Turning Over a New Leaf: The First Six Months
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In 2004, Troy and Candi Hilton decided not to wait to complete their ten-year plan to move to sunny Florida and closed down their Stillwell, Kansas remodeling company. They moved to the Sunshine state where the duo began working for a local remodeler. This year, they launched the aptly named New Leaf Construction in Naples, Fla. I’m checking in with the Hiltons every few months and they’ve agreed to share their experiences in establishing their new company.
Early on in their process, they researched opening a Case Design/Remodeling full-service franchise. Even with their background and experience, they thought having established systems would provide a good jump-start. Though they really liked the franchise and the people on the Case team, the market dropped drastically and they could not get a SBA loan to purchase the franchise without incurring major debt—something they were reluctant to do with the downturn.
So, in October 2008, Troy began studying for the Florida licensing exam. “It was more intense than Kansas,” Candi says. Florida’s stringent licensing also requires a company to be qualified by other licensed professionals such as a contractor or architect; provide proof of $20,000 of savings; and pass a background check. “We heard horror of taking it taking 6 to 8 months from testing to being granted a license. We were counseled to hire a license expeditor who helped us make sure all paperwork was correct. The extra money paid to expeditor was worth it,” Candi says.
Since the state does not allow a contractor to distribute printed materials until they are licensed, the Hiltons used the waiting period to set up an office and work on an identity package for the new company. They hired a design firm to create a logo and marketing materials. “We chose burgundy and moss green for our logo. They are strong colors and according to creative people it alludes to quality and tradition,” Candi says. This was important to the Hiltons because they wanted it to look as if the company has been in the area for a long time. In addition to the design firm, they also hired a marketing consultant.
Candi says hiring experts was a deliberate choice. “In Kansas, we grew organically. Troy had the technical knowledge, and I had a corporate background,” she says. “In the early stages, we went through a lot of money trying to learn how to do things. This time, we had to learn how to be stronger from the onset—we did not have time, especially in this economy, to grow organically.”
After Troy received his license, they hosted a grand opening for New Leaf Construction on April 1 with a ribbon cutting. About 65 people attended the event. The couple is targeting the two markets in Naples—year-round residents and vacation-home owners. Local residents generally want projects done in the spring and fall. Right now, these are smaller projects such as kitchen and bath updates.
The vacation home market, Candi says, runs from Thanksgiving to Easter. “They want us to do the work in the summer, when they are gone,” she says. These owners are interested in projects to enhance their lifestyle—outdoor living, summer kitchens etc…She plans to start marketing to these owners in October. She plans to use electronic newsletters to target both of these groups. Despite the current economy and stress of launching a new company, the Hiltons are happy to be in a warmer climate and have a positive attitude. “We’re having a lot more fun this time we know some of mistakes we made before,” Candi says.--Nina Patel