Meet Kelli McDonald | HandyWOMAN, home renovator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kelli McDonald and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kelli, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
By the end of the school year in 2021 I was absolutely exhausted. That was the year of Covid. I was in my fifth year subbing for the Plainfield School District in Illinois and this year was definitely a year that forces you to re-evaluate your future. I did not have a degree in education, I have a BS in Geography with an emphasis in Natural Environmental Systems. I did work in my field of study before my husband Paul and I decided to start a family. Three children later and ten years being a stay-at-home mom, I found myself a tad bored with my free time as I finally had some. I loved being active and being outside but what does a family do when the oldest plays travel hockey and coaches think parents can get them to the rink for practice before normal, everyday people even start their journeys home from work? What job out there revolves around a student schedule? Yes, that would be a substitute teacher. It worked perfectly until Covid hit and I was a sixth grade ELA teacher for half of the school year. We went from remote to hybrid and I had to act like I knew what I was doing. I was up front with all of my students, most of whom knew me from previous years of subbing or my kids. We had the discussion about how much Mrs. McDonald did not like English and that we would all suffer through together for as long as I was there. That was not easy. Without too much direction or help from administration, I did the best I could with those kids then quickly apologized to the seventh grade ELA teacher if they ended up being behind when she got them the following year.

Covid was pure evil on so many levels. I was able to see first hand how much it effected kids and their schooling. Some did well at home while others suffered and were barely keeping their heads above water. I had taken several selfies throughout that year and when I look back at them I can see the exhaustion on my face. I had cried, barely slept, spent numerous unpaid hours trying to keep up with grading papers, but looking back I would not have changed that moment. However, that year made me realize I needed a huge change. Sitting in a classroom was not going to cut in anymore.

A couple years earlier my brother and his family picked themselves up from Valparaiso, Indiana and moved to Florida. He quit his high paying job as an iron worker and master welder for the union and started his own home renovation company. He also told me that if we moved by him I could work for him and earn over twice as much as I was being a substitute teacher. Who was I to say no!? My husband was good with that as well but we had three kids. When do we move? How do we make that break? Our oldest, Evan, played travel hockey and that sport isn’t the greatest in Florida. Our daughter, Faith, played softball so we knew the move would be good for her while the youngest, Alex, was just starting into volleyball and loved being in band. The plan? Move when Evan graduated. Hockey would be done and this was our best chances of moving before we were too old to do it or our kids just flat out refused. I figured I would just stick it out as a substitute teacher because it could not get any worse than it was and I would refuse to accept any long-term subbing positions. But as the summer of 2021 was wrapping up I started to get a pit in my stomach. The thought of my brother building, painting, and installing things made me really jealous. We have always been DIYers. We were raised that way and if someone told us we probably couldn’t do it, we did it just to prove them wrong. Our dad painted houses on the side and we helped when he needed it. That was probably the beginning of She Fixes It but I didn’t know it then.

On a very hot day in July, 2021, as I was staining my sister-in-law’s deck, my brother, Eddy, had called me. We were talking about how much he loved Santa Rosa Beach, how gorgeous the Gulf coast was, and how much I would love it there as well. In that same breath he also told me to start my own handywoman business in Illinois. Why wait until we get to Florida? Do it now! As those words came out of his mouth my second confirmation came in the form of a text from my husband telling me to do the same. Start your own business! This is what made me happy, not subbing, although those kids will always have a special place in my heart, that is not what made my heart the happiest. “Who is going to hire a woman to fix stuff?” That evening Paul and I had a deep discussion about how to make this happen, how do I even start, would people hire me, could I get enough work, etc, etc, etc. I was extremely nervous. I need to bring income to the table. What if we spent all of this money trying to get She Fixes It LLC started and it was a bomb? Paul had no reservations. Not even a little. My brother and my parents didn’t either. We are our worst enemies most of the time but I had to make this work, for me and my family, or I was going to be miserable this upcoming school year.

