Hello and welcome to the mobile matters podcast powered by the mobile chamber. Where we’re diving deeper into important topics that make a significant impact on Mobile’s thriving business community. I’m your host and president and CEO of the Mobile Chamber, Bradley Byrne. On today’s episode we’re getting to know the winners of this year’s annual Eagle Awards.

The Mobile Chamber launched the annual Eagle Awards in 27 years ago to celebrate minority owned businesses Recognizing Eagle Award winners for their achievements and contributions to the mobile community and local economy We’re going to start with a local entrepreneur who has not only created a thriving family owned business But also serves as the Mobile City Council president CJ small was smallest mortuary and cremation service This is the third time that smallest mortuary and cremation services has won an Eagle Award Earning them a spot in the Eagle Awards Hall of Fame.

With 23 years of compassionate service and dedication to the community, Smalls Mortuary and Cremation Services has set a remarkable standard for excellence in the funeral industry. What began in 2002 as a family owned business has grown into an industry leader with more than 50 employees for full service funeral homes across Daphne and Mount Vernon and a reputation for unwavering care.

and commitment. Smalls Mortuary is more than a funeral home. It’s a beacon of hope and compassion, providing families with personalized professional services to honor the lives of their loved ones in meaningful ways. From celebration of life ceremonies and veteran remembrances to on site catering and grief support, they’ve created an experience that genuinely touches the heart of every family they serve.

Rooted deeply in the community, Smalls Mortuary doesn’t just serve, they give back. As proud sponsors of local organizations and active participants in chamber initiatives, they’ve become an integral part of the community’s fabric. Always ensuring they address the diverse needs of the people they serve under the leadership of owner and mobile city council president, CJ small.

This family business has thrived, becoming a symbol of perseverance, excellence, and hope. Congratulations to smalls mortuary and cremation services. Our 2024 Eagle awards, Hall of Fame, Inductee. Thank you for your commitment to excellence service and being a shining example of what it means to uplift and support our community.

Councilman, it’s an honor to have you and congratulations. Uh, thank you so much, President Byrne. And also thank you for the invitation. Well, we’re glad to have you on. It’s, these podcasts are a way for our members and really anybody to understand some of the things that we’re doing here and you know, the Eagle Wars are just such an important part of what we do and we appreciate you coming on.

So, Smalls Mortuary has grown significantly since its founding in 2002. Can you share more about that journey and the key moments that shaped your company’s growth over the years? Yes, sir. The number one key is God, you know, uh, pretty much I was 23 when I opened up and I had prayed to God and told him that if he allowed me to be successful while my parents are still living, that I would always put him up front and honor him.

And I always would show, you know, and tell the kids, the youth, You know that you know they can do anything that they want to do in life as long as they put their trust You know in God and even at the age of 23 building a building Um a funeral home a business from the ground up it was nothing but God So I’ve been a business going on 23 years and I have kept my promise so far So I believe that God gonna keep his promise also.

Wow, what a powerful Testament that is, you know It’s, it’s easy for us to get so into our business day lives and not remember that where we came from and who we owe everything to. So thank you for saying that. It’s important for all of us to hear it. Your services are deeply rooted in the community and you emphasize giving back.

How have these community connections influenced the way you do business? Uh, pretty much, um, funeral home business, you know, strive, you know, dealing with the community and dealing with people, uh, every day. And when you’re dealing with people, you have to deal with different personalities inside of the community.

And so therefore, you know, we give back to different organizations that really reach to us because we’re right there in the community itself. So we’re close to different organizations, nonprofits, churches, schools, and et cetera. So we always in the community, you know, giving back, um, from again, from churches to different schools to nonprofit, because again, we are with the community.

We working in the community and we’ve been doing that since day one. Well, you know, you work with people at a difficult time for them, and that’s got to also draw on sort of like a ministry type attitude with what you’re doing, because you’re really taking care of people at a time when they really need somebody to take care of them.

Yes, sir. That’s great. I mean, that’s, and that’s a service. Yes, sir. That’s a real service. It’s a service. And it’s also like you stated earlier, there’s a ministry. Um, pretty much I was raised up, you know, giving back, you know, try to help someone. And, uh, along this way, you know, God put us here on earth to help each other.

And that’s what we felt that many times that we are sometimes be selfish and we don’t need to be selfish. We need to help each other and we help each other. We can get along and further more. better than we are doing by ourselves. I couldn’t agree with that more. Um, you know, I, I gave a talk a little while ago to the United Way and I told them that there’s that part of the Bible where it says it’s not good for man to be alone.

