WEBVTT
00:00:00.080 --> 00:00:01.760
What does a week look like for less than that?
00:00:02.319 --> 00:00:08.720
Yeah, so it's it's definitely been a learning curve for me because I've been I like doing things.
00:00:08.960 --> 00:00:12.560
So managing things and doing things physically was totally different.
00:00:12.800 --> 00:00:17.600
So that was probably one of the biggest adjustments for me is to manage people.
00:00:18.160 --> 00:00:24.719
I would much rather manage private people because project you can kind of control people are a little harder.
00:00:25.120 --> 00:00:26.879
They are very hard to control.
00:00:27.440 --> 00:00:34.320
You have to use influence to guide people in the right direction, which takes a little longer than just doing it.
00:00:38.240 --> 00:00:45.280
Welcome back to Torch Talk, the show where we spotlight bold leaders growing businesses and communities with grit and purpose.
00:00:45.520 --> 00:00:48.719
Today I'm joined by Lex Miller, owner of 89 Homes.
00:00:48.880 --> 00:01:00.560
Lex has built his business in the home building industry, and today we're going to talk about his journey, what it is really like to build homes, lead a business, and navigate growth in an industry that's constantly evolving.
00:01:00.719 --> 00:01:10.239
We'll also dive into what it looks like to work closely with family, the lessons that come with that, and where he sees the future of home building heading over the next several years.
00:01:10.480 --> 00:01:12.000
Welcome to Torchtalk Les.
00:01:12.319 --> 00:01:12.560
Thank you.
00:01:12.640 --> 00:01:13.040
I appreciate it.
00:01:13.359 --> 00:01:17.359
So happy that you decided to join us today, even with a little bit of arm twisting.
00:01:17.599 --> 00:01:18.560
Yeah, it's fine.
00:01:18.640 --> 00:01:19.200
It's fine.
00:01:19.439 --> 00:01:21.120
I enjoy a little bit of spotlight.
00:01:21.519 --> 00:01:22.000
Yes.
00:01:22.319 --> 00:01:29.120
Okay, well, I don't know very much about the beginning story of 89 Homes and how you ended up where you're at today.
00:01:29.200 --> 00:01:32.959
So why don't you share a little bit of like how did you end up here?
00:01:33.120 --> 00:01:34.640
How did you end up in home building?
00:01:34.719 --> 00:01:35.280
Where was Les?
00:01:35.680 --> 00:01:38.079
What did Les think that he was going to do when he was a little boy?
00:01:38.239 --> 00:01:40.319
Like, give me all of the history.
00:01:40.640 --> 00:01:44.959
Oh, yeah, that's a that could be a 20-minute conversation.
00:01:45.200 --> 00:01:45.359
Okay.
00:01:45.680 --> 00:01:46.719
I'll try to keep it pretty short.
00:01:46.799 --> 00:01:47.040
Yeah.
00:01:47.200 --> 00:01:51.760
Growing up, you know, on a dairy farm, um, not having big aspirations.
00:01:51.920 --> 00:02:00.000
Instead of um, I mean, I did have a, I felt like I had a heart heart to serve people and not knowing what that looked like at all.
00:02:00.319 --> 00:02:06.239
Uh, you know, getting out of school, um, knowing that, you know, the thing to do was construction.
00:02:06.400 --> 00:02:07.680
So that's where I started.
00:02:07.840 --> 00:02:14.960
Uh, moved houses, helped the house mover for a year, and then I was almost 19 years old.
00:02:15.120 --> 00:02:23.199
And then I started swinging the hammer, building projects, you know, agricultural construction, worked for a company for 17 years.
00:02:23.360 --> 00:02:28.159
Um, and to say I would just say this going through this, realized how old I am.
00:02:28.400 --> 00:02:30.080
Uh, isn't that a little bit depressing?
00:02:30.800 --> 00:02:31.360
It is, yeah.
00:02:31.680 --> 00:02:39.039
We had to say something that happened 30 years ago, and like we were still not a kid, and I was like, that's just really wild to say out loud.
00:02:39.360 --> 00:02:39.680
It is.
00:02:39.840 --> 00:02:43.520
And for me to write down that it's been 35 years now is incredible.
00:02:43.759 --> 00:02:45.120
I did not think it would be that much.
00:02:45.520 --> 00:02:50.800
I knew it was going to be 30 some years, but I kind of ignored the actual number until I had to write it down.
00:02:50.879 --> 00:02:57.039
But yeah, 17 years with a local company uh contractor, and we did a bunch of different things.
00:02:57.280 --> 00:03:03.039
Um, maybe weren't the greatest at everything, but we were able to, whatever people wanted, we were able to do.
00:03:03.199 --> 00:03:09.039
We built milking parlors, we built lots of agricultural construction, got into some residential stuff as well.
00:03:09.199 --> 00:03:19.919
Um, but we did our own, a lot of our own groundwork, pouring concrete, you know, excavating, and it really exposed me to just a lot of the different trades in like home building.
00:03:20.159 --> 00:03:22.960
A little it helped you dabble a little bit in everything.
00:03:23.280 --> 00:03:26.639
It did, it did, and that is so valuable today now.
00:03:26.800 --> 00:03:41.039
Um, but that was um, yeah, so it that went to for 17 years, and then 2008, and during that time I got married as well, which and had our oldest daughter, Emma, who's now 22 working in the company.
00:03:41.439 --> 00:04:03.199
Um, and then 2008, you know, things were coming to a crash, and I got kind of unrestful, um, got tired of kind of uh being the last guy home, picking up an entire pickup load of people, going to work, enjoyed the relationship um with the company I work for, really had a really good time working for that company.
00:04:03.280 --> 00:04:05.039
Uh, but I was ready to do something different.
00:04:05.199 --> 00:04:09.199
So in 2008, I got a wheelbarrow, a pickup, and a trailer.
00:04:09.599 --> 00:04:11.280
I did not realize you started in 2008.
00:04:11.360 --> 00:04:12.319
That's pretty wild.
00:04:12.479 --> 00:04:17.040
Like when the home housing market was probably at its worst in our lifetime.
00:04:17.199 --> 00:04:17.519
Yes.
00:04:17.759 --> 00:04:19.920
You decided to start a home building business.
00:04:20.160 --> 00:04:20.480
Yeah.
00:04:20.720 --> 00:04:39.199
There was, however, uh something that allowed me to launch my company, is because my wife Lori had a great job, um, was able to support us financially, and I was able to get going without having to be like forced to bring home a lot of money right away.
00:04:39.439 --> 00:04:43.279
Allowed me to kind of create my own uh way through life.
00:04:43.439 --> 00:04:47.120
And I had a with the company prior, I had a ton of local connections.
00:04:47.279 --> 00:04:54.319
Uh, a lot of people wanted one, you know, one-person projects done from pouring concrete, stamp patios.
00:04:54.560 --> 00:05:03.199
Um, it was a lot of work, but I knew that I found out that my wheelbarrow did a great bit of work for me, taking tools from my trailer into projects and stuff.
00:05:03.279 --> 00:05:09.120
And uh yeah, so 2008 started in like it was actually it'll be June.
00:05:09.199 --> 00:05:11.360
It was right after Memorial Day when I started.
00:05:11.519 --> 00:05:13.680
I re-roofed an entire house by myself.
00:05:13.839 --> 00:05:14.639
Oh my gosh.
00:05:14.879 --> 00:05:15.439
I know.
00:05:15.600 --> 00:05:17.759
I came home that that last day.
00:05:17.839 --> 00:05:18.639
I was so tired.
00:05:18.879 --> 00:05:21.600
How many days did it take you to do the whole thing by yourself?
00:05:21.839 --> 00:05:23.680
I think most of the week, I think.
00:05:23.920 --> 00:05:24.560
I would imagine.
00:05:24.800 --> 00:05:27.839
Yeah, I can't remember for sure, but it was most of the week, but I did it all by myself.
00:05:28.399 --> 00:05:33.439
Uh, but it was it was great to be able to get my first job, my first job on our way.
00:05:33.600 --> 00:05:34.560
It was in Apple Creek.
00:05:34.959 --> 00:05:38.879
Uh not a big home, of course, but I was able to get that one whipped out and then off.
00:05:38.959 --> 00:05:44.480
Uh, and from there, I had I had about a month worth worth of work.
00:05:44.959 --> 00:05:53.439
Um, and I've there's only been one time that I didn't have that I didn't know what I was going to do tomorrow or next week.
00:05:53.600 --> 00:05:58.800
Uh, and it would have been, I forget which year it was, but it was maybe three years later.
