Zachary Breeden will operate a painting business in Warsaw this summer through the Student Painters program. (Photo provided)

The typical college student uses the weekend as a time to blow off steam after a week of  papers, quizzes and tests. 2014 Warsaw Community High School graduate Zachary Breeden is anything but your average college student. Breeden, currently a student at the Indiana University Kelley School of Business, uses his weekends to return to Warsaw from Bloomington in order to conduct marketing for his business that he will run in the area this summer.

Breeden, who plans to tripple-major in entrepreneurship, finance and accounting, will manage his own team of home painters this summer through the Student Painters program, which is aimed to give college students the opportunity to practice the skills necessary to run their own business. Breeden returns to Warsaw each weekend to hire and train kids (usually high school students) to make cold calls to area homes during the week. During these calls, the trained individuals inquire about homes potentially in the market for the services Breeden will provide. They then relay the information to Breeden so that he can return to town, again, to conduct a pricing estimate on the home.

As far as his actual on-site work staff for the summer, Breeden will be looking to hire approximately 15-20 students, all over the age of 18, from Grace College and Ivy Tech, as well as recent WCHS graduates. Wages are competitive and are tied to the business’s overall success. “It is tied to me, if I end up being more successfull then they are going to get paid more,” explained Breeden.

Breeden stated that the typical team manager usually nets in the neighborhood of $8,000 over the course of the summer. He has different plans though. “I want to break the program record and reach $200,000 in revenue, which means I would make $40,000 to $50,000 just over summer. This entrepreneurial spirit is nothing new for Breeden, who explained, “I have always thought of myself of not going to work for a big corporation at a 9-5 job, that’s not me. I have always wanted to own my own business and make my own hours.”

It is not unusual for a person to spend more than four years in college in an attempt to complete a single major. Breeden’s infectious can-do attitude has him on track to complete his degree, including all three majors, within the standard four year plan. “I’m a huge planner, I love planning things out, so I have already planned out my whole schedule and it can work in four years,” he stated.

Those interested in learning more about Breeden’s services should send an email to [email protected].