2025 will mark one full century, 100 years since America celebrated the pivotal achievement of half the country’s households, 116 million people, acquiring home electricity. It would be another half century before the entire country was wired, around the 1970s.

This would be just in time to fall into place, as if by design, with the arrival in America of Jerome Monticquee, who possessed those rare but familiar qualities of drive, passion, and intellect, along with the ambition to master his craft, as decisive steps toward eventual successful entrepreneurship.

Ironically, Jerome emigrated to the U.S. from Jamaica at 16 years old when his mom sent him to live with his father to escape an impoverished economy in a country that had electricity before America, where he would go on to become a successful electrician.

Related: Electrical Business Overview

In discussing his journey, Mr. Monticquee describes the lean and difficult times with the same confidence and sense of purpose his demeanor reflects when he shares an accomplishment. Clearly, Jerome’s personal mantra is woven into the telling of his life’s narrative: “I’m all in; I’m not looking back.”

Jerome Monticquee’s contagious optimism is the apparent core ingredient in his recipe to overcome a series of obstacles and impediments that may have stifled a less determined person. His humility and practicality have helped him navigate personal financial challenges, discrimination due to his emigration status, race, and accent, while never succumbing to despair or prolonged discouragement.

Arriving in southern Georgia in 1994, Jerome registered in an electrician’s training program the following year sponsored by Job Corps, where he immediately excelled. He pursued an engineering course of study and acknowledged the importance of the mentoring he was provided that guided his early achievements.

After matriculating from Job Corps, Mr. Monticquee moved to the Washington DC suburb of Silver Spring, where he enrolled in an elite journeyman training program. Jerome shares that he took every opportunity to grow and learn, eventually securing his professional license with the State of Maryland: “In 2003, I obtain[ed] my USA citizenship and subsequently joined IBEW Local 26 Electrical Union. Under Local 26, I completed the electrician’s apprenticeship program and then went on to obtain my Master Electricians License.”

With so much emphasis on Jerome’s well-earned mastery of his vocation and his striving for excellence in his very technical tradecraft, which are absolutely essential tools for his success, his acumen in salesmanship could be overshadowed. Authenticity, respect, equity, and consistency are the hallmarks of successful salesmanship, which is not a dirty word under these circumstances.

Delivering as promised and insisting your clients receive an obviously generous return on their investment every time is successful salesmanship, as I understand it from Jerome. “What sets our business apart from others is our unwavering commitment to quality, integrity, and customer satisfaction. We prioritize safety and compliance with industry standards in every project we undertake. Moreover, we differentiate ourselves through our dedication to personalized service, attention to detail, and willingness to go the extra mile to meet our clients’ needs.”

That positive disposition is the same conscientious attitude Jerome Monticquee maintained when confronted with adversity. His positive attitude has allowed him to see through to the other side of what are always temporary obstacles, no matter how severe they may seem when first confronted.

At various points along Jerome Montcquee’s entrepreneurial journey serious challenges have arisen that Jerome accepted as challenges only, never as defeat. During one period, his temporary unemployment check was the only income available to support his family.

On another occasion, “I have had to use my family’s savings to purchase equipment, [required] permits, and pay [staff] salaries, as I have not been able to obtain a [business] loan from a traditional lending institution.” This was during a time when Monticquee had two employees counting on him.

Circumstances became even more dire when the home Jerome shared with his wife and children, where his kids, who were home-schooled, were threatened with imminent foreclosure. He describes how his attendance at a 2018 business networking event with a friend in Frederick, Maryland, three years after his business startup, led to a chance meeting with a housing contractor he had a brief conversation with who asked for his card.

The gentleman he met would hire Mr. Monticquee to participate in Electrify Electric’s first major construction project, a housing restoration in Montgomery County, Maryland. The $35,000 Jerome earned from his successful completion of this project brought his family’s mortgage current and put his company on a solid footing for continued growth.

This was a tremendous milestone as Jerome reflects on his long professional climb since leaving Jamaica nearly 15 years earlier. In his own words: “Before establishing my own electrical contracting business, I spent years honing my skills and expertise in the electrical industry. I started as an apprentice, learning the ins and outs of electrical systems, wiring, and installations. Over time, I progressed to become a licensed electrician, gaining invaluable experience working on residential, commercial, and industrial projects.”

Through it all, Jerome Monticquee maintains that ever-present positive disposition, revealing that at the end of the day, his drive to succeed, while facilitated by expertise in his profession and natural salesmanship ability, is the motivation to secure his family and share what he can with his neighbors who are navigating sometimes difficult challenges in their own lives:

“As a husband and father, I wanted to earn a consistent living wage so that [my] wife and children could live comfortably. I also wanted to provide opportunities for underserved populations in my community. These motives underlie Jerome’s success strategy, recalling similar reasons his mother sent him to America. He is constantly seeking ways to pay it forward.

Once he secured his family, Jerome Monticquee applied the same values that brought him to a place of personal stability to further expand and perfect his beloved business enterprise:

“The decision to start my own electrical contracting business was born out of a passion for delivering high-quality electrical solutions and a desire for greater autonomy and control over my work. I saw an opportunity to provide superior service to clients by offering personalized attention, top-notch craftsmanship, and innovative solutions tailored to their specific needs.”

Before he ever became an electrician or a businessman, Jerome Monticquee was apparently already wired to succeed.

Author: Regi Taylor