Issue link: http://southshoremagazine.uberflip.com/i/1547562
Nearly 50 years after launching Kennedy Carpet Sales & Cleaners with a homemade truck-mounted carpet-cleaning machine and 100,000 flyers delivered door to door, Jay Kennedy still arrives at work with the energy of someone just getting started. "I love it," he says with a smile. "I do." The company has grown from a one-man operation into a multifaceted family business serving homeowners throughout the South Shore and Greater Boston. Now, as Kennedy Carpet approaches its 50th anniversary, Jay is guiding the next chapter alongside his two sons—and only children—Max and Jack. Max, the director of operations, is preparing to assume greater leadership responsibilities, while Jack works directly with customers as a sales representative. Max earned undergraduate and graduate business degrees from Providence College; Jack joined Kennedy after working in hospitality. "He's definitely open to new ideas," Max says of his father. "But he challenges us to think them through from every angle. We all work well together and it's fun. And he's not slowing down yet." The Kennedy family's involvement extends beyond Jay and his sons. Jay's sister, Joan—Aunt Joan to Max and Jack—has been part of the business for 35 years, overseeing accounting and human resources. Family, community and long-term relationships have been central to Kennedy Carpet from the beginning. Long before online reviews and social media, the company grew through word of mouth. Customers recommended Kennedy to friends and neighbors, and many returned as their homes and flooring needs changed. 10 S E 2014 KENNEDY CARPET SALES & CLEANERS KENNEDY CARPET SALES & CLEANERS