Best friends start business during the pandemic

MOUNT STERLING, Ky. (WTVQ) – A pandemic doesn’t seem like the time to take a risk, but out of Mount Sterling comes the latest example that, for some, the pandemic has paid off.

Best friends Daniel Elswick and Casey Martin took a leap by starting their very own business almost a year ago.

“We jumped in. Of course, right in the middle of a pandemic,” Elswick said.

The duo joined the Tru Blue Total House Care team and opened up in Mt. Sterling Kentucky.

“We both left jobs to do this. We were both working for general contractor in town doing commercial building construction work,” Elswick said.

They now do a variety of residential and commercial renovations, focusing mostly on senior citizens.

“My wife’s grandmother, she had terminal brain cancer and didn’t want to go in a nursing home or stay in a hospital all the time so she wanted to stay in her house. Couldn’t really find anybody to come in and do the things that needed to be done,” Elswick said.

They do everything from handyman work to remodeling.

“People want stuff done and they can’t do it. We want to be those people that’ll get that stuff done for them,” Martin said.

They say the biggest challenge was finding employees.

“It’s not been easy. We put in 15-16 hours a day, whether we’re on the job site working or looking at the new jobs at home bidding, we put in a lot of time to do it but you just got to do it,” Martin said.

He says they learn something new every day.

They say overall it’s a humbling experience and they appreciate the support.