00:05:59.040 --> 00:06:02.879
It was the economy was trying to come back and it was really slow.
00:06:03.120 --> 00:06:09.439
Um, and I started to enclose like our back patio area into uh like a sunroom.
00:06:09.600 --> 00:06:16.639
And I got the roof on, posts and beams and roof on, and there it sat in the spring until like the day before Christmas.
00:06:16.720 --> 00:06:17.600
I finally finished it.
00:06:17.759 --> 00:06:24.240
But I then allowed our um just to work to drive me, kind of take me wherever I needed to go.
00:06:24.560 --> 00:06:24.879
Yeah.
00:06:25.120 --> 00:06:29.680
So when did you really shift and evolve into being very focused on building new homes?
00:06:29.920 --> 00:06:30.319
Sure, yeah.
00:06:30.399 --> 00:06:32.480
So it would have been like the fourth and fifth year.
00:06:32.560 --> 00:06:42.879
So so like 2008 is when I started my own company, and then in oh, probably in 2010, I was doing a lot of just remodel projects.
00:06:43.040 --> 00:06:47.120
Um, and then I built my first home for a good friend of mine.
00:06:47.199 --> 00:06:48.720
Uh, they asked me to come build their home.
00:06:48.800 --> 00:06:49.360
I built their home.
00:06:49.439 --> 00:06:53.759
It was a great experience for myself, and I think it was for the client as well.
00:06:53.920 --> 00:07:04.639
Um, what I found out though in the next couple of years is um starting that way and not having like an office to work out of was really hard.
00:07:04.800 --> 00:07:14.959
It took an incredible amount of work to pull like samples to from the from my home office to someplace, or it was difficult.
00:07:15.279 --> 00:07:17.040
I enjoyed it, but it was difficult.
00:07:17.279 --> 00:07:23.759
And I remember I remember like one of the things that I used to do, and I still do it for therapy, is mowing the yard.
00:07:24.000 --> 00:07:39.040
And you can reflect, and it's I remember sitting at my like mowing the yard and thinking, what if I could get everything ready and just bring contractors in and build a house, and I don't have to do the grunt work.
00:07:39.680 --> 00:07:44.399
Um, I felt like I was better at putting things together, creating ideas.
00:07:44.959 --> 00:07:47.040
Um Organizing the project.
00:07:47.360 --> 00:07:51.920
That's what I felt like I would be better at, and then trying because it you can't do both.
00:07:52.000 --> 00:07:53.839
You can't really do do well with both.
00:07:53.920 --> 00:08:04.639
And I thought, well, there's nobody would pay a general contractor money and then bring your, you know, other subcrews in to build the, but that's what it's like today now.
00:08:04.800 --> 00:08:12.000
So fast forward to 2013, I was five years into what was called building improvements LLC.
00:08:12.480 --> 00:08:17.759
Um, and I thought for sure I would have a name that people would know exactly what I was doing, and that's what I did.
00:08:18.079 --> 00:08:22.560
Well then 89 Homes had been going since 1979.
00:08:22.720 --> 00:08:28.800
I knew of the company, I didn't know the people there, I knew where the home where the owner lived.
00:08:28.879 --> 00:08:32.639
He passed away suddenly, January 2nd of 2013.
00:08:33.039 --> 00:08:42.879
And then from that, I got a phone call through, you know, suppliers that we had, they had, and and they said I should go check it out.
00:08:43.200 --> 00:08:46.480
And then the the president there had retired.
00:08:46.799 --> 00:08:48.559
He came, he was my next door neighbor.
00:08:48.639 --> 00:08:51.039
He also came to me and said, Hey, this would be a great opportunity for you.
00:08:51.120 --> 00:08:53.679
And I'm like, Oh man, I don't, that's way too big.
00:08:53.759 --> 00:08:55.200
That's way over what we're doing.
00:08:55.360 --> 00:08:56.320
Like, there's no way.
00:08:56.480 --> 00:09:00.879
Plus, I had this dream of a shop created with an office at home.
00:09:01.120 --> 00:09:03.840
Um, I was gonna build up that year.
00:09:04.320 --> 00:09:06.320
Well, the grass is still growing there.
00:09:06.799 --> 00:09:12.240
So Lori and I transitioned over to 89 homes, and there's another side story that I could talk about.
00:09:12.960 --> 00:09:17.759
So 89 homes had the location already with a model home where you're at now.
00:09:18.000 --> 00:09:18.320
Correct.
00:09:18.559 --> 00:09:19.120
Okay, yeah.
00:09:19.440 --> 00:09:21.200
I did not realize I had been there that long.
00:09:21.360 --> 00:09:27.519
But isn't it always awesome when God puts somebody in your life that has a bigger vision for what you could possibly do than you do yourself?
00:09:27.840 --> 00:09:28.799
Oh my lord, yeah.
00:09:28.960 --> 00:09:31.200
You're like, no, no, no, I don't think we can do that.
00:09:31.279 --> 00:09:34.559
And they're they're like, no, pretty sure this would work out great for you.
00:09:34.720 --> 00:09:41.120
So yeah, there's a couple God stories that I'm not going to share now, but that could be that I could share about how that all came about.
00:09:41.279 --> 00:09:54.000
But yeah, so they had everything set up, you know, to be able to build homes from you know, from scratch designs and the office, the samples, everything was we fell in love with it after the first visit.
00:09:54.159 --> 00:09:54.639
So yeah.
00:09:54.879 --> 00:09:57.679
So that was you guys took over that and you said like 2014?
00:09:58.000 --> 00:09:58.480
13, yeah.
00:09:58.720 --> 00:09:59.519
Okay, 2013.
00:09:59.679 --> 00:10:02.159
When did Lori actually join the business full-time then?
00:10:02.720 --> 00:10:05.200
She was about a year prior to that.
00:10:05.360 --> 00:10:08.799
Okay, is when she started working with my company that I had.
00:10:09.200 --> 00:10:13.840
And yeah, so she was she was uh very valuable for me.
00:10:14.240 --> 00:10:19.279
And she'd actually planned to work for another local company when this came about.
00:10:19.519 --> 00:10:24.320
And then we took a detour to State Route 89 and 30, and that's where we landed.
00:10:24.559 --> 00:10:26.159
You're still there, we're still there, yeah.
00:10:26.399 --> 00:10:33.840
So tell us like what has the evolution been of home building from then till now, and kind of tell us like what the business is like now.
00:10:34.080 --> 00:10:36.879
What do you specialize in those types of types of things?
00:10:37.120 --> 00:10:48.879
Yeah, some of the things that of course uh our specialty would be is we can pretty much build whatever people are asking us for as long as it's within a model that we have created.
00:10:49.039 --> 00:10:50.639
Like it can be a lot of different things.
00:10:50.799 --> 00:10:55.519
Like if you come to us and you're wanting a home that's going to take us a year to build, we would be interested.
00:10:55.679 --> 00:11:06.960
But um, we've taken 89 from building eight homes a year through the economy, you know, the recession until now where yeah, it's quite a few more than than eight homes.
00:11:07.200 --> 00:11:09.679
So and then everything's on paper, of course, as well.
00:11:09.840 --> 00:11:14.320
You know, going through COVID as just it's just a lot different.
00:11:14.480 --> 00:11:19.679
The building process, the contracts, everything looks so different now than it did back then.
00:11:19.919 --> 00:11:25.919
Yeah, I would say prior to COVID, the construction construction industry was really not very tech advanced.
00:11:26.080 --> 00:11:36.240
They were not used to doing things virtually or doing anything online, and it's really shifted and brought people into this entry a lot more quickly in the industry.
00:11:36.399 --> 00:11:44.480
So whether you want to go or not, kicking or screaming, you got to get on, you know, have everything be digital and like have things accessible.
00:11:44.639 --> 00:11:48.159
You have to learn how to, you know, use a Zoom call, maybe every now and then.
00:11:48.240 --> 00:11:50.879
So it yeah, and I I enjoy those.
00:11:51.039 --> 00:11:51.759
I do enjoy those.
00:11:51.840 --> 00:11:56.559
I like the in-person meeting, the yeah, like the relationship end of it is really important.
00:11:56.720 --> 00:11:58.159
So the in-person meetings are great.
00:11:58.240 --> 00:12:01.279
However, we do a ton of virtual meetings.
00:12:01.440 --> 00:12:08.960
Uh, I do them a little different than most people do, but I do a lot of virtual meetings and just being able to have 3D renderings.
00:12:09.120 --> 00:12:15.759
Uh, everything was we everything we did basically on our schedule with well, uh lead pencil and erasure.
