Rejecting the Corporate World
Rejecting the Corporate World
What motivates business owners to prioritize hard work whilst enjoying life?
I enjoy life, and I believe there are two types of people in the world: those who live to work and those who work to live. I’m definitely in the latter group. I work to live—I want to play, have fun, and enjoy life with friends, family, and my kids.
I like having toys and experiences, whether it's a convertible or a ski boat for weekends at the lake. I’m the kind of person who’s always smiling, the life of the party. That’s what drives me—seeing something cool and working hard because I want to have those things. You can’t be broke and sitting at home if you want to enjoy life like that.
How can business owners delegate effectively?
Wearing too many hats is a common mistake. I did it when I was younger, thinking I could handle everything myself. But when you try to do it all, you end up not being good at any of it. You have to surround yourself with like-minded people who are driven and want to succeed. And you need to trust them enough to hand over responsibilities.
When I hire people, I look for those who’ll treat my business as if it were their own. I want them to feel ownership and to make decisions they think are best for the company. If they make a wrong decision, we’ll talk it through and fix it. If it’s the right call, we celebrate and reward that success. I encourage them to rely on their team and not try to wear all the hats themselves. Everyone has a role; they need to let others do their jobs.
This approach has worked well for me, finding people who fully buy into this philosophy.
How can business owners make better hiring decisions to ensure team alignment?
When we were first opening, I needed a plant manager. My focus was on sales and growing the business, not being in the office waiting for calls, scheduling, or handling shipments. I had to be out there, meeting people and saying, “Give us a chance.” But it was challenging—people in our market were loyal to their suppliers and hesitant to switch.
We found a candidate with experience in the industry, and although others warned us about him, we thought we could make it work. He was knowledgeable but not very personable, and people advised against hiring him. We went ahead anyway, thinking we could change him, but it turned out to be a mistake. You can’t always change people. Some people are set in their ways, especially if they’re stuck in bad habits, and it’s tough to break them out of it. He wasn't the right guy for the long term, but he was a short-term fix. He was somebody that we needed and understood the business. He was a plug-and-play, is what he was, but his batteries ran out quicker than we thought they would.
How can small businesses use quick decision-making to stay competitive?
We often joke about the bigger corporations we compete with, saying we’re just bullying them around. When people ask who our competition is, I tell them we don’t really have any. Sure, others are in the same industry, but we’re only competing against ourselves. They’d have a hard time keeping up with us.
One reason is decision-making speed. For example, if a big corporation’s loader breaks down, they have to hold meetings, get approvals, and go through layers of bureaucracy before deciding whether to fix or replace it—a process that could take weeks. For us, it’s simple. If our loader breaks, my partner and I have a quick conversation, look at the costs, and make a decision in three minutes.
This flexibility lets us stay ahead. When prices change, we review our margins and adjust without delay. Larger companies hold multiple meetings to satisfy stockholders while we keep things straightforward. We’re a family-owned business, just trying to do things the right way—and it works well for us.
Why are collaboration and partnerships essential for building wealth in business?
People don’t become wealthy on their own. I’ve never met anyone who did it all by themselves. Sure, they may have done some things alone, but they’ve always had a mentor, a business partner, or help from others to reach success. We need each other.
In our area, we're allied with a couple of other ready-mix companies. We’re good friends, always helping each other out. If our plant goes down, I can send my trucks to their place to get loaded, and vice versa. These are smaller, independent owners like us, not the big corporate guys who would turn us away. It’s like they say about raising kids—it takes a village. The same goes for building wealth; you can’t do it alone.
*This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.*
