For Melissa Irving-Budd, owning a business is all about flexibility, family, community and a job well done.  

The mother of three started her Salisbury-based business, Mel’s Plumbing Inc., after spending some time working for other contractors following her completion of the plumbing course at CCNB Moncton.  

“I felt I was not appreciated for all the hard work I was putting in working for other contractors,” Melissa said.  

She was also giving up time on weekends and had a hard time balancing her work and family life. Employers didn’t understand why she needed to take time off when her children were sick or had a doctor’s appointment.  

With a vision of what she wanted her work life to look like, Melissa opened her business, offering plumbing and appliance repair and renovation services to her clientele with the help of the Community Business Development Corporation’s Self Employment Program for Persons with a Disability.  

“It was nice to have income coming in during some of my slower periods,” she said of the program, which offers financial help during the initial start-up phase of a business.  

As her business evolved, so have the types of jobs Melissa has been doing. In the past two years, she's become more focused on renovation jobs.  

“My motivation is just simply my customers, it’s so rewarding to show up, evaluate a problem and then do the repair,” she said. “The exciting part is that every project is different and requires different skills.” 

Aside from allowing flexibility in her life, becoming a business owner has also allowed Melissa to foster strong relationships with her clients and to choose projects she feels passionate about.  

“I like being able to talk to each and every customer directly and I feel my customers prefer this approach.” 

Melissa is also proud to support her community through the business, giving back to various organizations or community members, whether in a big or small way.  

“Early on when I started my business, I decided that I would try to help someone out at least once a month. It could be a small repair, a gift card, or a free product to someone who could really use some help,” she said.  

She also takes time to visit local high schools to talk about her trade and business, and to encourage students to explore working in the trades themselves. 

Though the change to self-employment has been positive for Melissa and her family, she says owning a business also comes with challenges. 

“I’m responsible for all the revenue coming in. I have to be super organized, and have to pivot sometimes due to cancellations or weather conditions.” 

The one point Melissa says has been the most important throughout her business ownership journey is to believe in herself.  

“Only you can decide what you’re capable of doing. Ask questions. Get a mentor or a friend to talk to, and keep moving forward even when you make a mistake or have a setback,” she said. “We all make mistakes. It’s how we deal with it that matters.”