Adirondack Almanac contributor Susan Sweeney Smith, who writes about Cranberry Lake, has written a series of profiles of Cranberry Lake community leaders who dedicate much of their time and energy to volunteer work. are sharing. These profiles were originally published on Cranberry Blog. Cranberry Check out her blog here and enjoy Susan’s profile, her fifth post. Tovi Garrow Bliss Under.
Tovi Gareau Bliss, Owner, Bliss General Construction
Husband: Lyndon Bliss
Children: 5 children, ages 14 to 24.
What brought you to Cranberry Lake?
One day I was sitting at my computer and I said to Lyndon, “I want to go camping.” Found this place on the internet, we came over to look at it and then talked to Dennis Barstow, the person selling the property. We had no intention of working here and were planning to use it for vacation. We bought a house, fixed it up, and then business started to take off. Because everyone recognized our ability and how quickly it can be done.
when?
Five years have passed and our camp is almost over, 99.9% complete. Camp work can only be done in off-time, so it will take some time to do what you want to do at your own place.
When did you start Bliss General Construction LLC?
We started in Sandy Creek in 2013, so it’s been over 10 years ago. Up until then, I had always held executive assistant type office jobs. My degree is in business. When Lyndon was young, he worked in either agriculture or construction.
What inspired you to start this business?
I grew up as an entrepreneur, and my parents were entrepreneurs who owned multiple businesses, from a fishing shack to a craft store to a cleaning station to a construction company. I grew up surrounded by construction, so I understand it very well. I met Lyndon and he happened to be in construction. I’m very good at management, so owning and running a business comes naturally to me. And so we decided to start on our own. I call it “the perfect storm.”
I’m very quiet and travel between counties a lot for work and family. Lyndon has a very sociable personality, and even though I am the owner, our clients see him every day at work and on site, so he is the “face” of the company.
One of my favorite first clients said, “Oh, I never knew girls could do what we can do.” I have no idea whether that’s an insult or a compliment (lol).
When you first came here, did you think you would live here?
When we first came we didn’t expect to do any business here as we planned to relax and fish a lot. But here we are.
What was your first job here?
HUB was the first project we did in Cranberry Lake. Denise Barstow called me and asked me to bid because we were a woman-owned business. She runs a woman-owned business, so she understands that. We only met Dennis for a short time.
She bought us a house and was related to us, but other than that we didn’t know anything about anyone here. Dennis wanted to work with us. I am very grateful for that.
Then, due to the coronavirus, the availability of materials was drastically halted, and prices more than tripled. The materials for the HUB were custom-ordered from Ohio, but transportation was an issue. Coronavirus has been a disaster for contractors. After New York state shut down all construction companies, I couldn’t work and had some free time, so I completely renovated my house. Luckily, we were in luck because we had already ordered the supplies and had them delivered to our camp about three weeks before the coronavirus outbreak. Others not so much.
What is your biggest challenge in business?
I respect the fact that it’s run by a woman and I know what I’m doing. Half the time Lyndon has to call in material orders because the person on the phone doesn’t understand what I’m doing. Lyndon is the builder, but I am the owner and run the business. From estimates to contracts, walk-throughs, punch-outs, payroll, invoicing, ordering/receiving materials, errands, and face-to-face meetings with customers.
What are your unique challenges as a woman in business?
It’s taken seriously. People trust women who know what it takes to build something. We enjoy making things and are practical people, so we’re here to make people happy. If I didn’t love it, I wouldn’t do it.
What are the biggest challenges in building a good life in such a small town?
Separation of work time and family time. By creating boundaries that our clients need to respect, they have their own down time and family time, and so do we. We cannot continue to work and be available 24/7.
Who inspires you? Why?
I think father and husband. Because they are both hard workers and great providers. Lyndon looks like my father. Lyndon (and my dad too) will do everything he can to make sure we have what we need. He runs up and bids me, then goes home and mows the lawn or does the dishes if I ask. He is my true partner.
My father is a great gardener and architect and is great at taking care of my mother’s needs. My mother has been ill for over 6 years. The last couple of weeks have been the hardest of my life and have taught me how quickly life can change and that you have to keep moving forward. My mom is an amazing cook, decorator, and sewer/quilter, and she’s great at making a house feel like a home. I got her decorating abilities from her. I also got the ability to run a business and a home from her as she ran all the businesses. Everyone who walks into my Sandy Creek home or Cranberry Lake camp always comments on my decor.
Although I am a woman, I am carrying on my father’s legacy through the construction industry. My husband was born on a dairy farm and grew up milking cows and pulling hay as a child. He is used to hard work. He’s also one of 10 children, so he’s used to chaos, noise, and laughter. I grew up in a very clean, tidy, quiet home. I have never worked harder in my life than I have in the past 10 years of owning my own business. Owning a business has been more rewarding than anything I’ve ever done. It’s a great feeling to see the final product we created.
What is your best cranberry memory?
For me, it was my first day driving down Columbian Road. I could smell the fir and pine trees, the fires in people’s fireplaces, or the campfires outside, and I told her husband this was home. I hadn’t even seen the house (the house we ended up buying) yet, but I just knew about it. Then we drove around and went down Lone Pine Road to see the state park and let us drive through it. And I could see the beach and the basketball court. That’s when I knew this was the place I could call home. When I was a kid, we used to visit and camp in the Old Forge area on the other side of the park, so ADKS always had a wonderful scent that brought back great childhood memories…
Lyndon looked at me and asked if he would let me redo this house too…and of course I did.
What do you hope for the future here?
Let’s fish more. During my break time, I go fishing. My parents owned a fishing lodge, so I grew up surrounded by fish.
What are your hopes for the business?
It’s scary when Lyndon gets tired. I’m worried about when he won’t be able to do that. My father is a silent resident, a silent worrier. Lyndon: Every day is a new day. He believes he can always find a way. He hates the word “can’t” because he believes he can. Lyndon is my strength. If he says no, we’re in trouble.
I have some health issues so it takes a lot of energy out of me, but I try to slow down a bit. Twelve hours in a day is no longer in our vocabulary. I need time to be with my parents and family. I can’t keep spreading myself so thin. If my list is long, Lyndon wakes up at 3am to make sure I get it done. It’s taking its toll on me so I have to find a healthier balance.
What expectations do you have for the future of the town?
I hope it stays that way, but it won’t change after this generation leaves. I feel that the next generation may not want things the way this generation does. I hope this city never changes. We want all the events we participate in to continue. The people who are organizing all the activities are elderly people, so I hope they don’t sell the house to strangers who don’t want to live here or rent it out only to vacationers.hoping
Wealth is passed down through families that carry on the tradition. I hope it remains a small town full of caring families…
Any other thoughts?
Thank you to Cranberry Lake for welcoming us, accepting us, and giving us the opportunity. We always recommend other local businesses…it’s hard to do everything because we don’t have time. We also want to help other businesses grow.
Pictured above: Tovi Garrow Bliss and her husband Lyndon Bliss, owners of Bliss General Construction. Photo provided by the author.
