We had the good fortune of connecting with Kelvin Stinyard & Eniska Triplett and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Kelvin/Eniska, what’s the most important lesson your business/career has taught you?
Eniska: Definitely patience! We often go in with these great ideas and how we will implement them and sometimes (most times) it plays out totally differently than what you expected. You start to question if you are doing the right thing, if you should have waited to start your own business the doubts start to occupy your thoughts and then all of sudden when you least expect it you’ve accomplished so much more than what you set out to do. My mom used to say ” a Brick Mason doesnt lay all the bricks at once, it takes time, patience and effort to lay them just right”. So when planning your business venture- plan patience too!
Kelvin: I’ve definitely learned that it takes time to build your Brand and if you decide to do a partnership make sure you are all on the same page and can agree to disagree, lol! Trust me there will be times when you will not always agree but at the end of the day the outcome should be a positive one that is beneficial to all parties involved. I’m a little more unorthodox and E is a little more organized in her planning and execution so we have to make sure that those competing strategies mesh in the end.
Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
We are a Minority-Owned Commercial Janitorial Company. We work mostly with State & Federal entities but we do provide services to private companies. When we started this company we had no clue about how to actually run a janitorial company, so we took online classes and watched a ton of webinars, Youtube videos and various janitorial sites to learn about the business.
The beginning was tough because gaining the trust of a potential client was a challenge since there are other established companies that they can choose from, but the more we did it the better we became and instead of dwelling on our mistakes we used them as a tool to learn and self correct. As a result we got better, more efficient and definitely more knowledgeable about the industry. We are super excited about our growth and expanding to more of the Southeast States in the near future. If there is one thing we would want the world to know about our Brand is that we are huge on giving back to the community, that is important to us personally and as a business.
If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
We both enjoy live music, but our taste in venues is a little different, lol!
Eniska: I like Vista Vibes especially, it’s the atmosphere and the variety of bands they have as well as the food, it’s amazing! I would definitely do the Ponce City Market w/ Skyline, it is super nice in the evening with a little miniature golf, drinks and a beautiful rooftop view.
Kelvin: I like Cigar Bars and The Patio Social Club is one that I frequent especially on Tuesdays when there is a live band playing the spot. The atmosphere is a little more “urban chic” but super nice! I enjoy eating at different places so we would probably get some Indian food one day and Caribbean the next who knows, lol!
The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
We think that our parents played a huge role in our success and most of our endeavors. Without their unwavering support and encouragement we could not be the individuals that we are.
Eniska: My mom is the strongest person I know, she has taught me resilience! Oftentimes when I fall down I stand up quickly because no matter the challenge my Mom just never stayed down, she never whined or doubted her ability to succeed.
Kelvin: Definitely my mother! Being the child of a Minister definitely shapes who you can become and helps you to understand people in a much broader way. That upbringing makes me want to succeed so that I can reach back and give to others. My fraternity (Kappa Alpha Psi) also played a huge part in my entrepreneurship endeavors. The mentorship and support from the organization is priceless and last a lifetime.
Website: www.disinfectantsolutionsllc.com
Instagram: @dsaofatl
Image Credits
photocred- Nevaeh E. Dunlap