Question: Kindly give our readers an introduction to your business. Please include what your business is all about, in which city you are located and if you have offices in multiple locations/ cities.
Answer: Andy OnCall Chattanooga is proud to be your go-to solution for all handyman services in Chattanooga, TN. As a locally owned business, we are dedicated to providing our community with top-notch home repair and improvement services. Our team of experienced, trustworthy craftsmen is committed to delivering exceptional quality and unmatched customer service, ensuring your home projects are completed to the highest standards.
Question: Kindly give us a brief description about yourself (it should include your brief educational or entrepreneurial background and list some of your major achievements).
Answer: Virginia Harris aka Jinksie. Hometown: Nashville. Attended Peabody University/Vanderbilt. Married Tom Harris. 2 Children, 4 grandchildren. Was a housewife until children were grown. Tom and I started Building Services Inc along with our son in 1990, followed with Customer Services in 1991 – worked companies to present. 1993 Andy OnCall was established. Motto: Success is “Failure Turned Inside Out” in all that one does in life
Question: What inspired you to (start a new business venture) or (to make significant changes in an existing business)? How did the idea for your business come about?
Answer: My late husband, Tom, was an entrepreneur and local home builder who began the business in 1993. He saw an opportunity to help connect homeowners with skilled craftsmen who were willing to do the odd jobs that most contractors wouldn’t want to do.
Question: What three pieces of advice would you give to budding entrepreneurs?
Answer: Understand your market, learn effective communication, learn through failures
Question: What would you say are the top three skills needed to be a successful entrepreneur?
Answer: Must have very strong communication skills, leadership skills to guide your employees, and creativity
Question: How many hours do you work a day on average?
Answer: 8-10 hours
Question: To what do you most attribute your success?
Answer: Finding the niche that needed filling and stepping into it with family and hard work
Question: How do you go about marketing your business? What has been your most successful form of marketing?
Answer: Local Fare magazine, brochures, Home shows and digital. Digital advertising has been the most successful form of marketing.
Question: Where did your organizations funding/capital come from and how did you go about getting it? How did you obtain investors for your venture?
Answer: Personal savings
Question: What is the best way to achieve long-term success?
Answer: Advertising and loyalty
Question: Where you see yourself and your business in 5 – 10 years?
Answer: Continuing to develop the business with the changing markets
Question: Excluding yours, what company or business do you admire the most?
Answer: Chick fil A
Question: How important have good employees been to your success?
Answer: Good employees are what keep the business going. Without qualified craftsmen, Andy OnCall wouldn’t exist
Question: How long do you stick with an idea before giving up?
Answer: You never give up on your ideas and goals. Ideas can always be altered to meet your goals.
Question: What motivates you?
Answer: Family, relationships in the community and employees
Question: What are your ideals?
Answer: Having integrity, being transparent, having respect and care for the employees, craftsman and customers
Question: How do you generate new ideas?
Answer: Market changes, meetings with employees, customer input and craftsmen.
Question: How do you define success?
Answer: By achieving our goals through customer reviews, growth and employee satisfaction
Question: How do you build a successful customer base?
Answer: Good work ethics, good customer service and communication
Question: What is your favorite aspect of being an entrepreneur?
Answer: Having control of how the business prospers, happy customers and craftsmen
Question: What has been your most satisfying moment in business?
Answer: Helping and seeing the growth of the business from the start-up
Question: What do you feel is the major difference between entrepreneurs and those who work for someone else?
Answer: The drive to take the risk to succeed
Question: What kind of culture exists in your organization? How did you establish this tone and why did you institute this particular type of culture?
Answer: Blue collar family based with physical labor, hands-on work in the construction realm. There is a focus on teamwork and loyalty to the company with a sense of pride in craftsmanship and skills.
Question: In one word, characterize your life as an entrepreneur.
Answer: Happy
Question: If you had the chance to start your career over again, what would you do differently?
Answer: Nothing at all. It has been an awesome journey
Question: How has being an entrepreneur affected your family life?
Answer: It has had its ups and downs, but overall it has been a positive experience over the years
Question: What is your greatest fear, and how do you manage fear?
Answer: Failure. Don’t give up and keep pushing on
Question: How did you decide on the location for your business?
Answer: Convenience for the employees
Question: Do you believe there is some sort of pattern or formula to becoming a successful entrepreneur?
Answer: Yes, there has to be a willingness and drive to succeed
Question: If you could talk to one person from history, who would it be and why?
Answer: My grandfather. He would find a way to lead me to my answers, instead of giving me the answers
Question: Who has been your greatest inspiration?
Answer: Tom Harris, my husband
Question: What book has inspired you the most? (OR what is your favorite book?) N/A
Question: What are some of the biggest mistakes you’ve made?
Answer: Trusting individuals who did not have the best interest of my business
Question: How can you prevent mistakes or do damage control?
Answer: Proper planning and paying attention to what is happening in the business.
Question: What are your hobbies? What do you do in your non-work time?
Answer: Arabian horses, horse shows, skiing, boating, beach time, family travels
Question: What makes you happy?
Answer: Seeing the company grow. Support from employees and customers and craftsmen
Question: What sacrifices have you had to make to be a successful entrepreneur?
Answer: In the beginning, family time and friend time: many hours and a lot of dedication.
Question: If you were conducting this interview, what question would you ask?
Answer: How has the company changed over the years?
