When it comes to the independent home improvement industry, it is the only career that Joanne Lawrie has known. 

Joanne, who has been in the industry since she was a teenager, currently co-owns The Lawrie Group of Home Hardware Stores with her husband Rob. The Lawrie Group includes eight Home Hardware, Home Hardware Building Center and Home Furniture bannered stores in several rural communities in Nova Scotia, Canada. In 2026, she can add another milestone to her professional journey, serving as the chair of the North American Hardware and Paint Association’s newest board of directors chair.

At 15, Joanne began working part-time as a cashier at a Canadian Tire store, gaining firsthand exposure to customer service, store operations and the importance of product knowledge on the sales floor. While she went on to attend university and worked at a variety of jobs, the fundamentals she learned in retail stayed with her. Joanne returned to the home improvement industry, recognizing it as a field where relationships and community engagement could create long-term opportunities.   

It was through the home improvement industry that Joanne met Rob, whose family owned an independent hardware store. Together, they took ownership of the family business and began the work of building and expanding the operation. What started as a single-store responsibility evolved into a multistore organization, driven by careful growth, a focus on people and a commitment to serving the unique needs of each community in which their stores are located. 

The Roots of Success

Nearly three decades later, Joanne says their secret of success has been embracing the roots of what makes independent retail shine—personalized service, community engagement, product knowledge and being authentic. 

“I think when customers come into our operation, they feel that they’re being served and that they matter,” Joanne says. “We have a tagline that we use on a lot of our marketing: Where service matters. Everything comes from that idea of treating our customers like we would like to be treated.” 

Before the eight stores that Joanne and Rob run now, they had two locations—one in Joanne’s hometown and one in Rob’s. The Lawries divided their time equally between the two communities as well as they could given that they were an hour and 15 minutes apart, staying involved with local organizations and donating to area causes. Since the operation has expanded, Joanne and Rob have mentored the leadership teams at each store and their employees to be the ones involved in their communities. 

“We’re in very small rural towns and so being present matters. In today’s day and age and especially since the pandemic, being present matters to people,” Joanne says. “During the pandemic, people trusted us to be a safe place for them and to be there for them as an essential business. I think that resonated then and still does now. We’ve always been essential and core parts of our communities, but I think it’s even more important now than ever.”

Learning to Lead

As she has grown into a leader, Joanne says she falls back on several pieces of professional advice she’s received. 

“I was a female entrepreneur in an era when there weren’t very many female entrepreneurs, and at that time, I was told to focus on building relationships because this is a relationship business,” she says. “As I grew in leadership, someone encouraged me to focus on creating a strong team culture and invest in training. When you do that, your people will be the foundation of your success. I think that’s the gift that I give—I invest my time and energy in my employees to make them better.”

Joanne takes that advice into each day and loves that each day in the independent channel is different. Being a part of the industry has been both challenging but also brought her great joy and validation. 

“It takes a little while to get this game underway,” Joanne says. “You have to be comfortable with the fact that you’re not going to know all the answers, but if you’re willing to learn and invest in and educate yourself, that will get you where you need to be.”

While Joanne is grateful for the awards and accolades she and her company have received over the years, it’s the growth of the business and the ability to serve customers and communities that drives her. 

“We’re running a substantial little entity here, and it’s all been self-taught. There’s no written textbook on how to run an independent store and grow it successfully,” Joanne says. “Every community where we have stores has its own needs, and being able to service those needs with our stores has been the success I am most proud of.”

Steps Ahead

As Joanne starts her tenure as board chair, she looks forward to being a part of the next phase of growth for NHPA. The association celebrated 125 years in business last year and future growth will depend on strengthening the collaboration between members and industry partners. “We have to focus on what the independent home improvement retailer is going to be looking for, whether it’s innovation, employee engagement or just what it takes to survive in the industry,” Joanne says. “I’m looking forward to building more on that strong foundation. Regardless of where we head, we need to go with the mindset of working together and being collaborative.” 

When looking at the future of the independent channel, Joanne says she has been telling her teams to focus on going back to the basics. Her operation is at a crossroads. With several veteran employees getting ready to retire and the need to share that knowledge with the next generation of employees, Joanne is looking at employee training as one of those basics. 

For her, the advancement of training delivery that cuts down on time for the employer and employee will be key. 

“NHPA’s RetailWise AI training program is a great example of how automation and accessibility in training will be the future,” Joanne says. “No matter where technology goes, we will always be in the people business, and our employees need that knowledge base. The easier we can get that knowledge to them, the better.” 

Along with Joanne becoming board chair, the NHPA board underwent several other changes. Ash Ebbo, CEO of Clement’s Paint in Austin, Texas, is now serving as vice chair. The board welcomed three new directors: Emily Wood, Wood’s Ace Hardware and Mercantile; Katie Prus, Abbotsford Paint and Decorating, Abbotsford Commercial Paints, Chilliwack Decorating Centre and Garrison Village Paint and Decorating; and Jeremy Peterson, Family Hardware. 

“We have some new young leaders in director roles. How they think of their business isn’t how I think of my business, so I’m excited to learn from them,” Joanne says. “I think NHPA has established itself as the channel authority and is setting up to confidently continue leading the industry, making retailers better and more profitable.”