Latest / Somos La Chamba-Stories of our Community / Building Success: Two Generations, One Industry | Somos La Chamba Ep. 2

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Building Success: Two Generations, One Industry | Somos La Chamba Ep. 2 · Somos La Chamba-Stories of our Community

• 0:18
  SPEAKER_01: Today we're stepping into the world of construction.
• 0:21
  SPEAKER_01: And my guests today are business owners, leaders, and I'm really excited to share their story.
• 0:29
  SPEAKER_01: So Mr.
• 0:29
  SPEAKER_01: John Avila with Thomas Burn Construction.
• 0:33
  SPEAKER_03: Yes, ma'am.
• 0:34
  SPEAKER_01: And then Advil.
• 0:37
  SPEAKER_03: You got it right.
• 0:38
  SPEAKER_01: Advil Cabrera with Wolf Steel Buildings.
• 0:41
  SPEAKER_01: Buildings.
• 0:42
  SPEAKER_01: Wolf Steel Buildings.
• 0:44
  SPEAKER_01: Welcome to the podcast.
• 0:46
  SPEAKER_03: Thank you.
• 0:46
  SPEAKER_03: Thank you for having us.
• 0:49
  SPEAKER_01: Mr.
• 0:49
  SPEAKER_01: Avila.
• 0:50
  SPEAKER_01: I want to start with you and not to put Advil to the side, but thank you for your service.
• 0:56
  SPEAKER_01: You have a great story, and I'm really excited to learn a little bit more about you.
• 1:00
  SPEAKER_01: So you've led in both the military and the construction side of things.
• 1:06
  SPEAKER_01: How would you say both shaped or impacted you?
• 1:10
  SPEAKER_04: The military?
• 1:12
  SPEAKER_04: Well, um I went into the army uh very young.
• 1:18
  SPEAKER_04: I was uh 17 years old, and and I had gone to Catholic parochial school in San Antonio, so that is why I graduated early.
• 1:28
  SPEAKER_04: And I wanted to study um architecture is what I wanted to study.
• 1:34
  SPEAKER_04: Uh and I did a a year in junior college, and the Vietnam War was going on, and all of my friends were getting drafted.
• 1:42
  SPEAKER_04: But uh, had good grades, so I was okay, but then I got with a buddy and said, Come on, let's go.
• 1:50
  SPEAKER_04: Let's just go.
• 1:51
  SPEAKER_04: And so I went in the army and I got selected to go to officer candidate school.
• 1:56
  SPEAKER_04: So my claim to fame is I was commissioned a second lieutenant when I was 18 years old.
• 2:04
  SPEAKER_04: And so um obviously that was very formative for me in terms of teaching me leadership, organization, uh commanding troops.
• 2:17
  SPEAKER_04: Started with small groups, of course, but eventually I was commanding an artillery battery in Korea, which was like 130 soldiers and so forth.
• 2:28
  SPEAKER_04: So I'll end up spending five years on active duty, and then as as you know, joined the Texas Guard when I came back and went to college and rose up to the ranks from captain to major, colonel, lieutenant colonel, uh full colonel, and then brigadier general.
• 2:46
  SPEAKER_04: And so um that's great teaching grounds for definitely leadership and and organization.
• 2:53
  SPEAKER_04: And so construction company or construction business is just like the army.
• 3:00
  SPEAKER_04: I mean, your superintendent is like the first sergeant, your project manager is like the captain, your construction manager is like the major, and and your foreman are like uh platoon sergeants, and the workmen are like your soldiers.
• 3:16
  SPEAKER_04: So it's it's very, very similar when you when you compare them.
• 3:21
  SPEAKER_04: So that that's how it prepared me.
• 3:23
  SPEAKER_01: That's amazing.
• 3:24
  SPEAKER_01: That's amazing.
• 3:26
  SPEAKER_01: Atebell, you shared that you started your company about four years ago.
• 3:32
  SPEAKER_03: Yes.
• 3:32
  SPEAKER_01: That's insane.
• 3:33
  SPEAKER_01: Um so tell us a little bit about your journey.
• 3:36
  SPEAKER_01: Because, you know, like Mr.
• 3:37
  SPEAKER_01: Avila said, it takes a lot of like growing and learning.
• 3:40
  SPEAKER_01: You know, you have to develop all these things.
• 3:42
  SPEAKER_01: So tell us about your experience.
• 3:44
  SPEAKER_01: What led you to that?
• 3:45
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, so um after or during my high school years, I I got a job working doing metal buildings, and kind of my like my family has been in the metal building industry.
• 3:56
  SPEAKER_03: Okay.
• 3:56
  SPEAKER_03: Um, and then from there, I just happened to be working for a company and started moving up, you know, going from installing them out there, uh, going to the shop, welding, uh, moving into customer service, operations.
• 4:10
  SPEAKER_03: Then I started getting into like a lot of marketing, a lot of sales, uh managing uh an operation.
• 4:17
  SPEAKER_03: From there I got an opportunity to um to move back to um where I was born, which is in Michigan, uh, for a family business.
• 4:26
  SPEAKER_03: Um and uh, you know, they offered me, hey, you know, we're having a little hard time, still a small company.
• 4:33
  SPEAKER_03: Um, and uh we just need someone with your experience to maybe lead this company.
• 4:38
  SPEAKER_03: So I said, you know what, uh I'll move from Texas, which really broke my heart.
• 4:43
  SPEAKER_03: But I I did it more with the challenge, with the excitement.
• 4:46
  SPEAKER_03: So I moved over to Michigan and uh took a small company around 300k in revenue, 300,000.
• 4:53
  SPEAKER_03: We built it in five years to like an$18 million company.
• 4:57
  SPEAKER_03: Um and then from there it was just more like I wasn't happy because it's Michigan, it's not really where I'm really yeah.
• 5:05
  SPEAKER_03: So I was like, you know what?
• 5:06
  SPEAKER_03: I'm gonna come back uh to Texas.
• 5:08
  SPEAKER_03: But I didn't want to start a identical company because that all we did was just the metal building.
• 5:14
  SPEAKER_03: That's it.
• 5:14
  SPEAKER_03: We wouldn't do anything else.
• 5:16
  SPEAKER_03: But the clients always had a problem.
• 5:18
  SPEAKER_03: And they always had a problem that they had water shaping or they had other issues that were happening afterwards, like when they uh if they insulated the building or stuff like that.
• 5:29
  SPEAKER_03: Um so I was like, you know what, I'm gonna I'm gonna do something different.
• 5:33
  SPEAKER_03: And so that's where Wolf Steel started, which is the company we have right now four years ago.
• 5:37
  SPEAKER_03: And uh what we do is uh full we're we're more of a general contractor specifically for metal buildings, so we make our clients' metal buildings dreams come true.
• 5:47
  SPEAKER_01: Look at that.
• 5:48
  SPEAKER_01: That's ex that's that's cool.
• 5:50
  SPEAKER_01: I like that.
• 5:50
  SPEAKER_01: Um and it it kind of relates in a way to Mr.
• 5:55
  SPEAKER_01: Avila.
• 5:56
  SPEAKER_04: You mentioned your company, it's about a hundred years old, but you didn't acquire it till what about 74 I when it was it was uh 1995, it was 72 years old at that time, and so I've had it since then.
• 6:11
  SPEAKER_04: And like I said, we're 103 years old now, so 30 years, something like that.
• 6:17
  SPEAKER_01: But you mentioned, and correct me if I'm wrong, but you didn't change anything when you acquired the business.
• 6:23
  SPEAKER_04: No, the company was was very well known in Fort Worth and and has built many of the iconic buildings throughout our city.
• 6:32
  SPEAKER_04: Um so um there wasn't a question about changing it to Avila because it I needed to maintain that that name.
• 6:41
  SPEAKER_04: So uh but it had declined in its in its volume over the years, which which made it a doable deal for me to be able to put together the resources to to purchase it.
• 6:53
  SPEAKER_04: And then and then we started to grow.
• 6:57
  SPEAKER_04: I did a business plan and uh the curve was very, very shallow, but in fact it we we did very well and it went up pretty pretty quick.
• 7:08
  SPEAKER_04: But a lot of that was due to the fact that of its name.
• 7:12
  SPEAKER_04: Okay, and then from my own contacts and network having been in the industry in other companies.
• 7:19
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, yeah, that makes sense.
• 7:22
  SPEAKER_01: You do you feel like there's a difference um in I'm sure there is Michigan, Texas.
• 7:28
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but you restructured obviously business.
• 7:30
  SPEAKER_01: You paid attention to what wasn't working, tweaked it.
• 7:34
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but you've done a lot of networking too.
• 7:36
  SPEAKER_01: That's how we're here, right?
• 7:37
  SPEAKER_01: Uh because you're not originally from Texas, is what you just said.
• 7:40
  SPEAKER_01: Yes.
• 7:41
  SPEAKER_03: It's a little interesting story for me because I did move to Texas from Michigan when I was 16.
• 7:46
  SPEAKER_03: So I did start building a network.
• 7:49
  SPEAKER_03: Um, when I moved to Michigan, I didn't have a network.
• 7:52
  SPEAKER_03: I kind of had, you know, maybe childhood friends kind of a network, but it didn't really help me.
• 7:58
  SPEAKER_03: Um moving back here, actually, my network from um just up to I was because I moved to Michigan when I was 25.
• 8:06
  SPEAKER_03: So from 16 to 25, I felt like I I had a great network from going to the University of Texas at Arlington, um, from just around here, and I felt that this was a really good starting point because I knew a lot of um concreteros, you know, like uh concrete guys or uh metal building guys, like the people that I needed to be able to make the product come true, they were here, and it was just through good network.
• 8:33
  SPEAKER_01: Right.
• 8:34
  SPEAKER_01: I have an uh I have a question for both of y'all, but I'll start with Mr.
• 8:37
  SPEAKER_01: Avila.
• 8:38
  SPEAKER_01: I was listening to a podcast and it was something regarding a professional.
• 8:43
  SPEAKER_01: Um I can't remember exactly what it was, but someone younger asked him what it would take, what it takes to become, let's say, his profession.
• 8:52
  SPEAKER_01: And his answer was like, well, things back then were so different than what they are now.
• 8:56
  SPEAKER_01: So I'm curious what your perspective is.
• 8:58
  SPEAKER_01: If someone's interested in getting in contracting or building their business, what advice would you give them?
• 9:06
  SPEAKER_01: You know, based off what you went through, saw?
• 9:10
  SPEAKER_04: Well, he mentioned it.
• 9:12
  SPEAKER_04: It I I think it's I think it's your network when you when you regardless of what level you start in the business, you start making friends that are in the business, uh, subcontractors, architects, engineers, uh, and so forth.
• 9:28
  SPEAKER_04: And and they will introduce you to potential clients that that are going to build a building.
• 9:34
  SPEAKER_04: And so um the thing I like to tell p young people is I believe you're no less than two people away from anybody you want to talk to in the United States, you will know someone that knows someone that can make an introduction for you.
• 9:53
  SPEAKER_04: And so um, for example, when I was uh executive vice president of Manhattan, we built the ballpark in Arlington and the president of the Texas Rangers, if you recall at that time, was George W.
• 10:08
  SPEAKER_04: Bush.
• 10:10
  SPEAKER_04: And so he was the guy I dealt with as the client.
• 10:14
  SPEAKER_04: And so when he became governor, he asked me to serve on certain blue test force committees, uh studying property tax or other things.
• 10:25
  SPEAKER_04: I think he wanted a Latino on one of his committees, his committees and so forth.
• 10:31
  SPEAKER_04: And so when we were done with all that, he said, I want to give you uh a reward.
• 10:37
  SPEAKER_04: I said, Governor, I'm happy to have served, I don't need anything.
• 10:40
  SPEAKER_04: He says, No, no, no.
• 10:42
  SPEAKER_04: Johnny, my boy, you know how he how he speaks.
• 10:44
  SPEAKER_04: He said, I want to put you on the Texas Board of Prisons.
• 10:49
  SPEAKER_04: I said, Texas Board of Prisons, why would I want to do that?
• 10:52
  SPEAKER_04: Okay, okay.
• 10:53
  SPEAKER_04: How about the General Services Commission?
• 10:56
  SPEAKER_04: I said, What do they do then?
• 10:57
  SPEAKER_04: Well, they they buy our paper clips, they buy our typewriters, they take care of our buildings and so forth.
• 11:02
  SPEAKER_04: I said, Why would I want to do that?
• 11:05
  SPEAKER_04: He said, Well, do you hunt?
• 11:06
  SPEAKER_04: I said, I'm in the construction business, you have to.
• 11:08
  SPEAKER_04: Do you fish?
• 11:09
  SPEAKER_04: Same answer.
• 11:10
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 11:11
  SPEAKER_04: Uh do you uh uh camp and do that?
• 11:14
  SPEAKER_04: I said, I'm in the Texas Guard.
• 11:16
  SPEAKER_04: Of course I camp.
• 11:17
  SPEAKER_04: He said, Texas Parks and Live Wildlife.
• 11:20
  SPEAKER_04: So I was appointed as a commissioner there at Texas Parks and Wildlife, which is for six years, which is a coveted position.
• 11:29
  SPEAKER_04: And the people I was on that commission with was Nolan Ryan, Lee Bass, Marilyn Oshman, and and all these other Hoosets that owned thousands of acres.
• 11:43
  SPEAKER_04: And they asked me, where's your place?
• 11:45
  SPEAKER_04: And I said, I don't have one.
• 11:48
  SPEAKER_04: And they said, Well, you're gonna get one.
• 11:50
  SPEAKER_04: And so we got 500 acres out in Hamilton.
• 11:53
  SPEAKER_04: But the point was that was a tremendous opening to a lot of people in my network and so forth.
• 12:02
  SPEAKER_04: So um it's been great.
• 12:04
  SPEAKER_04: So I I my advice is grow your network, use your network.
