WMU alumnus breaks new ground with unique flooring business

KALAMAZOO, Mich.—This week's Broncos Building Businesses entrepreneurship story highlights August Jacobson, founding partner of Carpeturn.com.

Jacobson graduated from Western Michigan University in 2008 with a bachelor's degree in industrial design and started his company shortly after. In his interview, he reflects on his educational experience at WMU and his entrepreneurial journey thus far.

Can you tell us a little more about your company?

Carpeturn.com provides next-day flooring installation, replacement and repair to the multifamily housing industry in Albuquerque, Dallas/Fort Worth, Phoenix and Tucson. Customers have 24-hour, 7-day-per-week online and mobile access to schedule installations and repairs, track unit history, create estimates, complete prorate statements, rate installers and more.

What was the most valuable part of your WMU experience?

Being a former athlete, I think the discipline I had to learn on and off the field. We had to put in a lot of extra effort and I felt like we were always battling time when it came to balancing multiple hours of practice a day, going to class and then trying to get homework done. I really had to learn time management. I learned that every minute counted and you had to take advantage to get something completed when you had the time. I feel like this is one of the biggest lessons for starting a business.

What's the biggest misconception about being an entrepreneur?

I think a lot of people see entrepreneurship as having to have a new technology or some sort of "sexy" company. After starting what we have now, I feel like there are so many industries or parts of industries that are under the radar which are ripe for change or improvement. I think there needs to be some focus on some not-so-sexy industries in the entrepreneur culture.

What advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs?

Everyone sees the unicorn company and thinks it is an overnight success when the company has really put in 10 years of hard work. There is no easy path for entrepreneurship; it truly is long hours, and you have to be willing to put in the effort, sometimes giving up a lot in life. I always relate building a company to an Olympic athlete. You practice for 20 years to get—maybe—one day in the spotlight, and that is if you win! You have to love the grind and truly believe in what you are accomplishing.