Building a Great Reputation While Building a Business-2024
Situation
Perhaps no industry was more devastated from the effects of the Great Recession from 2008 – 2012 than the home building and remodeling business. So, what did Desmond Conley decide to do? He started G.I.D. Remodeling & Services, LLC in 2012. The company offers remodeling services for residential and commercial properties in the region.
Desmond had a career in graphic design and received an Associate’s Degree in Commercial Art from the Jefferson Community and Technical College in Louisville, KY. This work allowed Desmond to develop an admiration for carpentry and remodeling, so he decided to go back to the community college for an Associate’s Degree in Construction Technology.
How SBA Helped
G.I.D. stands for “Getting It Done,” and Desmond has gotten it done and enjoyed success since 2012. However, when he met with Hugh Shwab, a mentor with SCORE Kentuckiana, his business attained a whole new level of success. Desmond stated, “I would not be where I am today without Hugh’s help. Since meeting with him on a regular basis, I’ve learned how to read financial statements, understand business protocol and how to grow my business profitably.”
Desmond participated in an 8-hour “Own Your Own Business” workshop taught by Louisville SCORE and SBDC counselors, and he credits improvements in his financial recordkeeping from that workshop. G.I.D. recently received a microloan with the City of Louisville’s Department of Community Services. Also, his company also became an authorized builder of Armstrong Steel Buildings in Kentucky. G.I.D. has a Five-Star rating, the best possible score on HomeAdvisor.com. Currently, all of the customer reviews on the HomeAdvisor website are very positive.
Desmond received a COVID EIDL loan for $20,000, an Advance grant and a PPP loan, which has since been forgiven. He stated that those funds were instrumental in keeping his business going during the COVID epidemic.
Outcome
The housing bubble that helped to cause the recession in 2008 – 09 created an abundance of residential homes for sale, and it took years to get the inventory of homes down to a manageable level in most parts of the country. According to experts, home prices fell about 25% in most cities during this period. So, starting a new home remodeling business that not only has survived but grown and thrived for the past five years is nothing short of astounding.
For the vast majority of middle-class Americans, wealth is tied up in their homes. When prices and sales of existing homes drop dramatically, little is left in home equity to fuel remodeling projects. Yet, G.I.D. Remodeling & Services has experienced rapid and profitable growth, thanks to his strong work ethic, desire to learn new skills in the construction industry and business knowledge gained by meeting regularly with SCORE counselors.
Those meetings with SCORE have paid handsome rewards for G.I.D. Desmond states that he is the “commercial handyman” for many companies, including Rite Aid Pharmacy, Apple Stores, TJ Maxx, Tuesday Morning, Jim Beam Distillery, the Louisville Metro Housing Authority and Amazon fulfillment centers in the region. Desmond outsources the HVAC, roofing, plumbing and electrical work for these types of jobs and continues to do small home remodeling projects with these corporate jobs. This greatly improves his cash flow and keeps his contractors busy year-round.
He stated, “We built our reputation one relationship at a time, and we take our time to do the work right the first time.” Building the right team of skilled tradespeople enables this company to be successful, flexible and respected.
Desmond is grateful for the opportunities he had at Jefferson Community and Technical College, in both the Commercial Art and Construction Technology programs, stating that his life was dramatically altered in a very positive way after attending classes at JCTC. For the past three years, Desmond has offered opportunities to JCTC students as a way to “pay it forward” and allow students a way to help complete their required 300-hour practicum while gaining industry experience.
Desmond donates a percent of annual profits to provide tools, safety equipment and stipends for students who successfully complete the 300 hours of practicum or internship, and he continues to look for other community programs to which he can donate time, talent and treasure.