Framing Success Differently
How a Family First Business Continues to Serve the Community Well
DEVELOPED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH POLK COUNTY WINDOW AND DOORS
For Bill and Susan McCeldry, the path to building a thriving and respected business was paved with extraordinary challenges. Their story of Polk County Window and Door isn’t just about providing customers with high quality American made products—it’s a powerful testament to the resilience found in the couple’s 37-year marriage and journey through hills and valleys guided by the foundational belief that success must be shared with your employees and your community.
“To be where we are today, well, it’s humbling,” says Susan McCeldry reflecting on the company’s 15th anniversary while sitting at her desk at the Polk County Window and Door headquarters and showroom located at 350 W. Brannen Road.
That humility was partially forged in the wake of the 2008 housing market crash that decimated their previous business, where they provided windows to new home builders. The devastation was comprehensive, striking at the heart of their livelihood and security.
“We lost two incomes ‘cause we were both in the business…lost a house, the cars, the boat…anything we had, we lost,” she recalls.
“We’re a family run business that truly cares about the customer and what we do. The customer is always at the heart of the reason for what we do and why we do it.”
The couple, along with their three children, traded a once-comfortable Florida lifestyle for a 1,000-square-foot mobile home in Tennessee. To make ends meet, both Bill, who had worked in the window business since high school, and Susan found jobs in retail. Susan recalls being “extremely humbled...all the way down to making minimum wage.”
By 2011, having endured two northern winters and looking for a change for their kids, the couple made a bold decision: they would move back to the Lakeland area, where Bill was born and raised, to make a fresh start in the window and door remodeling and replacement business. The business initially operated out of Bill’s sister’s house, with Bill selling and installing jobs alongside their son, Cameron, while Susan handled the bookkeeping.
The growth was cautious, but spurred on when Cameron expressed a desire to keep running the company long-term. As the business stabilized, Susan even branched out, getting her cosmetology license to provide income separate from the company, easing her worries about relying too heavily on one business again. But when the company grew, Cameron told his mother, “we need you”. That was Susan’s cue to dedicate herself to Polk County Window and Door full-time again.
What has followed has proven they have the quality products and high level customer service needed to build a successful business one satisfied customer at a time. The business has a 5-star Google Reviews rating with more than 230 reviews. One customer, named Amber, wrote this on Google about her experience late last year: “Polk County Window and Door did an excellent job installing our back exterior door and the laundry room door to the garage. The team was professional….and the quality of the doors and installation is top notch! The doors look and [function] perfectly.”
The products they sell, which can be seen in their showroom, are Energy Star rated windows and doors that include lifetime warranties on the installation. They offer everything from patio doors and entry doors to vinyl windows, impact resistant windows, plantation shutters and more.
All installations are done by Polk Window and Door employees, as Bill and Susan learned the hard way in their first venture that some subcontractors “are not invested in the same way.” The McCeldry’s believe every customer deserves the same high level treatment every time an installer comes into their home.
Susan and Bill equate much of their success to their staff, which is now more than 20 employees, and is truly a family affair with Cameron, their daughter, Rose, and their son-in-law, Jake, all working in the business. But for the McCeldrys, the idea of family extends to every team member. The McCeldrys prioritize treating their employees well, offering benefits like medical, dental, vision and life insurance, and paying a substantial portion of the premiums to keep it affordable.
Left to right: Rose (daughter), Bill, Susan, Cameron (son), Henry (Susan’s father and former employee) and Jake (son-in-law) show what it looks like to be part of a family business focused on providing their community with great products and friendly service.
“Our employees are not just numbers in our business,” Susan said, emphasizing their empathy born from their own struggle. “We know where we came from and we know what it’s like to live week to week from paycheck to paycheck.”
Polk County Window and Door remains embedded in the Lakeland community that Bill was born in and Susan grew up in after moving to Florida at age 6. The business actively supports local charities and youth fishing tournaments. One organization particularly close to their hearts is Achievement Academy, which serves students with special needs, a school attended by their granddaughter. They also demonstrate compassion by donating products, such as windows and interior and exterior doors, to families in the area who have suffered severe home damage from hurricanes or debilitating mold issues.
Ultimately, the company’s success stems from a clear-eyed mission Susan summarized: “We’re a family run business that truly cares about the customer and what we do. The customer is always at the heart of the reason for what we do and why we do it.”