morad fiki - spring 2015 profile emagazine
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Houston's profile is an ever-changing environment. Welcome to Profile, a digital magazine. Not fluff, Just ahead of the trend news! #houston #realestateTRANSCRIPT
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Profile eMagazine &COMPANY
Houston’s Corporate Boutique
GIVING BACK TO THE CITY WE LOVEValentines Day is all about the love. Why not extend your love...04INTERVIEW with SCOTT THOMAS HOMESBringing consumers quality choice and value.06FOR LOVE OF HOUSTONTop 8 Reasons we LOVE Houston.12
Giving backto the city we
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
Carol Peyton Young Amanda Rutt Courtney McDonald Eric Rodriguez
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table of CONTENT
THE KITCHEN: THE HEART OF THE HOMEThe kitchen will always reign supreme as the hub of the home...14
HOUSTON’S DIVERSITYQuote by Mary Lasswell20
INTERVIEW with EDIBLE EARTH RESOURCESEdible Earth Resources is a full service edible gardening firm...16
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Valentines Day is all about the love. Why not extend your love to include your favorite charity? Giving charitable gifts is a generous way to spend Valentines Day. Forget about flowers and candy. There are people starving in the world. They have no roof over their head, very few clothes and little to eat. What can you do for charity in the name of love this Valentines Day? Plenty. Here are five ideas to get you started.
Make blankets for charity on Valentines Day
Nothing says love like the warm protection of a soft fleece blanket. Consider making
blankets for hospitals and homeless shelters this Valentines Day.
Whether your blanket goes to a low income child or a lost soul,
it’s sure to be appreciated. What other gifts can warm
the less fortunate this Valentines Day?
Giving backto the city we...
Profile eMagazine
by Jaipi Sixbear | www.Examiner.com
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Scarves, coats, hats and gloves are excellent Valentines Day gifts for charities.Would you send your child out without a coat in this weather? Parents of less fortunate children often have no choice. Consider sorting through outgrown outerwear to warm the poor on Valentines Day. While you’re at it, check the rest of your wardrobe as well.
Give to food banks for Valentines DayThanksgiving and Christmas are traditional times to give to local
charity food banks or volunteer in soup kitchens. By Valentines Day, shortages loom on the horizon. How about starting a new trend? Don’t forget to slip in a few Valentines Day treats for children who may not get them otherwise.
Business owners can share the love on Valentines Day with gift certificatesIf you have a service business, it costs nothing but your time to be generous to charities on Valentines Day. Other business owners might donate groceries, or even a percentage of their daily profits on Valentines Day. Surely these generous business owners will be rewarded with good Karma and blessings.
Children can give valentines and candy to the less fortunate on Valentines DayBuy an extra box of the type of Valentine cards kids give at school. Have kids tuck some treats into small bags. Don’t forget to include and label some sugar free treats for diabetic children. Attach a card to each treat bag. Deliver them to a local charity. Teaching kids to be generous at an early age stays with them for life. Plus, that little bag of candy may be the only gift a homeless child receives for Valentines Day.
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For more than 30 years the Houston’s Best PRISM Awards have recognized the industry’s best in the categories of People, Product and Promotion. The PRISM (Professional Results in Sales & Marketing) distinction has long been synonymous with the industry’s highest caliber of excellence.
Best Volume Builder Product Design $200,000 to $250,000
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Houston’s Corporate Boutique
Owner of Scott Thomas Homestomcawthon
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Houston’s Corporate Boutique
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Some of the greatest discoveries in history have been stumbled upon. While one person is searching for the perfect solution, another can stumble upon it by chance. The discovery is just as exciting by happenstance, because when something is that right, it seems to glow among the rest. That is exactly how Courtney McDonald, team leader for David Young and Company, felt when she happened to tour a Scott Thomas home. While just stopping by on the way to an appointment to familiarizing herself with inventory and not looking to seal a listing, or sell a home, she felt she had stumbled upon a truly amazing find, and was inspired to learn more about them. The result is the following interview with some truly visionary builders.
Mickey Caddell, Vice President, and David Pipkin, Community Sales Manager, of Scott Thomas Homes shared their philosophy, standards, and take on their homebuyers.
Scott Thomas Homes provides a simple-yet rare formula for success.
