Hillary has always enjoyed organization and helping families manage their time and space. When she first moved to Guelph, Hillary became a Nanny for a family with two homes, one cottage, and two young children. She was responsible for taking care of the kids seven days a week. But beyond that, it was her job to ensure that the family as a whole and their properties were organized as well.
Wanting to focus and reserve her energy for her own children, Hillary left the nanny business. Her experience being a household manager for such a busy family helped Hillary discover her passion for organization and helping others. She realized that she wanted to turn her incredible skill into a business. In January of 2018, Divide and Conquer was born.
“Our main goal through Divide and Conquer is to give back one of life's precious commodities - our time. We are passionate about bringing balance and organization to our day-to-day lives, bringing a holistic approach to work-life balance. Our services help to offset the "busy work" of life that often eats up our downtime between work and play.”
Hillary was extremely talented in the field of organization and household management upon starting her business. However, she had no prior experience in running one. She knew that she needed advice and mentorship in the field of entrepreneurship in order to make her new company a success. So, Hillary hopped onto Google to look for resources to help her business succeed. This search led to the discovery of the Business Centre of Guelph Wellington.
She applied to be a part of the Business Centre’s Starter Company+ Program. Her acceptance into the program would change the course of Divide and Conquer forever. Her mentor helped her with creating a formal business plan, formulating a marketing strategy, and developing her branding. But most importantly, she was able to build her confidence in the world of entrepreneurship and gain experience in a new field. Hillary explains, “I was pushed in all of the right ways, in a very comfortable manner by my mentor.”
The grant that Divide and Conquer received from the Start Company+ Program was also extremely helpful. The funds made the company look more professional to her customer base and prospective clients. This was done through contracting a professional photographer, and having her website created by 2H Media.
Hillary’s growth as an entrepreneur since starting her business is clear. When asked what she would tell herself when first starting out, Hillary exclaimed, “invest time and money in learning about leadership to help you grow your business beyond yourself.”
Besides the assistance that she received from the Business Centre, or the experience she has gained in the 5 years that she has been running her business, Hillary credits something more prevalent to her success; the strong family values and sense of organization and household standards that she experienced growing up.
So, are you and your family feeling overwhelmed with the stresses of juggling all of the tasks needed to upkeep your home on top of everything else going on in your life? Then call Hillary Pagnucco of Divide and Conquer Personal Concierge Services to help bring back joy and calmness into your life.
"Starter Company+ not only gave me the tools to start my business in a structured way but also gave me the confidence to do so. The team that brought me through my program journey was a good mix of helpful, encouraging, challenging, well educated, and experienced." — Hillary Pagnucco