This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Jacqueline Gathers, owner of JS Gathers Pillar to Post Home Inspectors franchise. It has been edited for length and clarity.
I’m a third-generation civil servant. I spent 30 years at the New York City Housing Authority. I enjoyed the work and felt that I was helping people find safe and affordable housing.
When I first joined the Housing Authority back in the ’80s, my dad insisted I sign up for early retirement. At the time, the extra contributions to my pension seemed expensive, but my dad assured me the investment was worthwhile. A lot could change between 55 and 62, he said, and being able to retire early would give me choices.
He was so right. Decades later, that decision allowed me to take early retirement in order to be home with my husband, Joseph, as he fought brain cancer. Joseph died when he was 58, and I was 55.
When my husband died, I considered selling our franchise back
A little more than a year before he died, Joseph said he wanted to take me into the city. I thought it was a date night, but when I came out in my heels, he told me to put on something more comfortable.
Turns out, he wasn’t taking me to a fancy dinner: we were going to the franchise expo. That’s when Joseph dropped the bomb that he wanted to purchase a franchise. I said OK, but I wasn’t particularly interested. I didn’t have any plans to be involved.
Joseph researched Pillar to Post, a home inspection company, and underwent training with the organization. But before he could open the franchise, he died. The company offered to repurchase our franchise. I was tempted, but then I thought about how hard Joseph had worked to prepare the business. I decided to launch it in his legacy.
It took time to build a business as a Black female inspector
That’s when things got scary. I had retired from the Housing Authority, but I knew nothing about home inspections. I had to train with Pillar and Post and obtain a license from the state of New York.
Most home inspectors don’t look like me. That became abundantly clear when I tried to work in Staten Island and other areas known for their racial tension. I wasn’t well received there. However, when I expanded into more diverse areas of the city, such as Flatbush, Brownsville, and East New York, business picked up.
I initially got to work when other inspectors didn’t show up. In those situations, my customer service skills from the Housing Authority helped me stand out from the crowd. Plus, people saw I knew what I was talking about. Before long, people were asking for “that Black lady inspector in Brooklyn.”
I found my niche with first-time buyers
During the first year, I would go to work, then come home and cry. The business was a huge distraction and gave me a reason to get up every day, but my grief was raw, and the tears were never far. Eventually, I started crying less and focusing more on business.
Today, it’s been eight years since Joseph died, and seven years since I launched the business. I’ve created a niche working with first-time homebuyers. I also work with educational nonprofits in the city.
Particularly in my community, first-time buyers may be the first people in their family to ever own a property. They need guidance and a relationship that doesn’t end once the sale closes. My clients can reach back out to me whenever they have questions about their homes.
I’ve set an example for my kids
Joseph and I always lived below our means and planned to travel in retirement. In addition to running the business — which still bears his name — I try to take two international trips in his honor each year. Our first grandchild was recently born in Guam, and I’m looking forward to spending time there.
I’m surprised to find myself an entrepreneur at 64. I never imagined myself running a business, let alone one that’s super successful. In doing so, I’ve set an example for my three kids: sometimes in life, you get curveballs, and you just have to keep pushing. There’s something else waiting around the corner.