We recently connected with Katy Bonello and have shared our conversation below.

Katy, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Are you happier as a business owner? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job?

When I decided to become an entrepreneur and start my own remodeling company, it was because I learned by my mid twenties that a “regular job” was not for me. I had several of those right out of college, and they were not fulfilling. I’d even say I struggled with bouts of depression and anxiety that came from the monotony of a nine to five office environment, and that’s what inspired me to try my hand at starting a business of my own. Ultimately, I decided it was better to try and fail than not try at all.

Of course I had a leg up in the construction industry, since my dad had been a Realtor and General Contractor for about fifteen years when I decided to become a sort of intern or apprentice for his business. With his guidance, eventually I broke away and evolved my own brand and processes once I’d learned the basics. I found that I loved the feeling of paving my own path professionally, and I haven’t ever doubted that I made the right decision to tackle being a business owner.

After nearly a decade of managing KJB Homes and honing in on improving my brand now, I feel like I’ve reached a very comfortable place in my career; I love my team, my clients, and the company that I’ve created. However, my husband and I recently decided to add a baby to our family, and for the first time in years, the unpredictability and demands of working in such a hands on industry gives me pause. It’s funny how you finally get to where you thought you wanted to go, and suddenly maybe that’s not what you want anymore. This revelation is still pretty new for me, and I’m starting to sift through the pros and cons of continuing on or giving up this entrepreneurial lifestyle to focus solely on my new son. Maybe not indefinitely, but at least for a while. It’s a very big decision to make, and it’s not one that will be made overnight.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

For those who didn’t read my previous interview with Voyage, I am a general contractor and the owner of KJB Homes, a Minneapolis area remodeling company. I started my entrepreneurial journey in 2012 when my dad offered to train me as a Project Manager and designer for his remodeling company, Al Theisen Homes. I learned the business by managing smaller interior remodeling projects and helping my dad’s clients with basic design ideas. I also became a Realtor on his Coldwell Banker Realty team for a couple of years to understand all the facets of the real estate and remodeling industry and how they all fit together.

In 2014, I got my general contractor’s license and ventured out to cultivate my own brand and professional vision. My goal with my business was to be able to provide the knowledge and resources to handle home remodels from the initial design phase to project completion; a sort of “one stop shop” to streamline the home remodeling process for clients. A decade later, I feel like I’ve definitely achieved my goal, thanks to my wonderful team and a lot of hard work. Adding my husband to the team in 2019 was the best professional decision I’ve made to date. He manages site supervision, project scheduling, and most recently all of our CAD design. He adds immeasurable value to our little operation and I don’t think I thank him enough for all that he does to keep the ship afloat.

Our customized processes and full service packages that include project consulting, architectural and design planning, and project implementation, with a high level of detailed communication from beginning to end, continues to set us apart from other remodeling businesses in the area.

Have you ever had to pivot?

I am currently in the midst of pivoting professionally. I welcomed a son into the world on May 26, and I had no expectation of how that was going to affect my business. I wanted to be able to take each day as it came with grace and give myself time to decide how I wanted to structure my personal and professional spaces moving forward. Having a little one while running a very high demand, hands on business has its challenges, and I’m still weighing the pros and cons of it all. I would be very appreciative of any insights from fellow entrepreneurial moms on how they navigated early motherhood while running a business, and how that affected their professional operation long term.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

Perhaps in a year I can share a story of resilience – maybe it will be balancing motherhood and business ownership successfully.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://www.kjbhomesmn.com/
• Instagram: @kjbhomesmpls

Image Credits
Jessie Eckroad and Kassy Shimotsu