Dana Scott / Winonan
It is not often you hear about a junior in college creating and running his or her own business, but for some individuals this opportunity presents itself in the form of an internship. Junior Kenzie Hendlin recently got an internship with College Works Painting, in which she will run her own house painting business over the summer in Winona.
Hendlin was a marketing major who switched to a communications major with a public relations minor. She is unsure of what she wants to do for a career, but has always known she wants to do something in business.
“Having the experience from this internship [which] I can apply to the real world will help give me an idea of what I want to do,” Hendlin said.
Hendlin found out about this internship opportunity when managers from the company gave a presentation to her class about it. About three weeks later, Hendlin got a phone call from her current manager, Skylar.
To obtain this competitive position, Hendlin went through four rounds of interviews. Unknown to her at the time of applying, Hendlin later learned they sifted through 13,000 applicants.
Hendlin said to apply for the internship one does not need previous experience or need to be a certain major. However, the hiring process is selective.
Currently, Hendlin is picking her customers and her employees in Winona to work on her team. Hendlin will train her employees on the painting process, safety precautions and how to estimate the price of paint and supplies.
Hendlin explained she is looking for employees who are outgoing, committed, reliable, team-oriented and can follow rules but are also not afraid to voice their opinion.
“I’m really excited to get my team set up and to find clients and to give them a sense of community. I love being on a team,” Hendlin said.
She predicts a lot of her clients will be families who want to beautify their homes, because she said a person’s home is a representation of them.
“When things are done I want my team to see they have done a good job and to see that the clients are happy,” Hendlin said.
Hendlin recently attended training in the Twin Cities with other interns, learning how to hire and train employees and pick customers.
“One of the biggest things they taught us is how to manage your time,” Hendlin said.
Time management was one of the things Hendlin was originally worried about, because she is a full time student and also has another internship. Her other internship is as the editor and chief of Winona’s chapter of The Odyssey online.
Another aspect of her internship Hendlin expressed potential concerns about is finding ways to be different than past painting businesses and going beyond expectations.
“I want to do exceptionally well and excel,” Hendlin said.
Another key thing Hendlin keeps in mind from her training is a quote the company stands by: “Do what you have to do now, so you can do what you want later.”
