Sharing a Legacy Through Hard Work and Business with Dennis Young & His Family

In the month of June, we celebrate the men that help shape us into the people we are today and who are always by our side during the good times and trying times. Dennis Young was inspired by his father Sam, whose caring nature impacted Dennis’s life. “He was my hero, not just because he was my father. He fought in WWII as a bombardier in Europe, was a 55-year cancer survivor, and worked hard to take care of my mother when she had severe dementia, demonstrating love and devotion to her. These factors really impacted my life substantially,” commented Dennis.
After the war, Sam started a business making table pads and eventually moved into other aspects of home improvement including windows, doors, Venetian blinds, aluminum siding and awnings. It was quite the successful business in 1948 which he called Uneeda Home Improvement. This business would set the groundwork that later proved to be a successful venture for the next generation. “When my brother and I were young, we would go to the warehouse to make venetian blinds. I was only ten years old and would go with my father on installations. This taught me hard work and responsibility from an early age,” recalled Dennis.
In 2011 the downturn of the economy would lead Dennis back to his roots and the lessons his father instilled in him. “I was a CPA and controller for over 30 years and lost my job and coincidentally at that time my oldest son, Koren, lost his job in the film industry. I realized it was time for a change; I’ve been handy all my life and decided to start flipping houses as the real estate market was just starting to come back. I told my son that if we did not start flipping houses now, we would regret it,” Dennis shared.
At this time Dennis had to make a decision; to do what he loves or go back to searching for a job in his current field. “I figured the opportunity to flip houses would last 5 to 6 years. By then, I would be in my mid 60’s, and there probably wasn’t a strong market for a 64-year-old accountant. So, I took a gamble, and with my passion for this, my son and I put our money together and had a pretty successful flipping business,” Dennis said.
Dennis also brought his other three sons into the business. “I love working with my sons. It was so cool to work long days with my boys for months,” Dennis stated. Life could not get much better than that, but home prices in California just got too high to be able to successfully flip. “I considered what my options were with all the experience I had. While most people my age are slowing down, I decided to return to school to become a General Contractor. I am working physically harder than ever before, but professionally speaking, I have never been happier.”
Dennis passed the state contractors exam with flying colors and went into business for himself. “When it was time to name my business, I decided to honor my father by using the same name he used back in New Jersey, Uneeda Home Improvement. Occasionally, I still work with my kids, but I have grown a really professional team of subcontractors and vendors that have worked with me on remodeling homes over the last few years. This was the perfect way to honor all that my father taught me: hard work, respect, and dedication. And these are the traits I am passing down to my sons,” Dennis said. 

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