As a young child I was obsessed with the TV show “This Old House” starring Bob Vila. Back then there was no HGTV or DIY network and no YouTube videos of people doing renovations. My parents did a lot renovating and because of my persistence I was soon helping them and taking over the projects. I remember we got a book of house plans and I spent hours and hours pouring over them and visualizing alterations. No surprise, lego was my favourite toy.

In my early 20’s I naturally gravitated to the custom home and renovation business. In the past I have worked for two different custom home builders. I could no longer continue working with the first one because he was unethical in my eyes. As for the the second, he tried to run a good business. However he attempted to wear too many hats and none fit. Leaving his clients to suffer for it. In both cases I felt the clients were not served in a manner I would insist upon.

In school I studied psychology, one of things you learn is how big a role our environment plays in our well-being. Priming studies where the temperature of a mug of coffee would influence the opinion of people. Endless studies on colour, mood, and productivity . . . I could go on and on.

Running my own business for 18 years taught me many valuable lessons. Some of which are transferable to any business:

● Treat every client well and exceed their expectations if you can. They are the source of your well being and deserve your respect.

● Making sure that my staff is happy, engaged, and passionate about what they are doing.

● Always focus on the bigger picture.

● Always visualize oneself in the client’s shoes.

I can confidently say I grew to excel in all of these areas over the course of 18 years.

From an early age I learned more and more about my passion for this business. From my first boss I learned that I needed to be ethical, doing right by people is just my nature. With my second boss I realized that one person could not run a whole business. Instead a team approach with people focusing on what they are good at functions so much better. During my time in university I learned the importance of this industry. With over 18 years of experience in managing a business I learned how to inspire people to do their best. As well as how to effectively solve problems and provide exceptional client service.

I was born to do this and my passion for the job has prepared me to excel. The final piece that fell into place, is Alair Homes. They are a perfect fit, they realize the value of the service we provide, have designed a system that benefits everyone involved and allows me to do what I was born to do: Help people live better by achieving the home they desire, using a builder clients can trust to do right by them, with a process that is empowering, enjoyable and stress-free.