Heidi Baker, 37, along with Eden Jarrin, 30, launched a media company that runs BeJane.com Web site dedicated to educating and supporting women pursuing home improvement.
Since its establishment, it has rocketed from 1,000 unique monthly hits in 2005 to 160,000 unique monthly hits this year.
Baker, who now lives in California says,
‘We’re talking women through their fears. We wanted to create a community for women where they don’t feel stupid asking questions and won’t be treated like they’re stupid’.
Be Jane aims at escalating number of women who are interesting in buying their own homes. According to the National Association of Realtors, single women are responsible for 21 percent of home purchases.
It is predicted by Fannie Mae study that by 2010, the number of women who would be the heads of households would cross 30 million.
The home improvement market is responding. Stores like Lowe’s and Home Depot hold women only classes, while companies like Barbara K Enterprises have rolled out lines of tools geared to women.
After her home purchase in 2000, Baker was not in a position to hire some one to renovate her 35-year-old condominium. Finally, she did all the fixings herself.
Sharing her experiencing, she said,
‘What was amazing about it for me was I had never done any kind of home improvement in my life besides painted a bit. I told myself, ‘I’ve got to find a way. I started researching I worked my way through. I’d finish a room and think, ‘It looks pretty good and I did it myself.’ Each room I would finish would give me more confidence’.
Her friends started asking advice regarding home projects simultaneously, she met Jarrin, who had a background in online business and had experienced similar frustrations with home-improvement stores.
Finally, they thought of starting a business. Baker sold her condo and financed BeJane.com.
The site is really a great success as it has earned grateful responses from many users.