It’s not good for us to be alone. We’re meant to be in community with one another. And you lived that out in your life. Thank you for that. As a three time Eagle Award winner, what advice would you give to other minority owned businesses looking to achieve similar success? Um, believe in your product, believe in your services, and of course keep God number one.

Um, one of my most important things is to make sure that the families, which is our customers that we serve, that they are happy, and also my employees. Uh, being on the city council, I’m very limited of time I can put into my business. So therefore, I have to trust and lean and depend on my employees. And I believe that as long as they are happy, that they will treat my business as it was theirs.

Uh, it wasn’t because of my employees. I could not serve on the Mobile City Council because we have several locations, uh, throughout the area. And so, um, that’s Really lean and depend on my employees, trust in them, and even listen to their advice, you know, making them feel like they are a part of Smalls Mortuary.

That’s what have us where we at today. Well, that’s great. You know, first of all, thank you for your service on City Council. I’ve been to several City Council meetings since you’ve been president, and I’m Just admire the way you handle yourself. You don’t always have the most well behaved group sometimes in the room.

And you have to, as a presider, you have to be able to keep things moving and you do it with such great grace and you handle people very well. Thank you. So what’s something you wish more people knew about your business? Oh, uh, one thing that I wish that more people knew about my business, and that is very hard to say, uh, because we are pretty much an open book.

Uh, we pretty much on social media, uh, been in the community for a while. We have, um, four locations, smalls locations, and, um, and people know that we are great people. Yeah. Um, The fact that you got four locations, it says a lot right there. Yeah. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Um, I’m right now, I guess you pretty much speechless or word because I pretty much believe that people know a lot about smalls mortuary.

So you’re probably absolutely right about that because you’re so well known in the community. Now I would just think in, in a business like yours, when you add your public duties on top of it, there gotta be some days when you go home at night, you’re just like spent because you’ve done so much at work.

Um, difficult times with people and then so much in your public official duties at sometimes as difficult issues, it’s just got to exhaust you at some point. Honestly, I can say, um, President Byrne is that it’s not one day I regret going to Smalls Montreux area. I don’t feel like I go into work. I feel like it’s my home.

Um, pretty much when I first started off, uh, my business, again, I was 23 years old and, um, pretty much I wasn’t born with a silver spoon in my mouth at all. So therefore I was doing everything just about on my own. So many nights I have spent the night at the funeral home, uh, sleeping on the couch and getting up and doing some work to try to catch up on work and everything.

So it’s not one day I feel like that, um, I hate to come to this place. It’s a ministry, and it’s my job to at least try to make a family smile at least one time while they’re in our care. If I feel like I make a family smile at least one time, I felt like that my job has been, is completed. Amen. That’s, that’s, that’s wonderful.

Well, one thing I hope anybody listening to this podcast hears is that a young man, 23 years old. Yes, sir. With a strong belief in God. You started a business and made it the success that you’ve made it. That should be a real example, an inspirational example to people throughout our community. So thank you for that.

Thank you for coming on. It’s an absolute pleasure to have you. Pleasure being here. We’re going to take a break, but when we come back, we’ll sit down with a mobile music legend, Jose London, with the Excelsior Band. Do you have an idea for a business or looking to grow? MobileCAN is here to help. Meet with one of our business navigators to connect to programs designed with small businesses in mind.

Get started at mobilecan. org. Start. Manage. Grow. It’s about your business.

Since 1883, the Excelsior Band has marched to the rhythm of history, becoming one of the Gulf Coast’s most treasured musical traditions. As the oldest continuous marching jazz band in the United States, they have brought joy and excitement to countless celebrations, parades, and events across the country.

creating a legacy that transcends generations. While they’re best known for their lively performances during the carnival season, the Excelsior band’s vast repertoire goes far beyond traditional tunes. From Broadway classics to local favorites, they’ve mastered a unique blend of music. That continues to captivate audiences across the region, but it’s not just about the music for over a decade.

The Excelsior band has been committed to inspiring the next generation of musicians through the jazz studio, a year round jazz program for students in grades six through 12. Their dedication to mentorship and education ensures that the spirit of jazz will continue to thrive for years to come. The Excelsior Band continues its tradition of excellence, providing quality entertainment for every occasion, from weddings and conventions to parades and private gatherings.

