Meet Cheyne Sexsmith

The article presents an interview with Ben Chesney, the current owner of an established home service business specializing in residential garage door services in the Denver Metro Area. Chesney discusses the journey of scaling the business, which he acquired from its retiring founder six years ago. The business has a 35-year history of serving its community. Initially, it operated as a one-man show, with occasional additional employees. Chesney's goal upon acquisition was to expand operations to support multiple technicians, shifting his role towards administrative and operational oversight, while maintaining the quality of individual service customers expected. The business operates under the motto: "Big enough to get the job done, but small enough to treat you like family!" Chesney details the marketing strategies employed to attract new customers. These include leveraging online platforms such as Google Ads, NextDoor, and Yelp. He notes that while they attempted other systems like Angi and HomeAdviser, these yielded limited lead success. A significant aspect of their marketing success is attributed to their Google Reviews, with over 1,200 five-star ratings, each of which receives a personal response to demonstrate engagement with customer feedback. Social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram are also utilized, primarily for posting images of actual jobs rather than stock photos. Another growth avenue pursued was securing client contracts with home builders for garage door and opener installations. This strategy aimed to increase job volume and revenue, and potentially create long-term customers. However, this approach yielded mixed results due to fluctuations in the housing market influenced by inflation and increased interest rates. Furthermore, Chesney observed varying levels of quality and service commitment among home builders, leading to a decision to be more selective in future corporate partnerships. Looking ahead, the company is exploring new growth opportunities through property management and referral business. They have joined associations for managing rentals and multi-unit communities, with expectations for future jobs. This year, there is also a focus on developing trade partner referrals by reaching out to other construction and home repair businesses that have complementary services. This involves setting up meetings to foster mutually beneficial and symbiotic relationships, including potentially featuring trusted trade partners on their website. The article highlights the ongoing challenge of balancing business growth with the maintenance of service quality, acknowledging that mistakes are part of the process. Ben Chesney describes the company as a family-owned organization, emphasizing that the owner and employees are local to the Denver Area and committed to the communities they serve. They offer a comprehensive range of services, including tune-ups, maintenance, spring replacement, repairs, and new installations for residential garage doors. The company prides itself on transparency, offering upfront pricing and conducting full inspections of garage door systems. Customers receive a maintenance checklist to distinguish immediate repair needs from future considerations, and all recommended work is discussed and approved by the customer before commencement. This approach aims to prevent hidden fees and allow customers to plan and budget for future repairs. The emphasis on quality materials and products is reinforced by the high volume of positive Google reviews. Many new customers are acquired through referrals from family, friends, or neighbors, underscoring the importance of customer satisfaction. The company also offers a unique Customer Loyalty Plan, which involves a one-time fee, is transferable, and provides discounts on services and automated reminders for preventative maintenance. This plan encourages proactive maintenance, reducing the likelihood of emergency and more expensive repairs. #Entrepreneurship #BusinessGrowth #HomeServices #CustomerLoyalty #MarketingStrategy #DenverMetroArea #SmallBusiness #ServiceQuality #OperationalManagement

Shaniece Jones discusses her journey in establishing "Closet Therapy," a business focused on transforming personal spaces and lives by addressing the root causes of clutter, particularly within closets. She emphasizes that her approach goes beyond mere organization, aiming to help individuals confront and process underlying emotions such as shame, guilt, grief, and insecurity that often manifest in their physical environment. Shaniece shares her personal experience, where despite outwardly appearing successful, she grappled with anxiety, insecurity, and unprocessed grief, leading her to discover that decluttering and organizing her own closet served as a pathway to healing. This realization became the foundation of her business, where she offers clients not just an organized closet, but a moment of truth and an opportunity to break free from self-defeating patterns. Shaniece's path to becoming a "Closet Therapist" was unconventional. Coming from a background where creative careers were not highly valued, she initially pursued a science degree in biology. However, her passion for fashion and its transformative power persisted. Through internships and work as a wardrobe styling assistant, she observed that clients' closets often contained more than just clothes; they held stories of avoidance, insecurity, and grief. This insight led her to believe that the closet is a mirror reflecting an individual's true self, emotions, and hidden aspects. Her unique method integrates organization, scientific research, and storytelling, focusing on breaking old habits and building sustainable systems tailored to clients' real lives. She leverages her scientific background and personal experiences to understand the deeper "why" behind the mess, aiming to bridge the gap between science, built environments, design, and mental wellness. Shaniece candidly shares her personal struggles, including immense grief from losing her brother and sister during her university years, and her mother five years ago. She also battled anxiety, panic attacks, insecurities, and impostor syndrome. These profound experiences, while challenging, ultimately shaped her empathy and ability to connect with clients on a deeper level. She views the closet as a space that holds stories, secrets, and sorrow, and her lived experiences enable her to guide clients through their emotional clutter with understanding and truth. She believes her resilience and ability to navigate personal hardships have equipped her to help others find peace amidst their own chaos. The evolution of "Closet Therapy" from a side hustle to a full-time business is also detailed. After working at a hedge fund, Shaniece pursued her passion for fashion, earning a certification and volunteering at New York Fashion Week. These experiences led to styling opportunities, and eventually, a celebrity stylist recognized her talent for organizing clients' closets. This pivotal moment solidified her path, as she realized her gift for creating order in personal spaces. Over eight years, while also working in ministry, she expanded her services to include custom closet designs and installations. Her business has since grown beyond word-of-mouth organizing to encompass a broader mission of empowering individuals to take control of their spaces and lives. She is developing digital tools, a podcast, and a community to further extend her reach, enabling more people to benefit from her unique approach to transforming closets and, by extension, lives. #ShanieceJones #ClosetTherapy #Decluttering #HomeOrganization #EmotionalWellness #PersonalTransformation #InteriorDesign #MindfulLiving #Entrepreneurship