Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in home maintenance, but not sure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Kerry Oxford, the founder of Nurture my Home, a home maintenance management company in Canada.
Tell us all about your business...
We help homeowners protect their largest investment with tools and support that make managing home maintenance easy. You'll spend more on your home than anything else in your life. Getting the right answers and support means you don't waste money on unnecessary repairs and you don't get caught with surprise bills for things you overlooked. Nurture my Home will help you get a baseline on the condition of your home, make a plan to keep it in good shape, and provide solid answers for your home maintenance questions.
What's your background and motivation to grow as a business owner?
I've always been interested in homes and home improvement. It started when I was a kid and helping my parents fix up their homes. Even though my career took me in a different direction for awhile, I always kept my hand in the game doing bits and pieces and even a full reno on my first home. Since then I've done thousands of dollars of odd jobs for other people and started a company in home Inspections. All of this because I see problems and want to fix them. My business partner, Angel, grew up on the new construction side of things cutting her teeth in her parent's home manufacturing and construction business. She later started her own company offering boutique design and project management and building custom luxury homes one at a time. Angel is drawn to unique design challenges and loves looking for ways to improve the look and function of a home.
As an entrepreneur, what does success ultimately mean to you?
That's an interesting question and my answer may surprise: I think my biggest accomplishment is learning how to think like a business owner. There's a mindset here that's so different from what we're taught in school. The rhythm of business as opposed to employment takes some time to get used to.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being an entrepreneur?
Wearing different hats at the beginning. Then learning how to give those hats to someone else and trust them to look after your ugly baby.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run or grow a small business today?
- Spend some time with people who do this well already. Immerse yourself in that rhythm and pick out the pieces so you can make your own building blocks.
- Don't just think about making money, have an exit plan. If you're successful, and that should be the point, you need to be able to step back from it without it falling apart.
- Know your Why. Know it so well it's etched into your heart because you will question your decision to do this at some point. You need to know it for you, but you also need to demonstrate that why in everything you do. That's the secret sauce.
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
We aren't experts a growing a successful business. Think of it as a practice: you do it, then you learn how to do it. If we can make it work then so can you. Check out our free app available for iPad and iPhone!
Where can people find you online?
https://nurturemyhome.com/
https://apps.apple.com/ca/app/nurture-my-home/id1495759361
https://www.facebook.com/nurturemyhome
https://www.instagram.com/nurturemyhome/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as an entrepreneur or business coach that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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