TY & TRENT JONES

Common goals, mutual trust keep brothers in sync

STORY: SHEMIR WILES

Ty and Trent Jones aren’t twins, but they seamlessly work together, know each other’s train of thought, and can anticipate one another’s reactions.

Only years of playing hard and working hard together could explain this peculiar harmonization, which, over the past eight years has contributed to the ongoing success of their family business, Deans Services. And though horror stories about sibling-run businesses self-destructing under the weights of jealousy, backstabbing, and distrust are out there, Ty and Trent are proud to be the exception.

“The most important thing we have together is trust. We can rely on each other and know that if one of us has to step away for a day or two, things will be handled,” says Trent.

“It’s a true partnership,” adds Ty. “It’s the way it’s supposed to be.”

Birds Of A Feather

While most people recall childhood memories of backseat bickering, name-calling, and incessant finger pointing with their siblings, Ty and Trent remember being thick as thieves during their boyhood.

“We did everything together. We played sports and rode our bikes. We hung out with our friends together. I even remember one time when we got into a fireworks war with a bunch of other kids, shooting bottle rockets off in the woods. We got in trouble for that,” Ty says.

There was always a time to play, but there was even more time to learn. One of the earliest life lessons Ty and Trent remember learning is the value of hard work. When their parents moved to Fruitland Park from Rochester, N.Y., in 1979, they had nothing.

“We lived in a three-bedroom, one-and-a-half bathroom home, and there were eight of us: our parents, us four children, our grandma, and our great-grandmother,” says Trent. “Then one summer, our uncle and his five kids stayed with us. Everyone was struggling to plant their feet.”

Growing up, Ty and Trent didn’t have much. For them, a treat was having a McDonald’s Happy Meal and an ice cream cone once a month. Then, when both boys reached their teens, their father put them to work.

“We worked after school, summers, and weekends,” says Ty. “We’ve done every job at Deans, so we understand what our employees go through because we’ve been there. We did it.”

Coming from nothing to having something, both brothers agree helps them work well together and stay grounded. They want to make sure their families are well taken care of, as well as their 75 employees. It’s a responsibility they take to heart.

“That’s why even when we have a difference of opinion, we sit down and talk it out,” Ty says. “By watching our parents, we learned how to compromise and communicate well, which is important for the future of our company. We all have a vested interest in wanting to see it succeed.”