There are many college graduates with business degrees who start their own companies after completing their education.
Jamie Kiel is an exception.
Kiel began his heavy equipment company in 1995, two years before graduating from the University of North Alabama with a management/marketing degree.
“I started the business and started at UNA at the same time. I went to UNA at night and a couple mornings each week,” Kiel said. “I was looking for a career path. I knew I wanted to be in business and work for myself, so owning my own business was as good an educational experience as I could get anywhere.
“College teaches you how to learn but not how to run a business. You learn that on the job. Through running a business, you learn to manage money and how to treat other people,” he added.
Kiel's fledgling equipment rental store that began 22 years ago has blossomed into Kiel Equipment and Rental, a regional business serving customers from Tennessee, Mississippi and Alabama.
Kiel Equipment and Rental sells Gravely Zero Turn mowers, Walker mowers and the popular line of Stihl handheld equipment. And Kiel remains the only equipment rental store in Franklin County. Kiel's reputation as a fair, honest businessman is largely attributable to his father and uncle, Glenn and Gerald Kiel, who founded Franklin County Equipment Rental, Inc., in 1989. That Tharptown business included the lines of Kubota tractors and John Deere mowers
“Their dedication to offering the best equipment, along with their willingness to give their customers first-rate service after the sale, brought customers to the small community of Tharptown for their farm and lawn equipment purchases,” Kiel said.
After Glenn and Gerald closed their business in 1998, Jamie added the John Deere brand of lawn equipment to his business. Rapid growth forced a move to the former Franklin County Coop building on Highway 43 in 2000, where his business remains today.
If you've got something to trade, Kiel Equipment and Rental is the spot to stop first.
“We trade for anything that doesn't eat,” Kiel said. “I want to make sure the seller and buyer are treated fairly and I would never want to take advantage of another person and never want to be taken advantage of.”
Kiel and his wife Melissa have three daughters, all students at Tharptown School, where his wife was honored last year as Franklin County Schools Teacher of the Year.
The Kiels are members of Tharptown Baptist Church where Jamie served 20 years as music director. He also volunteers as the public address announcer at Tharptown varsity football games.
Kiel attended Tharptown through the 9th grade before transferring to Russellville, where he graduated in 1993. He attended Northwest Junior College where he served as student government president.
Kiel Equipment consists of four employees. Ed Martin is the service manager, Alan Green the service technician, Caleb Montgomery the service assistant and Kiel's father Glen also helps out at the store.
One of the advantages of running a small business is getting to know your customers and Kiel begins that relationship when a customer first walks in the door.
“I'm very much hands-on. I wouldn't have it any other way in running a business,” he said.
Having operated a business through strong and weak economic times, Kiel is confident the economy is now heading in the right direction.
“I definitely think it's on the rebound. People are very optimistic with President Trump. Deregulation was a key point of his campaign and he's making businesses optimistic again,” Kiel said. “Businesses want to invest and let the free market decide who gets paid and who doesn't. With that in mind, I provide the best service to my customers that I can.”
Kiel Equipment and Rental is located at 14695 Highway 43 in Russellville. For more information, contact Kiel at 256-332-6776.
