Today we’d like to introduce you to Courtney Wright.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I grew up on the East Coast, moved to Lake Forest, IL for college and never left. I founded CDW Merchants, the leading provider of 3D visual retail displays and e-commerce gift packaging for the nation’s top retailers, including Kate Spade, Sperry’s and Club Monaco. In 2016, I packaged CDW for the last time and sold it to a global billion-dollar company.
Free time isn’t my thing … I jumped on an opportunity to buy a company I worked with closely, a vendor to CDW. In 2016, I bought Gemini Builds It (F/K/A Gemini Moulding). Since the deal closed, I saved 60 jobs, bought a business to close the gap on outsourcing and offers 401K and continuing education to the staff. Gemini is housed in a 50,000 square-foot manufacturing center in Elgin, but I have my mind set to double the growth of the business in a year and bring the sales team to Chicago. Let’s say I am one woman trying making manufacturing cool in Chicago.
I am building out Gemini as the ‘go-to” supplier for frames, acrylic trays, risers and custom wood display cases. The brand revitalization and expanded capabilities are headquartered in our Elgin facility and named, Gemini Builds It. The rebrand is packaged under a new logo, website and showroom. I have had wonderful mentors. I am confident that I will weather any storm better than most. I am really built for marathons not sprints. I realize that I am more positive than most and have a better constitution. Positive self-talk is so important to staying in business.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
In just a few short months I realized there was no investment in the staff, the people that are savoring our clients most valuable possessions. So immediately I offered profit sharing, 401K, birthdays off, donut days, increased every staff PTO, paid lunch one a month, monthly town halls once a month on key initiatives, social media shout outs, bring in guest speakers for team building, new uniforms, implemented a safety committee and annual 360 reviews with entire staff on a career development plan so they can set personal and professional goals for the upcoming year.
I am a manufacturer now (have lived 30 years in service) there were predominantly men in my shop. They gave me the ‘what do you know about tools look”. I have lived so much of my business life in the boy’s club. I work hard to hire diverse teams is such a better result. Getting dismissed due to be a woman and then guys realizing “Oh wait, she is pretty smart!” My secret weapon is I work harder than everyone else. Not sexy, just my method. This company has a 40-year-old culture. It is very, very hard to change a culture. To do so, we need to change the people. It is tough to replace tenured talent. It is tougher to have them change! Do it, rip the band aid off and get on with it. Security blankets not needed!
Please tell us about Gemini Builds It.
Gemini Builds it is truly epic and large – housed in a 50,000-square foot manufacturing center in Elgin. AT GEMINI, WE BELIEVE THAT NOTHING ABOUT THE FRAMING, MOULDING AND CUSTOM DISPLAY CASE BUSINESS HASTO BE RUN-OF-THE-MILL. In fact, we know that everything we do brings joy to our customers because we’re protecting, preserving and highlighting people’s most cherished memories and prized possessions. Whether it’s framing a 100 plus year old Renoir or your daughter’s finest crayon drawing, we bring the same level of care and precision to everything we do because we understand how important your memories are. Your memories and possessions help make up the fabric of your life, capturing the story of your existence for generations to come. Our goal is to help tell that story by complementing and preserving it for what it truly is. At Gemini, we believe everyone has a history worth telling, and everything we do is rooted in helping make that a possibility.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
The summers I spent up in Maine. We went to this very special campground where it would be the only time I got uninterrupted time with my Dad and Mom. They were Pine trees all over the place, we would pick blueberries, cook food and just enjoy each other. Today, I use being in nature as a way to slow myself down and just enjoy what is around me.
Pricing:
- 30% OFF all digital printing
- 20% OFF all conservation clear glass boxes
- 30% OFF all wood chops
Contact Info:
- Address: 2755 Spectrum Drive
Elgin, IL 60124 - Website: https://geminibuildsit.com/
- Phone: 1-800-323-3575
- Email: courtney@geminibuildsit.com
- Instagram: @geminibuildsit
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/geminibuildsit/
- Twitter: @GeminiBuilds_it
Getting in touch: VoyageChicago is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
