Spotlight for Finan Home Service
From Apprentice to Entrepreneur: The Story of Finan Home Service
When something stops working in a home, many homeowners in the London area make the same call. For John Finan, owner of Finan Home Service, that call is the result of more than three decades spent building a business focused on solving everyday problems for homeowners.
Finan Home Service handles residential plumbing, electrical, and heating and cooling repairs across the region. “Anybody in the London area wakes up and something isn’t working in their house, they give us a call, and we can pop right over and take care of that for them, usually the same day,” Finan said.
The company began much smaller. Finan entered the skilled trades after leaving university in the mid-1980s and starting an electrical apprenticeship. He chose the field partly because he wanted to run his own business one day.
After becoming a licensed electrician, Finan launched Finan Electric in 1994. At the time, the company focused solely on electrical work. Over the years, however, Finan noticed a pattern when homeowners called for help.
“When customers called us and said they had an electrical problem, they also had plumbing systems and furnace and air conditioning systems which needed work,” he said.
Instead of turning those customers elsewhere, Finan began expanding the company’s services. Through a combination of hiring skilled tradespeople and bringing in new expertise, the business gradually grew beyond electrical work. Finan Electric evolved into Finan Home Services, offering homeowners one place to handle several types of repairs and maintenance.
Today the company employs about 37 people, including office staff who manage scheduling and administration and technicians working in the field. Finan said the growth of the team has been one of the most rewarding aspects of building the business.
“To see people start here not far out of high school, and then see them get married, have children and take on significant roles managing the business, I’m really proud to see that,” he said.
Finan believes the company’s longevity comes down to maintaining strong relationships with both employees and customers. “We are priced properly, we treat our staff properly, we pay them correctly, and the levels of service that we give to our customers each year get better,” he said.
While Finan once handled nearly every task in the business himself, his role today is focused more on guiding the company and supporting the team around him. He still keeps a close eye on operations and believes discipline and consistency are key to running a successful business.
Looking ahead, Finan hopes the company continues to grow while maintaining the same approach that helped build it. “Good people, give them the tools they need to do a great job, match them up with the best customers, and repeat,” he said. “That’s the cycle that keeps everything moving forward.”
