Name: Tennessee Valley Home Inventory
Owner: Lynn Smith
Location: 7746 Basswood Drive
Opened: January 1
Service: Creating comprehensive inventories of homes, giving homeowners a written, visual and digital record of their possessions
How it got started: After working as a volunteer firefighter and police officer for 20 years, Smith realized that many people don't keep inventories of their homes. Insurance companies usually require homeowners to provide an inventory when making a claim, and a complete inventory helps homeowners receive a fair settlement. Inventories are also used in probate and divorce court and for prenuptial agreements.
Prices: From $99 for video-only to $350 for a comprehensive package, depending on the home's size.
Initial investment: $3,000
Sales goal: At least 2-3 home inventories a month
Staff: 1
Five-year goal: "I would like to have a thriving business that's able to help people," Bell said. "I'm doing it, of course, to earn money, but one thing I believe in is helping people. And people need to understand the need for inventories. It's like insurance. You hope you never have to have it, but if you do have it, it can pay off big time."
Part-time gig: Smith works full-time at Volkswagen as a team leader in quality, and hopes to grow the business on the side while he continues his position at Volkswagen. He first had the idea to open an inventory company about a year ago, but started working on it seriously in the last six months.
Website: www.tnvalleyhomeinventory.com
Phone number: 423-987-8219
Shelly Bradbury joined the Times Free Press as a business reporter in January 2013, after starting with the paper as a general assignment intern in July 2012. She is from Houghton, New York, and graduated from Huntington University in Huntington, Indiana, with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and minor in management. Before moving to Tennessee, Shelly previously interned with The Goshen News, The Sandusky Register and The Mint Hill Times. Outside the newsroom, Shelly enjoys ...
