In 1995, I started my investment firm, Capital Investment Advisers. I left a job where I had a consistent client base, a good salary, employee benefits, and the hope that I would move up the corporate ladder. But I felt I could do a better job. Lindsay Metcalf holds the same belief.
Lindsay is the sole owner of HomeConnect, a company created to eliminate the concerns experienced by homeowners who have to leave their homes vacant for extended periods of time.
In this episode of Upthinking Finance™, I chat with Lindsay about the leap of faith she took when she decided to buy HomeConnect, the challenges she’s faced as a business owner, and why she’s passionate about her job.
A luxury realtor in Bozeman, MT invented HomeConnect after numerous clients asked her to manage their properties while they were away. She hired Lindsay away from the bank she worked at, and Lindsay became a subcontractor of HomeConnect.
HomeConnect is a service tailored to the needs of each client, offering things like weekly or monthly home check visits. They can also coordinate deliveries, schedule maintenance services, arrange housekeeping and even arrange airport transportation for homeowners.
Lindsay left a bank job with great benefits and reliable pay. She jokes that you don’t realize the importance of creature comforts like having an office and a desk until they're gone. After sharing her concerns, the owner provided her with an office space and a desk and did everything to accommodate Lindsay’s discomfort. But Lindsay never went there. Now, she admits that she could never return to a structured 9–5 in an office.
She overcame the fears she faced and started building a thriving business. Keep listening to learn more about it.
Lindsay notes that her husband has always had a big-picture view of their finances. He set them up so they don’t have credit card debt or a mortgage. They don’t buy things unless they have the money on-hand. When the opportunity to purchase HomeConnect came along, they were in a good financial position to take on that debt. Lindsay emphasizes that you have to live within your means, even when it’s not sexy. It’s what allowed them to buy HomeConnect.
My wife and I have always worked to live on one income (despite having two). We wanted to make sure we had flexibility so when we decided to have kids, one of us was always able to be with our child.
The challenges of running your own business
Lindsay works with clients from around the world. Some have strong ties in Bozeman, others just landed there because it’s an area they love. Some clients come to Bozeman for a white Christmas or a two-week retreat in the Summer. She manages everything from a penthouse condo to a six-million-dollar home on 30 acres. The program is completely tailored to each client.
Most of her clients live a lifestyle that she doesn’t. She doesn’t own a vacation home or have the disposable income that they do. Lindsay notes that she has to remove her own feelings and beliefs and make it about what matters to her clients. She helps them adjust to the different lifestyle (i.e. the lack of a local UberEats presence) whenever she can. Lindsay is candid, genuine, and truly cares about her...
