The Renovating Moms story

Join us as Megan Viljoen, an enterprising Cape Town businesswoman and mother who has revolutionised South African home improvement and DIY through digital means, sits down with Alexa Horne, Managing Director of DG Properties. In a frank and open exchange over a cup of coffee, Megan shares the details of her inspiring journey - from founding the Renovating Moms social media pages to creating a vibrant online community and a resourceful website. This discussion is more than a chronicle of business creation; it's a testament to the power of community, the strength of resilience, and the spark of ingenuity that drives successful entrepreneurship.

Megan's formative years were spent under the tutelage of a father adept at DIY and inventive home solutions. His influence helped spark in her an insatiable curiosity and talent for recognising opportunities where others might see none. "I grew up holding the end of a tape measure," Megan reminisces, a nod to her early engagement with the world of renovation and design.

But her innate passion for reimagining living spaces didn't stop at childhood; it propelled her into adulthood, where she tackled her own real estate challenges and endeavours and became aware of the widespread hurdles that many face in this arena.

"I often wondered where others such as myself could turn to without the benefit of the guidance I had from my dad," she muses. "There's a myriad of questions when it comes to home improvements, and not everyone has easy access to advice or resources."

With the goal of bridging this gap, Megan turned to the power of social media to unite women tackling the challenges of home renovation. She established the Renovating Moms, Cape Town, Facebook group in September 2018, which quickly became a digital haven for shared, crowd-sourced experiences, recommendations and knowledge. "It was an avenue for women to not only seek advice but to find a sense of camaraderie and community in the often-overwhelming world of home renovation," Megan explains.

The arrival of COVID-19 marked a substantial shift toward domestic-centric lifestyles and work habits, further catalysing the growth of the Renovating Moms (RM) network. Megan reflects, "Retreating to a small seaside village, far from Cape Town's hustle, prompted contemplation about my own path and that of the collective's potential. This period of reflection revealed a chance to harness the rapid expansion of this community, further transforming it into a more collaborative and nurturing space."

With a mindset perpetually connecting the dots and uncovers hidden possibilities, Megan enjoys applying a blend of imaginative and systematic thinking when it comes to transforming spaces - a duality that enables her to reimagine living environments not only for their aesthetics but for the emotions they evoke.

"People were looking for ways to enhance their living spaces during lockdown, and Renovating Moms provided the perfect platform for empowerment and advice," she observes. "And so I asked questions and created suggestions and solutions, and so did others, and conversations and connections were quickly fostered as the network grew."

Capitalising on her expertise in customer service and technology, Megan then expanded the reach of Renovating Moms (RM) beyond Cape Town. The creation of the RM Johannesburg Facebook mirrored the success of the original group, illustrating the burgeoning need for such a resource.

"Now, with around 80 000 engaged members and over 1 800 interactions daily, our combined groups stand as a testament to the empowering potential of social media," Megan states. Megan's vision continues to grow, fuelled by the collective energy and engagement of the RM community. "Every day, I am thrilled to see our community expand as we utilise strategic effort to empower each other through shared knowledge and support," she declares. "It's a journey of growth, learning, and empowerment."

Why the decision to specifically target moms?

- I've a real passion for empowerment, and who better to empower than those who juggle it all? Moms! It's about acknowledging and supporting their pivotal role.
- Women often serve as the gateway to household decisions. As a single mom myself, I've lived the reality of what it takes to succeed in that role-so it's a community I deeply resonate with.
- Plus, let's face it, the home improvement industry is largely male-dominated and, though we have several active male followers and contributors we undoubtedly value, I believe Moms needed a safe space to ask questions without feeling 'out of place'.
- Empowering women with knowledge enables them to more confidently use lesser-known providers, ultimately creating work opportunity for a previously marginalised workforce.

What's surprised you the most about the 'journey' thus far?

- The 'heavy lifting' behind managing the Facebook pages was unexpected - it's a full-scale business with a ton of behind-the-scenes work. I've now appointed Candice Brewis as our RM social media and community manager. I'm hugely grateful for her amazing assistance (and, of course, my own amazing personal "life support" team) in managing and administering this community.
- People often overlook that this isn't just a hobby; it requires a significant time investment to keep the community thriving.
- South African businesses sometimes miss the mark on the value of community engagement. The way people make decisions have changed. Increasingly, communities, referrals and reviews from trusted sources inform decision-making and drive behaviour. I'm surprised more companies don't jump at these opportunities!
- Home improvement is a massive commitment. People often get stuck in 'analysis paralysis,' delaying decisions until it's almost too late.

On a bright note

- Creating a safe, ego-free zone has been massively rewarding. It's amazing to see people from diverse backgrounds come together to assist and advise each other.
- We're tackling a real issue: women feeling undermined in the home improvement process. We're creating a space where their voices are heard loud and clear.
- The level of active participation is incredible - 80% of our members engage monthly, showing the strong connections within our community.
- The frequency of posts and discussions reveals common themes and shared challenges, highlighting the supportive nature of our group.
- Launching our website www. renovatingmoms.com and creating RM Reviews and connecting great service providers to a market that they were previously not connected to.
- Running "House Proud" our interior design course was a highlight. It's on pause for now, but I'm eager to share details once we're up and running again!

"I revel in our daily growth and the empowerment it brings to both home improvers and service providers," Megan enthuses. "And I am excited to see where our collective, strategic energy will take us next."

Tell us more about RM Reviews

- RM Reviews was born from the need for a trustworthy space - a place for community-vetted providers where every business, regardless of size, has a potential place. We can't share untrustworthy, inept or unreliable service providers on Facebook, and we needed somewhere to share experiences, positive or negative.
- Sure, we share warnings and observations, but RM Reviews is also about celebrating the fabulous providers who make home improvement dreams come true.
- Like TripAdvisor for home improvement - the more it's used, the more valuable it becomes! Everyone's input can make it a true goldmine of information.
- Quality and reliability is key, and that's why community vetting is crucial. We want to ensure opportunities are only created for those who truly deliver.
- There's a vision here: connecting skilled providers from lower-income areas with those willing to pay for quality work. It's about balancing the scales-where currently some overpay, and others under-earn.
- We're driving social impact by empowering small providers, helping them gain business visibility and connecting them with communities they wouldn't normally be able to reach.

As a RM Follower

- If you've benefited from RM through advice sharing and ideas, your feedback and recommendations of providers (each interaction, each listing, and each review) will contribute to the rich tapestry of RM Reviews, making it an invaluable resource for all.

And for service providers or contractors

- Get your business listed! It's a simple act that! For less than the cost of your weekly coffee, is a really worthwhile investment. You can sign yourself up on our website.
- Consider advertising with RM. Your support can help keep the community thriving and growing.

Is there an ultimate goal?

- I'd say it's to build long-term partnerships with companies who truly understand the massive power and potential of communities (beyond being pure 'lead generators') and that view them as real 'brand assets' - that can add value and build authentic, emotive connections with customers - the type that drive brand advocacy.
- Social communities, (particularly the likes of RM - the only home improvement community of its kind in SA), provide an opportunity to really get into the hearts and minds of customers as well as providing great customer insight when it comes to product development and brand innovations with ability for insights and testing on steroids!
- So there is an exciting opportunity for sponsorship, partnerships and to showcase products and services to our community of close to 85 000 women home improvers across SA.

Embracing all possibilities, Renovating Moms has become more than just a forum - it's a thriving, dynamic community that's reshaping the SA home improvement landscape, one post at a time.

www.renovatingmoms.com

For more information on DG Properties, call 021 671 0258 or Alexa Horne on 082 349 7799 or visit www.dogongroup.com.