AssuraSpect Startup Fund
Help to Kick-Off Our Home/Building Inspection Company and Employ Five Female Inspectors
Project Description
The purpose of this crowdfunding campaign is to raise enough capital to establish AssuraSpect and recruit, hire, train, and equip at least five new women inspectors.
Dear Potential Supporter,
My name is Uche Urum-Eke and I’m the founder of AssuraSpect, a startup building inspections company that will offer residential and commercial real estate condition assessments to buyers, sellers, owners, etc. It is our mission to be America’s favorite and most trusted home inspection brand. And we aim to achieve it by assembling a team of top-tier certified professionals who will deliver comprehensive, accurate, and fast inspection reports paired with an exceptional customer experience.
And what sets us apart is that our staff includes licensed Professional Engineers who provide various types of structural inspections and consultation services, offering our clients a level of expertise that is rare among our competitors.
Goals/Purpose
I previously owned Four Walls Inspections (FWI) which closed due to financial difficulties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and other factors. However, I’m highly passionate about the inspections business and committed to building back better and bigger. In fact, though AssuraSpect will launch in Metro Atlanta, within a year, I plan to expand our services to other areas in Georgia and ultimately to major cities across the USA, Canada, UK, etc.
AssuraSpect is the culmination of the best practices I gathered from FWI and some innovation/upgrades. It is also a reflection of my fervent desire to play a role in changing the primary purpose of enterprise from self-interested profit seeking to investing in sustainable community development and a brighter tomorrow for all.
Opportunities for New Women Inspectors
The building inspection industry is predominantly male with less than 15% of inspectors being women. So, it’s uncommon to see a woman like me spearheading a building inspection business. Engaging in this line of work has been very uplifting and rewarding. Therefore, a major goal I have is ensuring that women with the right qualifications have a chance to explore this career path.
I am a member of the Women’s Chapter of the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors (InterNACHI) and other groups for women entrepreneurs. My aim is to network with individuals who share my vision and collaborate with them to create outreach programs that will inform women about the building inspection field in America and other countries. Those who decide to pursue a career with AssuraSpect will enjoy excellent pay and in the future, benefits such as health insurance will be included in our employee compensation packages. Additionally, because our inspectors are not saddled with the costs and challenges of running a business, they are free to focus on being outstanding professionals.
Great Potential
The Home Inspection Industry is excellent, and its current annual growth rate of 7.5% is substantial. The inspection field as we know it is said to have taken shape in the early 1970’s, so it is relatively young. For that reason, there’s a lot of untapped potential. For instance, about 85% of home buyers are required by their lenders to complete a home inspection. Often, that’s the first time they ever heard of a home inspector. And unless they purchase another property, it will be last time they’ll hire one. Therefore, at AssuraSpect, we have services that are geared toward those seeking to purchase real estate as well as sellers, owners, investors and even renters. One good example is our Move-In/Out Inspections which renters can use to document the state of a property prior to moving in and/or after they vacate. Involving a trusted third-party can help to avoid disputes with landlords that can lead to unfair charges, loss of security deposits, or legal action. And two other important areas we plan to exploit are:
Radon Inspections: According to the EPA, 21,000 people die every year die in our country due to radon exposure in the home, making it the second leading cause of lung cancer deaths after cigarette smoke. So many would not lose their lives if radon inspections and subsequent mitigations were commonplace.
Home Energy Score (HES): The Department of Energy’s Home Energy Score was developed to inform homeowners about the energy efficiency of their homes and changes that can help them to save on utility bills, increase comfort, make properties more valuable and reduce the impact energy waste has on the environment. Unfortunately, the program is significantly underutilized because there aren't enough Certified Assessors to serve the millions of people who can benefit from the HES.
In the coming years, Assuraspect can train and deploy thousands of inspectors across the US to help save lives and create a more sustainable housing market.
By implementing brilliant marketing strategies, we will educate consumers about our value via online promotions and eventual TV ads. And when the wide range of useful services home inspectors provide are popularized, we can tap into the above-mentioned market segments, increase our revenue streams and effect change.
Fundraising Objective
The amount I wish to raise is $50,000. Fifty percent of it will be allocated to preparing eight inspectors—five of whom will be women—to join our team. This will remove the financial barrier frequently encountered by individuals aspiring to enter our industry. The other half will be used for direct startup expenses.
Assuraspect has the potential to employ hundreds across the nation and beyond. Therefore, your support will not only make rebuilding my business possible, but it will help many women and men in need of opportunity to be gainfully employed and self-reliant. I know exactly what I want to do and need your aid to get my company off the ground. Here’s how your contributions will be utilized:
For New Inspectors
Training and Certification
Utility Vehicle Leasing
Car Insurance
Association Membership Fees
Equipment (tablet, inspection tools, ladders, camera, infrared device, drone, radon monitor, moisture meter, electrical tester, etc.)
Uniforms, shoes, protective gear, etc.
For AssuraSpect
Website Development
Business Consulting Services
E&O and General Liability Insurance
Marketing & Advertising
HRMS (for recruitment, onboarding, personnel management, training, and continued professional development)
Customer Relations Portal
Appointment Scheduling System
Phone Lines
Multi-Inspector Report Writing Software
Printed Materials (brochures, letterheads, business cards, post cards, etc.)
Office Supplies (computers, printers, phones, filing cabinet, etc.)
Personnel Compensation (Customer Service and Administrative/Office Support Staff)
Business Memberships & Accreditations
Getting There Together
Our $50,000 milestone is equal to 500 donations of $100 or 1,000 donations of $50. Of course, you can give more or less, but by contributing $50 or $100, you’ll be helping to bring us to our target and the impact we’re working to achieve in less time.
And to ensure that 100% of your intended contribution goes directly to this campaign, please consider adding about 8% extra (iFundWomen/5% and Stripe/2.9% + .30) to your donation. Here’s how that would look:
$25 = $27.47
$50 = $54.61
$75 = $81.76
$100 = $108.90
$200 = $217.48
Whatever the amount of your gift, every cent counts, and your support matters a lot. :-)
Connect with Us
The following are AssuraSpect’s social media accounts. Please join, subscribe, follow, or connect with us on each to help build them up. Also, share this campaign with the people you know and encourage them to contribute.
In Closing
I truly appreciate your interest in this fundraiser. AssuraSpect is a business with a big heart and strong sense of social responsibility. And I hope you will decide to help turn it into a great success.
It’s been a pleasure communicating my aspirations with you, and I look forward to returning to tell you about our accomplishments. Till then, I sincerely thank you in advance for your generosity.
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