Eugene Lee: From Financial Planner to Tech Founder

In this episode of TradesTalk, Justin sits down with Eugene Lee, a longtime financial advisor who left a cushy 5-hour workweek to build "Love Your Neighbor"—a startup aiming to revolutionize home repairs.

Inspired by casual “yard beers” with neighbors, Eugene spotted a major gap: when you need a contractor fast, there’s no reliable way to find someone nearby who’s off duty but available. So, he built it. Despite knowing almost nothing about tech, he raised $1.2 million and launched a platform that connects homeowners with local pros for urgent repairs.

What makes Eugene’s story so unique is his willingness to start over. With no coding skills, no tech co-founder, and no playbook, he leaned into community, tapped into his financial network, and stayed committed to solving a real problem. His journey is a powerful example of how trades knowledge and entrepreneurial thinking can collide to create smart, scalable solutions for everyday challenges.