They are not just a band, they are a living monument to the healing power of music and a symbol of joy it brings. Congratulations to the Excelsior Band this year’s EGLE Award recipient for enriching our community with a tradition of excellence and for their honor. unwavering commitment to preserving the soul of jazz.

Mobile knows it’s time to party when our next guest shows up with his trumpet. Jose London with Excelsior Band, America’s oldest continuously marching jazz band. Thank you for joining us. Let me say something before I start to ask you a question. I just said this. The symbol of Mardi Gras and Mobile is the Excelsior Band.

If y’all aren’t there, it’s not Mardi Gras. Thank you, absolutely, and we always look forward to being there because we are, we consider ourselves B mobiles. Ban, period. Period. No, no. I don’t know. I think everybody does consider you to be Mobile’s ban. And I, you know, uh, I can never forget, uh, taking my children to Mardi Gras parades, and they have inherited from me what I inherited from my father, what my father inherited from his father, and that is of love of your ban, what you symbolize.

I mean, we know we’re about to have fun when y’all are walking down the street, so. Well, that is, that’s one thing that we have to do, you know, we have to make sure that the next generation, Excelsior Band has been around for 140 years, and it’s amazing because a lot of times we’ll see young people who, who kind of understand the music.

That’s good. And we know that it’s because somebody had to pass it down to them because, you know, they’re like, you know. Yeah. Well, you have many legacies. You say it dates back to 1883. How have you managed to preserve this rich history while staying relevant to modern audiences? Well, fortunately we, we, we’ve gotten fantastic support from the Mobile community, but I, well, we’ve also been able to replenish the band with some great musicians who just really, uh, enjoy playing.

Um, They understand the history and the tradition of the Excelsior band. So, you know, I’ve been very selective about who actually gets in the band because there has to be somebody who really understands what the Excelsior band is. You know, the Excelsior band is not, you know, just a, just a brass band. The Excelsior band is a rich tradition and has been honored for its tradition.

So I have to be very particular about the, the, the character of the people that come into the band. It shows when y’all are playing. You know, I just learned that y’all have a jazz studio program, sort of an inspiring initiative that nurtures young people. Tell us more about how important it is to have access to music education in our community.

The jazz studio is a program that we started because we wanted to expose our young people And these are sixth through twelfth graders, and we wanted to expose them to jazz. A lot of the, a lot of the school programs do not have jazz programs, you know, they have marching band, they have concert band, but a lot of them don’t have, uh, jazz programs.

And we want to make sure in Mobile that our students are exposed to traditional jazz. Because when you go to places like Dallas or New Orleans. And you see these young people who are playing jazz, well they’re playing, they’re no different from the students here in Mobile, except they have the exposure to jazz.

So that, that’s what we do, and we’ve been doing that now for about 13 years. Oh, good. Yeah. Well, thank you for that. As a jazz fan, I’m glad to hear we’re paying it on. That’s good. So, y’all been around a long time, so what, what are some of the challenges you faced, and how have you overcome them to remain such a staple in our community?

Well, one of the challenges I faced, uh, I think when I started taking over the band, you may remember James Seals. Oh, very well. Okay, okay. Yeah. But James was, James was the band leader and the band was kind of accustomed to being a, you know, pretty, a band, you know, so people were used to playing, the Mardi Gras Association would always have cash, like a big pile of cash, so, and then he would just pay off the band members and then that was like, you know, it was the end of the, you know, it was the end of the game, basically.

So, once I took over, I was like, well, it’s been over 100 years, you know, we, you know, we need to establish the Excelsior Band needs to be a business. Yeah. And, uh, we formed the, uh, we formed the business, incorporated it, and at that point I started paying all the band members with checks because they’re responsible for their taxes.

You can run into some tax issues. Yes, sir. We know about that. Dealing with cash. Yeah. Yes, sir. Well, you know, modernizing that part of your band, but keeping still the sort of soul of who you all are. And I’ve seen you at, I’ve seen you at wakes, I’ve seen you at, I’ve seen you at lots of parties. Um, and so you’re not just a marching brass band, you’re a performing brass band too.

Yeah, we getting ready to open for Dave and Busters, you probably know that. Uh, we did Wawa. You know, we did, we did Topgolf. These new businesses that come to town, they know how to say something to the mobile community by having you guys there. Pretty smart. So let me ask you this last question. What do you wish more people in the mobile area knew about the Excelsior Band that they might not know?

