EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) – For El Paso business owner Raquel Markland, running her business and a side charitable effort are a way to give back to the community she grew up in and loves.
Markland is the owner and chief executive officer of Helping Hands Handyman LLC, which does repairs and remodeling work for residential and commercial property.
Markland is one of a series of Hispanic business leaders and entrepreneurs that will be profiled during Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15.
“I have been an entrepreneur for much of my life with restaurants, boutiques, even property management,” Markland said.
Life took her away from the Borderland for more than two decades. She lived in Alamogordo, New Mexico; in Ohio; and then San Diego, California.
She returned to El Paso in 2007 and started her current business in 2011.
Originally, Helping Hands Handyman focused on selling crosses made out of recycled materials at the Downtown Art and Farmers Market.
People would constantly ask if they could help with their lawns or help with repairs or projects at their homes and the business evolved to what it is today, Markland said.
The company also helps people in need through its Helping Hands of Hope initiative. Each year, they help about 20 families by installing grab bars, wheelchair ramps or accessible toilets, at no cost.
“Coming back to El Paso, you could see the needs,” she said. “That is a passion of mine. We have family members who are physically challenged. It was important to provide this service to the community.”
Markland said they don’t seek donations and they interview and screen people who receive help to make sure there really is a need.
Markland also said that she tries to operate her business with integrity and make sure they are offering a valuable service to homeowners and people with commercial property.
“You have people (contractors) who don’t show up or want to charge you an arm and a leg when you know it should only be an arm,” she said. “We are driven by our integrity and being very transparent with our clients and each and every one of our prospective clients.”
Her husband, Rogelio Calderon, helps out with the business.
“He says I’m the voice and he is the noise because he is the one who works with all the tools and takes care of all the labor with saws and drills,” she said.
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Helping Hands Handyman also can be found on Facebook. You can also call (915) 487-9706 for more information.
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