00:12:16.399 --> 00:12:17.279
So much different.
00:12:17.360 --> 00:12:25.600
We dreamed of the days where the guys would have these electronic devices in their hands, and we would update things at the office, and somehow it magically would appear.
00:12:25.840 --> 00:12:27.279
And it's happening now.
00:12:27.440 --> 00:12:28.639
Thank goodness for the cloud.
00:12:28.879 --> 00:12:29.919
Oh my word, yeah.
00:12:30.000 --> 00:12:30.960
Yeah, yeah, exactly.
00:12:31.440 --> 00:12:32.399
Automatic updates.
00:12:32.559 --> 00:12:33.120
Yeah.
00:12:33.519 --> 00:12:37.919
Okay, so let's talk a little bit then about your role specifically.
00:12:38.080 --> 00:12:40.159
Like, what do you do within 89 homes?
00:12:40.399 --> 00:12:45.279
What's like that's changed a lot since you guys have taken over, then I'm sure you've added staff.
00:12:45.519 --> 00:12:46.000
Sure, yeah.
00:12:46.159 --> 00:12:48.879
So, you know, what what does a week look like for last now?
00:12:49.360 --> 00:12:55.840
Yeah, so it's it's definitely been a learning curve for me because I've been I like doing things.
00:12:56.159 --> 00:12:59.679
So managing things and doing things physically look totally different.
00:12:59.919 --> 00:13:04.879
So that was probably one of the biggest adjustments for me is is to manage people.
00:13:05.360 --> 00:13:10.480
I would much rather manage a project than people because projects you can kind of control.
00:13:10.799 --> 00:13:14.000
People are a little harder to they are very hard to control.
00:13:14.480 --> 00:13:20.960
You have to use influence to guide people in the right direction, which takes a little longer than just doing it.
00:13:21.120 --> 00:13:27.600
So I used to like if if there was a saying that I used to say, if it doesn't go, just use a bigger hammer.
00:13:27.919 --> 00:13:30.960
And obviously that doesn't work in the relationship end of it.
00:13:31.039 --> 00:13:39.279
But yeah, so being the president of a company um is just a little different than what I had anticipated, I think.
00:13:39.519 --> 00:13:45.600
I I thought I remember saying, like, if I can get up to building 30 homes a year, I'm gonna be done.
00:13:45.759 --> 00:13:55.519
That's I'm gonna we're gonna develop the model that builds 30 homes a year, um, which is in the past multi- I don't know how many years, probably 10 years ago now.
00:13:55.759 --> 00:14:04.960
Um not quite that many, but yeah, so um, but it's just going to work every morning and making sure people have things to do.
00:14:05.279 --> 00:14:13.840
Uh and I found out that I can also get other people to allow them to speak into what other people should be doing.
00:14:14.000 --> 00:14:27.039
So there's so different like tiers of um like management, but find those people that can help you manage your people that are better at it than you are, and just be like feed into that is kind of what I try to do.
00:14:27.440 --> 00:14:28.480
What does your team look like?
00:14:29.039 --> 00:14:47.200
So we have, yeah, so obviously you know that I have a beautiful wife, Lori, that she is she has a business head on her shoulders, like that's so it's her and I own the company, and then our daughter Emma now works for us, who is fantastic on managing people as well, like tasks, like dishing out tasks.
00:14:47.440 --> 00:15:01.440
But yeah, so we have a we have a sales, full-time salesperson, we have a full-time scheduler that takes care of projects, and then we have a drafting team of a couple people, um, and then we have field managers that like supervise our projects.
00:15:02.000 --> 00:15:07.759
Um, so we have it's um we have people that are pulling permits for us.
00:15:07.919 --> 00:15:12.240
Uh everything, everybody has kind of their own little area that they work in.
00:15:12.639 --> 00:15:22.000
So then we have we have the like we have four field superintendents that would take care of projects, and they are, you know, they're they are an extension from the office.
00:15:22.240 --> 00:15:23.840
And then all our contractors as well.
00:15:23.919 --> 00:15:30.720
We are just, we feel like we'd like to say all our contractors, we're just a big family in how we operate.
00:15:31.039 --> 00:15:39.039
But you work very collaboratively and you figured out how to make that seamless and have good communication so things feel smooth for the clients who are building the home.
00:15:39.360 --> 00:15:43.679
Building a home has to seem like one of the most stressful things to possibly do.
00:15:43.919 --> 00:15:47.200
Like, I want to do that one day kind of scares me a little bit.
00:15:47.360 --> 00:15:57.360
I went through that as a kid with my parents, and I just remember the arguing, you know, like when things are not going on track and things, I'm sure Jay and I will just sail through.
00:15:57.440 --> 00:15:59.039
It'd be easy breezy.
00:15:59.120 --> 00:15:59.279
Yeah.
00:15:59.440 --> 00:16:03.919
But a little, it seems like it could be like one of the most stressful things for somebody to go through.
00:16:04.080 --> 00:16:10.320
So I'm like, it sounds like your team is set up well to take care of the homeowners and give them a good experience.
00:16:10.639 --> 00:16:11.679
That's our goal.
00:16:11.919 --> 00:16:21.039
And I think just being transparent with them and working for people, like building homes for people that are fit within the model that we've built.
00:16:21.279 --> 00:16:25.440
And we've we've numerous times we've told people, you know, it's probably not going to work.
00:16:25.600 --> 00:16:31.759
Like what you're asking for is not going to work because we want to make sure they have a great experience, as good as you can make them.
00:16:32.000 --> 00:16:40.720
I will say though, when people are building a house, they're usually kind of in a in a kind of a temporary living situation, which doesn't help.
00:16:40.879 --> 00:16:50.080
Um, if people could stay in their houses while they're, you know, the house that they own potentially are renting, um, if they move in the basement with parents, it gets a little stressful.
00:16:50.240 --> 00:16:53.840
That is, you know, in a camper, that is stressful.
00:16:54.159 --> 00:16:56.240
That's the worst because you've got to be out before winter.
00:16:56.720 --> 00:16:57.360
Yes, correct.
00:16:57.440 --> 00:16:57.679
Yeah.
00:16:57.840 --> 00:17:00.080
Oh, we've had people live in campers over the winter.
00:17:00.320 --> 00:17:01.279
Oh, no, thank you.
00:17:01.679 --> 00:17:13.039
And relationships get a little strained if because and we have to recognize as a builder that some of that stress that they're getting from is not coming from the actual building, it's from the rest of their lives.
00:17:13.359 --> 00:17:17.440
So we try to recognize that and we try to have those conversations early on.
00:17:17.839 --> 00:17:19.519
Yeah, set up good expectations.
00:17:19.759 --> 00:17:20.319
Well, you have people.
00:17:20.720 --> 00:17:22.559
Here's the way to survive a home build.
00:17:22.799 --> 00:17:23.200
Exactly.
00:17:23.279 --> 00:17:23.519
Yeah.
00:17:23.599 --> 00:17:28.480
And then just sharing everything that you can and trying to meet the expectations.
00:17:28.640 --> 00:17:36.240
Like, I think even building the home itself, I think we have we have figured out how to do it well.
00:17:36.400 --> 00:17:47.759
Sometimes planning out how to create, get to the get to starting day is a little harder in meeting expectations of of like creating a floor plan and making sure you stay on track with that.
00:17:48.160 --> 00:17:58.079
And that's where um I probably that's probably one of my bigger weaknesses is to make sure that I stay on track creating floor plans for people on time.
00:17:58.480 --> 00:18:00.160
On like what does that mean?
00:18:00.319 --> 00:18:10.079
Creating it on time, like within the time frame you've you've given them, like, hey, this is gonna take us two weeks, we'll have this turned around for you, and then just getting that turned around in time.
00:18:10.319 --> 00:18:10.720
Yeah, sure.
00:18:10.799 --> 00:18:15.920
Yeah, that's the challenging part with just the scheduling or making sure you get it all done.
00:18:16.240 --> 00:18:33.279
Or you really enjoy staying in the creative process, like what part of that is yeah, it's like when I say, like, I'll have I'll have something for you in two weeks, I might have it in two weeks, but it may not be polished, like it may not have a roof on it or a basement on it, and not sharing that okay, this is just going to be a floor plan.
00:18:33.440 --> 00:18:45.759
We can look at it 3D that way, but it's not gonna really look like a house yet until another you know, week or two go down the road, and just and then staying on track and not allowing because I do not like new things.
00:18:45.920 --> 00:18:51.200
One of your one of the things that I really enjoy is being creatively with newer things.
