A new direction: Career changers

from Northwest Observer / Jan. 20 - Feb. 2, 2022

NWO Business & Real Estate

A new irection

From auto technician to truck driver, and dental hygienist to Realtor/broker

Burned out from their long-term careers but not ready to retire, Stokesdale couple headed in new professional directions as they approached their 60s

by ANNETTE JOYCE

Jim and Debbie McDonald met when they were sophomores at Northwest Guilford High School. After graduation, Debbie enrolled at Guilford Technical Community College and became a certified dental assistant. Jim, who had worked at a local service station while in high school, worked there a few months longer before taking a job as an automotive technician with Bill Black Cadillac in downtown Greensboro.

Jim and Debbie later married and spent the next 41 years in their chosen fields. While Jim worked for 41 years in their chosen fields. While Jim worked for the same company the entire time, Debbie periodically took time off to be with their three daughters – Jaymi, Erin Haleigh and Addi. Even so, she maintained her certification and began working full-time again as the girls grew older.

As they approached their 60s, Jim and Debbie recognized they were burned out in their respective professions and wanted to go down a different path before they reached retirement age.

For Debbie, working in the dental field was somewhat of a family tradition.

“My mother was a dental assistant, and my daughter is a dental hygienist,” she said. “I loved working with people and feeling like I was helping somebody, but it’s very taxing on your body to sit in one position for several hours at a time, and I didn’t like messing

Photo by Annette Joyce/NWO After spending 41 years in their respective professions, Jim and Debbie McDonald embarked on second careers.

with a lot of chemicals (because it affected) my asthma. I felt like it was time I did something else.”

Jim also found his body was beginning to rebel ...continued on p. 24

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Photos courtesy of Walraven Signature Homes Walraven Signature Homes has earned a reputation for building beautiful, custom homes while not only meeting, but exceeding their homebuyers’ expectations.

Uncertainty surrounding the pandemic which stretched into its second year in 2021 resulted in an extraordinarily strong year for local custom homebuilders such as Walraven Signature Homes (WSH). In fact, the locally owned company had one of its best years yet, thanks in part to interest rates remaining low and homeowners being motivated to build sooner rather than later out of concern for ever-increasing building material prices and labor shortages.

“We’re very busy and finding strong demand in all the markets we serve,” said Matt Walraven, who owns the Oak Ridgebased company with his wife, Danielle. “We’ve strengthened our work force through the addition of several key employees and shored up our administrative area. Home inventories remain tight while potential clients reach out to ask for meetings to discuss their dream home.”

In the midst of the many challenges and uncertainties related to COVID-19, Danielle’s days are full with overseeing administrative work and design consulting for the company’s robust list of customers.

“We are intent on giving our clients the most pleasant building experience possible. at has been a hallmark of Walraven Signature Homes and we are committed to maintaining and adding to the joy of building with us,” she said.

In 2021, WSH gained an even better appreciation for the importance of excellent communication with clients.

“We have always prided ourselves on a good flow of information with those who build with us,” Matt said.

Walraven Signature Homes

Danielle and Matt Walraven, owners of Walraven Signature Homes, seek to fulfi ll homeowners’ dreams by giving each home they build their full attention, and offering fl exibility throughout the building process.

He also stressed the importance of using superior subcontractors who have demonstrated high-quality work and are committed to excellent communication skills.

“Couple great project management that hits key construction dates with good communication and quality – that’s how you keep clients happy,” Matt emphasized.

Still, he’s not naive to the fact that this coming year has several unknowns which have yet to sort themselves out.

“Higher inflation and the promise of several rate hikes by the Fed, something we haven’t seen in years, will impact our market. How quickly and significantly is not yet determined. We have orders on the books that certainly promise another good year, but interest rates and inflation will come into play later in the year,” he acknowledged.

WHS builds throughout the Triad area, with a particular focus in northwest Guilford County where access to excellent schools, a highway infrastructure that provides easy access to the PTI Airport and other towns and cities, and a healthy job market make the area ideal for the prospective custom homebuyer.

“We have demand all around the Oak Ridge and Summerfield area, as well as beautiful developments in and around Greensboro,” Danielle said, adding the company is seeing growing demand around Burlington and other areas of Alamance County.

WSH is not only grateful for the healthy home-building market, but even more so for the many clients who have put trust in the company’s homebuilding skills. While bracing for the unforeseen challenges that may lie ahead, the company expects 2022 to be another signature year.