I would want more people to know that the Excelsior Band is more than just a Mardi Gras parade band. Because In general, this is where the majority of the people see the band. It’s like in a parade. But a lot of people don’t know the number of weddings and, you know, when the cruise ship comes in. You know, some people know this, but most people don’t really know that.

They just see the band as You know, they wait for Mardi Gras, and they see the band, and they see the black suits and the black cap. If you put on a black suit and black cap, they would ask you, are you in the Excel survey? Well, uh, my efforts to learn how to play trumpet didn’t work out so well, so you don’t want to put that suit on me and give me an instrument, it wouldn’t be very good.

But you know, it’s, it’s such a part of who we are in Mobile, and you know, we’re, we’re We’re growing our tourism and convention business a good bit. Yes. And we want to make sure, and David Clark that runs Visit Mobile tells me, that it’s our cultural stuff that’s attracting people. Of course. And you all are at the very center of our culture.

Mobile culture is almost defined by you and your music. And it’s kind of that verb that y’all have and what y’all give off as you’re, as you’re performing. Cause you’re not just professional musicians, you’re also like one of the best representatives that we could have for our community. So thank you for that.

That is, that is our intent, you know, because you know, we play so many places, we meet so many people from other places and we are always telling them how great, more people don’t, people don’t know. Good mobile is, well, they’re finding out they’re coming here. I’m telling you, well, Mr. London, thank you for coming on after this next break.

Enoch and Greta Smith with easy heating and cooling will join us. They’re celebrating their second year. Being

a member of the Mobile Chamber has allowed myself as a non profit executive to open up many opportunities to the C suite executives that we have in this area. From prospects, through relationships building, and most importantly, um, building an engagement with potential donors and supporters of our organization.

So we’re proud to be a member. I’m proud to be a member of the Board of Directors. Directors of the mobile chamber, but more importantly, I’m proud to be a benefactor of the Chamber as well. So thank you. For more information about join the Chamber, visit mobile chamber.com.

Since 2005, EZ Heating Cooling has been keeping our community comfortable with exceptional service, reliability, and a commitment to quality. Founded by Enoch and Greta Smith, this family owned business has grown from a one man band to a trusted, full service HVAC provider that now includes master plumber and master gas fitting certifications.

EZ Heating Cooling offers a comprehensive range of services, from heating and cooling solutions. Solutions to the whole house generator installations and water heater repairs, whether it’s home, business, industrial setting, their expertise is ready 24 7 to deliver the prompt and reliable assistance that customers need with the core belief that no senior should be.

In the heat, EZ Heating and Cooling’s team is always ready to respond, ensuring that every client receives timely service when it matters most. They understand that when you call, you need action, and that’s exactly what they deliver. Guided by CEO Enoch Smith, a dedicated board member of the Mobile Chamber and City of Mobile’s Industrial Development Board.

Easy Heating and Cooling has become more than a business, it’s a community partner. Today, Easy Heating and Cooling stands as a shining example of what it means to grow, learn, and give back to the community. As a two time Eagle Award winner, they continue to set the standard for quality and dedication in their community.

Congratulations to Easy Heating and Cooling on being named an Eagle Award recipient. Thank you for keeping us comfortable, connected, and inspired.

We’re back on the Mobile Matters Podcast with two time EGLE Award winners, Easy Heating and Cooling. We have Enoch and Greta Smith here with us on behalf of that business. Thank you both for joining us. Thank you for having us. Glad you’re here. That’s great. Okay. Y’all started Easy Heating and Cooling in 2005, is that right?

Yes. And it’s grown remarkably over the years. So, what were some of the key strategies that helped you evolve from a one man operation into a full service HVAC provider? Our first level would have been, uh, the Mods Mentor Protege Program. Mm hmm. That program, uh, allowed us to see a bigger picture, uh, instead of being a one man band, getting us away from doing, Other services just focus on heating and air.

So, um, they allowed us to come to their facilities, learn about QuickBooks certifications, set asides, government contracts, local contracts, even contract for the models themselves. And after that happened, it was just like, okay, here’s the idea. Let’s go home and talk to the wife about it. See how, how good it sounds.

And, um, then we went from there. How did it sound Greta? At the time. I wasn’t too sure because at that time we had to make a big decision. You know, he was working a full time job and running his business after hours. I was working a full time job and so he had to make a decision on whether or not he wanted to keep that job.

