Talon Home Builders blends family values with a highly personalized approach to building boutique homes
When Tom and Jennie first met as co-workers in the homebuilding industry, it paved the way for both a loving marriage and a successful business. The formation of Talon Home Builders (Talon) in 2015 was preceded by their wedding in 2009 and, today, the Shumways continue to run their family-owned company as husband and wife. Talon prides itself on its boutique custom approach, with a one-of-a-kind philosophy that means all its homes are unique and unduplicated. Jennie Shumway, Owner and Vice President, reveals more to Modern Home Builders.
“Tom and I met in the early 2000s, when we were both working for another home builder in Sarasota. He was a superintendent and I was a purchasing agent. Long story short, we fell in love and got married, then Tom started the business initially while I was still in employment – I joined him in 2019 and here we are; still married and still in business! When we launched Talon just over ten years ago, Tom had already gathered a few licenses through various opportunities, including a general contractor’s license, a roofing license, and a mold and remediation license. Alongside our experience in the field, that was a great starting point for us.”
Specializing in custom luxury homes, the majority of Talon’s projects are driven entirely by its customers and their specifications. “Our building process begins with a client meeting, where we explain what we do and how we do it,” explains Jennie. “Next, we engage in a design agreement to develop the plans for their home, alongside our building partners. Once the plans are complete, we help make their finished selections – from the exterior roof tiles to outdoor colors and interior finishes, before finally building the house.” Many of its clients are focused primarily on multi-generational homes. “Not only do we build houses for retirees moving to the area, or people wanting a beach lifestyle, but mainly for those who need adequate spaces for growing families. Most of our clients have plans for future spouses of their children, and grandchildren being a part of family gatherings – they’re thinking about having the room for big events with their loved ones in the home.”
Small but mighty
One such new project is a vacant lot in The Islands community on the Manatee River, which the couple have invested in. “It’s a beautiful neighborhood and we’re currently designing a plan for a showcase home,” highlights Jennie. “At any given time, it’ll be possible for somebody to come in and buy the project.”
Although Talon’s operations center on custom new builds, it has also been known to carry out several large-scale addition and remodel projects. “We aren’t in the business of remodeling just a kitchen or a bathroom, but if a client wants to add 2000 square feet onto their home, or tear down the inside and completely update it, these larger remodeling projects are definitely the kind we’d consider,” Jennie continues. “They are totally different to new builds. They require far more management. The project supervisor must arrive early in the morning and work throughout the day to ensure everything is tidied up, often working around those who might still be living on the property. It’s important to coordinate schedules and avoid interfering with their personal lives – it’s more daily communication, rather than the weekly communication we have with our new builds.”
Talon’s personalized approach comes with a wealth of foundational experience and a ‘small but mighty’ team culture. “We are genuinely passionate about what we do and who we do it for,” continues Jennie. “As the owners of the business, we’re engaged with the client throughout the entire process and we stayed involved – they can contact us directly and reach out anytime.” Strong relationships are central to Talon, Jennie adds: “We’re a very tight-knit team. We have three project managers communicating daily with our clients and regularly with our building partners, working on schedules, organizing materials in the field and receiving materials. We also have two office employees, so it’s not a big team but we’re very close. We hold weekly meetings where everybody is updated on the progress of each project, and we all know what is happening on every job site, whether directly responsible for the build or not. We listen to each other, we learn, and we discuss. I love it when the team has input and suggestions. We actively encourage that kind of engagement.
“Looking ahead, our goal is to grow the Talon team into some higher-performing roles,” she continues. “One of our project managers has been here for nearly four years now and we’ve given him the opportunity to expand in his role, taking on more of a senior position and overseeing some of the other jobs. While he prioritizes his own jobs, he now travels around the community and checks in with the other two team members, ensuring everything is running smoothly. I’d love to see them all grow into bigger roles, step up and continue to become more involved in the business.”
Quality and reliability
A decade after being built from scratch, Jennie says she is inherently proud of all that Talon has accomplished – from creating stunning luxury homes to cultivating a talented, valued team and being renowned within the community for quality and reliability. “I’ve never been one for big dreams or planning, but it’s just incredibly special to look back and reflect on what we’ve achieved and see all the beautiful homes that we have built,” Jennie shares. “Knowing that we have such wonderful clients who are happy with what we’ve built for them is a unique and awesome feeling.”