Welcome to the 1st blog in a series of 12, a history of us, if you will. Luyk and I have a lot of experiences to look back at and share, some funny, some aggravating, but all of it is small business life being lifey! Some spots are an overview, some a bit deeper, all readers are welcome to comment with questions or interest in a specific topic or thought, I will happily share what I know. Let’s get started with my first tale, shall we?
When I first met Luyk, I knew absolutely nothing about construction of any kind. I was fascinated visiting him on job sites where he worked, seeing the “bones” and inner structure of homes. It was incredible to see through from one end of a home to the other and imagine what it would look like finished! The choices seemed endless and so creative.
I had always enjoyed home decorating and had even considered interior design when exploring schooling options. So, I was completely hooked by this large-scale version of possibilities! The union of our combined design ideas and Luyk’s ability to bring them to life brought us so much joy and fun for many years. Together, we renovated one house, built several for customers, lived in one of our builds originally meant for sale, and eventually returned to another renovation project. I’ve enjoyed every single one.
But, as much as we loved it, home construction didn’t become enough to fully support us. At one point, we thought building homes for others would eventually be our livelihood, but the reality of self-employment and small business taught us otherwise. Being self-employed is two parts choices and planning, and one part world events. It requires a self-employed family to stay light on their feet and pivot as needed to navigate the unpredictable ocean of change.
For us, pivoting has always been as well-planned as possible. We’ve kept several “pots cooking,” ready to adapt to life’s changes. For example, we observed other construction tradesmen experiencing physical decline over time. We noted their ages, the causes of their injuries, and so on. From this, we set a goal: Luyk would transition away from the physically taxing work of building and hanging sheetrock by around age 45.
Luyk has always been a hands-on doer and wouldn’t enjoy a desk or travel-based job. So, we set our sights on insulation—specifically spray foam. We had seen it in action, recognized its benefits, and were captivated by the idea of bringing amazing changes to people’s homes and lives through energy savings and comfort. However, the timing surprised us: we jumped into the industry sooner than planned due to the Great Recession. (I only recently learned this period had an official name during my son’s economics class!) The downturn reshaped the home construction industry and accelerated our pivot.
Next time, let’s take a step further back and explore Luyk’s beginnings. I’ll continue telling our story bit by bit. Tune in next time to hear about a journey that goes back nearly 30 years—to Luyk’s teenage days, when he worked at a local hardware store.
What is your self-employment or small business story? Have you faced similar experiences or considered taking the plunge? Did your journey pivot or evolve over time? Share your story in the comments below!