At just 31 Jonathan McGee has been in his career field for almost 20 years.
The then 12-year-old started learning the art of tuckpointing, grinding, and bricklaying before he could get a learner’s permit. Now owner of McGee Masonry, the young entrepreneur passes everything he has learned to his crew.
Just barely in his 20s, he started McGee Masonry, “Everyone looked at me like who’s this crazy kid.” He experienced potential clients not wanting to fully trust him with their projects. McGee describes that time in his business as a struggle that he had to grow through, and it was all part of the journey of owning his own business.
“I had to prove to a lot of people that my business could handle the workload”
To prove that McGee Masonry was worth it, he would undercut his prices, and those financial sacrifices helped build his brand. “I’m trying to get as many contracts completed with good reviews.”
He wasn’t trying to work on just big jobs, but the smaller jobs allowed his team to have more of an impact. “Now more people know us,” he said.
His crew was doing four jobs per week versus just one big job per month. Word of mouth propelled the brick-layers business and more community members in the West End neighborhoods sought out McGee to work on their homes. His next-door neighbor’s chimney collapsed after a rainstorm and McGee fixed it for free.
The kind-hearted young man helps a lot of his elderly neighbors or single parents who live in his neighborhood. His crew consists of 15 members, and they understand how expensive it is to care for the 100-plus-year-old large brick homes.
“The only way to see change is to help,” he said.
McGee grew up looking at vacant homes and overgrown fields, so he is taking it upon himself to help beautify the community he grew up in. Last year his crew worked on a $200,000 project for Habitat for Humanity, he believes in the work the nonprofit organization does in renovating dilapidated homes and then selling them at an affordable price.
He has partnered with Job Corp training students in the skilled labor field helping them earn service hours to graduate from the Job Corp program. His mentoring doesn’t stop with them, he mentors the guys that are a part of his crew by building on their strengths while helping them in areas that may need some improvement. “I see myself in all my guys,” he said.
Often, he experiences those ‘proud dad’ moments when one of his guys accomplishes a new skill that he taught them.
Mitchell Holtrup has worked for McGee Masonry for almost five years, Holtrup has had a great experience with the company. “I’ve made so many great connections not only in the construction field but also great friendships,” he said.
Holtrup started working for McGee to get out of working in fast food, he has learned how to brick lay and manage job sites. Holtrup said, “Since leaving fast food I’ve started my own business with Jon’s help. I never had a strong male influence in my life until Jonathan came around.”
Growing up a pastor’s child in the West End Neighborhood near Etzel and Hodiamont, his dad’s church New City Fellowship Church started a youth ministry program. Aaron Henning, co-pastor and director of the youth ministry program Harambee taught young boys ages 12 through 18 tuckpointing, grinding, and how to take care of their tools. The boys in the program learned about self-pride and self-respect.
“The skills required in construction, and in bricklaying particularly came naturally to him,” said Henning.
“Jonathan was able to think conceptually about the work and everything involved in completing the job. He excelled at figuring things out on his feet.”
After graduating from the program, he was determined to learn all that he could about the trade of bricklaying. “When I started at 12 years old, I was incredibly determined,” he said.
“If I’m going to do this, I’m going to put my all into it,” he added. He wanted to be the best. However, the road to success is filled with obstacles and hurdles and the young future entrepreneur found himself in trouble.
At 17 years old he was reflecting on a choice he made that left him in a space of not knowing what his future was going to look like because he had a case pending against him. “I didn’t know if I was going to college or what I was going to be doing, all because of the pending of this case”
Henning has personally known McGee his whole life but honestly says that when he was younger he needed more structure to help keep him out of trouble. “During those years, he had to go through some difficult life lessons, which made him stronger and more ready for leadership and more understanding of the humanity and real-life struggles we all have,” said Henning.
So, he decided to move forward and continue to put all his focus into becoming a skilled laborer in bricklaying and joined the Harambee Company under the leadership of Henning. After two years at the company, McGee was promoted to supervisor and was managing a crew, and two years after that he was promoted again and was managing multiple crews for the company. Not in a braggadocious way but he describes himself as being Henning’s go-to person.
However, he found himself at a crossroads at the Harambee Company, he had to decide if he was going to stay with the company, climb the success ladder, become a partner, or venture out on his own and start a business. Well, of course, he chose the latter.
McGee hopes to one day become the largest masonry company in St. Louis, and he plans to accomplish that goal through youth-focused community programs.
“I want to hire kids from the community to help redevelop the community,” he said. He plans to buy more properties on the LRA list and renovate them.
Ashley Winters is a Report for America reporter for the St. Louis American.