00:18:51.599 --> 00:18:56.720
So I can get distracted pretty easily by allowing the new things to come into play.
00:18:56.799 --> 00:18:57.039
Yeah.
00:18:57.200 --> 00:19:00.240
When I've worked on something for a month yet, and we seem like we're at square one.
00:19:00.720 --> 00:19:01.759
Oh, I understand.
00:19:02.000 --> 00:19:05.759
I think that's a very common trait with like business owners, entrepreneurs.
00:19:05.839 --> 00:19:08.720
We tend to be like visionaries, we like to start something new.
00:19:09.440 --> 00:19:13.359
It's definitely not in my strength to stay in the details at the end.
00:19:13.519 --> 00:19:17.680
That's why we have the right people around us to pick us up and finish it for us.
00:19:17.759 --> 00:19:19.519
So at least that's what I'm trying to do.
00:19:19.599 --> 00:19:22.960
Like when we're building out the team, do I have people who will help me finish this?
00:19:23.039 --> 00:19:24.799
Because I know I'm really bad at that part.
00:19:24.960 --> 00:19:43.599
Yeah, that is definitely one of the things that I've learned not only through this, but other boards and like a church that I'm involved in is when you build a team of people, is to look for those attributes that people have, the strength that people have to be able to build a team that actually has the capacity to make it happen.
00:19:44.160 --> 00:19:45.920
So, because it can't all be Mr.
00:19:46.000 --> 00:19:46.480
Miller's.
00:19:46.640 --> 00:19:49.359
They have to be all created with our own unique talents.
00:19:49.519 --> 00:19:51.359
We are put together for a reason.
00:19:51.599 --> 00:19:56.960
So okay, so um you and Lori work together.
00:19:57.279 --> 00:19:59.039
Emma is now working with you as well.
00:19:59.119 --> 00:20:01.440
So let's talk a little bit about working with family.
00:20:01.680 --> 00:20:02.000
Sure.
00:20:02.240 --> 00:20:08.559
I, you know, I had shared with you, I'm pretty sure Jay and I would not survive if we were working in our business day-to-day together.
00:20:08.720 --> 00:20:10.640
And you guys seem to do this really well.
00:20:10.880 --> 00:20:17.680
Um, what do you think the key to success there is and what are you expecting over the next, I don't know, the future now that Emma's there?
00:20:17.759 --> 00:20:18.640
What does that look like?
00:20:18.960 --> 00:20:21.759
Yeah, we're I will, I guess we'll find out.
00:20:22.160 --> 00:20:23.359
I guess we'll find out.
00:20:23.519 --> 00:20:27.519
It's it's been a it's been a journey, it's been a really good journey.
00:20:27.920 --> 00:20:39.440
Probably the biggest things that I would say is just finding your roles, like as a family of finding each person's roles within the company and try to try not to get in other people's way.
00:20:39.519 --> 00:20:44.400
Like sometimes I tend to do things that uh somebody else is supposed to be doing anyway.
00:20:44.960 --> 00:20:52.559
And um, but I think yeah, there's just this is let me start.
00:20:52.640 --> 00:20:53.680
I guess I'll say this.
00:20:53.839 --> 00:21:03.279
I think it's easier to do it with family than it is without family because of the amount of effort and time that it takes to like own a company.
00:21:03.519 --> 00:21:06.799
In the home building industry for sure, it's not a nine to five job.
00:21:06.960 --> 00:21:15.440
It's not like you're open at seven o'clock and people come to get coffee, and then at you know, by eight o'clock the night you're done and you're over with.
00:21:15.759 --> 00:21:19.759
It's and even those places, they have a lot of work that has to happen behind the scenes.
00:21:19.839 --> 00:21:24.319
But in home building, most of our clients are available after hours.
00:21:24.799 --> 00:21:29.200
Like they will say, it's pretty common for people to say, Well, I gotta go to work.
00:21:29.279 --> 00:21:40.079
Like I got I'm working from like six until you know, whenever, and to make ourselves available, and we do through Zoom meetings and other things as well.
00:21:40.319 --> 00:21:46.880
And it's if the family wasn't involved, they wouldn't understand what you wouldn't have as much grace for each other.
00:21:47.200 --> 00:21:52.799
Yeah, I I can see that side of it too, because there is a lot of work that goes in behind the scenes when you're building something.
00:21:52.960 --> 00:21:58.400
And you know, I'm working at home in the evenings, and my family doesn't always understand what I'm doing or why I'm doing it.
00:21:58.480 --> 00:21:59.759
So I could see the collaborative.
00:22:00.400 --> 00:22:09.680
Effort of they're like, oh yeah, you understand why the motivation behind the late night phone calls and texts or whatever it is to be there for your customers.
00:22:10.000 --> 00:22:17.839
And even back in 2013, Emma would have been, you know, I don't know, nine years old maybe.
00:22:18.480 --> 00:22:21.039
And they were with us all the time.
00:22:21.279 --> 00:22:23.680
We were our office was open on Saturdays.
00:22:23.839 --> 00:22:27.279
So Lori and I were there every Saturday, you know, for years.
00:22:27.440 --> 00:22:28.640
And that's our busiest day.
00:22:28.720 --> 00:22:29.920
So you have to be open on Saturdays.
00:22:30.000 --> 00:22:31.200
And the girls were always with us.
00:22:31.680 --> 00:22:34.400
And we were nervous about what that's going to be like.
00:22:34.559 --> 00:22:37.279
It actually worked to our advantage.
00:22:37.519 --> 00:22:43.279
Not that I we used it as a sales tool, but it got people got to see who we were.
00:22:43.680 --> 00:22:46.559
We were very authentic, I think, with the with the girls.
00:22:46.799 --> 00:22:49.839
Um and there was some crazy stuff that happened.
00:22:50.000 --> 00:22:51.440
Like our youngest daughter, Haley.
00:22:51.519 --> 00:22:54.400
If you would have known her, I don't know if you knew her when she was like four or five.
00:22:54.559 --> 00:22:55.119
I did not.
00:22:55.359 --> 00:22:59.759
She would hide underneath the bed at the office and scare people as they were walking through the office.
00:23:00.559 --> 00:23:01.759
We had to put an end to it.
00:23:02.240 --> 00:23:04.480
Emma, Emma was, she loved to read.
00:23:04.559 --> 00:23:07.599
So she would be in a nook somewhere, a reading.
00:23:07.680 --> 00:23:13.119
And we had to actually put signs up in the different rooms where they were hanging out because we we were busy.
00:23:13.279 --> 00:23:18.240
You know, we were meeting people, we were on the phone, we didn't know what they were going to be doing, and we wanted them to have a lot of space.
00:23:18.400 --> 00:23:19.119
We had two homes.
00:23:19.200 --> 00:23:22.880
Sometimes we're in the in not the one that the office was in, our two-story home.
00:23:23.039 --> 00:23:26.400
And so we had to put signs up for people to be aware of like kids.
00:23:26.960 --> 00:23:27.519
Children in the home.
00:23:27.680 --> 00:23:28.640
Yeah, children in the home.
00:23:28.799 --> 00:23:39.680
But it made people feel very at home seeing that we are just we are just a well that definitely makes you feel better than a big national chain that you're building against.
00:23:39.759 --> 00:23:42.240
You're never going to see something like that in those situations.
00:23:42.319 --> 00:23:45.519
So I could see how that would make it easier to connect with you.
00:23:45.839 --> 00:23:48.720
And having the kids around in the business is valuable too.
00:23:48.799 --> 00:23:53.359
And that's those are memories that you guys will all have forever, and it's a part of it.
00:23:53.599 --> 00:23:55.680
So that's I love hearing stuff like that.
00:23:56.079 --> 00:24:05.039
Emma being, you know, graduated college here in December, now has a tremendous amount of knowledge about home building because she was out with dad, out with mom.
00:24:05.119 --> 00:24:06.559
You know, we went to a family.
00:24:06.640 --> 00:24:11.920
We would trick them into saying we're going on a road trip or taking lunch when we were really going looking at a project.
00:24:12.160 --> 00:24:13.200
Oh my goodness.
00:24:13.440 --> 00:24:16.000
And they were on to it pretty quick, but they enjoyed it.
00:24:16.079 --> 00:24:17.039
We had a lot of fun with it.
00:24:17.200 --> 00:24:17.920
A lot of fun with it.
00:24:18.079 --> 00:24:23.920
There's obviously times when when it's not, do you know, mom and dad aren't around either.
