ESSENCE OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Rebecca Tole grew up in Elwood, Illinois, a small town near Joliet. It was at a campus church while enrolled at Northern Illinois University that she met her husband, Brandon, who was already in Officer Candidates School with the Marine Corps. The travel that often accompanies military life followed soon after. They lived in Manassas, Virginia, Pensacola, Florida, Surf City, North Carolina, Mundelein, Illinois and Stuttgart, Germany. While in Germany, they purchased a home in Barrington Hills, sight unseen, in search of land and in anticipation of rejoining the civilian workforce.

Along the way the couple had three children, and Tole began to scratch an entrepreneurial itch by starting several businesses. The couple now runs a highly successful millwork installation business, Division Six Details, using the skills of experienced carpenters for commercial projects.

It’s no secret that there is a nationwide shortage of skilled labor, and Tole identified a gap that needed to be bridged between skilled laborers and the commercial companies that hire them. Once that need became evident, she started putting the pieces together to create Division Six Details.

Tole began to immerse herself in the construction and millwork industry. “At its core,” she says, “the business is about building relationships. It’s not enough to just connect a carpenter to someone who needs to hire them.” It takes a lot of relationship-building skills in addition to administrative skills.

“We bid out the jobs and then follow along as a project manager until completion. I have to be in consistent contact with all of the people involved in the project to help manage unforeseen changes,” she says. “The business is largely run remotely; very rarely am I on-site because the jobs are all over the United States.”

Tole has grown Division Six Details organically, starting with one employee—a carpenter. She now has almost 20 employees on her Rolodex. She builds relationships with millwork manufacturers, other tradesmen, and general contractors, and continually looks for people to add to her team.

In addition to his military commitments, Brandon also plays a role in Division Six Details. “It’s my wheelhouse, but we support each other in all of our ventures,” Tole explains. “He definitely has helped with his business-minded background. He has his MBA, and he’s getting his second Masters in construction management at Louisiana State University.”

Tole credits her success to effectual planning, the knowledge and experience she’s gained from her previous small businesses and to keeping a daily routine, which is important when juggling her business duties and her role as a mom.

“I am a wife and mother, first and foremost. I spend a lot of time driving my kids to and from school and activities, but that’s when we have some of our best conversations,” she says. “To have a successful day and keep myself focused, I don’t have a rigid schedule, but instead I have a daily checklist. It’s best for me to be flexible.”

Tole says the millwork installation industry is booming. Companies need good millwork installers and finish carpenters, and the trades need a new, fresh generation.

“I definitely appreciate having carpenters who are experienced and have a lot of seniority. I make it a point to pair those individuals with apprentices who are hungry and eager to learn because I want to grow the next generation,” she shares. “I’ve looked in some pretty interesting places for carpenters, including Instagram. I’ve contacted high school shop teachers for referrals and reached out to smaller residential cabinetry shops to find carpenters.”

She’s also handing down her entrepreneurial spirit to the next generation.

“This year I have the opportunity to mentor a small group of students enrolled in the Hoffman Estates High School Business Incubator Program. The year-long class gives students a platform to create a business and pitch to investors, similar to the show Shark Tank,” Tole explains. “Mentors meet with students in person a few times throughout the school year and communicate as needed via email to help guide them through the business creation process.” Growing the next generation, while growing her business and raising her family certainly keeps Tole on her toes.

For more information about Division Six Details, visit divisionsixdetails.com.