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S P R I N G 2 0 1 7
BUSINESS
spotlight
Avery Dillon
C’est La Vie Collections
Avery Dillon plans to go to Butler University to study international
business and textile design. Her business is C’est La Vie Collections,
a women’s boutique selling one-of-a-kind refurbished clothing.
Dillon notes, “My grandmother taught me how to sew when I was
11, and I’ve had a passion for fashion ever since. I decided to do
refurbished clothing because I was tired of seeing the same things
in stores and wanted to offer unique items.”
She adds, “My favorite part of running C’est La Vie Collections
is thinking of all the creative things I could do with each piece.
The most difficult task has been staying on budget. I’m quite
the perfectionist when it comes to visuals and branding, so it
was difficult for me to choose what was practical.”
Dillon’s business launched in March and has been profit-
able so far. She spends about three hours a day working on
it. “Whether it’s sewing or editing my Facebook page, there’s
always something to do,” says Dillon.
What has she learned from the Macoupin County CEO Program?
Dillon replies, “You have to position yourself for success every-
where you go—study a company before you buy in, learn about
a client before you meet, and make yourself look tall in a room
full of seemingly 6-foot-9-inch men. No one is going to hand
you what you want. You have to figure out how to get it all on
your own.”
Jonathan McEnery
Eagle Custom Plasma Cutting
Jonathan McEnery plans to attend Ranken Technical College to
study computerized machining. He owns Eagle Custom Plasma
Cutting, making custom signs and parts as well as items includ-
ing fire pits and school mascots. His business gives back to the
shop program in Staunton with a percentage of his proceeds.
“I got the idea for Eagle Custom Plasma Cutting frommy shop
teacher, and we worked together to figure out how to implement
it,” says McEnery. “My favorite part of running a business is innova-
tion. I love using CAD (computer-aided design) and the machine
to make something new and exciting that people wouldn’t have
thought possible. The most challenging part for me is time man-
agement. It’s hard to juggle all the things I have to do.” McEnery
spends about two hours a day on the business, which involves
designing, cutting, painting, and building the projects.
The CEO in the Macoupin County CEO Program stands for Creating Entrepreneurial Opportunities. This
course for high school students is completing its first year, and the success stories are beginning. Facilitator
Pete Visintin, says, “We have 15 amazing students in our class. To showcase what the CEO Program is all
about, we’re featuring three of them here—all seniors at Staunton High School.”
Macoupin
County CEO
Program
Meet three high school
students who are
now entrepreneurs
Entrepreneur Damon Walton speaks to students
about the six components of all successful businesses.