00:24:24.480 --> 00:24:28.000
Um, but they're pretty mature girls, they can take care of themselves.
00:24:28.240 --> 00:24:33.119
I know I had a conversation with Emma recently, and she was like, Yeah, I I never thought that I would do this.
00:24:33.200 --> 00:24:36.799
I went and tried something else, and then I realized, oh, this isn't that bad.
00:24:37.200 --> 00:24:43.119
So she does with what she's learned at college, it's tremendous for us in developing.
00:24:43.279 --> 00:24:51.920
We've got a kind of association going on, and she's done she's done so well with creating product uh for that, and I trust her.
00:24:52.160 --> 00:24:59.359
You know, she's it's sometimes when you bring somebody else in and exposing the business to them makes you a little nervous.
00:24:59.519 --> 00:24:59.839
Yeah.
00:25:00.160 --> 00:25:02.160
But she knows what we know.
00:25:02.319 --> 00:25:04.240
Yeah, she's been there from day one.
00:25:04.400 --> 00:25:08.079
So but it's it's yeah, it's challenging and rewarding at the same time.
00:25:08.319 --> 00:25:22.480
So since working with family is challenging and rewarding, what would some advice be you'd give to somebody else who's listening who might be just starting out and they're gonna go into business with family, or they're well into it and maybe they're not surviving it well?
00:25:22.640 --> 00:25:24.240
Any advice that you'd give?
00:25:24.559 --> 00:25:27.440
Sure, that is that is definitely a great question.
00:25:27.759 --> 00:25:30.720
Man, I there's probably many things to share.
00:25:31.279 --> 00:25:35.039
It's just learning to understand.
00:25:35.119 --> 00:25:36.720
I think I go back to the same thing.
00:25:36.799 --> 00:25:46.559
Like, if they are both like, let's say it's husband and wife, or it's sons, daughters, and they're in the family, is learning your roles.
00:25:46.799 --> 00:25:57.920
One of the things that I have not done a great job is I shouldn't talk about the negative things, but I'm gonna just say like I haven't done a great job is giving probably some people the respect in the family.
00:25:58.160 --> 00:26:07.359
And I would treat the rest of the people better than I treat my own family and allow them and they would have to kind of pick up, pick up where I left off.
00:26:07.920 --> 00:26:17.839
And but I would say value those people and treat them just like you would, if it's your if it's your daughters or sons, treat them just like you treat your employees.
00:26:18.240 --> 00:26:19.440
They want to be treated the same.
00:26:19.519 --> 00:26:22.319
They don't want to be favored, they want to be treated the same.
00:26:22.799 --> 00:26:26.559
And then once you're off of work, and then they can be your kids.
00:26:27.200 --> 00:26:28.640
I think that's one of the things I've done.
00:26:28.799 --> 00:26:32.720
And you had mentioned before clear roles and responsibilities makes a big difference too.
00:26:32.960 --> 00:26:49.279
I also have a tendency to just step over those boundaries a little bit, but I think if you know, your husband-wife team, it's a lot easier if you know the lane you're supposed to stay in, to stay in the lane and then respect that of each other than it is if everybody's trying to do everything and you're all over the place.
00:26:49.759 --> 00:26:50.079
Yeah.
00:26:50.319 --> 00:26:53.039
Your business has grown, you've evolved a lot.
00:26:54.000 --> 00:27:01.039
What are some of the challenges that you had, you and Lori have had to overcome just with all of that growth, with navigating new things?
00:27:01.279 --> 00:27:15.519
Any big like if you're now looking back and reflecting and seeing what are the lessons or challenges that you've experienced over the last, you know, I think one of the things that I would say is for myself is handing off responsibility.
00:27:15.839 --> 00:27:35.519
Because there's only so much time in a day, and being the one that likes to control things, um, and having to oversee basically everything that happens, being okay with dishing out responsibility, allowing other people to bump their heads, make mistakes, and learning from them, because that's sure what I did.
00:27:36.160 --> 00:27:41.359
Uh I didn't do, and I'm still like working on handing off responsibilities.
00:27:41.519 --> 00:27:58.640
That is definitely one of the things as you grow, and especially if I just put like the home building aspect of it into it, is how do you bring on the right people, not just within the company, but like with your contractors as well, and communicating that well without the contractor getting upset with you?
00:27:58.799 --> 00:28:04.400
Like, how do we bring in um so that you can continue to grow and they can continue to grow?
00:28:04.559 --> 00:28:23.119
Um, because there was times when I kind of bullet my way forward and said, okay, so we'll we'll do as much as we can, and I should have brought more people on instead of working people, like just more hours and pushing people, pushing contractors to get stuff done, is adding people.
00:28:23.440 --> 00:28:35.200
Uh and yeah, and then also one of the things that you strive to do is to stay connected the same way you were whether you were building 12 homes or you're building 84 homes.
00:28:35.599 --> 00:28:36.319
That's really hard.
00:28:36.720 --> 00:28:49.440
That is hard to stay connected with everybody because you bring in, you gotta now maybe you need in home building, it takes about 20, 20 contractors for all the tasks, different contractors.
00:28:49.599 --> 00:28:52.000
And now you're bringing, you're basically tripling that.
00:28:52.079 --> 00:28:56.319
Now you're working with, you know, pushing 175 contractors maybe.
00:28:56.559 --> 00:29:06.160
Um, and it is harder, but that's another one, another something like dishing off responsibility is you put that responsibility on other people to stay connected with them.
00:29:06.400 --> 00:29:07.920
I don't have to be that person.
00:29:08.160 --> 00:29:08.720
Yes.
00:29:09.039 --> 00:29:15.519
Creating the structure for scaling that growth and putting the people in between and then trusting them to do it the same way that you would do it.
00:29:15.759 --> 00:29:16.160
Yeah, for sure.
00:29:16.400 --> 00:29:17.440
I understand that's really hard.
00:29:17.519 --> 00:29:22.720
I mean, because you've invested a lot into the dream, the time, the energy, everything that goes into it.
00:29:22.799 --> 00:29:25.200
So it feels scary to hand that over to somebody else.
00:29:25.440 --> 00:29:26.400
It does a little, yeah.
00:29:26.720 --> 00:29:29.759
A little bit, but they have to learn, like you you said.
00:29:29.920 --> 00:29:35.359
And really, you're learning then to lead at another level as well when you're trusting them with a new responsibility.
00:29:35.519 --> 00:29:40.640
So we'd stay stuck if we were just gonna continue to do things the way we can do it.
00:29:40.720 --> 00:29:43.279
There is, we do actually have a capacity max.
00:29:43.440 --> 00:29:46.240
Yes, we do, regardless of whether we want to believe it or not.
00:29:46.480 --> 00:29:48.160
There's only so many hours in the day.
00:29:48.480 --> 00:29:56.000
And I will add just to that yet on on like not only like your contractors, but other like competition, like locally.
00:29:56.160 --> 00:29:58.720
I think we are blessed with our local competition.
00:29:58.880 --> 00:30:03.440
Like, I have a lot of friends that are doing pretty much what I am, a little different model.
00:30:03.599 --> 00:30:05.440
And we bounce ideas off each other.
00:30:05.680 --> 00:30:06.960
It's actually a little bit unique.
00:30:07.200 --> 00:30:08.559
I know I had mentioned that to you.
00:30:08.720 --> 00:30:14.880
It's really something to watch the home builders in the Wayne Holmes County area come together and collaborate.
00:30:15.039 --> 00:30:17.359
I don't think that that's a normal situation.
00:30:17.839 --> 00:30:27.519
We go to some national meetings and we talk with builders from the Carolinas, from Michigan, and they struggle with the things that we are really strong at.
00:30:28.000 --> 00:30:33.119
Uh and actually, just on the way here, I had, I did I say that I was talking on the phone while I was driving.
00:30:33.519 --> 00:30:37.119
No, I had a conversation with one of our closest competitions.
00:30:37.680 --> 00:30:57.279
And I had some questions about, and it has to do with, you know, growing up in our lot very technical, technological like smartness, whatever you want to say, but not knowing if your contractor has equipment that you could help them immensely with what you have, but you don't know how to do it.
00:30:57.920 --> 00:31:09.920
So I had a conversation with a a company out of Holmes County uh that is that we've been very, we're very comp we're pretty competitive, however, we're very friendly too.
00:31:10.319 --> 00:31:21.279
And just how do we do that well with because the contractor not only is are we not the smartest, the contractor isn't either, but he has this tool that would allow us to help him immensely.
