Today we’d like to introduce you to Michael Woodward
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I am from Miami Florida. I bought my first property at 21 years old. I was able to renovate it and make it into two living spaces where I rented out one side and lived in the other. After purchasing that property, I purchased other properties one every few years until the rental income from all of the properties was more than I was making as a High School Educator. I was able to leave the school system after 18 years and the age of 42, to manage my rental properties.
Thanks to social media, I was able to expand the business into a renovation company. As an educator, I avoided social media; however, once I left the school system I began posting my renovation work on the rental properties. I began to receive lots of calls for renovation work. My workload increased and I eventually became a contractor for Lowe’s installing kitchens and bathrooms. From the profits of the renovation work and Lowe’s, I began to invest in flipping properties.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Funding was the biggest obstacle. The road has been a long one. Initially, the issue was acquiring funding in the business name. Many times I had to utilize my personal credit to complete renovation work and purchase properties. Putting business purchases on my personal credit kept my scores down and prevented me from getting financing. However, eventually, things changed and I began to build business credit.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
As a residential contractor and property manager, I wear many hats that keep the business going. I serve as the CEO, Sales Associate and Project Manager. Additionally, I serve as the constructiion manager and I split the purchasing duties with my office manager. We specialize in Kitchens and Bathroom Renovations; however, we also do floors, decks, painting, etc. Basically, we do anything related to home improvement.
All of my life I have been the most satisfied with making people happy. Whether it was completing sales in any of my previous sales and management jobs (furniture, corporate management, etc), my community service organizations (Alpha Phi Alpha, Fraternity, Inc, The LEAD Foundation, etc), being an educator, a coach, mentor, etc., I am constantly striving for perfection and the happiness of the customer.
What separates me from others is the desire for customer satisfaction, paying attention to detail, and the offering of the best value. That is why we have an A+ Rating with the Better Business Bureau (BBB).
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
Luck is located at the intersection where preparation and opportunity meet. While luck has played a significant role in my success, I have been prepared for this and simply needed opportunities. I believe because of my circle of family friends and professional networks, the opportunities have come in abundance.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.woodwardpropertygroup.com
- Instagram: woodwardpg
- Facebook: Woodward Property Group
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-woodward-1768b01/
Image Credits
Woodward Property Group completed project Pics taken by Michael Woodward
