Women in Business: Kim Finch – Finch House Boutique

Here in Lake Havasu City, a talented entrepreneur has found pure success as a small business owner. Kimberly M Finch owns and operates 6 businesses in town: Cabana Boat, Kimberly Michael Salon, The Chair, Beach House, Finch House Boutique, and Tasty Waves. Being successful with all of these businesses would not have been possible without the help of her husband, Dallas Finch, who for 27 years helped run the famous Kokomo Beach Club.

A little about their background

Kim, born and raised in Lake Havasu City, left for college in Los Angeles after high school and trained to become a hairdresser for 6 years. She returned to Lake Havasu City, where she met her husband Dallas. They later purchased the property for Kimberly Michael Salon and have owned it for 11 years.

Prior to Kimberly Michael Salon, they established Cabana Boat 3 years earlier, initially operating 3 boats, but now have 11 in total. Cabana Boat is a popular Lake Havasu City attraction for locals and tourists, offering boat rentals for special occasions and leisurely days on the lake. Their other businesses are located in the bustling English Village, frequented by both locals and tourists.

Timeline of their businesses

About five years ago, the owners of the English Village approached Kim and Dallas. They had found success with Cabana Boat and Kimberly Michael Salon and encouraged them to open something in the village. Shortly after, The Chair – Lake Havasu was born, joining Beach House, Finch House Boutique, and Big Fin’s Tasty Waves, all opening within a year. Kim explained that owning 4 businesses in the English Village is special to her.“I have a huge attachment to the village. I grew up hanging out down there, running around, riding our bikes and scooters, going down the grass hill and it’s been really cool helping bring that back to life. That’s probably the best part is seeing it evolve and being a part of that since we have a lot of the land down there.”

Kim and Dallas achieved great success, with each store earning over 4 stars on Yelp. Owning a small business, let alone 6 of them, is no easy task. When asked if she could give advice to aspiring small business owners, Kim stated, “Take the risk. You don’t get anywhere without taking a risk… If you have a dream, go for it.”

To Kim, the most special part about being successful in her hometown is giving back. “Giving back to my community and being involved is my favorite part.” Kim and Dallas employ over 130 local workers, positively impacting Lake Havasu City’s economy by providing jobs.

What is next for Finch House Boutique?

Coming up, an exciting expansion is coming to their stores. The Finch House Boutique will be expanding their retail store by offering online shopping, nationwide. Soon, customers will be able to visit their store in the English Village, or shop from home.

This content was written by our amazing staff writer Alicia Armendariz

And sponsored by The A Team- Real Estate Professionals.

Women in Business: Colleen McShea & Catie Sondrol – Mile Markers

A small business in Lake Havasu City is run by two amazing women, Colleen Wedekind McShea and Catie Sondrol. Colleen and Catie own and operate Mile Markers, a company that offers services for people of all ages with developmental disabilities, delays, or medical issues. They offer many services like speech therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, music therapy, an after-school and adult day program, habilitation, work, and DCS programs.

A look at their background

Colleen is a speech pathologist, and she attended Illinois State for her bachelor’s degree and Texas State for her master’s degree. After school, she completed her clinical fellowship year in town at Havasu Regional Medical Center (HRMC). Colleen ended up staying with HRMC after her fellowship, where she met Catie, and the dream of Milemarkers began. When asked why she chose her career path, Colleen explained, “My dad told me to find what I love and get paid for it. I love to talk and help people, so this is perfect for me. I believe communication is the foundation of life, and I get to help people communicate what they need and want in life.” Colleen has been married for 14 years and has three kids, ages 12, 11, and 7, along with two dogs.

Catie is an occupational therapist and attended the University of North Dakota for both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees. After school, she started her career in school districts and early intervention services before she met Colleen to begin creating Milemarkers. When asked about the best part of her career, Catie explained, “I love the combination of science and medicine. I also love using creativity to help somebody increase the quality of their life and independence. To me, occupational therapy is an art, and I love it.” Catie has been married for 20 years and has two kids, the ages of 15 and 12, along with two dogs.

Colleen and Catie both have full families in Lake Havasu City, and that is what makes serving their community even more important. “We love raising our families in the community that we want to help improve. We pride ourselves on being a primary resource center for families in Mohave County.”

What is next for Mile Markers?

Coming up in January of next year, Milemarkers will celebrate their 18th birthday. Before they celebrate, they are eager to move into their new location by the end of this year. Mile Markers will eventually move into a 24,000-square-foot building located in The Shops at Lake Havasu on the north side of town. Currently, they are in 2 separate locations, so moving into one facility will help them streamline communication and services for their families. They are also hoping to expand their services into behavioral and living supports.

Along with their current locations in Lake Havasu City, Milemarkers has clinics in Bullhead and Kingman. As Mile Markers will celebrate two decades of work in no time, Colleen and Catie are most proud of their company’s organic growth. “We started with ourselves as two therapists and recognized we could better serve the community of Lake Havasu by adding additional services. We listened to the families that we were serving and were able to add the services that they needed; We started off with kids, and as they grew into adults, we began working with the state to get a contract to offer work opportunities for our adults with disabilities.”

More information about Milemarkers and the services they offer can be found at milemarkers.us, and they can be contacted by email, Instagram, Facebook, or their clinic phone number listed on their website.

If you or anyone you know is a therapist, Milemarkers is currently hiring!

This content was written by our amazing staff writer Alicia Armendariz

And sponsored by The A Team- Real Estate Professionals.