Meet Laura McHolm, Co-Founder and Director of Marketing at NorthStar Moving Corporation in Chatsworth California
One of the few women at the helm of a moving company, Laura McHolm turned the industry on its head with her leadership and zeal for discrete, exemplary service. McHolm co-founded NorthStar Moving in 1994 hoping to break free of the dim view consumers held about the moving industry. With a dedication to graceful customer care, McHolm found ways to provide clients with total peace of mind in the midst of what is usually a stressful process. Under McHolm’s guidance as Director of Marketing, NorthStar Moving has become a sought after vendor for today’s hottest celebrities and well heeled clients across the Los Angeles area.
McHolm has moved service back into what should have always been the ultimate service industry: the moving industry. To establish the firm as the preeminent moving company for affluent clients, McHolm created numerous “red carpet” services some of which include:
· “Photo Perfect Packing” service where movers photograph areas of the home before packing, then pack, ship, and reassemble the room exactly as it was in the client’s new home
· Decoy trucks to shield celebrity moves from paparazzi
· Partnerships with notable service providers, including Oprah’s dog trainer
In addition to these unique customized services, she enjoys looking to and learning from notable companies in other industries to further her commitment to exemplary service. For example, McHolm was recently accepted to and attended Zappos’ Live Two Day Boot Camp from which she brought back ideas about how to better NorthStar Moving’s internal values as well as everyday interactions with clients. McHolm believes that a successful executive is open minded to external viewpoints in order to grow with a clientele and flourish within an industry.
Through her unrelenting focus on service excellence and special added touches, McHolm has set the highest standards for the moving industry, including finding new ways to lighten its carbon footprint. NorthStar Moving partnered with E-Cycle Environmental, to provide a bright green solution for households on the move, recycling old household items responsibly and domestically. The company runs its entire fleet of moving trucks on biodiesel and uses battery-powered lift gates on all trucks, alleviating any need to leave vehicles idling. McHolm is proud to say that their trucks may be red on the outside, but they are green on the inside — leading the way for eco-friendly companies in the industry.
At the end of the day, McHolm feels a deep and abiding debt to the community, and continually looks for ways to give back. NorthStar Moving donates storage services and manpower to Make-A-Wish Foundation’s Wine Tasting fundraiser, St. Jude’s Foundation annual Power of Youth benefit, the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles Holiday Toy Drive, and Goodwill of Southern Los Angeles. NorthStar Moving also creates and sends care packages to troops stationed in Iraq.
Today, NorthStar Moving is the leading eco-luxury residential and commercial mover in California, recommended by an impressive list of celebrity clientele and “A+” rated by the Better Business Bureau.
Additional Info about NorthStar Moving and Laura:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/NorthStar-Moving-Corporation/72050925814
http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS162922+09-Jul-2008+PRN20080709
http://www.northstarmoving.com/pdf/awards/2008.Women_in_Business_Trailblazer_Award.pdf
