Brothers follow signs on road to success

You have to keep on the move to catch Cody and Jesse McElroy, because they are constantly on the move keeping their business, Commercial Signs, producing and delivering a wide variety of outdoor advertising to customers or contract locations.

While Jesse was on a work run, Cody took a few minutes to talk about their business and the philosophy by which they operate it.

After high school the bothers each went into welding and ran a bait and tackle shop on the side. One day their mother, Iana, who once owned Liberty Cash Grocery, purchased a sign-making machine. “She didn’t know how to run it. So I helped her and that is how we got started in the sign making business,” Cody said. “I knew people [that would become customers] and we did it. We are just self taught in the sign business.”

The simple rules of hard work and never slowing down have remained a mantra for the McElroys, who opened their sign shop in 1989 and have expanded their work from yard and window displays to billboards and auto detailing with individual letter signs, vehicle wraps and window tinting.

“We just keep after it,” Cody said. “We never took all of our money out of the company. We always put money back in the business instead of worrying about personal stuff.”

Cody said he and Jesse learned about operating their enterprise by talking with other independent business owners and implemented their lessons one step at a time.

“When [the sign] business got good enough [Jesse] got out of the welding business and came over here full-time,” Cody said. “After we started making enough money, I got out of the welding business and came here. Both our wives worked here and in the bait and tackle business. We did away with the bait and tackle and concentrated on the sign business.”

Today, Commercial Signs has more than 500 regular, repeat customers a year. Their jobs range from individuals with specific signing needs for targeted audiences to broader market commercial signage for companies that include McDonald’s.

“We just learned as we went along,” Cody said. “There are so many people that taught us about business. We just plan to keep learning and keep doing.”

NAME: Cody and Jesse McElroy

TITLE: Co-owners

COMPANY: Commercial Signs

EST: 1989

ADDRESS: 1123 St. Charles St., Houma

TELEPHONE: (985) 873-8880

WEBSITE: commercialsignsla.com

BIOGRAPHY

DOB: Cody 11/20/62; Jesse 8/31/57

EDUCATION: Cody, Terrebonne South High School; Jesse, Terrebonne High School

FAMILY: Cody, married with two children; Jesse, married with three children

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

FIRST JOB: Both were welders

GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT: Everyday is an accomplishment

PERSONAL THOUGHTS

ONE WORD TO DESCRIBE SELF: Hardworking

ADVICE TO OTHERS: Don’t think you are going to get rich overnight, because you won’t.

BUSINESSPERSON YOU ADMIRE: Ronnie Picou, Mr. Ronnie’s Donuts, because we learned a lot about running a business from him.

Cody McElroy is always on the move as he and his family design, produce and install signs for customers ranging from individuals to locations with well-known corporate names. MIKE NIXON