Today we’d like to introduce you to George Smyth.
Hi George, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Originally from England, I moved Michigan in 2019 for a new chapter in my life. My father-in-law (now retired) was a home inspector in Michigan, who one day asked if I would like to help him inspect a larger home. What I thought was a one off job, has turned into a career, as I learned the profession from a great teacher and mentor for two and a half years.
After learning on the job and through online courses, the time came for me to make the next step, so myself and my wife moved down to Florida in 2021 where I set up my own home inspection company – Highbury Home Inspection.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
No. There have been many struggles along the way, each coming with their own set of challenges to overcome. Firstly, I had never set up, owned or operated a business at any level before, so starting from scratch was intimidating but also exciting. Taking the steps to get licensed, insured and registered as a legitimate business of course were hurdles to beat. I also had to learn about the home building process here in Florida, and how they are built differently compared with Michigan. Once I got past that, I then had to find business, build a network, build an online presence and compete with established inspection companies in an already saturated market.
However the biggest challenges came when things were quiet and the calls weren’t coming in. The home inspection business is very up and down, and you never know when your next call may be. Mentally it took a toll and I struggled for confidence, purpose and assurance that things would be okay, as I often doubted myself and drastically lowered my self-worth. Learning to turn down the volume on that doubtful voice at the back of my head was perhaps my biggest struggle, (one I am still working on today) and whilst it hasn’t been a smooth road, I am extremely grateful for the experiences and lessons I have learned along the way.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Highbury Home Inspection?
We are a family-owned home inspection company based out of Davenport, but serve much of Central Florida. I am the owner and inspector, and my beautiful wife Autumn helps with the administration side of things. We provide thorough, honest and easy to read inspection reports, to help buyers, sellers and homeowners understand the overall condition of a home, and what areas may need to be addressed moving forward. We offer services such as pre-purchase, pre-listing and 11 month warranty inspections, in addition to 4-point and wind mitigation reports often required by insurance companies here in Florida, before they issue coverage on a home.
One of the main differences that sets us apart from other inspection companies is the time and level of care for each inspection. Whilst some inspection companies are in and out of a home in an hour doing several inspections a day, I limit the number of inspections per day so I can spend three, sometimes four hours on site. This extra time allows for a far more thorough inspection, clear documentation and a detailed report that explains what really matters. It’s very much a case of focussing on quality over quantity. Working this way gives me peace of mind, as honesty and integrity are everything – something which our clients seem to greatly appreciate and is reflected in our reviews.
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
Be good to people on your way up, because you will meet them again on your way down. Life is short and unpredictable, put one foot in front of the other and take each day as it comes.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://highburyhomeinspection.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HighburyHomeInspection