But in order to grow and scale our company, he had, he knew he had to let go of that full time job. So he came home and he said, babe, I think it’s time to let it go. And I’m like, To say what? Because, you know, at this time, you know, we had a lot of bills, you know, and so I’m like, babe, I’m going to have to pray about that, you know, let me pray.

But you know, it was his vision. So I said, well, you know, I pray about it. And I said, well, babe, I trust your vision. So I trusted the process and it’s definitely one of the best decisions we could have made. That’s a great story. That’s, you know, you know, it takes courage to do that. I know that. And as a, as a couple, you’ve got a lot of other things going on in your lives to make that decision.

I know it was tough. But look how it paid off. did. It’s great. So the HVAC industry is constantly changing. You all know that better than I do. New technologies, customer needs. How does Easy Heating and Cooling stay ahead of these changes and continue to provide top notch service? Well, I would say that we continue to look for opportunities to grow.

Um, the chamber has been a great resource for that. Like he mentioned, he started with the Mentor Protege Program through MOZ. And then, um, through the chamber, he was able to take advantage of Emerging Leaders, um, the, the Business Minority Accelerator Program. And then through those resources, he was able to connect and find out.

More opportunities that were out there. He even had an opportunity to participate in Goldman Sachs, 10, 000 small businesses. So you always want to have a mindset of growth. So that’s how we’ve been able to stay ahead, you know, because there are so many other competitors out there. So it’s all about looking for opportunities to grow and scale your company to that next level.

So, you know, that’s so important that, and thank you for saying all that, there are a lot of resources out there for small startup businesses. Absolutely. A lot of small startup businesses don’t make it. Right. And, and you made it. You did it. Okay. So we want to make sure that we pay it forward, that people understand that.

So when you think about all those programs that you went through. Has that training that you got there, the sort of, you know, understanding things like QuickBooks, which, you know, somebody may know how to fix an air conditioner, doesn’t mean they don’t know how to do QuickBooks. How does that training shape your approach to growing your business?

Well, it gives us a better idea of what we really need to be focusing on. Our, once we learn about, you know, Uh, QuickBooks and other, uh, standard operation procedures that refocus us on the, the funds that we have. Instead of going personal, we have to make those go business. It’s got to be business mind instead of more personal minded.

And once we found that, I was like, well, we’re putting money in the wrong places. We got to learn how to put money in the right places, hire the right people. And then, uh, something that, that can actually, actually withstand, uh, the day to day operations of our business. You know, we have all these programs, there are other, uh, entities that have programs like this.

We really want people like you, businesses like you, to take advantage of them, because every time we get a success like you, it grows the local economy. Absolutely. There’s 1, 700 members of this chamber. The vast majority of them are small businesses. And so, we know that the future for this area, we love talking about Austin on the Airbus, don’t get me wrong.

Right. But the future for this area, for our economy, is businesses like yours. Right. So, that’s great. Thank you for saying all that. Yeah. So, your company mantra is, no senior left in the heat. I’m a senior, so thank you for saying that. And that speaks volumes about your commitment to the community. What’s something you wish people in Mobile knew about your company they probably don’t know?

We’re a faith based company, and we still believe that everybody deserves the same service. We’re a small, fast growing company. And we just really do enjoy what we do. I know you might see the cape, and you might see the excitement, but our heart really goes into what we do, and I think people just need to know that when they call, we’ll respond.

We’re fast. We’re factual. And, um, we just do a really good job at what we do. But what we learn, and then what we do. So, sometimes he comes into our board meetings, you can tell he’s just gotten off of fixing somebody’s system and, uh, you can tell he’s kind of hairy when he comes in. So, you’re very customer focused.

If somebody’s heat goes out or air conditioning goes out, you try to be Johnny on the spot and be there for them. Absolutely. Like, no matter what, if they call me, I’m there. I mean, those, uh, my clients, they pay me to respond, to be on call for them, their mother, uh, wives, kids. Thanks. medical conditions and situations, we have to respond.

I mean, the cops are not going to come there and fix the AC. They call on us and expecting us and we spend money to, uh, market and advertising area for people can respond to us or why not answer the phone. We pay for the phones, the ring. So we have to answer that call and we create lifetime experiences, which would create lifetime customers.

Well, I know you have lifetime customers. I keep running into him. We ran into one yesterday here. We did a podcast with one of your customers. I won’t identify that customer, but, but he, we knew y’all were going to be coming in and he said, Oh, that I’m one of their customers. And you know, they take care of me even the middle of the night, which I know that’s not fun, but if you’re air conditioned and working and it’s August and it’s important, it’s important.