• 12:08
  SPEAKER_01: So Yeah, definitely.
• 12:12
  SPEAKER_03: Um well, I'm just gonna say what has worked for me.
• 12:15
  SPEAKER_03: Um, so to this day, um, what has worked for me is really being involved in a lot of the operation of a business.
• 12:25
  SPEAKER_03: So really to understand a business, at least, you know, to me, has been to, you know, be involved.
• 12:31
  SPEAKER_03: Like I was in marketing, I learned marketing, uh, I studied accounting, so I know the language of business.
• 12:38
  SPEAKER_03: I uh I've been, you know, I work with my hands on the construction, so I understand the construction, um, and then I've been in the operation um doing it.
• 12:48
  SPEAKER_03: So all that has gotten me that.
• 12:50
  SPEAKER_03: And then the next one I would say is is leadership, because at the end of the day, in order to really take it from the level of just operating it, is it's all about people and um and how we communicate, how we lead, and how we develop others is is the only way to take it to another level.
• 13:09
  SPEAKER_03: At least to the level that I'm at, and that's what I'm I'm currently working on.
• 13:13
  SPEAKER_03: I'm working a lot with development, developing our future leaders for our company.
• 13:17
  SPEAKER_03: Um, so that's what I would say to someone is get involved in in many different areas of a business, understand marketing, understand sales, understand all what is a business, almost even we could say a generalist, and but also do not be afraid to take on challenges because all those challenges will develop your leadership skills and your your ability to um to navigate and lead others.
• 13:42
  SPEAKER_03: So that would just be my my perspective.
• 13:45
  SPEAKER_04: That is such great advice.
• 13:47
  SPEAKER_04: Young people today they want to move up as quickly as they can.
• 13:52
  SPEAKER_04: And and while that's admirable, you know, the you just need to take the time to go through the rungs.
• 13:59
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah.
• 13:59
  SPEAKER_04: Engineer, project manager, superintendent.
• 14:04
  SPEAKER_04: You know, learn learn learn the ins and outs of real construction because then you'll be able to make an impact in whatever you're doing for your own personal, you know, career growth.
• 14:15
  SPEAKER_01: That's awesome.
• 14:16
  SPEAKER_01: So it sounds like don't be afraid to make mistakes.
• 14:19
  SPEAKER_01: Sounds like network a lot and be patient because you know you there's a lot.
• 14:26
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 14:27
  SPEAKER_03: Yes.
• 14:28
  SPEAKER_02: How's it going, everyone?
• 14:29
  SPEAKER_02: So today we are here with Chad, who is with the Better Business Bureau.
• 14:34
  SPEAKER_02: And this specific small session that we have, uh, we wanted to introduce not just Chad and the amazing things that his organization is doing in the Fort Ware area, uh, but we also wanted to dive into what the Better Business Bureau is.
• 14:49
  SPEAKER_02: Sometimes uh contractors or just small businesses in general don't really understand the significance and the importance of being accredited.
• 14:57
  SPEAKER_02: So today I wanted to take the opportunity to have Chad briefly introduce himself and talk to us about why businesses across the Fort Worth area should consider being accredited with the BBB.
• 15:10
  SPEAKER_00: Absolutely.
• 15:10
  SPEAKER_00: Thanks so much for having me.
• 15:11
  SPEAKER_00: I appreciate it.
• 15:12
  SPEAKER_00: And uh I love all the great work you guys do with the the Fort Worth Hispanic uh chamber.
• 15:17
  SPEAKER_00: So you guys do incredible work.
• 15:18
  SPEAKER_00: But yeah, it's it's important to be accredited.
• 15:20
  SPEAKER_00: Obviously, um, you know, we develop standards of trust and we set the standards of trust in the marketplace.
• 15:27
  SPEAKER_00: That's our goal and that's our mission.
• 15:28
  SPEAKER_00: And so we want to make sure that the people that that engage our customers, our community, do business the right way.
• 15:34
  SPEAKER_00: And so um Better Business Bureau is not a pay-to-play organization.
• 15:38
  SPEAKER_00: A lot of people think that, but that's not how it works, right?
• 15:40
  SPEAKER_00: And so um there are we do revoke organizations throughout um each month that don't meet our our standards of trust.
• 15:47
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and so that that's a big thing.
• 15:49
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, think about when the last time you you did a big purchase, right?
• 15:52
  SPEAKER_00: It's most likely it's because you bought there because you trusted them.
• 15:54
  SPEAKER_00: And so that's so huge in the marketplace and the community, is that we want to continue to develop more and events trust in the marketplace.
• 16:02
  SPEAKER_00: And so that's what it's all about, especially when you deal with the trades and those kind of things.
• 16:06
  SPEAKER_00: Um, you want to make sure that you're dealing with a credible business.
