 (L-R) Sam, June and Andrew |
You're never too young to start a business - as three teenagers who started Donaldson Construction Company demonstrated.
Sam, Andrew and June took over their grandfather Edgar Donaldson's company Shrike Industries when they were 17, 15 and 11 respectively. Edgar owned Forklifts of Central Florida, the Clark Forklift dealer in Orlando, from 1972 to 1991. He sold the business to retire but continued Shrike Industries, the decal company he established in 1973.
Linda Donaldson, office manager and the three owners' mother, says Edgar started printing his own decals when he couldn't find high-quality decal replacements. Starting with the Clark basics, Edgar grew the decal line to include spec plates and OSHA-approved safety decals for forklifts. He and wife Jean ran Shrike until he passed away in 2003. His grandchildren then took over.
In August 2005, Shrike was incorporated into Donaldson Construction Company, the concrete construction company started by Sam, Andrew and June. Today, Donaldson's decal business sells 10,000 decals annually to around 20 US forklift dealers.
Linda helps run Donaldson and computerised the company's records from Edgar's paper-based operations. Her daughter, June, was 13 when Donaldson was established.
"With only Shrike, the boys were able to continue their educational pursuits but when they started Donaldson in 2005, both stopped attending college," she says.
The family's concrete construction business has grown fast over the past two years. It grossed over USD150,000 in its first fiscal year.
 The Donaldson brothers working on a concrete construction project. |
Before working full-time at Donaldson's, Sam was pursuing a medical degree at the University of South Florida, while Andrew was studying business at Polk Community College. This month, both will take their general contractors exam. June, who is entering grade 12 in high school, is home-schooled as were her siblings.
Edgar's original artwork for the decals is maintained by the suppliers who now produce them.
Retail prices for the decals have fluctuated little over the years, staying within 5% of what they were 25 years ago.
Linda says decals are important to maintain "compliance and safety directives" and keep equipment "looking new" and "operating properly".
"Our decals are only for forklifts. However, we do fill orders for company vehicle and equipment decals when asked to quote."
The Donaldson family are active members of their local Jehovah's Witness church.
"We lived on and operated a large farm. Our entire way of life, including our ministry, was focused on family and home-schooling fit perfectly.
"It allowed the kids to participate in running the farm, graduate at 16 and be involved in the ministry," says Linda.