GroundBreakers:
Interview by Courtney McDonald
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Houston’s Corporate Boutique
My drive to and from work starts and ends on FM 723. It is a peaceful two-lane road still adorned with farmland and cows grazing in the morning. Only 45 minutes outside of our bustling metropolis, the scenery is unexpected and soothing. It is why I fell in love with the area in the beginning. Thankfully, Scott Thomas homes loved the area as well.
When I asked them why they chose the Richmond area to begin building homes, the answer was simple: The gorgeous land, ease of commuting and the area value easily made it their top choice. Richmond offers benefits to suit any lifestyle, and that is what this builder is about. It fits their consumer to a T.
Riverside Ranch is a community that I have always loved from afar. With a little time to kill and an ever-growing curiosity about how high their price point really was, I stopped at their model to take a peek. I fell hard the minute I stepped into the foyer. The home had been immaculately appointed (no doubt very expensive upgrades), and it was perfection. With a smile, the salesman informed me that the home had only TWO upgrades. Everything that I was seeing was standard. Remarkably, it was also in my budget. Thus began my love story with Scott Thomas Homes.
When talking with Mickey Caddell, the Vice President of the company, his enthusiasm for his product is obvious.
“STH treats every client --as well as the construction of their homes-- as if they were in the high end luxury market,” Caddell began, “For far too long, consumers
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three areas – the way we do here at Scott Thomas Homes. We build the highest quality homes in every community we serve.
Purchasing a new home is a special occasion, and it ought to be a cherished memory. From the top down, we have the passion to preserve the joy of that memory for our customers by providing features we know our clients will desire in their home, built right in to the Base Price.“
The company is excited about today’s market, and they are ready for it. As any builder knows, to properly grow with your consumer, you must be willing to branch out into emerging market areas. The team is researching current possibilities, and I anxiously await their choice. One thing is certain, though: the area will be just right.
“We will not build anywhere we would not want to live ourselves – we simply care too much about our customers to do it any other way,” says Caddell.
It is glaringly obvious that Scott Thomas Homes is one of the most consumer centric companies – and I do mean companies, not just builders – around today. Caddell summarizes it beautifully: “Everything must work on paper, fit the vision, and we must be able to
look ten years down the road and be confident that our buyers were nothing but grateful that they chose Scott Thomas Homes.”
If only every business thought that way. What a wonderful world.
Scott Thomas Homes offers a Custom Home / BOYL program, and they are active in three master - plan communities:
Wayne Winsauer, Walnut Creek, Rosenberg
Paul Tapia, Custom & BOYL, River’s Edge, Richmond
Alison Stinnett & David Pipkin, Waterview Estates, Richmond
have had to choose value over quality or vice versa. The new generation wants both and they deserve it. They want homes that fit their lifestyle. Gone are the buyers that settle on a poorly appointed home and scramble to work their way up to their next purchase so they can enjoy their home. Its rare to find those who want to stretch themselves beyond their means, use ‘creative financing’ and put themselves in a home that they can’t afford, maintain or enjoy.”
“Our consumers want to enjoy life now, “ he continues, ”and strangely enough, that is our niche. Simple concept but rarely executed. We treat every homebuyer as if they were a million dollar buyer. In fact, someday they likely will be, and we will be there. We are growing with our consumers. There is no better way to expand than together- loyal customers in place, sharing their evolving needs and desires with us along the way.”
David Pipkin, Community Sales Manager in Waterview Estates, points out, “We approach the homes we build as if we are building them at 3-5 times the price, and we include so many features at our base price that other builders consider upgrades. No builder ties quality, choice, and value together – and delivers all
Scott Thomas Homes start at the remarkable price point of the low $200,000s. To further explore their homes, communities, and team, visit www.scotthomashomes.com
Mickey CaddellVice President
David PipkinCommunity Sales Manager
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Houston’s Corporate Boutique
THE FOODOur large expat population provides us with some of the best ethnic restaurants in the nation, so saddle up for the best Vietnamese, Indian, Chinese, Spanish, (and anything else you can think of) available. And our hometown specialties, Tex Mex and barbecue, are always a solid bet.
THE MEDICAL CENTER
We house one of best Medical Centers in the entire world. Our med center is larger than ALL of downtown Dallas. If you must get sick, do it here.
EVERYONE BELONGS HERE
Smithsonian Magazine named us the most diverse city in America. We are the #1 job creator in the country, and anyone qualified for a job can find one here and feel sure they will feel at home.
COST OF LIVING
Stretch that paycheck.A paycheck in Houston goes farther than in any other metropolitan city. Work it, H-town!
