Photo by Diane Poole.
Members of the Trussville Area Chamber of Commerce joined Tommy Trimm, family, friends and supporters for the recent ribbon cutting celebrating the opening of OneSource Landscape Supply.
Tommy Trimm has been a successful business owner for many years and has owned several companies.
His current businesses include MTT (the main company; MTT originally stands for Melodie and Tommy Trimm), Trimm Design Build (a custom, full-service outdoor design and construction company), Ace Surfaces of Birmingham (permeable surfaces and artificial turf), OneSource Landscape Supply and Parcels Too (a shipping and business services company he purchased about four years ago).
Most of these businesses were founded with a similar purpose in mind.
“My goal with these businesses is to leave enough meat on the bone that somebody can take them and carry them another 20 or 30 years after I’m no longer involved.”
The concept for his latest business, OneSource Landscape Supply, grew out of practical need. Trimm wanted a reliable source for materials used by his other companies.
“I wanted to have more of a fixed location for me to be so I wouldn’t have to do what I’ve been doing for the last 40 years and be all over the place. I could slow down a little bit and be a little more part of the community.”
The name of his latest company has practical meaning.
“The name OneSource will eventually mean one source for anything you want to get done.”
The idea also came from practical use. He initially wanted to be able to get the resources he needed for his other businesses.
“If we don’t use it, we don’t carry it.”
But Trimm also wants the business to make a difference.
“It’s not vital that it be a huge financial success because just being able to use it for ourselves will sustain it. But I want it to be part of the community.”
What Trimm enjoys most about being a small business owner is knowing how it helps those who work for him.
“I guess the thing I enjoy most is creating a place where other people can come to work and grow.”
Trimm’s personal philosophy is simple.
“Nobody’s really going to care about jobs you did years ago. The thing you leave behind is what continues after you’re gone.”
Trimm’s most recent venture, OneSource Landscape Supply, is located at 1861 Gadsden Highway in Trussville.
