Several years ago, I let people know that I had taken on a business partner, Jenna Novic, to ensure that Rosebud Co. will continue to be an option for people with old houses and old floors that need special attention. I think it’s about time for you to get to know more about Jenna.
Jenna hails from suburban Detroit where she grew up in the ’70s and ’80s. True to her Motor City roots, she enjoys things mechanical and anything with a motor considers her the Mother Teresa of mechanics.
These are the people who look at something that has a mechanical heartbeat and just know what to do to keep them running and she is one of them.
Jenna migrated south and used her mechanical skills in a variety of ways and was eventually drawn to the wood floor industry. She gained experience working with a small company for about ten years. It was during this time that our paths first crossed on a few projects. These work sites were often a bit hectic, so I really didn’t get to know Jenna personally, but she had habits that caught my attention. She was comfortable with her equipment, maintained it well and I could easily see she had good carpentry skills. I also saw she was focused on her work and needed no supervision. When you’re in a building trade, these habits mean a lot, so you pay attention when you see someone exhibiting them.
We lost track of each other until I ran into her on a Pampers run at Target while she was going through her stay-at-home mom phase. I remembered her habits and mentioned I could make good use of them when she had the time. I needed someone with good carpentry skills who would learn our specialized methods of handling wood floor damage and Jenna did not disappoint. After a few tutorials she was good to go and as the old saying goes, the rest is history.
As her confidence grew, we targeted a niche market of older homes that needed something traditional wood floor contractors did not offer; a kinder and gentler way of treating these old, abused surfaces. My fifty years of experience in working and restoring old wood floors combined with Jenna’s wood working talents and a work ethic to die for, has breathed new life into Rosebud Co. She was quick to grasp and adopt my respect for historic preservation and it has worked out well for the both of us. Simply put, Jenna has helped put Rosebud Co. on solid ground and we feel confident that we offer the gold standard of preserving old wood floors. I am proud of a lot of things my company has done but I think I deserve an Academy Award for spotting talent like hers. Those who have met her agree.
— Michael Purser | October 2024