“I choose them because they’ve demonstrated they care for the brand. Our positive reviews include the work by the sub-trades. They realize it hurts our brand if they don’t do a good job.” This respect for the homeowner is particularly important in the renovation sector, Jobie emphasizes. “When you’re doing a renovation, you’re working in peoples’ homes while they’re living in it and you have to have a high level of respect. There’s a lot of white-glove holding and client interaction with all the sub-trades in a renovation.” Currently, Little Star and their team are working on a mix of kitchens, bathrooms, and full home renovations. They enjoy the work they are doing and don’t necessarily plan to get much bigger. Jobie has considered getting his new home builders license in the past, but he came to recognize that “as an entrepreneur, the grass isn’t always greener.” “I realized renovations will always be there and we’re really good at it. We’re going to stay in that lane.” Within that niche, however, Little Star does prefer to work on larger-scale renovations. “I think bigger projects are better in some ways because you can get your heels stuck in. I’d like to do more full home renovations. We prefer doing projects that stretch us creatively.” Jobie doesn’t believe the company needs to grow to survive at this point. “We’re at the right size,” he says. “The numbers and the stress level of bigger don’t always make sense. Economically, we don’t know what the future holds. I’ve tried to remain debt-free. We’re in a strong position right now where I could pull the plug and have the loose ends tied up in a month with very little damage. I feel safe with the size now. We’re a good, finely tuned engine that makes a decent margin. I’m not wowed by big flashy companies. I’m not interested in massive stress and overhead at this point in my life.” DECEMBER 2024
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTYzNTg=