Jamal Hampton has not reached age 30 yet. He is only 27 years old, but after starting his home inspection business in April 2018 he has nearly tripled his income.
After four years of working and training under another inspector, Hampton had enough. He wanted to be paid consistently, wanted more money, and more than anything he desired a flexible schedule.
Hampton is the founder and owner of Sentinel Inspections, a company based in Temple Hills, Maryland, serving both the Washington, DC and Baltimore metropolitan areas.
“At first it was scary,” Hampton said of starting a new business. He added, “But I always realized that I like to be fully responsible for the work. “ Despite severe roadblocks, he made his entrepreneurial dream a reality. “Financially, getting a loan was the most difficult. I had bad credit, I couldn’t get a loan.”
He had credit difficulties and his family was not on board with his business venture at first. “No one understood what I was doing until [the business] was ok.” Over time, he demonstrated to his family that independence was the best move.
He accepted jobs that he could handle with the limited resources he had. With each new assignment he invested in new equipment, adding new services as he grew.
Having begun with no equipment and no money, Hampton is now providing full service to home buyers and home owners. He has an impressive array of certifications that covers indoor air quality, mold remediation, asbestos abatement, and radon detection. His website boasts, “Sentinel utilizes cutting edge equipment to go beyond the scope of a typical home inspection (Thermal Imaging, Moisture Meter Tests, Electrical outlet polarity tests, and more!”
Hampton said he loves what he is doing. “I love to teach clients about their home.” He also conducts seminars for real estate professionals so that they can better help their clients.
When asked about his personal traits, he described himself as “kind, trustworthy, reliable, and hard-working.” It is not difficult to imagine that he is telling the truth. He the owner of the company, but he also performs the work – at least until he starts hiring in the summer. His appearance is neat. He wears a professional uniform with Sentinel emblazoned on his work shirt.
He tends to go the extra mile with his clients. He uses a report writing system that includes pictures and diagrams as a bonus to the home owner, and he offers a $100 value handyman voucher for the first year, which includes services such as television mounting. For a small fee, customers can purchase a bi-annual Sentinel Check, which includes two inspections to check the home’s heating and air conditioning system, plus other appliances.
Starting a business can be risky. The Guilford Gazette asked Hampton why he made the move. He said, “I was a disgruntled employee and I had money issues.” He said he did not have peace until he quit and started his own company. “Now I am more calm, peaceful.”
His schedule was not his own. He was denied leave when a good friend was visiting from Indiana. That lack of flexibility sealed the deal for Hampton.
He said, “I wanted to make decisions that affect my family. I wanted my family’s future to be in my hands and not in somebody else’s.”
As an entrepreneur Hampton could “plan for a future I didn’t think I had.” He had more time to study his craft and make scheduling decisions. When asked about the perks of owning his own business, he replied, “Vacations.”
For other would-be entrepreneurs Hampton said, “Go for it. Get off the fence. The fear is always there. If it doesn’t happen in three years, try something else.”
Finally, with an upbeat, prophetic tone, he encouraged, “Do your best and good things will happen.”