Yesterday we took a field visit to the showroom of Showcase Kitchens. Jessica Way is the young owner and chief designer. She gave the class a demonstration of how she designs kitchen cabinets which are the principal source of revenue for her business.

Ms. Way specs out counter-tops, floor coverings and other kitchen features and is getting into remodeling bathrooms with the seven or so contractors she works closely with. Jessica started working in home improvement at 16 while at Columbia Decorating Center on Main in Monmouth. She apprenticed at Columbia for three years before going up to interior design school and graduating with an associates degree. At 29 Jessica has already been working in the business for over ten years.

Jessica explained that she gets rebates and commissions from the manufacturers she works with and this provides her with sufficient revenue to power her business. She employs one part-time employee and hopes to clear $100,000 net profit on $500,000 in gross sales for 2011.

She claims she has no direct competitors, but Lowe’s and Home Depot design kitchens for customers and Columbia competes for other parts of her business.