around $9,000 profit. In Blacksburg, I’m looking to make about $19,000,” Thomas said.
Brice Zoecklein, a senior marketing major and the regional supervisor for most of North Carolina and southwestern Virginia, started out as a district manager like Thomas. Instead of using his summer earnings to directly pay for his tuition, he put it toward a study abroad program.
Beyond the money, the sheer hands-on business experience provided was more than worth the time.
“You can learn about business theories and practices all day in class, but until you really get out there and start managing people and selling contracts you really don’t have an idea how business works,” Zoecklein said.
He went on to say it was by far the best job he’s ever had, principally because of the responsibility it offers.
“The goal of the organization is really to provide students with an opportunity to run their own small business, while at the same time earn more than your average college student. It’s a tough experience … it takes a lot of hard work, but the value of what comes out of it — not just from a monetary — but with the maturity level,” said Donnie Ange, a regional vice president for the Virginia-North Carolina area.
The program doesn’t attract solely business-related majors with ownership dreams.
“We had a student who went to UVa and was a philosophy major, and was out there solely for the opportunity to do something different,” Ange said.
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