The Monk who built a business
McCoy , a monk from Wisonsin, had to save the brotherhood from financial ruin. His solution: dust.
The idea came to him while he was replacing the toner cartridge for the abbey’s laser printer. Peeved by the high price, he searched online for a better deal and found several manufacturers that refill used cartridges with powdered toner for a fraction of what new ones cost. McCoy opened an account with the intention of ordering not only for the abbey but also for local churches and businesses.
What began as a $2,000-a-year enterprise has ballooned through word of mouth into a full-scale office-supply company that McCoy runs from a small corner office in the abbey. Dubbed LaserMonks, the outfit posted $2.3 million in sales in 2005 and is expected to double that this year.