Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashley And Jimmy Mckinzie.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
What started as a simple project out of necessity quickly became something so much bigger than we ever imagined. Back in 2016, we were just trying to make ends meet and create a home we loved on a tight budget. We couldn’t afford the furniture we wanted, so Ashley bought about $40 worth of tools off Craigslist, found free wood, and built our very first table herself. We had no idea that one project would completely change the course of our lives. Jimmy joined in and the creating continued.
Friends and family started asking for pieces of their own, which slowly turned into paid projects, referrals, and eventually a business. Now we specialize in custom cabinetry, built-ins, accent walls, and transforming builder-grade homes into personalized spaces families truly connect with.
One of the things that makes our story special is that we’ve built this business while also building our marriage and our family. There were seasons of uncertainty, long nights, learning curves, and moments where we were figuring everything out as we went. But every challenge pushed us to grow, not only as business owners, but as partners.
Today, our roles complement each other perfectly. Ashley leads the design, client communication, and overall project vision, while Jimmy brings the craftsmanship and precision that turns those ideas into reality. Together, we’ve created a business rooted in creativity, transparency, and quality craftsmanship.
What means the most to us is knowing that we’re not just building cabinetry, we’re helping families create homes that feel personal, elevated, and uniquely theirs. Seeing how far we’ve come from that very first handmade table is incredibly humbling. We’re proud of the business we’ve built, but even more proud that we built it together.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
One of the biggest struggles we faced was learning how to navigate running a business when we started it was just to make a little extra cash to get by and having no business knowledge. We had to learn everything through experience, trial and error, and a lot of hard lessons along the way.
As a husband-and-wife team, we were also figuring out how to balance business ownership with marriage and family life at the same time. There were definitely moments of overwhelm and uncertainty, especially in the early years, because we were building everything from the ground up without a roadmap. But those challenges ultimately pushed us to grow, not just creatively, but as leaders, business owners, and partners.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Creatively, we specialize in custom cabinetry, built-ins, accent walls, and transforming builder-grade homes into spaces that feel personalized, functional, and elevated. Every project is designed with the goal of creating a home that reflects the family living in it, rather than feeling like a one-size-fits-all space.
What truly sets us apart is the experience we provide for our clients. We genuinely value the relationships we build throughout the process and never take for granted that people are trusting us with their homes. For us, it’s about much more than the final product, it’s about making clients feel heard, cared for, and confident from start to finish.
We’re known for going above and beyond, whether that means helping guide clients through design decisions, paying attention to the smallest details, or making sure the process feels personal and collaborative. We want every client to feel like their project matters just as much to us as it does to them.
Who else deserves credit in your story?
We were incredibly fortunate to have family and friends cheering us on from the very beginning, especially during the early years when everything felt uncertain. Having people believe in us before we fully believed in ourselves made such a difference.
One person who truly stepped up in a major way was my (Ashley) cousin, Brittney. She worked in marketing and helped us start seeing our business through a more professional lens. She guided us through creating our first website, building our brand, and understanding the foundational pieces of running a business that we had absolutely no experience with at the time.
What meant the most was her patience and willingness to continue helping, even when business terminology and concepts felt completely overwhelming to me in the beginning. She gave us guidance, encouragement, and confidence during a stage where we were still trying to figure everything out, and her support played a huge role in helping us grow into the business we are today.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://modernnorthco.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/modernnorthcollective/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/modern.north.collective
