My first career was on Wall Street. Not on a trading floor, which is what most people picture when they think of Wall Street, but working in sales and marketing directed at big, high volume institutions like some of America’s largest banks. They have very different customer service needs than an individual, and I had to learn what would make their experience with Wall Street a positive one. I also got to know what made one financial services firm successful and another not.
Then came 2008 and, like many, I had to reinvent myself. I worked for a succession of start-up and breakout financial technology companies, starting and molding their sales and marketing efforts to grow the business. I learned a lot about how technology could be applied to traditional financial services to reduce costs and improve services.
A family business to fit my family
But having grown up in and among entrepreneurs I’ve always wanted a family business, so I started looking for a family business that would fit my family. I’ve got an “A team” of superstars with a millennial son, a lawyer/CPA husband and we’re a close-knit family. I started looking into franchises because they combine the independence of entrepreneurship with the support and structure of the big businesses I had come to know during my Wall Street career.
And that led me to The Driveway Company. In my Wall Street career I often had to get deep into an issue to see how it worked and then find a cost effective solution. Yes, even Wall Street cares about costs. In the world of concrete driveways, the conventional wisdom holds that once concrete fails–which is inevitable–it has to be dug up and replaced. The Driveway Company’s approach helped me to see that it doesn’t have to be that way. Skilled maintenance using high-quality materials extends the life of concrete surfaces, whether they are concrete driveways, concrete patios or concrete pool decks. It’s smart, and cost effective.
My family is an integral part of The Driveway Company of SoCal. My son, who eagerly embraced all the training given by our parent franchise, can usually be found leading our crews as they work, from Orange County to Riverside and San Diego counties. My husband spent his college years and early career in southern California, and he retains an encyclopedic knowledge of our many canyons and towns. Members of my extended band of southern California cousins have also been trained in The Driveway Company’s techniques.
This journey to franchising is something that I never would have predicted when I worked on Wall Street. But I’m having a blast helping homeowners to care for their properties and make them more beautiful. How can I help you?