• 16:08
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 16:08
  SPEAKER_02: No, and and that's very spot on because I think in today's era with everything being online and just everything being digital, you run across, especially as a consumer, you run across different platforms that may not be as credible.
• 16:22
  SPEAKER_02: Um we know nowadays people can generate their own reviews, they can create a random website with all this fake information.
• 16:29
  SPEAKER_02: But the fact that the BBB has um, I would assume that not just a traditional system, but almost like even like an algorithm and an advanced platform to ensure that the people that are on there are actual legitimate companies.
• 16:42
  SPEAKER_02: So um are there specific industries that benefit a lot more from something like this, or do you believe that it's really all businesses that really want to uh uh increase the credibility and reputation that they have online?
• 16:56
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, so so one of the things I think credibility is exactly right.
• 16:58
  SPEAKER_00: So since 1912, so you get to attach your brand with our brand.
• 17:02
  SPEAKER_00: It's been around for a long time, over a hundred years.
• 17:04
  SPEAKER_00: And so I think, yeah, all businesses should apply.
• 17:06
  SPEAKER_00: It does not mean that every business business will make the cut.
• 17:09
  SPEAKER_00: Like I said, um, you know, there are companies that unfortunately they don't they don't make the cut to be accredited with us.
• 17:15
  SPEAKER_00: But I think it's huge to be accredited to say I'm gonna do the business the right way.
• 17:19
  SPEAKER_00: Um we you talked about reviews.
• 17:20
  SPEAKER_00: Another thing that's different with the better business reviews is that we actually vet them.
• 17:24
  SPEAKER_00: And so we call and make sure that transaction took place.
• 17:26
  SPEAKER_00: We you talked that you alluded and talked about fake reviews.
• 17:29
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, they can your competitive your competitor or someone can be upset with you, and then all of a sudden, we live in a microwave society where instantly that that reviews everywhere.
• 17:38
  SPEAKER_00: And so that's one thing, especially as a consumer, um, to vet those companies, go to the bbb.org.
• 17:43
  SPEAKER_00: We have over 10 million hits a year.
• 17:45
  SPEAKER_00: Um, so go verify those companies to make sure they're legit.
• 17:48
  SPEAKER_00: And the good thing about us is that you see complaints too.
• 17:50
  SPEAKER_00: If you do business long enough, you're gonna have a complaint, right?
• 17:52
  SPEAKER_00: It's natural, it's gonna happen.
• 17:53
  SPEAKER_00: But to make sure that if you're a business owner, you respond to those the right way, uh, you're quick with your response.
• 17:58
  SPEAKER_00: Don't leave those complaints out.
• 18:00
  SPEAKER_00: You know, make sure you're responsive to those just as if you're getting a brand new quote, right?
• 18:04
  SPEAKER_00: You're excited to go do a new quote.
• 18:06
  SPEAKER_00: You need to do the same way with those complaints and those reviews, too, because a complaint can be a great way to enhance trust if you handle it the right way.
• 18:15
  SPEAKER_00: Yep.
• 18:15
  SPEAKER_00: And so uh so that's uh hugely important, you know, as a business owner and also as consumers, verify the companies that you deal with.
• 18:21
  SPEAKER_00: So would one industry, I would say no.
• 18:23
  SPEAKER_00: I say all industries benefit for being accredited.
• 18:26
  SPEAKER_00: Um, but yeah, I I definitely, you know, before I do business, I'm gonna look and see if they give back to the community, if they're honest people, how their reviews are, especially doing a large ticket purchase.
• 18:34
  SPEAKER_00: And so I think it's huge, it's highly important.
• 18:37
  SPEAKER_00: That's why I think it's great how Better Business Bureau works with chambers as well, because it's a perfect marriage.
• 18:42
  SPEAKER_00: You know, you you work with the networking side, the connectivity, and the lead generation side, and then you also have the Better Business Bureau that uh develops credibility and and and says that, hey, I'm gonna do business the right way.
• 18:52
  SPEAKER_00: And so I think that's huge in today's society.
• 18:54
  SPEAKER_02: That's amazing.
• 18:55
  SPEAKER_02: And one of the things that sometimes people don't uh fully grasp, and uh, my background is a little bit more on marketing web design.
• 19:02
  SPEAKER_02: So I I understand the importance of having a reputable uh organization list your business.
• 19:08
  SPEAKER_02: Absolutely.
• 19:09
  SPEAKER_02: Um for those of you who are familiar with backlinks or uh SEO for for websites, um you'll as you go through that exploration of acquiring backlinks and improving the SEO and your business, you'll come to find out that big organizations that have a longstanding reputation like the BBB have a very dominant presence online.
• 19:31
  SPEAKER_02: So when you list your business on platforms with such a strong dominance in really in online, it automatically helps you move up the ranks as far as your Google search.
