An Interview with Young Entrepreneurs Kyle and Christine Denouden of Hickory Homes. hickoryhomes.ca
Describe your business.
We are Hickory Homes ltd, a “husband and wife”, custom, new home builder based in Prince Edward County.
What brought you to the area?
My wife Christine and I grew up in the Quinte Region. Myself from Frankford, and Christine from Wellington. After getting married we headed to Toronto for a few years to work and gain experience in our fields. After starting a family we decided to move back to the Quinte area to raise our children close to our families.
What makes the Bay of Quinte good for our business?
With all the popularity of Prince Edward County, we know the area will be growing as a cottage destination for the next while. The influx of people wanting a quiet reprieve from their busy city lives has made the building industry in PEC very busy in the last few years. By being in between Toronto and Ottawa, we are getting many clients from both cities who want to be by the Bay of Quinte and Lake Ontario, but still have quick access to their family and friends in the major cities.
What advice do you have for young entrepreneurs in the area?
Be active in the business and recreational communities of your local small communities. The benefit to a small town is that everyone knows each other and will talk about you, and recommend you to others. Word of mouth is the best advertising you can receive. But you have to make sure it is good word… a bad word will spread just as fast. Get involved in lots of community events and volunteer in local associations. The time you put into the community will always be worth it, the connections we have made through volunteering and being a part of the community are priceless.
What surprised you about starting a business in a smaller community?
The biggest surprise to us starting our business here, was the support from other businesses in the building industry. They didn’t treat us like the competition, but more like a colleague in the industry. To be surrounded by others in your industry who are cheering you on, and whom you are cheering on is so encouraging. I think you can only get that from a small community.
Describe your perfect day off.
Our perfect day off is hanging out at the beach with the family then going out to one of our world class dining establishments here in PEC, and then catching a show at Festival Players or the Regent.
What’s your trick to surviving winter?
We really enjoy the winter time. We are still busy working, but find a little more time to get out. We spend a lot of time skating, and playing hockey at the fantastic, Wellington arena… it’s a winter hub in the community. We also love to take a short drive to Batawa Ski Hill on weeknights as a family so the kids can practice their skills for the “big” hills, it’s a great learning hill for young kids!
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