Iredell HBA member Lou Ann Earnhardt has turned an idea for how to make the professional race car circuit in her area of the country into a successful business. She offers drivers and their staff both homes and a way to make living in those homes easier.

By Genilee Swope Parente

Many experts on home building have advised that as the nation goes into a weakened housing market, builders who hope to thrive during the potentially stormy years need to find a niche. Lou Ann Earnhardt, President, Carte Blanche, LLC, Mooresville, NC, heard that advice while studying for her accredited builder certification from the North Carolina Home Builders Association. And though her plans for starting a company coincided with what she learned, her dream was well formed before she took action.

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