With about two weeks left before the 2021/2022 school year began, I emailed the district and told them I would not be returning. I hit the floor running with my new business and to my surprise the jobs started to poor in. First smaller jobs like hanging ceiling fans, painting a bedroom, painting shutters and replacing a rotted column. Most from friends who were ecstatic to hire someone they knew and trusted and then others by word of mouth which is the best form of flattery. Those that trusted me right from the start I am truly thankful for. They helped me get the ball rolling and rolling it absolutely did. Snowballed really. The next thing I knew I was laying flooring, tiling backsplash, building fireplace mantels, installing trim, and painting houses. My biggest accomplishment was finishing basements all by myself. I sprayed the ceiling, framed them, hung drywall, mudded and taped, sanded, painted, laid flooring, installed trim, and hung doors. This was the happiest I had been in years!

Although being a handyman isn’t a new job out on the market I feel like handywoman are a new breed to contend with. We help fill a niche that is in high demand and I have learned that being a woman has it’s many advantages. Women trust other women immensely. If you think about it, most jobs are hired by the woman of the house. They are the ones that are more than likely at home, possibly with the kids, overseeing the job. Single moms love a handywoman. There is an unspoken trust and bond there. We love supporting other women in a field dominated by men. It’s empowering. I love my business and I take pride in completing jobs the best I can. I always tell my customers, “If I wouldn’t be happy with my work in my house, it’s not good enough for yours.” I strive for perfection and I hope that is shown in my work.

I owe a huge debt of gratitude to my brother for taking his leap of faith. Had it not been for him and his success and support, I’m not sure I would be here right now. My family and I have just taking another huge step toward happiness and have moved to Florida. I have had to dissolve my LLC in Illinois because someone here has the same, however, She Fixes It FL LLC is up and running and I already have work rolling in thanks to my brother!

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Having the ability to transform someone’s house or make improvements is very rewarding to me. I can step back from a project, big or small, and say, “I did it again!” and be very proud of my work. I think I had to overcome my doubt about my abilities more than anything. Everyone else knew I’d do great, why did I not think it? Once I began though, that doubt was completely erased. I’ve had to adjust some projects because I don’t have a truck or am not strong enough. I’ve had to take 4’x8′ sheets of wood and cut them in the parking lot of Lowe’s with my Dewalt battery operated circular saw so I could fit them in my Tuscan for a job. I’ve had to buy tools that make my job a little easier. I have to make sure I buy stuff light enough that I can carry it myself. Throughout the last two years I have learned that I can do what I set my mind to. There are always ways to get the job done. I have no issues asking for help either as that is the best way to learn and grow. And mistakes, they happen as well. I hit a water line behind a wall that I was installing shiplap to once. The owner had no idea there was a water line in there and it didn’t make any sense for it to be there as well. I took a deep breath with that one because it meant I had to solder…in a wall…and that is not fun. I repaired the line on the first try and finished the job. I still have projects come in where I have to be honest with myself and ask if I can do the job the way I’d want it done. If I can’t, I can’t and I have to let people know it’s out of my wheelhouse or my physical ability.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Right now everything is exciting to me! Having only lived in Florida for a month, and not even really lived, we’d have to search the web. I know there are some natural springs around us and always the beach! I’m not huge into tourist areas so we’d have to find those hidden gems.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
By far my family, Paul, Evan, Faith, and Alex deserve some huge recognition here. If it were not for their support and constant love I would not be as successful as I have been. They all know I have a crazy side, doing things your average person wouldn’t even think about, and they have always supported that side of me. They have made sacrifices for me so I could be successful. Also, when I look back at how I was raised it was always with love. My brother and I were taught to be independent thinkers and doers. Getting a taste of working in a steel mill like my dad and working beside him when he painted houses helped strengthen my independence and my belief in myself. My parents always backed my ideas and pushed me toward my goals, as crazy as some were. My brother, who is four years younger than me, is now my mentor and I have no qualms about it. He is always there for me, no matter what. He answers any question I throw at him. I am one lucky girl.

Website: www.shefixesitfl.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shefixesit/

Image Credits
All images are my own.