00:31:21.680 --> 00:31:33.920
And there's people that are like prominent home builders in in the Wayne County and Holmes County areas, and we, yeah, like you did mention, there's just there's so many, there's so many ways that we can help each other.
00:31:34.400 --> 00:31:38.559
And we would a lot of our us builders would say, if you have some questions, just give us a call.
00:31:38.720 --> 00:31:45.039
We are proud of an organization, uh part of an organization, the home build association that we try to help each other through that.
00:31:45.359 --> 00:31:46.319
It's it's been good.
00:31:46.480 --> 00:32:04.720
That's one of the things that I was probably surprised the most coming into like looking at our competition is how much there's people that don't like to, but there's some companies that are very open and they won't give all the details, but they're very open to sharing like they'd rather have friends and enemies within the industry.
00:32:05.119 --> 00:32:06.000
It's easier that way.
00:32:06.240 --> 00:32:06.400
Yeah.
00:32:06.640 --> 00:32:20.480
Well, and you have to have an abundance mindset that there's enough out there for everybody, and you're still gonna go do things your way and figure out how to make yourself stand out and be unique, but um that does not happen in the marketing industry.
00:32:20.799 --> 00:32:27.759
So, and I've been around construction enough to know that that's pretty actually unique in as well, like working with individual services.
00:32:28.000 --> 00:32:32.880
Some of them are really competitive, and so that's it feels a little scary sometimes to be that friendly.
00:32:33.119 --> 00:32:36.160
Um, but I think that it's working well, yeah.
00:32:36.400 --> 00:32:41.359
Like, you know, it gives you an opportunity to learn from each other and and build each other up.
00:32:41.599 --> 00:32:44.000
Competition makes better clients too.
00:32:44.160 --> 00:32:44.480
It does.
00:32:44.640 --> 00:32:51.839
So if you're on the same playing field, then it's a lot easier to know that everybody's charging what they should charge and comparing apples to apples.
00:32:51.920 --> 00:32:55.119
So it's fun to watch a little bit from the outside.
00:32:55.359 --> 00:33:03.119
And then it's not as painful then, you know, you're you're not gonna you're gonna lose some clients to your friends, and those aren't that that those aren't that painful.
00:33:03.519 --> 00:33:06.000
Like if you think about, well, I could have gotten that one.
00:33:06.079 --> 00:33:11.599
But if it's somebody that you're kind of pulling for anyway, it's like you said, there's an abundance of work currently anyway.
00:33:11.680 --> 00:33:13.759
So help each other out as much as you can.
00:33:14.240 --> 00:33:18.640
Okay, so let's talk a little bit about the future of home building.
00:33:18.720 --> 00:33:20.559
So we talked about how we got where we're at now.
00:33:20.720 --> 00:33:21.680
What do you see?
00:33:21.920 --> 00:33:26.319
Obviously, the um the real estate market is pretty challenging.
00:33:26.480 --> 00:33:33.279
It's there's all kinds of crazy things going on, you know, post-COVID rates skyrocketing, land's not available in our area.
00:33:33.359 --> 00:33:35.200
It's just like there's all kinds of things.
00:33:35.359 --> 00:33:38.720
Um, so what are you guys preparing for over the next like three to five years?
00:33:38.799 --> 00:33:39.680
What do you see happening?
00:33:40.000 --> 00:33:41.279
Sure, that's a good question.
00:33:41.519 --> 00:33:59.759
I think I think the the more the because of the challenges with real estate, people I think are going to be moving to more of like a condo like type setting where it's smaller footprints, less maintenance, less property like cost per se.
00:34:00.079 --> 00:34:01.519
And how do we do that well?
00:34:01.759 --> 00:34:05.839
And kind of combined with like today, we make ourselves so busy.
00:34:06.079 --> 00:34:11.440
We have two to three kids, they're involved in sports, nobody has time to do anything hardly.
00:34:11.599 --> 00:34:15.679
If if you especially when it's rainy like this, and you don't have time to mow the yard.
00:34:15.840 --> 00:34:22.960
So I see that um where people are pushing towards more of a maintenance-free living area.
00:34:23.199 --> 00:34:30.239
Where I think now for a couple of years, I would I could have said, like, there's so much opportunity for like maintenance contractors.
00:34:30.639 --> 00:34:41.760
Like, if we build a new home and I could sell a maintenance package with it, you come change your my furnace filter, my water filter, make sure my duct work, my HVC is working properly.
00:34:41.920 --> 00:34:43.840
People would sign up for that type of service.
00:34:44.400 --> 00:34:53.360
And then the other thing that I'm kind of excited about is like more efficient um like pieces in our home, like our HVAC, our air conditioners.
00:34:53.440 --> 00:35:04.400
Like we have some products that are a lot better, more efficient than they were, trying to keep those costs down, spending a little bit more money up front, but then keeping the like the daily costs down.
00:35:05.039 --> 00:35:13.760
Um and not and you know, and of course, not building these huge homes that have huge property taxes.
00:35:14.000 --> 00:35:16.960
Uh, but it's very challenging currently in in real estate.
00:35:17.039 --> 00:35:25.920
That's do you see so do you see the the smaller house, smaller footprint trend in Wayne and Holmes County here locally as well?
00:35:26.159 --> 00:35:29.519
I know that that has been coming like in larger urban areas.
00:35:29.679 --> 00:35:33.760
What do you see actually translating to like locally in our area?
00:35:34.079 --> 00:35:34.320
Yeah.
00:35:34.480 --> 00:35:40.559
One of the challenges that we face locally is is finding property that's you know an acre or two.
00:35:41.119 --> 00:35:46.880
And and one of the issues has been like the regulations that come with that.
00:35:47.119 --> 00:35:55.920
And with our new commissioners that we've had over the last couple of years, um, we've had some conversation and they changed some of that where it's a little easier.
00:35:56.079 --> 00:36:11.119
And I think we we're gonna see, we're gonna see like smaller roads put in, maybe roads connecting new roads connecting other roads, where we're taking some area where, and of course, I like, I mean, nobody wants to see the farmland go away.
00:36:11.199 --> 00:36:13.440
Some of it is gonna go away because we have more people.
00:36:13.599 --> 00:36:21.519
And I keep saying, like, if your farmland is going away, what a better way than having little kids growing up in neighborhoods where they can interact.
00:36:21.679 --> 00:36:34.000
And I think that's where I see Holmes and Wayne County going, is we'll see more like connecting roads, dead-end streets, you know, into Cold-Sax, um, where people are able to like make them a little bit more affordable.
00:36:34.159 --> 00:36:41.199
Like when you have properties in Holmes County going for upwards of a hundred thousand an acre, it's it's just not within the budget.
00:36:41.519 --> 00:36:42.159
It's wild.
00:36:42.400 --> 00:36:43.039
It's not, no.
00:36:43.199 --> 00:36:51.039
But if you can, if you can get it where it's a little bit more reasonable, break these properties down to like one, two acres apiece, um, and being part of that.
00:36:51.119 --> 00:36:56.880
That's some of the things that excites me about creating those opportunities, partnering with the right people to create those opportunities.
00:36:57.039 --> 00:36:58.320
I think that's Homeland County.
00:36:58.480 --> 00:37:09.679
And then out of from away from that, I think it's it's smaller footprint, you know, having um like almost like HOA set up where people don't like restrictions.
00:37:09.840 --> 00:37:19.440
However, if they can pay an X amount and they know that the budget is fixed per month, uh it's a lot easier to predict, it's a little safer for them, and then they don't have to worry as much about the maintenance.
00:37:19.599 --> 00:37:19.840
Correct.
00:37:20.400 --> 00:37:29.119
I remember this winter when we had a really awful winter talking to somebody who lived in an HOA where their snow was cleaned every single week, and I was like a little bit jealous of that.
00:37:29.760 --> 00:37:37.199
They don't have to worry about like being in the country where your safety or a well is gonna fail, and it just they want the stretch fee part of it.
00:37:37.280 --> 00:37:37.519
Yeah.
00:37:38.000 --> 00:37:44.719
I mean, I employ a young team here, and just seeing how challenging just getting into homeownership is for a younger generation now.
00:37:44.880 --> 00:37:52.880
Um, I had a conversation with a homelander recently, and he was talking about how like upper 30s is the average age of a first-time home buyer, which is wild.
00:37:53.039 --> 00:37:59.519
I mean, you used to be able to do that at a much younger age, but it's just so challenging that it's challenged, challenging to rent.
00:37:59.679 --> 00:38:04.639
Renting is renting is expensive, but so is buying, so is building.
00:38:04.880 --> 00:38:10.639
And really comparing renting to buying or building, it really is almost as equally affordable.