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Image Source: Wikimedia Commons/Public Domain
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HIGHER LEARNING
Rated a Tier 1 University by the Carnegie Foundation, University of Houston is home to over 39,000 students. Add to that the Texas’ answer to the Ivy League- the esteemed Rice University- as well as HBU, South Texas College of Law, St. Thomas, UT Med, and many more, and we’ve got one smart city.
THE WEATHER
Yes, you read that correctly. Complain about the heat and humidity, but our skin glows and our children never want for outside playtime or Vitamin D. So make sure the flood and wind policies are in order and enjoy the benefits.
THE RODEO
Over 2.4 million people visit our little rodeo every year to eat fried just-about-anything (Nutella, anyone?), and watch some of the best wranglers and performers out there. We have become one of the largest rodeos in the world- all in the name of scholarships.
THE ARTS
The museum district houses over 19 museums, or you can take in a ballet, opera, Broadway show, or symphony on almost any given day.
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by Amanda Rutt
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Houston’s Corporate Boutique
THE
THE HEART OF THE HOME
kitchen {kich-uhn} nouna gathering place for family and friends a place where memories are homemade and seasoned with love.
Image Source: Wikimedia Commons/Public Domain
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by Amanda Rutt
typical supplies, of course. A copper breakfast table that embraces wear and tear and magically turns it into a gorgeous patina. Sturdy, but soft chairs. Comfy barstools. Beautiful oxide tile covering the bar wall so the sheet-rock is protected and the kids can swing their feet from the barstools. Absolute, nonnegotiable? Bluetooth speakers. I would trade any one single element of my kitchen to keep the speakers. See, my first son Jackson and I had a daily routine when he was three. We would put in the Otis Redding CD, pull out the pots, pans, and wooden spoon drumsticks, and accompany Otis in “Try a Little Tenderness” with a zeal that I dare say nobody could match. The tradition carried on when little Teddy came along. Soon, I was a single mom and we were still dancing in the kitchen, even though their growing opinions left Otis in the dust and required “Feel Good” by the Gorillaz. Some of the most precious memories I have are attached to music in the kitchen. With the music and our laughter filling the air, all was right with the world. At fifteen and eleven, I can still get them to shake it with me a bit. The Otis days are burned into my brain like they were yesterday, and they always bring forth such overwhelming gratitude for having had that time. And, yes, a tear or two as well.
I grew up in a beautiful home that my parents designed and built themselves. A traditional cedar saltbox with an impressive great room and entertaining bar, large media room, and, oddly, a very small ‘working kitchen’. The kitchen was home to a brick hearth, an island, and while not large enough for a breakfast table, housed the softest, most comfortable down filled chaise lounge in history. Some of the best memories of my childhood are of lying on that couch (unthinkable in a kitchen then), reading a book, and even dozing in and out of catnaps
while my mother cooked. To this day, I still want a kitchen with a couch in it. Maybe a couch with speakers.
I give you these vignettes for a reason: visualize your family. Go through the motions of your day, how you use your kitchen, what your traditions, habits, and celebrations entail, and plan around that. What would enhance that? Make people linger a bit more, cook a bit more, share a bit more, even dance a bit more? Design around your life, and then take to the aesthetics. There will be something beautiful on Houzz or Pinterest to suit you; but know what you want first.
Consider comfort and warmth as much as function and style.
You will be hard pressed to select a style you don’t like, but its much easier to select something based on design that may be uncomfortable. Repeat after me: Lifestyle first; design elements second. Your friends’ opinions? Not on the table. In 1985, a couch in the kitchen was just plain odd; it worked beautifully.
Enjoy designing the heart of your home. Make it truly unique. Embrace your wildest of ideas if you think it would create the best memory making environment. Its yours, and the time flies. One suggestion: sturdy, sturdy, sturdy fabrics and furniture. Even the adults in my family have started a flour fight or two, and I highly suggest them as one of the best mood enhancers around.
o matter how sprawling, how many salons and game rooms are offered, the kitchen will always reign
supreme as the hub of the home. Kitchens have increasingly been spotlighted as the ‘new’ living areas; replacing the long gone formals as the new normal: the informal.
