Hiring And Firing In Construction
Hiring And Firing In Construction
What mindset shifts are necessary for transitioning from employee to business owner?
We all want to make our parents proud, to be role models for our kids, and to show what we’re capable of. Being the middle child, I felt overlooked—not given the advantages of the oldest or the youngest, which made me more determined to prove myself. When my dad would tell me, “You don’t know how hard it is,” it became my motivation to prove him wrong.
One lesson he taught me was the difference between an employee and owner mindset. For example, as an employee, I’d leave a dozer running, thinking, “I’ll be back in five minutes.” But those five minutes of idle time can waste $15 to $20 in fuel. As a business owner, I now understand these costs and think differently.
Eventually, my dad gave me an ultimatum: “Run your own business, or shut up and do what I say.” That moment was the push I needed to step up, take control, and prove that I could run my own business successfully.
How does an ownership mindset enhance success and income potential?
I believe there’s always more to learn, and my approach is to swing for the fences. For example, when my wife graduated with her massage therapy and esthetician license, most people in her position would start by working at a spa to gain experience and build clientele. But I didn’t want my wife working for someone else. Once you adopt the mindset of an owner, you never want to go back to being an employee. Ownership lets you control your success and use your time effectively.
When she graduated, I suggested we open our own spa, even though we had no experience in that field. The income I’ve earned from construction allowed us to do this, blessing our family and giving my wife independence. Our spa operates differently—each person working with us is a partner, not just a renter or hourly employee. They have the freedom to build, brand, and market their own business while we earn rental income from the spa suites.
This setup benefits everyone involved. Each professional in our spa can set their earnings potential. Unlike an hourly job, where income is limited, they can make as much as they want. If they aim to earn $10,000 a month, they have that potential here. That level of income is rarely possible with an hourly wage mindset.
How can business owners clarify misconceptions about their success?
Some of my team members have made comments about my lifestyle. One example happened when I pulled up to a job site with my boat attached to my truck on the way out of town. A newer subcontractor remarked, “It must be nice to go boating while we’re working.” I told him, “You don’t know where this all started or the struggles I went through to get here. I don’t judge you for what you buy or do, and I don’t think it’s fair for you to do that to me.”
I offered to help him reach his goals, financially or otherwise but reminded him that material things have stories and sacrifices behind them. I don’t mind sharing what it took to get here, but it’s unfair to judge based on appearances.
Each conversation like this is unique. Some people may be frustrated about their finances or other personal struggles. I approach these situations by asking what they want in life and seeing if I can help. But there are people who aren’t willing to put in the effort—they make excuses, blame society, or spend time on social media instead of working. Success requires commitment and a willingness to work hard.
Why is it important for business owners to rely on facts instead of promises?
One of the best decisions I made was to stop trusting stories and focus on facts. In construction and real estate, you often hear promises like, “Help me with this job, and I’ll give you more.”
I once renovated a house for someone who assured me that if I invested my money to complete the project, I’d get a profit margin and more houses to work on. I covered all the costs based on his promises, but once he sold the house, I got nothing—no profit, no future projects. This experience taught me a valuable lesson: don’t trust stories, trust facts.
If he had offered a contract that guaranteed me a portion of the sale and laid out a plan for future projects, it would have been different. But instead, I relied on his word, and it cost me. Now, I always look for solid agreements and clear terms instead of verbal promises.
What mindset shifts help business owners manage challenges and losses?
In every business, you’ll face challenges. You trust people, sometimes hire the wrong ones, and go through a process to build a solid team. I learned this the hard way, hiring many people based on their words until I filtered out the unreliable ones. Now, after going through multiple crews, I have a dependable team.
One lesson I’ve learned is not to get emotionally attached to the business or the money. For example, I once lost $5,000 in a day but still made $20,000 that month. If you expect every dollar to be profitable, it’ll be hard to grow. Losses are part of business, but it’s essential to see the big picture—sometimes, you’ll lose in the short term but still end up in the green overall.
If you’re consistently in the red every day or month, that’s a sign something’s wrong. Bad days are normal, but the long-term outlook should be positive.
What would you do if you lost everything?
If I lost my construction company or all my businesses, I would probably start teaching others who are entering business. I wouldn’t focus on how to avoid bad days but instead offer motivation and guidance. I’d share insights from an outside perspective, suggest what I’d do, and share what worked for me. The goal would be to help them navigate challenges by offering ideas on improvement rather than dwelling on setbacks.
*This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.*