• 19:44
  SPEAKER_02: So Google or these search platforms identified, and they're like, okay, so and so is listed on the VVV, it looks like they're A plus rated, we're gonna bump them up.
• 19:53
  SPEAKER_02: So when clients are looking for your business or they're trying to search for a service, they typically end up finding you first.
• 19:59
  SPEAKER_02: Um and I've seen that when I'm looking for businesses.
• 20:02
  SPEAKER_02: Um and and to touch on a little bit on the aspect of what that looks like whenever, let's say a consumer finds a credible business that's accredited and then also has a good rating.
• 20:14
  SPEAKER_02: What does that look like from the user standpoint and what can the business expect?
• 20:19
  SPEAKER_02: Is it as simple as the business owner receives an email notification, they get notice and say, hey, so-and-so is interested in hiring you.
• 20:28
  SPEAKER_00: Right.
• 20:29
  SPEAKER_00: So another perk of or a benefit of being an accredited business is that you can uh consumers can request a quote from your profile.
• 20:36
  SPEAKER_00: And so you will get alerted um from that.
• 20:38
  SPEAKER_00: Now realize we're not a lead generation company, but it does happen because I could and also you can see how many people go to your profile because inquiries take place all day long, right?
• 20:47
  SPEAKER_00: They're gonna verify.
• 20:48
  SPEAKER_00: So but that's a huge thing, is as an accredited member, you do get uh that opportunity where people can request a quote from our your profile with a better business bureau.
• 20:56
  SPEAKER_00: And like you said, with AI, it's such a huge thing these days.
• 20:59
  SPEAKER_00: Um they do use our directory to verify companies as well.
• 21:01
  SPEAKER_00: So that's a huge thing talking about SEO, SEO, and Google ranking and those kind of things as well.
• 21:06
  SPEAKER_00: So absolutely you're you're right on.
• 21:08
  SPEAKER_00: Um, but yeah, the credibility aspect, it's huge.
• 21:11
  SPEAKER_00: And so I want to do business with people that are gonna do things the right way.
• 21:14
  SPEAKER_00: Doesn't mean everything's gonna go perfect, but it means that they're they're gonna be held accountable and they're gonna do things, uh, do business honest and trustworthy.
• 21:20
  SPEAKER_00: And that's who I want to spend my personal money with is people that are doing business the right way.
• 21:24
  SPEAKER_00: That's right.
• 21:24
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, sir.
• 21:25
  SPEAKER_02: So Chad and the Better Business Bureau are members of our organization.
• 21:29
  SPEAKER_02: They'll also be present at the Buildful Worth Construction Expo.
• 21:33
  SPEAKER_02: They were one of the first organizations that have reached out and said, you know what, we want to do this, we want to support your members.
• 21:40
  SPEAKER_02: Really, we wanted to support business, we want to help.
• 21:43
  SPEAKER_02: Uh, they've also been involved in a lot of the chamber events that we do.
• 21:46
  SPEAKER_02: And I can only imagine the great things that we're gonna do together.
• 21:49
  SPEAKER_02: We've already discussed several ideas and several things we're gonna explore to ensure that our members get benefit from not just being a member, but connecting with organizations like your.
• 22:00
  SPEAKER_02: So thanks so much, Chad, for the time.
• 22:02
  SPEAKER_02: And lastly, where can business owners take action?
• 22:07
  SPEAKER_02: Should they go directly to the website?
• 22:09
  SPEAKER_02: Do they email you?
• 22:10
  SPEAKER_02: Email us?
• 22:11
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, either or.
• 22:12
  SPEAKER_00: BbB.org obviously would be a great starting point.
• 22:16
  SPEAKER_00: The great thing, even if you're not going to get accredited, to create your own pro create a profile on there.
• 22:20
  SPEAKER_00: You don't have to be accredited to have a profile.
• 22:22
  SPEAKER_00: And so I guarantee people are going to review you, you know, and look for you.
• 22:26
  SPEAKER_00: And so yeah, start with bb.org.
• 22:28
  SPEAKER_00: They can reach out to me, obviously, and you as well, and uh we'll get them with the right people.
• 22:33
  SPEAKER_00: And so I love what you guys are doing.
• 22:35
  SPEAKER_00: Um I I've attended several events and it's great energy.
• 22:37
  SPEAKER_00: Um, most genuine people I've ever met in my life and still hospital.
• 22:40
  SPEAKER_00: And so we're we're glad to be a part and to support you guys as much as we can.
• 22:44
  SPEAKER_02: Thank you so much, Ted.
• 22:46
  SPEAKER_02: Thank you so much for everyone that's tuning in.
• 22:48
  SPEAKER_02: If you haven't visited our events, please feel free to visit our website as well.
