KNOXVILLE, Tenn — Knoxville photographer Aimee Rievley has had a tough time getting things fixed around her house.
The single mother of three had a bad experience with a plumber last year when she called about a leaky faucet.
"It was like $200 just to get him out here, and he cut a hole in my basement roof to check for water damage, but he just had to tighten a faucet," Rievley said.
When the repairman charged another $600 to patch the hole, she couldn't afford it.
"Especially as a woman when you go to get things fixed, you don't know anything about it, how long it will take, who will do what job," Rievley said.
Leona Skiles, a single mother herself, became overwhelmed with home repairs last year with little money to fix them and no one to turn to for help.
"My ceiling light in my room had been broken for two years, and it's like who do you call for those little fixes?" Skiles said.
During the pandemic, her HVAC, hot water heater, dishwasher, and refrigerator all broke down in the same week. The quote she received from the repairman to fix it was too expensive.
"He was an angel, and he ended up fixing all of it for free, and in those moments I was like I want to do something like this," Skiles said.
In January, she started her own business called Little Fixes, maintenance, and home services to help women, particularly single moms, and the elderly with small repairs.
"Your toilet is leaking or your light switch isn't working, and it's just all those little fixes that make the biggest difference," Skiles said. "We just bring the sparkle!"
Skiles recruited handyman Joe Giebudowski to help get the business off the ground, and it took off.
"The whole thought process when I was thinking of a name was sending a family man in, somebody safe, somebody that other women can trust, and I just saw such a need for that and making it more affordable," Skiles said.
When Rievley called, she knew Skiles and Giebudowski were the right fit.
"As a single mom, it's very important because I know Leona has vetted him. I don't have to worry about a stranger coming into my home," Rievley said.
Rievley said she's just relieved to finally get things fixed for an affordable price.
"I can't wait for more!" Rievley said.
Skiles wants to expand her business to other states with plans to employ women like herself.
"It's the little fixes that make the biggest difference in a mom's life, and I get it more than anybody," Skiles said.