Start & Grow Profitable Businesses

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Lucas VanDenBroek, an entrepreneur based in Ottawa, ON, Canada.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

Student-run and owned painting business. We work with people to paint their homes or businesses, inside and out, in and around the Ottawa area.

Tell us about yourself

I first joined Student Works because I wanted to do something that would set me apart from my peers when I was transitioning into my career. This gave me the opportunity to do something unique, develop myself, and make some money while doing it. I love being able to provide jobs for other students, help develop and grow them and be able to guarantee that individuals will have a good experience with a contractor.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

I started my business in 2020, the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. This posed a bit of a problem because I work with a lot of different people, often in their homes, and the majority of my leads came from door-to-door marketing. Despite this, we made some adjustments and added extra cleaning and safety protocols we were still able to provide great and safe service. Ultimately I passed my revenue goal that year and made 103k in revenue.

What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?

Having so many people rely on you. Not just your clients but also your employees. Needing to be in constant communication and organization in order for things to run smoothly and efficiently as they should.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

Under promise and over-deliver. Don't guarantee that you can deliver a service or product when you don't know how it's going to be accomplished.
Be careful who you work with. No sale or project is worth it if it is with a client that will be hard to please. Similarly, only hire employees you know you can trust to work well when left alone.
Don't be a people pleaser. There will always be tough conversations to have with your clients or employees. Recognize they will come and embrace the opportunity when they do.

Where can people find you and your business?

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucas-vandenbroek-77472122a/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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