KBF’s principals, Ashley Scheaffer and Adam Vellequette, were recently interviewed by the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) for their first “Member Spotlight” feature! Here’s the scoop:
Get to know Ashley Sheaffer and Adam Vellequette – the dynamic brother sister duo at KBF Design Gallery in Maitland, FL.
- What are your top three reasons for joining NARI?
Ashley: I believe the most valuable lesson we’ve learned since becoming business owners is to tap into the resources and knowledge surrounding you. Joining a national firm of remodeling experts allows us this opportunity to roundtable with a network of professionals that would otherwise be considered “competitors” in our local market. While we’ve grown up in this industry, being at the helm is a new experience for us in the last few years and we’re grateful for the insights from other professionals who are specific to our industry.
Adam: My top three reasons for joining NARI were first and foremost for its reputation and the recognition I would bring my firm by becoming a member. I was also interested in networking with fellow members as well as NARI’s certification/educational courses.
- What do you love most about the remodeling industry?
Ashley: The challenge! There’s something particularly rewarding about solving the puzzle for a homeowner. Clients often approach us with a complex wish list for their home and rely on us as the professionals to think outside of the box to accomplish this for them. As an example, now more than ever, clients are requesting a private office space to be included in their home remodel, without deleting the number of bedrooms or dining spaces. In remodeling, you’re faced with the constraints of the existing structure’s bones, and almost always, a budget to keep in mind. I love the challenge of reimagining a space for a client, the opportunity to present them with that solution and making it come to life.
Adam: My love for the remodeling industry stems from my love for creativity. Each design and each home present a unique set of circumstances to overcome in order realize the perfect space suited just for our client’s specific needs. In remodeling, whether you find yourself in the design phase or in construction, there is always an opportunity to get creative.
- Who inspires you?
Ashley: Our parents. Our Dad started this business years ago, and I’ll forever be in awe of him as an entrepreneur. We’ve always had a very close family dynamic, and we admire our parents for so many qualities in our personal lives. However, the more we grow professionally, the more inspired I am by the vision it took to get us here. He identified the need for a turnkey remodeler in Central Florida, designed and built a beautiful showroom from scratch, and invented the framework of processes from initial consultation all the way through the installation that we still use today. They’ve taught us that hard work and Faith can carry you through anything.
Adam: I am inspired by the team I have around me. I am amazed at what they have accomplished together and inspired by their potential.
- What’s one thing – either industry-related or not – you learned in the last month?
Ashley: As a ‘right-brain’ dominant person, I’m constantly learning (& re-learning) the importance of systems. I’m fortunate to have a business partner who loves implementing them, and while I sometimes view them with a bit of disparagement – I’m quickly reminded of their importance.
Adam: In the last month, I’ve realized more and more the potential for technology in the remodeling industry. If there is one thing 2020 has taught us, it is the immense value in a business’s ability to function outside of its physical location.
- What’s your favorite part of the job?
Ashley: Working with our team. I get to work with my brother every day, and have a front row seat to watch him grow as a leader and business owner – it’s often hard to reconcile who he is now with the little brother that I grew up with. I love watching our guys in the field grow in their talents throughout the years, and the confidence we have in our team of installers, knowing they’re going to “do it right” at all costs. I love the team of incredible talent we have in our showroom and watching them flourish as we tweak positions around their specific skillsets.
Adam: My favorite part of the job and what motivates me every day, is the thought that there is always something that can be done to make my company better. Whether it be an entirely new system we are implementing or just an incremental improvement to a Standard Operating Procedure, I get excited at the idea of being better tomorrow than we are today.
- If you had to eat one meal every day for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Ashley: Pizza. No question about it.
Adam: Anyone who knows me well knows I am the sandwich king. If I had to eat sandwiches every meal every day in perpetuity, I might have to add a side salad to it, but nothing beats a good sandwich