00:38:10.800 --> 00:38:16.000
And I think that's also an area where if people just understood, you know, what do they need to save?
00:38:16.079 --> 00:38:16.960
What does it look like?
00:38:17.519 --> 00:38:35.920
My encouragement would be is if you have considered building a house or if you're trying to get in to talk to you guys, because I've talked to some of your clients who have said you guys are really a great team to work with if you, you know, you make the process easy, maybe it's more affordable than what they realize it could be, and you really help guide them through the process.
00:38:36.159 --> 00:38:44.079
So if somebody's listening, yeah, we we do kind of pride ourselves a little bit in that, in trying to be very transparent, right?
00:38:44.159 --> 00:38:45.599
You know, from day one.
00:38:45.840 --> 00:38:53.280
Uh, and and we've had numerous people come with, you know, a tight budget and figuring out how to stay within them.
00:38:53.760 --> 00:38:57.119
But often I mean, there's people that, you know, obviously can't afford it.
00:38:57.280 --> 00:39:01.280
However, there's a lot of people that can actually afford more than they think they can.
00:39:01.599 --> 00:39:06.719
It's we pride ourselves in putting the tools in their hands and saying, hey, this is how it works.
00:39:07.119 --> 00:39:11.440
You if you can like if we can develop a plan together, we might be able to do it.
00:39:11.840 --> 00:39:23.599
And figure out what what are the fixed plan, fixed pricing that you can't change, like your driveway, all your all your uh property improvements, and then the balance that's left over, let's figure out what what we can build the house for.
00:39:23.840 --> 00:39:28.639
I'll let uh me and Jay be a really fun challenge for you on shop versus house.
00:39:28.800 --> 00:39:29.519
There you go.
00:39:29.920 --> 00:39:31.280
Which one's going to win?
00:39:32.159 --> 00:39:33.119
That would be fun.
00:39:33.920 --> 00:39:42.239
Okay, so if somebody is listening and they're thinking about maybe having a conversation regarding building a home, where would they find more information about 89 homes?
00:39:42.400 --> 00:39:42.639
Sure.
00:39:42.719 --> 00:39:42.960
Yeah.
00:39:43.119 --> 00:39:45.840
Well, if you see me going down the road, you can flag me down.
00:39:46.000 --> 00:39:47.119
No, I'm just kidding.
00:39:47.360 --> 00:39:52.639
Um a lot of people contact us just through calling us at our phone number.
00:39:52.800 --> 00:39:56.079
Uh, we have a website that's gonna look a lot nicer.
00:39:56.719 --> 00:39:57.440
And just a little bit.
00:39:57.519 --> 00:39:57.679
Yeah.
00:39:57.840 --> 00:39:58.719
Well, I'm so excited.
00:39:58.800 --> 00:40:01.360
Lindsay, you have no idea how I'm excited about that one.
00:40:01.599 --> 00:40:07.599
It's it it felt like it was gonna be an uphill battle and it would never happen.
00:40:07.920 --> 00:40:09.519
Well, I'm so excited about it.
00:40:09.679 --> 00:40:15.360
But yeah, so they can find us on, they can call us, you can hit us up on there's a contact us.
00:40:15.840 --> 00:40:21.760
A lot of people contact us through our website, um, follow us on Facebook or Instagram.
00:40:21.920 --> 00:40:23.679
We have a good amount of followings.
00:40:23.840 --> 00:40:26.000
We post most of our projects.
00:40:26.239 --> 00:40:30.880
Um, we're not the quickest to put like a ton of information out there.
00:40:31.039 --> 00:40:35.920
We'd rather have people contact us and figure out like kind of what we do.
00:40:36.000 --> 00:40:39.679
Uh, but yeah, just calling us or hitting us up on what's your phone number?
00:40:39.840 --> 00:40:44.559
My our phone number is 419-368-4961.
00:40:44.800 --> 00:40:45.119
Okay.
00:40:45.360 --> 00:40:52.320
So if somebody's thinking about going through the process, just call us or Lori or whoever answers the phone and they'll walk you through the process from start to finish.
00:40:52.800 --> 00:40:55.119
We love talking about our process.
00:40:55.199 --> 00:40:58.079
So thank you very much for being on the show with me today.
00:40:58.159 --> 00:41:00.320
I enjoyed learning a little bit more about your story.
00:41:00.480 --> 00:41:05.039
I get to spend some time with you at church, but I don't get to spend a lot of time talking to you about business.
00:41:05.119 --> 00:41:06.239
So I really enjoyed this.
00:41:06.320 --> 00:41:07.039
Thank you very much.
00:41:07.360 --> 00:41:08.639
I enjoyed being here.
00:41:08.800 --> 00:41:09.199
Thank you.
00:41:09.760 --> 00:41:11.440
Thanks for tuning in to Torch Talk.
00:41:11.519 --> 00:41:17.440
If today's story sparked something for you, share it with a colleague, community leader, or future change maker.
00:41:17.599 --> 00:41:22.559
Until next time, stay inspired, stay intentional, and keep your fire burning.
00:00:00.080 --> 00:00:01.760
What does a week look like for less than that?
00:00:02.319 --> 00:00:08.720
Yeah, so it's it's definitely been a learning curve for me because I've been I like doing things.
00:00:08.960 --> 00:00:12.560
So managing things and doing things physically was totally different.
00:00:12.800 --> 00:00:17.600
So that was probably one of the biggest adjustments for me is to manage people.
00:00:18.160 --> 00:00:24.719
I would much rather manage private people because project you can kind of control people are a little harder.
00:00:25.120 --> 00:00:26.879
They are very hard to control.
00:00:27.440 --> 00:00:34.320
You have to use influence to guide people in the right direction, which takes a little longer than just doing it.
00:00:38.240 --> 00:00:45.280
Welcome back to Torch Talk, the show where we spotlight bold leaders growing businesses and communities with grit and purpose.
00:00:45.520 --> 00:00:48.719
Today I'm joined by Lex Miller, owner of 89 Homes.
00:00:48.880 --> 00:01:00.560
Lex has built his business in the home building industry, and today we're going to talk about his journey, what it is really like to build homes, lead a business, and navigate growth in an industry that's constantly evolving.
00:01:00.719 --> 00:01:10.239
We'll also dive into what it looks like to work closely with family, the lessons that come with that, and where he sees the future of home building heading over the next several years.
00:01:10.480 --> 00:01:12.000
Welcome to Torchtalk Les.
00:01:12.319 --> 00:01:12.560
Thank you.
00:01:12.640 --> 00:01:13.040
I appreciate it.
00:01:13.359 --> 00:01:17.359
So happy that you decided to join us today, even with a little bit of arm twisting.
00:01:17.599 --> 00:01:18.560
Yeah, it's fine.
00:01:18.640 --> 00:01:19.200
It's fine.
00:01:19.439 --> 00:01:21.120
I enjoy a little bit of spotlight.
00:01:21.519 --> 00:01:22.000
Yes.
00:01:22.319 --> 00:01:29.120
Okay, well, I don't know very much about the beginning story of 89 Homes and how you ended up where you're at today.
00:01:29.200 --> 00:01:32.959
So why don't you share a little bit of like how did you end up here?
00:01:33.120 --> 00:01:34.640
How did you end up in home building?
00:01:34.719 --> 00:01:35.280
Where was Les?
00:01:35.680 --> 00:01:38.079
What did Les think that he was going to do when he was a little boy?
00:01:38.239 --> 00:01:40.319
Like, give me all of the history.
00:01:40.640 --> 00:01:44.959
Oh, yeah, that's a that could be a 20-minute conversation.
00:01:45.200 --> 00:01:45.359
Okay.
00:01:45.680 --> 00:01:46.719
I'll try to keep it pretty short.
00:01:46.799 --> 00:01:47.040
Yeah.
00:01:47.200 --> 00:01:51.760
Growing up, you know, on a dairy farm, um, not having big aspirations.
00:01:51.920 --> 00:02:00.000
Instead of um, I mean, I did have a, I felt like I had a heart heart to serve people and not knowing what that looked like at all.
00:02:00.319 --> 00:02:06.239
Uh, you know, getting out of school, um, knowing that, you know, the thing to do was construction.
00:02:06.400 --> 00:02:07.680
So that's where I started.
00:02:07.840 --> 00:02:14.960
Uh, moved houses, helped the house mover for a year, and then I was almost 19 years old.
00:02:15.120 --> 00:02:23.199
And then I started swinging the hammer, building projects, you know, agricultural construction, worked for a company for 17 years.