• 22:51
  SPEAKER_02: We have a lot of events coming up.
• 22:53
  SPEAKER_02: Uh, we look forward to you joining us at these events, but most importantly, we'll see you in the next podcast.
• 22:59
  SPEAKER_02: Thank you and have a wonderful day.
• 23:01
  SPEAKER_01: So, being in this business, you know, in the leadership roles, you guys were talking about how there's so many parties involved.
• 23:11
  SPEAKER_01: How do you manage or handle difficult people or tough situations?
• 23:15
  SPEAKER_01: Because I'm sure you gotta deliver a lot of bad news at times.
• 23:20
  SPEAKER_04: Well, then in the normal day-to-day operation, you know, just uh verbal verbal disagreements over work or or schedule, uh I mean, my advice is you you you talk those things out.
• 23:35
  SPEAKER_04: You just you you don't get you don't get pushy and angry.
• 23:39
  SPEAKER_04: You try to hold your temper and just if you talk things out uh and and show them the wisdom of what you think is the way to go, they'll probably see that.
• 23:49
  SPEAKER_04: The other thing is you gotta remember is you have a contract.
• 23:52
  SPEAKER_04: They have a contract.
• 23:54
  SPEAKER_04: Things are defined in the contract.
• 23:56
  SPEAKER_04: The the the the work is to what's in the work, the parts and pieces are in that contract, the schedule is in that contract, and so forth, and so you have you know a a legal document to point you to say, hey, look, all I'm asking to do is to follow the contract.
• 24:14
  SPEAKER_04: And so that works.
• 24:15
  SPEAKER_04: And then if it really gets into a uh a contest and a legal disagreement, uh, and you're gonna go to you're gonna go to court, then then the advice I always give is make sure that when you do a contract, you sign up for arbitration, not litigation.
• 24:37
  SPEAKER_04: Okay.
• 24:38
  SPEAKER_04: So um arbitration is you go before a panel of three or four people that hear both sides, and then they render an opinion.
• 24:46
  SPEAKER_04: Okay, so if you go to litigation, you're you're gonna go to either before a judge or a jury, and you're liable to lose.
• 24:54
  SPEAKER_04: So it's it's I I think it's better to go to arbitration.
• 24:57
  SPEAKER_04: So Okay.
• 25:01
  SPEAKER_03: Well, that's a that's a great experience, especially someone that runs such a large company.
• 25:06
  SPEAKER_03: Um, you know, on on on my side, um, I've learned the hard way.
• 25:12
  SPEAKER_03: Um definitely I would say two things.
• 25:15
  SPEAKER_03: Um, number one, um definitely agreements.
• 25:19
  SPEAKER_03: Um contracts is is the key.
• 25:22
  SPEAKER_03: A lot of times a lot of the subcontractors that I work with don't have an agreement of some sort.
• 25:27
  SPEAKER_03: Sometimes it's just a shake, it's just a verbal hand, it's just uh, and then this.
• 25:33
  SPEAKER_03: Um and those always come back.
• 25:36
  SPEAKER_03: Um and so one of the biggest things that we've done is set up a manual, this is how I want things, um, set up uh subcontractor agreements, this is how it is, this is when the pay is.
• 25:47
  SPEAKER_03: If it's on me, then it's on me, and you gotta own up to it.
• 25:50
  SPEAKER_03: Um, because reputation is everything, right?
• 25:52
  SPEAKER_03: So reputation is everything to me.
• 25:54
  SPEAKER_03: So for that reason, sometimes you gotta take some losses for a long-term play.
• 25:59
  SPEAKER_03: Um, and those are the things that I do.
• 26:01
  SPEAKER_03: So whenever we do have a you know a conflict of something, I always think, okay, is it do I want to win today, or is it that I want to what what what is it gonna be five years down the line or ten years down the line?
• 26:15
  SPEAKER_03: Maybe this might be more of a conversation where where I let I let it go the way it's the way it's supposed to go, where it we can we can be in peace to keep that relationship because it might be worth it in the in the next five, ten years, you know.
• 26:31
  SPEAKER_04: Some and sometimes you can say, why don't we just split it?
• 26:35
  SPEAKER_04: And so and then that'll work too.
• 26:37
  SPEAKER_04: And it will work.
• 26:38
  SPEAKER_04: But that's good advice too.
• 26:39
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 26:40
  SPEAKER_04: I've had that happen where where I pushed it and won the day but lost the battle.
• 26:47
  SPEAKER_04: So and regretted it later.
• 26:50
  SPEAKER_03: So um yeah, so that that would be that would be also mine.
• 26:54
  SPEAKER_03: And then the other is um having a crucial conversation with someone, there is like um um books to read.
