Shawn Teal is a self-taught handyman offering his clients in Jackson, New Jersey a variety of services like sheetrock patching, painting, gutter cleaning, and furniture assembly. We sat down with Shawn to learn more about how he opened his business, Shawn the Handyman.
Shawn has always had an entrepreneurial mind. He owned a successful pizzeria for several years, but he didn’t imagine he would wind up working as a handyman.
“I was living in a big house that always needed repairs or maintenance. Instead of hiring other people, I wanted to learn how to fix these issues myself so I just started learning on my own. Eventually, there came a moment, after seeing what a high demand there was, that I realized I could do this on my own. I always knew I wanted to be my own boss, this has been the realization of that lifelong goal.”
While Shawn is a natural businessman, working as a solo entrepreneur isn’t easy. “There just isn’t enough time in the day; that’s the biggest challenge. I’m a one-man operation for the most part, so I’m the one making sales calls, doing the marketing, social media, and completing the projects. There just aren’t enough hours in the day.”
Since Shawn is so busy when it came time to buy commercial insurance he knew he needed something simple, quick, and easy. “I found CoverWallet, like I find most things, on Google. I am really grateful that I did. They handled my needs quickly and efficiently leaving me more time to be out in the field doing business.”
When Shawn isn’t busy running a full-time business, he also mentors local youth to help reinvest in his community. “I find that a lot of kids aren’t interested in manual-labor type jobs. But, there are a few kids in the neighborhood that I have noticed were always out mowing lawns. So when I need extra help on jobs I’ll bring them along giving them a day’s work, but also the knowledge that they can carry with them for a lifetime. I think it’s important to pass on knowledge in order for the kids to understand that if they work hard they can achieve their dreams just like I have.”
You can learn more about Shawn the Handyman on his website and Facebook page.