In a city full of bold entrepreneurs, Camilla Jeffs and Amber Boskers are carving out a new kind of success story. The co-owners of Kohler Haus Remodeling didn’t start the company, but since taking it over in late 2023, they’ve more than doubled its revenue and are eyeing an ambitious $10 million goal, within five years.
Jeffs and Boskers sat down with Tampa Bay Business & Wealth to talk about how they scaled so quickly, what it’s like to lead as women in a male-dominated field and why empowering others, especially women, is at the heart of everything they do. The transcript has been edited for length and clarity.
Tell us how you both came to own Kohler Haus Remodeling.
Jeffs: Kohler Haus was founded 12 years ago by Lynn Kohler, a general contractor here in the Tampa Bay area. In late 2023, Amber and I purchased the business from her. At the time, it had about three employees and was generating $1 million in revenue. Since then, we’ve expanded the team to nine, taken on more projects and doubled revenue to $2 million. Our goal is to grow by $2 million, each year, until we reach $10 million, in five years.
That’s inspiring growth. What helped make it happen?
Jeffs: When we bought Kohler Haus, it had a stellar reputation and was entirely referral-based. But Lynn was ready to retire, and didn’t have the bandwidth to meet the demand. So, our first move was hiring a project manager, an estimator, more field workers, which meant we could stop turning away business. And now, we’re building out our marketing efforts to grow beyond referrals.
Boskers: We’re also leaning into our strengths. Camilla has a background in operations and finance — she runs the engine. I focus on community relationships, outreach and strategic partnerships. It’s a strong balance.
You both have backgrounds in real estate investing. Did that influence your remodeling approach?
Boskers: Absolutely. We’ve fixed and flipped homes ourselves. So, we know what it’s like to work with substandard contractors — and we know how important it is to get it right. That’s why we’re so focused on quality and integrity. This isn’t just someone’s house. It’s their home. It’s where they build their life.
How has the hurricane recovery impacted your business?
Jeffs: It’s been huge. After the back-to-back hurricanes, we made a conscious decision to pivot and help flood victims, even when those projects didn’t fall within our typical high-end client base. Some clients still aren’t back in their homes. We’ve been helping them navigate insurance claims, permitting delays and even unexpected expenses when homes aren’t up to current code. It’s been a long process, but we’re committed.
You’ve talked about wanting to elevate the construction industry as a whole. What does that look like in practice?
Boskers: For us, it starts with people — our clients, our team, our subcontractors. We want every person involved to feel respected and valued. That includes paying our crews on time, supporting their growth and treating them well so they want to show up and do their best work.
Jeffs: We’re also making it a priority to work with other women-owned businesses. We’ve partnered with a woman-owned cabinetry company, a countertop fabricator and we’re looking at adding a women-owned plumbing company. About 80% of our internal team are women, including some of our field workers. My 20-year-old daughter is one of them — she’s 4’9” and swings a hammer like a pro.
You mentioned wanting to build an ecosystem that supports women. How else are you putting that into action?
Jeffs: We’ve started offering internships to help young women see a future in this industry. One of our first interns came through a program called Ready for Life, which supports young adults aging out of foster care. She’d never used tools before, and now she owns her own drill and is building things in her apartment.
We’re planning to do more, including partnering with local high schools and colleges to offer hands-on experience to women interested in construction and trades.
Boskers: We’re also reaching out to Hillsborough County schools to speak to students. Right now, career counselors aren’t talking about trades or entrepreneurship. We want to change that.
What do you want other women—or anyone thinking about launching a business — to take away from your story?
Boskers: Tampa Bay is open for business. This community has been so welcoming and supportive. If you’re thinking about starting something, do it. Don’t wait.
Jeffs: And don’t be afraid to do something different. When she was younger, my daughter told me she wanted to go into construction instead of college, and people told her she was making a mistake. That just lit a fire in me. We’re here to show there’s more than one path to success — and it can be powerful.
