- Story by TessVan Straaten Photography by Don Denton

Story courtesy of , a Black Press Media publication
Like Boulevard Magazine on and follow them on

When Ted Hancock and Shawn Richardson decided to team up to launch the Incredible Home brand, they never thought their relationship would be a topic for discussion.

91裸聊视频淧eople assume we91裸聊视频檙e a couple but I91裸聊视频檝e actually said to Ted we should get buttons that say, 91裸聊视频業91裸聊视频檓 not with him91裸聊视频� and 91裸聊视频業91裸聊视频檓 not with her,91裸聊视频�91裸聊视频� Shawn jokes.

The pair, who have more than 70 years of industry experience between them, joined forces last July to grow Ted91裸聊视频檚 successful company, Incredible Closets, into space solutions for every part of the home 91裸聊视频� kitchens, entryways, living rooms, garage organizers and even wine rooms and custom-made doors.

91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檇 been looking to expand for several years because our clients have been asking us if we can do kitchens or vanities 91裸聊视频� since it91裸聊视频檚 similar to what we do,91裸聊视频� Ted explains. 91裸聊视频淚 wasn91裸聊视频檛 sure exactly how we were going to do it but as Shawn and I started to talk, I realized collaborating would be the ideal situation.91裸聊视频�

Shawn moved to Victoria from Calgary three years ago and worked with a prominent custom homebuilder. Her expertise is in design, space planning and custom millwork.

91裸聊视频淚 was a partner in a custom home and renovation business, working in that beautiful, high-end, no-holds-barred Calgary market where I got to do some pretty amazing work with clients, but really learned custom millwork over a 10-year period,91裸聊视频� Shawn says. 91裸聊视频淲e had a master cabinetmaker who taught me everything I know.91裸聊视频�

The dynamic duo met in 2017 at an industry event, and realized they both had a passion for offering top-notch customer service and had strengths that complemented each other. Ted91裸聊视频檚 skills are in building things 91裸聊视频� he grew up on a farm and started driving tractors at the age of 10, and building dog houses and other structures at 14.

91裸聊视频淲hen you grow up as a farmer you learn to do pretty much anything, and from there, I combined farming with construction. So I have close to 60 years91裸聊视频� experience building things and almost 40 years91裸聊视频� industry experience,91裸聊视频� Ted says.

Ted launched Incredible Closets in Calgary in 1982 91裸聊视频� the first of its kinds in Western Canada. He moved the business to Victoria 11 years later, for lifestyle reasons and the opportunity to sail.

91裸聊视频淭hat91裸聊视频檚 very hard to do on the prairies,91裸聊视频� quips Ted. 91裸聊视频淭he business just grew from there, mostly from repeats and referrals, which is about 50 to 60 per cent of our business.91裸聊视频�

For Shawn 91裸聊视频� who counts a stint with the TV show Property Brothers as a career highlight 91裸聊视频� design is in her DNA.

91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檝e been decorating and designing my whole life,91裸聊视频� she says. 91裸聊视频淎s a teenager, I was the weird kid who had my pillows arranged just perfectly on the bed. It91裸聊视频檚 something that91裸聊视频檚 just in you.91裸聊视频�

Together, they re-branded Incredible Closets to Incredible Home earlier this year and moved into a spectacular, new, purpose-built showroom in February.

91裸聊视频淲hen this space became available, it was a no-brainer,91裸聊视频� Ted says. 91裸聊视频淭he space is perfect and it91裸聊视频檚 a pebble91裸聊视频檚 throw away from our previous showroom and offices.91裸聊视频�

The pair admits there have been challenges in growing the business, but they say long-term employees have helped to make the transition easier.

91裸聊视频淭here are always challenges, but like anything, it91裸聊视频檚 how you approach the challenge,91裸聊视频� Ted says. 91裸聊视频淚s it something you can learn from? And if it91裸聊视频檚 an obstacle you have to overcome, how do you get through it? Instead of saying we can91裸聊视频檛 do it, we say 91裸聊视频榟ow can we do it?91裸聊视频� We91裸聊视频檒l figure out a way.91裸聊视频�

Their mantra is 91裸聊视频渓isten carefully and answer creatively91裸聊视频�91裸聊视频� and they say it91裸聊视频檚 served them well. Shawn also tells staff to think of the money clients are spending as their own money, and to act accordingly.

91裸聊视频淭he biggest mistakes I91裸聊视频檝e made in life are whenever I haven91裸聊视频檛 trusted my instincts,91裸聊视频� she says. 91裸聊视频淵ou have to listen to your inner voice and you have to be bold and say, 91裸聊视频榠f this was my money on the line, what would I do? What would I choose?91裸聊视频� I always think like that.91裸聊视频�

For Ted, his biggest mistake was not being enough of a risk-taker when he was younger.

91裸聊视频淣ow, as I get older, I91裸聊视频檓 more of a risk-taker and it seems to work,91裸聊视频� says the father of three and grandfather of three. 91裸聊视频淵ou have to learn from your mistakes or you91裸聊视频檒l never get them out of your head.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淚 always say to myself, 91裸聊视频榥o guts, no glory,91裸聊视频�91裸聊视频� adds Shawn, who has an adult daughter. 91裸聊视频淒on91裸聊视频檛 compromise, do what you think is right, take the high road and it will serve you well. If you91裸聊视频檙e passionate about something, just continue to push forward.91裸聊视频�

And that91裸聊视频檚 exactly what Shawn and Ted are doing 91裸聊视频� despite being at an age when many of their peers are retiring.

91裸聊视频淭his is my retirement plan,91裸聊视频� jokes Ted. 91裸聊视频淚 love what I do and when I thought about what I wanted to do when I retire, it was this. I still work a lot more than I probably should at this age, but it keeps my brain going and it keeps my body going.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淭ed is really an inspiration for me because a lot of my friends are retired or starting to retire and I91裸聊视频檓 venturing into this new business and I91裸聊视频檓 in it for the long haul,91裸聊视频� Shawn adds.

91裸聊视频淚t does keep you young and I91裸聊视频檓 excited about what we91裸聊视频檙e going to do next.91裸聊视频�

Check out .