EVER SINCE he was a teenager, Nathan Wheeler has been building things. When it was time for him to choose a career, he considered other options, but construction was the natural choice. He made a good living working for others, and when he met his future wife, he was ready to start his own family.
Nathan’s wife, Courtney Wheeler, was also a hard-working entrepreneur who ran her own cleaning service. The two combined their skills. He completed small handyman jobs while she took care of their client’s cleaning needs. Their efforts paid off, and word got around. Soon, his calendar was filled with projects.
“That’s when Courtney came up with the idea of me starting my own company,” Nathan said, “I was hesitant and told her I was content with working for other people. That’s what I had always done, and it was working well.”
The jobs kept coming, and Courtney asked Nathan to reconsider. She suggested quitting her cleaning job so that Nathan could focus on starting his own construction business. She planned to homeschool their children so he could build a business they both could be proud of.
“It worked,” Nathan admitted. “After about a month, I was getting bigger jobs as extensive as full-home remodels. After much prayer, we started our business, Purpose Driven Home Renovations, in August 2024. We use the scripture Col. 3:23 as our slogan: ‘And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not unto men.”
Nathan and Courtney said they chose that particular scripture because they desire to “please God in everything we do, including the work for others.”
Their small business continues to bring satisfaction to customers. Nathan’s more than 20 years of construction experience includes basic tasks like ceiling fan installation, painting, light plumbing and electrical work, and TV mounting, as well as more detailed renovations such as comprehensive kitchen and bathroom remodeling and the removal of load-bearing walls. They are also insured and ready to help.
“We married young — 16 years ago last April. We made a decision to start our family at a young age so we can enjoy it,” Nathan said. “Now we have eight children with ages ranging from toddler to teen.
“People think we are crazy, and when we go grocery shopping, people stare at us in awe. We can see them actually counting us to see how many we have in tow. They ask if we have a blended family, and I have to tell them no and explain they are all our own.”
Courtney and Nathan describe themselves as “Daddy Duck, Mommy Duck, and baby ducks all in a row” when they go out. Their children are well-behaved and respect their parents and the places they visit.
“Being together is very important to us,” Courtney explained. “We enjoy doing things together, such as playing volleyball in the yard, taking walks to the creek, and exploring nature.”
The children learn hands-on responsibility by taking turns doing chores, and everyone pitches in to make life run smoothly and fairly.
“For example, at our house, if you do the cooking, you aren’t responsible for cleaning up,” Nathan said. “Many hands make light work. We like to get the work done so we can have a great day.”
“One of the most important things to remember when raising a big family is to stay connected with every child,” Courtney said. “My 15-year-old daughter told me she thought we were living our ‘mom and daughter bestie life.’ We love spending time with each other.”
Another important lesson the Wheelers want to convey to their children is the idea of memories over material things. Rather than gifting expensive material things, they save up for family vacations they can all enjoy together and remember forever, unlike the material gifts that are often forgotten after a few days.
“We also want to teach our children to avoid letting anything hold them back from their dreams,” Courtney said. “If it’s a dream, we teach them to do it unto the Lord.”
As self-motivated entrepreneurs, the Wheelers have learned to work hard to make a way to support themselves and their family. The message of working hard and following a dream is woven through all they do.
Now the Wheelers have a new dream and a new entrepreneurial endeavor — a mobile coffee shop.
“We plan to call it the Good News Espresso, based on the scripture John 3:16,” Courtney said. “After all, that’s the best news we’ve ever heard. We’re planning on taking it to events, businesses, and fairs.”
Nathan and Courtney Wheeler started out building things, then a business, and then their dreams. What is most important to them, however, is building relationships with their family.
“Family is the most important thing,” Nathan said. “It’s the only thing you can take to heaven.”
Purpose Driven Home Renovation can be reached at (615) 318-7681 or through the following email address: cwnw621@icloud.com.