The design styles are countless: farmhouse, country, Mediterranean, traditional, transitional, cottage, classic, rustic, modern, minimalist, eclectic, craftsman... I have seen countless opines on the “right” and “wrong” ways to design kitchens. Throw them out. Do it your way, and heavily consider the habits of your brood when creating your design. This will undoubtedly be the center of your home. The place where meals are prepared and shared, midnight snackers run into one another and indulge together, monstrous messes are created by well-intentioned little ones in the name of “breakfast in bed”, and where you can actually grab a glimpse of your teenager’s day over a snack. We struggle with homework, toast our triumphs, and drown puppy love sorrows in ice cream within the kitchen’s walls. The greatest of decisions and the sweetest of memories are made over food and the shared experience of its preparation.
This is the greatest memory maker that brick
and mortar can offer.
I have fallen in love with dozens of all white minimalist kitchens that would absolutely never work with the droves of young boys flying through my kitchen at any given time. Recognize what you appreciate aesthetically and what would actually work with your lifestyle and go from there.
Musts for my kitchen? All of the
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In the
with Edible Earth.Garden
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Edible Earth Resources is a full service edible gardening firm located in Houston, Texas. They offer a wide range of services that benefit people who wish to grow their own food in a sustainable manner. They have two goals, food production and increasing the beauty of your space.
In the
with Edible Earth.
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Houston’s Corporate Boutique
Interview withDany Millikin
CM: What is the difference in buying from a large garden company and buying from you?
DM: That is a complicated question. A simple answer is expertise. Root stocks, fruit stocks, exotic varieties, chill hours, graft levels, planting methods, proven Houston varieties. Another simple answer is the soil. We want to begin or encourage an underground system of natural/ecological microbial success. Most other companies do not. Often it’s difficult for consumers to ask the right questions and even more difficult to get the right answers. With us, we want you to have long term success.
CM: How large is your company?
DM: About this big (holds hands about 14 inches apart). Just kidding. We are a small company, but a medium sized local gardening firm. We have four crews, of which, one handles occurring services (soil care, plant maintenance), one farms, and two crews are focused on installations.
CM: What is your favorite service that you offer?
DM: I love fruit forests; getting a relatively large number of trees in a relatively small lanscaping area. It’s possible in Houston to have year round fruit, and I find that very exciting.
CM: What has been your favorite project so far?
DM: We were asked to remove an underused play structure and install a garden. We changed the plan and turned the play structure and it’s surrounding area into a food castle/edible play space. It was really fun.
CM: Are there any other companies in Houston similar to yours that you work in conjunction with?
DM: Some of the premiere landscape design companies are planning more fruit trees and veggie beds, we consult with them on some jobs. Some companies are trying to do low cost, fast install veggie beds. And of course we are trying to support all small urban farmers. Alas, I don’t really know of anyone else doing what we are doing, from the soil to the table.
CM: How did you get started?
DM: We started with a strong desire to get people growing their own food. We were trying to get our friends, family, and fellow church members to garden, but they always wanted to pay us. Light Bulb Moment! We started doing raised veggie beds and that quickly developed into large scale edible landscaping.
CM: Where does the name come from?
DM: It’s funny because we get people that ask us, “do you eat the dirt?” This makes us feel like those camels in that “hump day” commercial. So, do we eat the dirt? Yes. All of our food comes from the soil. If the soil is thriving, the food is excellent, and vice versa. I heard a podcast recently bragging that modern chicken is 100% corn. Having said that, a spoonful of soil doesn’t help the medicine go down.Scott’s wife Blossom thought of it.
CM: What are your clients most interested in?
DM: Improving health, tastier produce, beautiful edible outdoor areas, having their kids connect with nature/food. Those are folks’ reasons for wanting to grow their own food.
by Courtney McDonald
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Farm to TableIf you haven’t made it to the Houston restaurant Coltivare, go and take a look at their beautiful garden built by Edible Earth Resources.
Herbs, Herbs and More HerbsThese beauties are ready to be planted in someones garden.
Edible Garden in River Oaks Beautiful veggie space right in front of a thriving olive tree.
Not Quite ReadyBlood oranges right before they start to turn their beautiful color.
Visit www.EdibleEarthResources.com
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w w w . D a v i d Yo u n g a n d C o m p a n y . c o m
14 2 01 M e m o r i a l D r i v eH o u s t o n T X 7 7 0 7 9 | 713 . 7 2 2 . 6 9 0 0
The pineapple has been a universal symbol of hospitality and welcome for many centuries all over the world. It symbolizes those intangible assets we appreciate in a home: warmth, welcome,
friendship and hospitality.
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