Empowering Mentorship: Bose Houser

Bose Houser is a remarkable individual who wears many hats. As an architectural designer, DIYer, Youtuber, and novice woodworker, she embraces her passion for creativity and craftsmanship. Throughout her Lagos, Nigeria upbringing she absorbed the intricacies of various artistic creations, which fueled her curiosity and love to create exceptional designs. In 2010, Bose took her expertise to the next level by establishing Rocks + Cornerstones LLC, a construction and design company that specializes in commercial interior fit-out projects and residential renovations. Rocks + Cornerstones values are based on Christian faith. Honesty, integrity, compassion and grace are their driving force.

Bose first came to Pacific Community Ventures in the Summer of 2022 through our partnership with the Inner City Capital Connections program (ICCC) by the Initiative for a Competitive Inner City (ICIC). She recognized that she needed mentorship in her business, but she did not know where to look or who to ask. When the opportunity was presented to be paired with a pro bono business advisor, she knew she could not pass it up. Bose knew how to operate her business, but believed she was missing major components of what makes a business operate successfully. 

Bose was paired with Greg Lewis, who is also an entrepreneur. After working with this advisor, she has learned how to properly charge and estimate charges for services, how to rework contracts to fully benefit the business, how to restructure their accounting model and simplify systems and processes. Additionally, Rocks + Cornerstones LLC is now targeting a new market (Set-Asides) based on Greg’s advice. Finally, and most importantly, Bose can always count on Greg for emotional support. 

When asked if Pacific Community Ventures was able to meet her needs with this mentorship, Bose exclaimed, “Yes, my mentor is amazing – I wanted someone in the construction field who would understand my struggles and pain points. Someone who has been through a similar path and with experience and time has navigated through similar situations successfully.” Greg is currently assisting Bose with getting SBA certifications to target government contracts. Ultimately, her goal is to create her own opportunities. She would like to purchase residential buildings in distressed neighborhoods and bring them back to life. 

Bose affirms that this partnership has had a significant impact on the business. She notes, “Our systems and processes have improved significantly, which translates to our client relationships. We are able to keep money in the business because we are estimating our projects correctly and charging accordingly. We are going after bigger and better projects because we are now in the position to do so. The business has faced its challenges over the years, but it has been a significant year of internal growth for R+C. This has been one of the best decisions I have made for my business.”