• 27:02
  SPEAKER_03: Um, and uh it's it's a skill.
• 27:06
  SPEAKER_03: So it is something that I I would recommend anyone that is in a leadership position to learn that skill because it will definitely help maintain um a good relationship with people that will help you long term.
• 27:18
  SPEAKER_01: Nice, very well.
• 27:20
  SPEAKER_01: Let's see.
• 27:21
  SPEAKER_01: What advice would y'all give y'all's younger self?
• 27:26
  SPEAKER_04: What advice do we give ourselves?
• 27:29
  SPEAKER_01: Your younger self.
• 27:30
  SPEAKER_01: If you can talk to your younger self, a little like Abila.
• 27:35
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah, yeah.
• 27:36
  SPEAKER_04: You can take that one first.
• 27:39
  SPEAKER_04: Because you're still in your younger self.
• 27:42
  SPEAKER_03: Uh I would I would say um at least to myself.
• 27:49
  SPEAKER_03: I don't know if there's um I I guess it depends the question.
• 27:54
  SPEAKER_03: Um, but if you're asking me like what would I change about my current life uh to myself, is that kind of okay?
• 28:01
  SPEAKER_03: If um I don't know, I think I would just try to enjoy more of the day.
• 28:06
  SPEAKER_03: Um sometimes we're uh at least as a as a um business owner or at least leading, um I consider myself more of a leader.
• 28:14
  SPEAKER_03: I talk to myself that way as a leader.
• 28:16
  SPEAKER_03: Um you carry a lot, you carry a lot on your shoulders, and sometimes that goes home, and then you're not you don't really enjoy the day.
• 28:24
  SPEAKER_03: Um time flies and you're like, oh man, I I've been in my head this whole time.
• 28:29
  SPEAKER_03: Um so I think I would just remind myself that to live the day because that also is important.
• 28:36
  SPEAKER_03: Not it's not just all money and and business and and and that.
• 28:41
  SPEAKER_03: So that's my advice.
• 28:43
  SPEAKER_04: I think that's excellent advice.
• 28:44
  SPEAKER_04: And I would say the same thing.
• 28:47
  SPEAKER_04: It's it's um remember you have a marriage, remember you have a family, and you're gonna spend time, you know.
• 28:56
  SPEAKER_04: I had three sons and a daughter, and um I spent so much time at work and late in the evenings and so forth, and and I would run to their soccer game, and I would run to the band recital and be waving to say, I'm here, I'm here, and so forth.
• 29:15
  SPEAKER_04: So I would advise the young people is take time to live your life outside of the construction business and so forth.
• 29:23
  SPEAKER_04: The young people in my company, uh, I would tell them if if you're on the job site and it's nine o'clock at night and you're doing paperwork nine o'clock at night, I don't know that you're there.
• 29:36
  SPEAKER_04: So you don't need to be there.
• 29:38
  SPEAKER_04: It'll get done.
• 29:40
  SPEAKER_04: Leave at four o'clock, five o'clock when when it's time to go home and be with your family.
• 29:46
  SPEAKER_04: So that's awesome.
• 29:49
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, great advice.
• 29:50
  SPEAKER_01: And I feel like uh that's especially important nowadays.
• 29:53
  SPEAKER_01: You're talking about, you know, the generation that you know we're currently in wants everything fast, you know, and it's like hustle, rush, you know, and it's like a lot of the times I hear enjoy the journey.
• 30:05
  SPEAKER_01: And I think when you're in the moment, you don't understand like I should actually just enjoy this.
• 30:10
  SPEAKER_01: But yeah, time flies and it's important to have a good balance of everything.
• 30:15
  SPEAKER_01: So thank you both for sharing y'all's stories with me.
• 30:18
  SPEAKER_01: Anything else y'all want to leave the viewers with?
• 30:22
  SPEAKER_04: I've been very impressed with this young man.
• 30:25
  SPEAKER_04: Very impressed.
• 30:26
  SPEAKER_03: Um no, I've been I'm actually honored to be here, um, especially with uh with your your your you know what you've accomplished.
• 30:35
  SPEAKER_03: So um it's it's an amazing, amazing experience for me.
• 30:40
  SPEAKER_03: I was really excited about it.
• 30:44
  SPEAKER_04: You make great friends in our business.
• 30:46
  SPEAKER_01: There you go.
• 30:47
  SPEAKER_01: And I think that's why, again, the importance of networking, you know, community.
• 30:52
  SPEAKER_01: It it I know it inspires me to hear you know stories like this all the time, and it's just there's just so much we can all learn and share.
• 31:00
  SPEAKER_01: So thank you all for being with us.
• 31:01
  SPEAKER_03: You're welcome.
• 31:02
  SPEAKER_03: Thank you for having us.
• 31:04
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you.