For Jeanine Yancy, the path to entrepreneurship began with childhood curiosity. “As a kid, I was always interested in houses,” she recalls. “Whenever we visited someone, I would ask for a tour because I was just curious what it looked like. Everyone’s house is so different.”
That early fascination led her to pursue drafting and AutoCAD classes in high school, followed by a degree in interior design from Adrian College. During her senior year, an internship with Merillat Cabinets introduced her to kitchen and bath design, sparking what would become a successful 16-year career in the industry.
After graduating in 2008 amid challenging economic conditions, Yancy’s determination led her to an unexpected first job – designing kitchens and baths at an Ace Hardware store in Juneau, Alaska. This experience laid the foundation for future roles at Modern Builder Supply and eventually KSI Kitchen & Bath in Brighton, Michigan, where she spent five successful years building strong relationships with clients and contractors while consistently achieving $1.3 million in annual sales.
Despite her success at KSI, Yancy felt ready for a new challenge. “I didn’t want to go into management, and I had reached a plateau,” she explains. “I was already working more than 40 hours a week with an assistant. What else could I do?” With a solid client base and contractor relationships, she took the leap to entrepreneurship, establishing her own LLC in 2022 while maintaining her position at KSI.
The transition to full-time business ownership came in July 2023, when Yancy initially operated from her home by appointment. Recently, she secured a small showroom space, allowing for more efficient client presentations and better work-life balance. “It’s crazy how much of a difference it can make to get out of your house and have a dedicated workspace,” she notes.
A turning point in Yancy’s entrepreneurial journey came through her connection with SPARK’s small business support program and business coach Kevin Soborski. Through their networking group, Soborski introduced her to the hub grant program, leading to participation in both quarterly planning forums and the “Growing a Brilliant Business” program.
“Kevin has forms and processes created, which makes it more concrete and not as abstract,” Yancy explains. “There’s documentation, so you can keep track of things that have changed and where you’re going.” The coaching helped her develop crucial business skills, from creating vision/traction organizers (VTOs) to setting specific one-year, three-year, and ten-year goals.
The program’s impact extended beyond business planning. It helped Yancy refine her focus, leading to a strategic rebranding from Yancy Interior Design to Yancy Kitchen and Bath Design. “Going through this helped me realize it’s okay if I just want to do kitchen and bath,” she says. “That is what I know the most and enjoy the most. I can do things quicker and have more confidence if I stay with that focus.”
What sets Soborski’s coaching apart, according to Yancy, is his holistic approach. “Kevin makes it more about what life you want personally, and then this business you started is a vehicle to achieve that,” she explains. “He makes you think about the bigger picture, all-encompassing, about how this affects your personal life.”
Looking ahead, Yancy continues to grow her business while developing systems for training and delegation. She’s navigating the challenges of hiring and managing remote assistants while maintaining her commitment to exceptional design services. Her journey exemplifies how SPARK’s business support program, combined with dedicated coaching, can help entrepreneurs transform their expertise into successful businesses.
For entrepreneurs considering similar programs, Yancy emphasizes their value: “If you haven’t owned a business before and don’t have any experience, these are the tools you need to move forward. Having the accountability of others in the group doing the same thing is encouraging – you don’t feel like you’re doing it alone.”
For more information about Small Business support, please visit https://annarborusa.org/smallbusiness
