Today we’d like to introduce you to Desmond Jones.
Hi Desmond, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Well, it all started back in 2008 where I started pursuing my college degree in my hometown at FAMU. Which I quickly realized that I could not realistically see myself working in an office-type setting for the rest of my life. So I decided to drop out and not waste my parent’s money when all I was doing was partying and not going to class. At first, I received a lot of criticism from my family for doing this since they were taught that if you didn’t have a college degree, you couldn’t really be successful.
So I attempted to get a job at many different places which in the small city of Tallahassee seemed impossible at the time. I went almost two years before I got a chance to work at a real job for the city of Tallahassee as a referee for flag football. Which I worked my way up to land a part-time job at the local animal shelter. Within a year, I again quickly realized that I didn’t want to be cleaning kennels and scooping up dog poop for the rest of my life. So I just continued working there until one of my best friends suggested that I should try out doing maintenance.
So I applied to be a groundskeeper at a college apartment where I landed the job and resigned from the shelter job. It was HARD work but my goal going into it was to soak up as much knowledge as I could in five years so that I could branch off and work for myself. Within three years, I received my pool and Universal EPA certification. In maintenance, once you receive those two certifications, you can pretty much work anywhere in the U.S. Fast forward to 2016 where I worked my way up to an Assistant Maintenance Supervisor at the time. With one more month left of my probation period where I could be able to have my health insurance, life, dental, etc. I ruptured my achilles tendon playing a pick up game of football. I was let go from my job since I was a liability and didn’t fully complete my probation period. At the time, I had a newborn baby that I needed to provide for, no health insurance and no secondary source of income.
This was a pivotal time in my life where I felt like everything that I worked for was snatched away from me in a split second. I had to pay for the surgery, materials, and physical therapy out of pocket. I had to relearn how to walk which I recovered and was walking with out a limp or boot within a month and a half after surgery. During that time, my faith in God, support system, athletic background, and credit got me through that moment. During that time of healing, I vowed to never ever be in a situation where I solely relied on one source of income. That very next year in 2017, I started my business Jones Premier Residential Services. I continued working my job and moved to Orlando a few months later.
I continued to work maintenance, regrow my clientele, and work on my business after I would get off from work. I did this for three years straight. Finally, it was time to fully step out on my own and go full time with my business. So in the middle of the pandemic, I put in my final letter of resignation in 2020. I did a total career shift and got into the construction field where I had to basically relearn new things. Unfortunately, this didn’t work but I learned a lot and was grateful for the opportunity. Today I fully work and support myself and business has been great!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has been a long bumpy road. I don’t think anything in life worth having will ever be smooth. The very first struggle that I went through was just trying to land a job which taught me to never give up no matter what. The next thing that challenged me at the time was having to get out of my comfort zone and to become professional in my career. Going into maintenance, I would sag, have my shirt out, and talk a certain way. I had to learn how to let go of my past and to become professional in the real world. My next obstacle was rupturing my achilles and getting let go from my job.
That was probably my biggest challenge that I’ve ever gone through in life. I needed to make money but couldn’t because I had to have surgery. Then I had to relearn how to walk all while having the stress of being able to still pay rent and take care of a newborn. Another challenge that I had to go through in my business was people that would ask me for discounts on my work. I think all people that first start off with a business go through this. Word of advice to anybody that has a business always remember that everybody is not your client!
Early on I had to be firm on my price and be fine with people saying that the price that I gave them was too high. Remember a successful business doesn’t just happen overnight and the goal is to play the long game. To get to a point in your business where you are actually profitable comes with time, hard work, dedication, and never ever giving up.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
My business is a home improvement business. Not just your average handyman business. I do Tv mounting, plumbing, HVAC, electrical, painting, appliance repair/installation, drywall, flooring, tile, and carpentry. Fun fact I started off fixing iPhones so I was known for that when I first started and tv mounting. What sets me apart from others is that I truly love what I do, I am a perfectionist, and I feel like I am the best at what I do. I am most proud that my son will have my business to inherit and that I built it from the ground up organically.
I want the readers to know that I truly take pride in my work and that I will always go over and beyond to get the job done and to leave them feeling satisfied.
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
My advice to those just starting out is to study study STUDY! Master your craft and find your niche. Seek knowledge and NEVER chase the money. The money will naturally come as you build your skill level. Everybody is not your client. Find out who your true clients are and cater to them. Don’t wait for things to be perfect to start. JUST DO IT! You will not be perfect. Learn from your failures/mistakes and build on them.
Contact Info:
- Email: jpr_services@hotmail.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Jonespremierresidentialservices/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/jones-premier-residential-services-orlando