Yeah. Yeah. Well, You’re impressive just because of who you are, but you’re impressive that you’ve got a couple that’s doing this together. Um, I sometimes wonder if my wife and I would last through having a business together, but y’all have made that work too. Yes, sir. So congratulations on that. Um, I was asked that question when I left my full time job of 15 years, and I was asked, how are you going to make it with your husband?

And it has been another great, one of the greatest decisions we could have made because, you know, first of all, I’m so grateful for this partnership. what my, for his vision and him moving forward and what God has led him to, because not only do I get to share this experience with my husband, I get to connect with him, with him on another level.

You know, I understand, I get to understand the HVAC language, you know what I’m saying? The lingo. So I am so grateful and thankful for that opportunity. Well, we’re grateful for you. Y’all are really great parts of this community and not just a business. You give back. People know that you give back. Um, and, and that’s what we really want right here.

We want business like yours to grow and thrive and do well. And we’re proud of you. So thanks for taking some time to come on our podcast. We’ve loved watching your business grow. We’re going to love continuing to watch your business grow because we know it’s going to continue to grow. So, ladies and gentlemen, after our final break, we’ll meet the Reverend Wesley James Minority Business Advocate, which is Jesco, Inc.,

and we’ll hear from them what they’re doing to ensure equal access to contracting and procurement opportunities. See you after the break. Ride anywhere for just 1. 25. Track your ride in real time. Get picked up steps from your door. Ride with MoGo. Search MoGo Rideshare on Google Play. For the Apple store,

Jesco incorporated is building more than structures. It’s been building relationships, opportunities, and a legacy of partnership established in 1941. Jesco offers a comprehensive range of services from general construction and design build to mechanical, electrical, and still fabrication, serving as a trusted leader in the industry as a proud advocate for a minority owned businesses.

Jesco. to uplift and support the communities they serve, making sure everyone has a chance to be a part of the projects that shape our future. Jessica’s dedication to mentorship is more than a program. It’s a commitment to nurturing the next generation of talent. Their one on one mentorship process fosters an ongoing relationship of learning, dialogue, and growth.

Beyond the construction site, Jesco is dedicated to giving back from sponsoring community events and donating toys to working with workforce development coaches in local schools. They continuously demonstrate a passion for making a positive impact. A true success story is Jesco’s role in the Mobile International Airport project, where they not only met but often exceeded the goal for participation from companies categorized as a disadvantage.

Business enterprise, a testament to their commitment to supplier diversity and inclusion. Jessica Incorporated is honored to receive the Reverend Wesley, a James Minority Business Advocate Award, recognizing their unwavering support for supplier diversity, mentorship and community engagement.

Minority Business Advocate Award honors Reverend James legacy and recognizes a company or organization that demonstrates supplier diversity and inclusion efforts and extends support to increase opportunities for the minority owned business community. This year’s advocate is Jesco Incorporated, and joining me is Melissa Horton.

Welcome, Melissa. Thank you so much for having me. We’re so honored to be recognized. Well, we’re honoring you because of what you’ve done, and we’re proud of what you’ve done. So, y’all been around since 1941, offering a multitude of construction services. What has been the key to maintaining such a long standing legacy?

Oh, that is a very easy thing to answer. It’s our people. Uh, if you look around our company, you will see people who have been with Jesco for 40, 30, 20 years. I’m an 18 year veteran. Veteran at Jesco, just recently celebrating my 18th year. So, you know, without the people that get up and go to work for us every day, we would not be who we are, where we are, or been around for as long as we have been.

Now, what a great answer. And I hope that’s true for every company in town, but the fact that y’all are so deliberate about it. So, so conscious of it’s really good. So you have a mentorship program. Uh, it’s unique and emphasizes ongoing relationships. Share an example of how this program has made a difference for a mentee or a minority owned business.

So I’m going to answer that in two ways. And one is our internal mentorship program. And honestly, I cannot think of a better way to, to showcase that mentorship program than to talk about my own experience. So when I started at Jesco 18 years ago, I was an admin assistant on a job site. We were actually renovating the Riverview in 06, 07.

And, um, since then I have obviously done a lot of different things for Jesco. But, you know, for, for the mentorship program and my mentor, Trey Hart, to have given me the opportunities to continue to grow, giving me things that allowed me to say yes to, to get me where I am today. That, I cannot think of a better example of our internal mentorship program than that.

