Innovation

The innovation for Happy Place Property Management was creating opportunities for families in an inclusive community and focusing on remaining very sustainable by way of reusing appliances in the houses that are being rented, as well as donating appliances that are not needed in the units. Jenna Ross, owner of Happy Place Property Management described her innovation and vision as “building resilient communities” and “fix rather than replace”, which in turn verifies her determination to run an environmentally conscious and sustainable company.

Jenna’s innovation to create Happy Place Property Management occurred when she was working at her previous job as a business intelligence analyst and did not feel as fulfilled as she would’ve liked with her position. Jenna and her husband purchased a few rental properties as a start and that was the seed that grew into the thriving property management company that it is today.

The creation of Happy Place Property Management is largely credited to Jenna as she was the one with a vision to create the company. Jenna explained that it was mainly her who came up with the vision to remain environmentally friendly and sustainable by reusing the appliances in the homes that she purchases to rent. Jenna’s innovation to remain environmentally friendly and sustainable relates to her sense of mission to provide a safe and resilient community to her renters. Jenna’s innovation relates to this sense of mission as she believes that it is important to create a resilient and strong community for her renters by remaining environmentally conscious by refraining to purchase all new appliances for the houses that she rents by fixing the existing appliances, which shows Jenna’s ability to reuse and remain sustainable where the easy option would be to purchase all new appliances.

Inspiration

Happy Place Property Management was the dream that became a reality to founder Jenna Ross five years ago. A past employee at a software engineering company wanted to do something more exciting in the world and give back. Her love for the real estate industry began by buying investment properties with her husband. With her passion growing, she wanted to start a company that enabled women to join the typically male-dominated industry and provide sustainable single-family homes for people in the greater Halifax area.

“Inclusivity is very important to us (Happy Place Property Management). There is lots of human rights things that we ensure such as not excluding anyone even if they are looking for a one-bedroom apartment. Inclusive by welcoming people from different ethnicities, sexual preferences and more.”

When coming up with the name for the business, Jenna states that she wanted to provide people with a happy place to live. Even though her lawyer was opposed to the name due to the lack of professionalism, Jenna said that this is more than just a company; it will be a company that allows families to create happy memories in these homes.

Overall impact

Happy Place Property Management’s unique philosophy helps “happy people” find “happy places” to live in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Jenna promotes a feelings-based model when engaging in business activities, and emphasizes client happiness by stating, “We want their eyes to light up when they see the place.” By prioritizing the happiness of their clients and contributing to the building of communities, Happy Place Property Management promotes decent work and economic growth and helps make cities inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable. Clients recognize the value the Happy Place Property Management team places on their happiness, and the organization continues to grow as they have serviced over 100 properties. Their sustainability approach to appliances also allows them to take on new clients without incurring unnecessary expenses.

Happy Place Property Management’s innovative business model, which values people first, impacts society through building communities. They provide inclusive and accessible rental options for single-family homes. Implementing the SDG goals may encourage other companies in the industry to think holistically about the environmental and social impact of their business activities. This contributes to the change in narrative occurring within society’s businesses that prioritize people over profits. Happy Place Property Management impacts society by providing a sense of security to their clients, as well as their employees. Inclusion and decent work for all is championed within the team, which is composed of women. Jenna emphasizes inclusion through her hiring process by providing job opportunities for women interested in property management, which is a male-dominated field.

Business benefit

Jenna Ross had a dream and was able to turn it into reality by building a successful business from the ground up. Throughout the past 5 years, there was a certain achievement that Jenna considers to be her high point moment, which we had the privilege to hear about. Jenna explained that her peak experience with Happy Place Property Management was when she achieved a goal that she set out at the very beginning of her venture; getting 100 properties under management. Jenna dedicates a lot of time and consideration when deciding if a property is right for the undertaking. For Jenna, it is very important that the properties she chooses are able to provide families with safe and prosperous home environments. One of Jenna’s missions through Happy Place is to “provide homes to families in communities so that ideally, children can go to good schools and remain in the same school district”. For Jenna, reaching her goal of 100 properties meant that 100 families in surrounding communities could be helped. Jenna is helping families find stable and safe living situations, providing them with a sense of security within society.

Social and environmental benefit

Happy Place Property Management implements an environmentally beneficial sustainability strategy through its repairs system. Their process for repairing homes allows them to decrease their organization’s consumption, as well as eliminate waste by reusing and donating materials. They repurpose usable materials between clients, which she describes as a “fix rather than replace” model. This eliminates unnecessary waste, as well as reduces costs. Concrete evidence of their innovation is highlighted in their contributions of used appliances to Habitat For Humanity, a local non-profit organization, rather than disposing of them. Incorporating sustainability into business activities has not only allowed them to repurpose client appliances in the short term, but it has evoked a long-term impact through their donations to the Halifax community.

Interview

Jenna Ross, Owner and Founder