Embrace Discomfort, Unlock Growth
Embrace Discomfort, Unlock Growth
How can business owners integrate work and family time effectively?
I work with my family, including the older generation, and I believe communication with your partner or spouse is essential. I’m blessed to have someone I can talk to and say, "Hey, this is what's going on. I need to work on Saturday, but let's make up for it on Sunday." Even if you’re coming home late, it's important to spend quality time with your kids or spouse. Make those moments count—put down the phone, look them in the eye, and really focus on them. Time passes quickly, and you don’t want to look back at 80 or 85 and regret not spending more time with your family.
For young parents, you don't get that time back. I see my 15-month-old growing so fast, and I think, "How did this little baby turn into a toddler?" It happens so quickly, and you have to cherish every moment. Work will take care of itself, whether it means getting up earlier or focusing more during work hours. But why do we do all of this? It's for our families. Ultimately, we want to spend more time with the people we love.
What upcoming changes are expected in the construction industry?
I believe we're in a once-in-a-lifetime moment in the construction industry. A lot of the older generation is retiring and leaving the field. While they're taking valuable knowledge with them, they're also taking the old-school mentality—both the positive and negative aspects.
This opens up a huge opportunity to transform construction from the ground up. When you look at construction productivity over the last 20 years, it's been flatlining. It’s alarming because almost every other industry has seen productivity increases, but construction has stayed the same, following the mindset of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." But the truth is, it is broken now, especially when you consider America’s housing shortage.
Over the past few years, real estate has been crazy, and finding affordable housing has become nearly impossible. We need to build more in America, and I see this as a key opportunity for younger professionals like me and the next generation to bring construction technology into the mix. That's my driving purpose—I see a chance to transform an entire industry and make a big impact. It's been tough to make such changes over the last 50 years, but right now, the moment is here. This presents a huge opportunity not only for the industry but also for myself, my company, and the next generation.
How can a business stand out in a competitive industry?
Looking back at my schooling, I was always a great student. In school, you have a teacher who teaches you something; you go home, read the book, do the homework, come back, and take the test. It's a rigid structure.
When I started my hurricane shutters company right after graduating with a business administration degree, I followed the same approach. I read the books, studied, took the tests, got good grades, and graduated. That was one of my biggest mistakes, and it hindered me because, in business, you need creativity. You need to shake things up.
I set up the company exactly like everyone else in the industry and became just another “me too” option. By that, I mean a commodity option—it became a race to the bottom because I was no different from everyone else. I did everything "right," like the teacher said, like everyone else was doing, but it didn’t help me.
Once I learned this lesson the hard way, I realized you have to do something different. You have to disrupt. You can be the A student, but you also have to be the class clown—you’ve got to shake things up to stand out and achieve real success. This is a struggle for many business owners, especially small business owners. They set up their businesses like everyone else, which makes them compete on price.
But you don’t have to do that if you're willing to think outside the box. Infuse your creativity into your business, and don’t be afraid to stand out or ruffle some feathers. It will help you in the long run.
What planning systems help business owners stay organized and achieve their goals?
Since 2019, I’ve been writing everything down. I have a planner for each quarter, where I record my major goals for the year, plan my week ahead of time, and organize my day every morning. This habit has been crucial for me as an executive, helping me reach the next level.
Before, I used to try and keep everything in my head, but that didn’t work because when you’re running a company, there are so many small details to manage. If you try to keep it all in your head, you’ll forget something. That’s when I decided I needed a system. I use a Full Focus planner (I’m not affiliated with them), and it’s been invaluable in keeping me organized and successful. By writing things down, I make sure nothing slips through the cracks.
Why should business owners automate and document processes?
One key takeaway I want to share is the decision to constantly improve, automate, and document processes. It's important to find ways to make your business easier to manage so you're working on the business, not just in it.
I'm always looking for ways to improve processes and make things easier for everyone involved. I believe this focus on constant improvement, automation, and process documentation is something every business owner should take seriously.
*This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.*
