From Zero to 300

It was a leap of faith—and a lot of hard work. That’s how Jack and Libby Pence describe starting Superior Property Inspection in March 2024. Based in Steubenville and covering the Ohio-Pennsylvania-West Virginia Tri-State area, the dynamic duo achieved 300 home inspections in their first year of business. 

In 2020, Jack was working in higher education when Covid hit and he was furloughed. As happened to many people, their lives were turned upside down and they began to reconsider what they wanted to do and where they wanted to be. “We wanted to make our own path,” Jack said. “We decided to sell our home and move closer to family.”

The couple recalls when they had their own first home inspection, back in Dayton. Libby remembers Jack saying, “I think I would enjoy home inspection.” “Jack’s very handy, and both houses we’ve bought were fixer-uppers. We’ve done most of the work to them,” Libby says. 

Having relocated during the pandemic to Steubenville, Jack began to work for another inspector for about four years when opportunity struck and it felt like time to strike out on his own. He would do the inspections, and Libby would handle the business. “We took a massive leap of faith and started March 1, 2024,” Libby said. While his background was education, he felt like he was still teaching—just in a different setting. “It was just changing the behavior and environment from a classroom to a stranger’s kitchen or living room and helping teach clients about their house,” Jack said. 

How They Did It

Jack and Libby went to an ASHI conference in Columbus, Ohio, on March 1, 2024, where they met many people—one of which was Dee Goldstein from GEM Marketing and the ASHI Store. “I have a business background, but when we met Dee she filled in all the questions,” Libby said. “She and her husband, David (ACI)—the Goldsteins have seen it all and gave us sage advice.” GEM Marketing is a marketing and design firm that specializes in assisting home inspectors, business startups, and not-for-profits in creating and refining their marketing. GEM Marketing aims to help industry professionals become more comfortable with their marketing strategies and create a professional image they’ll be proud to use to promote their companies.

From there, the Pences had their first event to attend as a company within two weeks. In that short amount of time, Dee helped them get everything they needed to show up as the professional company they were already becoming. “We showed up at this event as a brand-new business, we had already established relationships with different REALTORS®, but Dee made us look incredible,” Libby said. “Her knowledge has saved us so much time and money.” 

Jack said it was invigorating, networking at both events, and that Dee and David continue to be resources they lean on, as well as ASHI in general. They completed more than 300 inspections in one year. “In a short amount of time we have hustled,” Libby said. 

She said their strong religious and spiritual faith combined with their dedication to getting up every morning and hitting the ground running has brought them where they are today. They work with local ASHI chapters, continue to build relationships with real estate agents, and are an active part of their community—from the Chamber of Commerce to Young Business Professionals. Eventually, they hope to grow the business beyond the two of them, too. 

Successful Strategies 

It was late 2023 when Jack first joined ASHI as an affiliate—wanting to try it for a year, look at the forums, and see what he could learn. Little did he know he’d become such a part of the ASHI family soon. “The members care so much about ASHI as a whole, and they exude excellence,” he said. 

He said his new ASHI colleagues were there to help elevate them, not to compete. Now he has a whole community of home inspectors who’ve been in the industry for decades at his fingertips, ready to offer their own lessons learned. “It’s truly been a very easy transition to go in and talk with these guys,” Jack said. 

Superior Property Inspection sets clear goals they want to meet within the year, from number of inspections each month to certifications to achieve. Already the business is a one-stop shop for home inspection and more, from mold to radon testing. “We’ve very excited, and we’re not naive at all to the amount of work it takes to succeed,” Libby said. 

Every day the couple looks at their whiteboard of goals to keep those front and center. “Having those numbers every day keeps us focused,” Jack said. It’s a physical manifestation of what they hope to accomplish, but it can also be easily amended with a quick swipe should tasks need to change. Flexibility is key, and being able to see each month’s major wins also boosts morale.  

Jack and Libby also surround themselves with people who want to see them succeed. Libby says they have a strong support team that includes helpful feedback from friends of different backgrounds. Of course, they also have the team at ASHI and the Goldsteins for advice when needed.  

Whether it’s a busy season or a slow spell, the Pences have a plan. “When we’re at a really busy time we hunker down,” Libby said, adding that they focus on doing the best work. During slower times, the whiteboard is their North Star. Then they focus on how else they can help customers and how they can grow the business. They reach out to contacts with friendly text reminders and create a new flyer every month to advertise their services. 

“You think that the REALTOR will remember you, but they might not because we’re human,” Libby said. “It’s really important that we are constantly executing a plan of action so people know we’re here, that we’re doing business, and we want to do business with them. On the slow days that has been the thing that has helped us, to say, ‘Did we make a phone call? Did we send an email?’” 

Forever Learning

Jack once heard that an inspector is an expert marketing guru who does inspections on the side. He laughed, but he said it’s true. “I’ve always kind of had that in the back of my mind.” While he’s always learning something new about houses, it’s also about people. “At the end of the day it’s building good relationships,” he said. 

In his early 40s, Jack is focused on gaining certifications at the beginning of his new career. While the business focus is residential, he sees value in learning about commercial inspections, for example. “As we grow and look at Pittsburgh, it’s a pretty industrial, heavier commercial real estate area, so it’s about being in position. It’s forecasting, saying, ‘Hey, this is going to be something in the future that, as we look to grow, we want to make sure our aquarium can fit us.’” Training courses on the ASHI Edge also continue to be helpful, he said.  

“I spent the last year either in a classroom, an online class, or in an attic,” Jack laughed. “I want to gain knowledge and really do the best I can to provide for the Ohio Valley. The area has seen some hard times in the past. We really want to focus on educating not just ourselves but clients—to make sure they fully know what they are buying.”

Photo Caption: Jack and Libby Pence launched their business at the Ohio ASHI conference in March 2024 after meeting ASHI’s Dee and David Goldstein at the event. They said having great mentors and supporters goes a long way to creating an effective marketing plan to launch their business.