Becoming an entrepreneur was not on Rodney Greenup’s agenda. Though he comes from three generations of entrepreneurs, the UNO graduate with a degree in mechanical engineering was perfectly happy working as a project manager for the Army Corp of Engineers in New Orleans.
Until Hurricane Katrina hit.
In the storm’s devastating aftermath and frustrated by New Orleans’ slow recovery, Greenup saw the opportunity to leave the federal government and branch out on his own as a contractor. Over time, he moved away from engineering work, seeing the need for an industrial maintenance provider. In 2012, he founded Greenup Industries in response to the demand by the downstream petrochemical market along the Gulf Coast.
Initially, Greenup was a one-man band with one client.
He estimates the company did $400,000 in business that first year, but by the second year revenue grew to $2 million and then $8 million by the third.
“Slowly, I built relationships. I began hiring for help and clients responded with more work.” In 2013, Greenup Industries opened a Kenner office, and the following year expanded into the Mobile, Alabama, market.
Read the full entrepreneur feature from the Oct. 8 edition of Business Report for more about Greenup’s journey.
