St. Peter’s graduate to run own business

MANSFIELD – Daniel Rice is a go-getter.

The 2014 St. Peter’s graduate is finishing up his freshman year at the University of Cincinnati. While other college students hang out with their friends over the summer, Rice will be running his own business.

Through Young Entrepreneurs Across America, Rice is doing an internship called “Student Painters.” He will run his own painting company, complete with five painters and four marketers who go door-to-door on a weekly basis.

Rice will be in charge of sales, finances, management and leadership.

Simon Fraser, his mentor at Young Entrepreneurs Across America, said Rice is up to the task.

“He’s got a lot of potential,” Fraser said. “He’s going places in life.

“I’d say Daniel is one of the more driven people I’ve worked with. He’s self-motivated.”

With headquarters in Michigan, Young Entrepreneurs Across America is designed to teach young students how to run a small business. The company helped with start-up costs and partnered with Sherwin-Williams to train the painters.

“For a lot of our graduates, it’s the No. 1 credit on their resume,” Fraser said.

Rice said the internship has been “the best thing that’s ever happened” to him. When he gets out of school on April 27, he will be able to devote his full attention to it.

“I think I will be a good manager as well as a leader,” Rice said.

The young entrepreneur plans to give his employees room to breathe. With training behind him, Rice estimates he has conducted 15 interviews.

Several of his hires are fellow graduates of St. Peter’s.

While at St. Peter’s, Rice served as president of student council and was named captain of the soccer, baseball and golf teams.

He also was a delegate to Buckeye Boys State and received the Presidential Excellence Award for Education.

“I got to juggle a lot more than I would have at a bigger school,” Rice said.

Rice has been returning home on weekends to get his painting company ready to go.

“I don’t consider it work because I love it so much,” he said. “I’m looking to make Mansfield look better.”

Rice said his company will work primarily in Richland County. His business will provide free estimates and focus on exterior painting.

“Anything that people need painted, we take care of,” Rice said.

He would like to be able to do even more.

“You wouldn’t believe the call I get for interior work,” Rice said. “It breaks my heart to say no.”

At Cincinnati, Rice is studying international business and marketing.

“I plan on going into sales,” he said. “I’m a people person.”

Rice said he is following in the footsteps of his grandmother, Annette Togliatti. She is the owner of Togliatti Sewing Center on Park Avenue West.

“She has offered me priceless information on how to be the best leader and manager of my own small business,” Rice said.

Anyone interested in Rice’s painting services can get a free estimate by calling him at 419-610-6653.

mcaudill@gannett.com

419-521-7219

Twitter: @MNJCaudill