Owner/General Manager
Integrity Home Contracting, Charlottesville, Va.
Age 31
Starting a business at 22 during a rocky economy with only about $2,000 required creativity. To get sales going, John started a paid internship program with the University of Virginia, his alma mater. Students earned 3 to 6 percent for any leads they generated that resulted in a project. They also learned about sales, marketing, and teamwork. Interns were taught how to look at a home’s exterior and identify areas that need work. With John as their leader, the team spent weekends knocking on doors in neighborhoods they had earlier identified as having “high potential.” Interns introduced the company and its home improvement services, making lists of homeowners interested in more information. With clipboards full of leads, the next step was to call homeowners to set up appointments. One weekend in 2009, John’s sales team generated almost 70 leads, which kept revenue high for several months.
The strategy got the business off the ground, and by year two revenue was at $1 million. By 2013, revenue had reached $3.5 million. Today, Integrity Homes is a thriving full service design/build remodeling company.
Read more about the 2015 Professional Remodeler 40 Under 40 awardees.
In a tough economy, this startup remodeler used creativity and his ties to the University of Virginia to get sales rolling and grow his business
Add new comment
Related Stories
Forty Under 40: Then & Now
Our 13th year of Forty Under 40 pushed us to reflect on the incredible career paths our winners take after their honor
Forty Under 40: Class of 2024
Unveiling our 2024 class of Forty Under 40: the remodeling industry's most standout young professionals
Forty Under 40 2024: Design Professionals
Discover the design honorees of the Forty Under 40 class of 2024
Forty Under 40 2024: Owners, Presidents, CEOs
Get to know the CEOs, owners, and presidents of the Forty Under 40 class of 2024
Forty Under 40 2024: Marketing Professionals
Our standout marketing professionals from the Forty Under 40 class of 2024
Forty Under 40 2024: Project Managers, Lead Carpenters, Production Team Members
Introducing our carpenters of the Forty Under 40 class of 2024
Forty Under 40 2024: General Operations, Production Managers
Learn about the general operations and production managers in our Forty Under 40 class of 2024
Deadline Extended: Nominations for Pro Remodeler's Forty Under 40
NOW EXTENDED: Nominate a standout young professional in remodeling and home improvement for our Forty Under 40 before January 24!
Nominations Open: Pro Remodeler's Forty Under 40
Nominate a standout, deserving young professional in home improvement or remodeling for a coveted spot in our annual Forty Under 40 list
Female-Focused Trade Program Awarded Prestigious US Department of Labor Grant
North Carolina-based Hope Renovations to receive DOL's Women in Apprenticeship & Nontraditional Occupations grant