Can You Combine Passion & Profit?
Jim Simcoe Says YES!
In this week’s interview series, we have the privilege of sitting down with green business pioneer and home investor, Jim Simcoe. Operating out of Encinitas, California, Jim founded Simcoe Green Homes to create affordable high performance, energy efficient green homes. Not only do his homes have a lower ecological footprint, they are remodeled and updated using non-toxic paints, carpets and other items to make the homes safer and healthier to live in. Not only is Jim following his passion and providing for his family, he is helping to create a more sustainable and less toxic world.
You can catch the interview here:
You can also read Matt and Jim’s conversation below:
So, I appreciate you joining us today. I’m sure that you have a busy schedule and you have a lot of going on.
So, why don’t you catch up our readers on what exactly you do and how you got started?
Sure! My name is Jim Simcoe as you know, and I run a green business company called Simcoe Green Homes, and what we do is – we invest in properties all over the country. We take homes that are in really bad shape, “Fixer-uppers”, bank owned foreclosures, we green them up, we transform them from “fixer” homes, “worst house on the street,” into healthy high-performance green homes. And have been doing it for a while – we started the consulting about 6-7 years ago and spent the last couple of years investing.
-So, why don’t you tell us a little about, personally, how you got started going from an everyday 9 to 5, to really living some sort of passion that you feel would help the world?
– My last corporate job, I worked for company where I ran a sales team. I was one of the leading sales managers in the country. I had an unbelievable boss – just awesome person, wonderful person. She is still a good friend. I did really well, I liked what I sold and I made a ton of money. All that being said I wasn’t happy – I really wasn’t following my passion, I really wasn’t , in my opinion doing anything to leave my mark in the world or make the world a better place. So I left it. I started a real state company. I bought real state company, and from there I started green consulting.
– What exactly is your ‘why’? Why you do what you do? How does this affect you and everyone else?
– Yeah, so, my life is really simple. I really believe that helping green homes should be available and affordable to everybody. So I don’t think they should be available just to the super-wealthy. I also don’t think they should be available just for low-income housing where there is money from the government to do it. I think it should be available for everybody. So, living healthier, spending less money on utilities is something I believe is crucial to the success of our society.
– Yes, I couldn’t agree more. It’s great to hear from people that are from a little bit older generation other than myself are still thinking that way and having some sort of shift.
– Yeah.
– Thank you for your time Jim. I’m going to wrap up this episode, but have a great day and i’ll talk to you soon.
– Okay. Sounds great, thanks!