Um, externally, you know, we partner a lot with small businesses around the community. We’ve been a mobile for 18 years and, and had an office here. Um, and through that process and all across the projects that we work on, we’ve been able to work with some small businesses and to have been with the company for as long as I have to be able to see those businesses and who they are today.

Um, I can think of a few off the top of my head and how they’ve grown and having gone to their shops. When we first started working together to, to who they are today, it, it is impressive and impactful. And, um, again, going back to the people, you know, I think about the lives that it’s impacted through their own employees and, and how, you know, We play such a small role in that, but it really does mean a lot to us to, to provide for everybody.

We say you play a small role, but if you’re a new or struggling business, to have a bigger business like yours come in there and say, all right, let us help you get through this. It plays a big role. Actually, you’ve, you’ve helped somebody that may not have made it without you. And they made it and now they’re successful on their own.

That’s gotta make you feel good. Oh, it, it definitely warms the heart for sure. Yeah, and I loved your answer about the people. And then using your own example, that’s a, I didn’t, I didn’t know that. I felt like, I felt like I knew everything about you. I didn’t know that. That’s cool. Um, and, and it just shows that when companies, invest time and effort in their people and time and effort in the companies that they’re working with, there is a payoff.

That’s right. Hard work and dedication and, and having a good team around you will pay off every day. Yeah, I agree with that. Okay. Y’all made some significant efforts to engage minority businesses and you hit your DBE Partnership goals, participation goals, and major projects. How do you approach creating opportunities for these businesses?

And what advice would you give to other companies looking to do the same? Explain to people what DBE means. Okay, alright. So, DBE is a designation that’s given to Disadvantaged businesses. Um, there’s also a minority participation goal on some projects, small participation goals, uh, local participation goals.

So there’s all types of goals that are established basically from the owner that kind of tells us that what our targets are, what we need to hit. And, um, you know, we work really, really hard to not just achieve those goals, but to exceed them. And the biggest way that I can tell people to do that is outreach, you know, getting out, talking to the community, talking to trade partners, talking to, to chambers of commerce, you know, really getting out there and getting the word that that number one, you have a project and number two, that that project has goals and that, You, as a company, are expecting to hit those targets, um, and, and to the small businesses.

My biggest thing to say is, you know, do not be scared to reach out and to talk to people because Contractors and other trade partners who may be larger than you. We want to talk. We want to help you We want to make sure that you know, there is plenty of work to go around We want to make sure that everybody’s able to participate So you’ve heard me say this a million times and I’ll say it everywhere I go This is the golden age for mobile, but it really doesn’t work if everybody’s not sharing in the gold 100%.

It can’t just be the big companies. That’s right And y’all understand that, which we appreciate because we have 1700 members of the chamber. The vast majority of those are small businesses. They’re not big businesses. And we want the small businesses in Mobile to thrive. We really do. And y’all do too.

Absolutely. I mean, nothing makes me happier than Then, like I said earlier, to, to see a business that was small at one point and to watch them grow and to celebrate their successes with them, that, that really means a lot to, not just me, but to the entire company. Well, let’s, let me ask you this. If a company’s out there and it’s interested in learning more about JESCO’s bid process, how do they get started?

Okay. That’s a great question. Um, so number one, let me just, let point out very quickly, um, that our biggest project with a goal right now is the mobile international airport. Um, we have been very successful in achieving each goal on each bid package, but there is still plenty of work out there. So if you are interested, you are a DBE small business, you want to be on that project, you can go to buildbfm.

com and everything that you need for how to get on work, how to talk to Jesco, how to talk to the airport is right there on that website. Uh, second to that, if you want to work with JESCO, not just in Mobile or in other areas, on other projects, or you just want to talk about ways that we can help each other, that we can help you, that I can help you, you can go to jescoinc.

net and there is a contact us tab and if you send, submit an email. Honestly, that email goes directly to my inbox. So, so you have direct access to me at all times. Well, Melissa, thank you so much for being here as we celebrate our 2024 Eagle Award winners. Thank you for your involvement in the chamber.

You serve on our board. Your company is very involved in the chamber. We really appreciate that. And we appreciate you and your company’s leadership in the community. You’re more than just a company doing business here. You, Give back and we appreciate that. So folks, from the heart of the mobile business community, this is the Mobile Matters Podcast powered by the Mobile .