Jaclyn Pett is project manager and lead designer at Langley-based Heirloom Projects, a renovation and new-build company that she co-owns with her husband, Jacob. Before that, Pett ran a wedding planning business.Having just completed a renovation on their home, they decided to use it as their marketing tool and start their construction business.
“He had heart surgery in between that time I had my newborn,” Khera recalls. “So, he was in the hospital for three months.” Though she still needed to gain practical experience in construction, Khera says her management experience working at Safeway and having Punjabi as a second language set her up for success. That and having a contractor, Anksuh Sharma, with whom she worked closely, was also key, and whom she credits for helping her learn the business.
Khera’s experience was similar, admitting that more than the lack of a construction background, the initial challenge was being in a male-dominated industry.