Go, Speed Racer!

Kel Jackson

What began as a favorite pastime has quickly become a successful and thriving business for AU mechanical engineering junior Kel Jackson. Birmingham native Jackson has had a longstanding interest in hobby-class, radio-controlled cars.  At 16, he decided to transform his part-time passion into a full-time business. In 2004, he formed RCM RC Products, LLC to engineer precision aftermarket products that enhance the performance of these cars.

"They are not the typical remote-controlled cars often found at a neighborhood RadioShack," said Jackson. "Many are high-performance machines which can be easily operated at speeds in excess of 70 miles-per-hour. These cars require superior components made from durable, high-quality materials on which their drivers can rely to out perform others under demanding race conditions."

The company's flagship product, the G-10 Chassis Kit, was introduced to the market in 2004. It quickly garnered brand awareness and interest for RCM RC, initiating product reviews in several key industry publications. Customer feedback was strong, further elevating the perceived quality of the company's brand.

Today, RCM RC's products, which augment these popular hobby cars, are sold on the company's Web site, www.rcm-rc.com, as well as through various hobby stores and online retailers.

"I started the company by myself and provided the initial financing," said Jackson. "Now, our products have been sold to satisfied customers all across the United States and in three other countries. Our kits, well-known by professionals and consumers, even helped satisfy the recreational needs of American soldiers serving overseas in Europe and the Middle East."

Jackson projects that RCM RC, LLC will produce over $100,000 in sales in 2008. During the month of February, the company experienced phenomenal growth with a sales increase of 240 percent over the previous month. It is a successful growth pattern that Jackson hopes to continue as he keeps his eye on development for the future.

"At present, our original designs are being contracted out to an inland machine shop for manufacturing," he says.  "In the near future, we are going to purchase CNC equipment in order to manufacture our own parts. In the interest of quality control, cost reduction, production volume and design flexibility, having our own machine shop is going to enable us to produce parts of higher quality in a shorter timeframe. It will give us more flexibility with product designs, which will allow us to penetrate new markets."

Jackson is also currently researching the possibilities of trademarks and patents to protect brand identity and the company's competitive edge. In addition, his strategic goals for growth in 2008 include purchasing the production aspect of the business and manufacturing equipment to reduce turn-around as well as create more effective research and development of new products. He hopes to move the business into an office suite, complete with a manufacturing center and warehouse.

Bridging the Gap Between Business and Engineering

Jackson credits much of the business knowledge he has applied to his company to what he has gained through Auburn's Business-Engineering-Technology (BET) program, a collaborative curriculum shared between the College of Engineering and College of Business. The program focuses on providing students with the skills needed to bridge the communication gap that often exists between engineers and business managers. "I have learned business practices in my BET classes that I am implementing immediately in the real world," said Jackson. "They're helping to grow my business on a day-to-day basis."

By participating in the program, students like Jackson are able to earn the BET minor by working through real-world case studies and analyzing design problems and solutions within a multidisciplinary team setting. "BET students achieve a unique skill set and enhanced knowledge base that can be applied to challenges facing many facets of the business world," said Paul Swamidass, director of the BET program and professor of operations management. "Attaining the minor allows them to stand out among the competition. Their cooperative approach to problem-solving is a distinctive quality that many employers seek in today's job market."

Jackson is currently co-oping with Pratt & Whitney (UTC) in Columbus, Ga. Upon graduation he hopes to continue to develop and expand RCM RC, LLC on a full-time basis.