00:02:23.360 --> 00:02:28.159
Um, and to say I would just say this going through this, realized how old I am.
00:02:28.400 --> 00:02:30.080
Uh, isn't that a little bit depressing?
00:02:30.800 --> 00:02:31.360
It is, yeah.
00:02:31.680 --> 00:02:39.039
We had to say something that happened 30 years ago, and like we were still not a kid, and I was like, that's just really wild to say out loud.
00:02:39.360 --> 00:02:39.680
It is.
00:02:39.840 --> 00:02:43.520
And for me to write down that it's been 35 years now is incredible.
00:02:43.759 --> 00:02:45.120
I did not think it would be that much.
00:02:45.520 --> 00:02:50.800
I knew it was going to be 30 some years, but I kind of ignored the actual number until I had to write it down.
00:02:50.879 --> 00:02:57.039
But yeah, 17 years with a local company uh contractor, and we did a bunch of different things.
00:02:57.280 --> 00:03:03.039
Um, maybe weren't the greatest at everything, but we were able to, whatever people wanted, we were able to do.
00:03:03.199 --> 00:03:09.039
We built milking parlors, we built lots of agricultural construction, got into some residential stuff as well.
00:03:09.199 --> 00:03:19.919
Um, but we did our own, a lot of our own groundwork, pouring concrete, you know, excavating, and it really exposed me to just a lot of the different trades in like home building.
00:03:20.159 --> 00:03:22.960
A little it helped you dabble a little bit in everything.
00:03:23.280 --> 00:03:26.639
It did, it did, and that is so valuable today now.
00:03:26.800 --> 00:03:41.039
Um, but that was um, yeah, so it that went to for 17 years, and then 2008, and during that time I got married as well, which and had our oldest daughter, Emma, who's now 22 working in the company.
00:03:41.439 --> 00:04:03.199
Um, and then 2008, you know, things were coming to a crash, and I got kind of unrestful, um, got tired of kind of uh being the last guy home, picking up an entire pickup load of people, going to work, enjoyed the relationship um with the company I work for, really had a really good time working for that company.
00:04:03.280 --> 00:04:05.039
Uh, but I was ready to do something different.
00:04:05.199 --> 00:04:09.199
So in 2008, I got a wheelbarrow, a pickup, and a trailer.
00:04:09.599 --> 00:04:11.280
I did not realize you started in 2008.
00:04:11.360 --> 00:04:12.319
That's pretty wild.
00:04:12.479 --> 00:04:17.040
Like when the home housing market was probably at its worst in our lifetime.
00:04:17.199 --> 00:04:17.519
Yes.
00:04:17.759 --> 00:04:19.920
You decided to start a home building business.
00:04:20.160 --> 00:04:20.480
Yeah.
00:04:20.720 --> 00:04:39.199
There was, however, uh something that allowed me to launch my company, is because my wife Lori had a great job, um, was able to support us financially, and I was able to get going without having to be like forced to bring home a lot of money right away.
00:04:39.439 --> 00:04:43.279
Allowed me to kind of create my own uh way through life.
00:04:43.439 --> 00:04:47.120
And I had a with the company prior, I had a ton of local connections.
00:04:47.279 --> 00:04:54.319
Uh, a lot of people wanted one, you know, one-person projects done from pouring concrete, stamp patios.
00:04:54.560 --> 00:05:03.199
Um, it was a lot of work, but I knew that I found out that my wheelbarrow did a great bit of work for me, taking tools from my trailer into projects and stuff.
00:05:03.279 --> 00:05:09.120
And uh yeah, so 2008 started in like it was actually it'll be June.
00:05:09.199 --> 00:05:11.360
It was right after Memorial Day when I started.
00:05:11.519 --> 00:05:13.680
I re-roofed an entire house by myself.
00:05:13.839 --> 00:05:14.639
Oh my gosh.
00:05:14.879 --> 00:05:15.439
I know.
00:05:15.600 --> 00:05:17.759
I came home that that last day.
00:05:17.839 --> 00:05:18.639
I was so tired.
00:05:18.879 --> 00:05:21.600
How many days did it take you to do the whole thing by yourself?
00:05:21.839 --> 00:05:23.680
I think most of the week, I think.
00:05:23.920 --> 00:05:24.560
I would imagine.
00:05:24.800 --> 00:05:27.839
Yeah, I can't remember for sure, but it was most of the week, but I did it all by myself.
00:05:28.399 --> 00:05:33.439
Uh, but it was it was great to be able to get my first job, my first job on our way.
00:05:33.600 --> 00:05:34.560
It was in Apple Creek.
00:05:34.959 --> 00:05:38.879
Uh not a big home, of course, but I was able to get that one whipped out and then off.
00:05:38.959 --> 00:05:44.480
Uh, and from there, I had I had about a month worth worth of work.
00:05:44.959 --> 00:05:53.439
Um, and I've there's only been one time that I didn't have that I didn't know what I was going to do tomorrow or next week.
00:05:53.600 --> 00:05:58.800
Uh, and it would have been, I forget which year it was, but it was maybe three years later.
00:05:59.040 --> 00:06:02.879
It was the economy was trying to come back and it was really slow.
00:06:03.120 --> 00:06:09.439
Um, and I started to enclose like our back patio area into uh like a sunroom.
00:06:09.600 --> 00:06:16.639
And I got the roof on, posts and beams and roof on, and there it sat in the spring until like the day before Christmas.
00:06:16.720 --> 00:06:17.600
I finally finished it.
00:06:17.759 --> 00:06:24.240
But I then allowed our um just to work to drive me, kind of take me wherever I needed to go.
00:06:24.560 --> 00:06:24.879
Yeah.
00:06:25.120 --> 00:06:29.680
So when did you really shift and evolve into being very focused on building new homes?
00:06:29.920 --> 00:06:30.319
Sure, yeah.
00:06:30.399 --> 00:06:32.480
So it would have been like the fourth and fifth year.
00:06:32.560 --> 00:06:42.879
So so like 2008 is when I started my own company, and then in oh, probably in 2010, I was doing a lot of just remodel projects.
00:06:43.040 --> 00:06:47.120
Um, and then I built my first home for a good friend of mine.
00:06:47.199 --> 00:06:48.720
Uh, they asked me to come build their home.
00:06:48.800 --> 00:06:49.360
I built their home.
00:06:49.439 --> 00:06:53.759
It was a great experience for myself, and I think it was for the client as well.
00:06:53.920 --> 00:07:04.639
Um, what I found out though in the next couple of years is um starting that way and not having like an office to work out of was really hard.
00:07:04.800 --> 00:07:14.959
It took an incredible amount of work to pull like samples to from the from my home office to someplace, or it was difficult.
00:07:15.279 --> 00:07:17.040
I enjoyed it, but it was difficult.
00:07:17.279 --> 00:07:23.759
And I remember I remember like one of the things that I used to do, and I still do it for therapy, is mowing the yard.
00:07:24.000 --> 00:07:39.040
And you can reflect, and it's I remember sitting at my like mowing the yard and thinking, what if I could get everything ready and just bring contractors in and build a house, and I don't have to do the grunt work.
00:07:39.680 --> 00:07:44.399
Um, I felt like I was better at putting things together, creating ideas.
00:07:44.959 --> 00:07:47.040
Um Organizing the project.
00:07:47.360 --> 00:07:51.920
That's what I felt like I would be better at, and then trying because it you can't do both.
00:07:52.000 --> 00:07:53.839
You can't really do do well with both.
00:07:53.920 --> 00:08:04.639
And I thought, well, there's nobody would pay a general contractor money and then bring your, you know, other subcrews in to build the, but that's what it's like today now.
00:08:04.800 --> 00:08:12.000
So fast forward to 2013, I was five years into what was called building improvements LLC.
00:08:12.480 --> 00:08:17.759
Um, and I thought for sure I would have a name that people would know exactly what I was doing, and that's what I did.
00:08:18.079 --> 00:08:22.560
Well then 89 Homes had been going since 1979.
00:08:22.720 --> 00:08:28.800
I knew of the company, I didn't know the people there, I knew where the home where the owner lived.
00:08:28.879 --> 00:08:32.639
He passed away suddenly, January 2nd of 2013.
00:08:33.039 --> 00:08:42.879
And then from that, I got a phone call through, you know, suppliers that we had, they had, and and they said I should go check it out.
00:08:43.200 --> 00:08:46.480
And then the the president there had retired.
00:08:46.799 --> 00:08:48.559
He came, he was my next door neighbor.
00:08:48.639 --> 00:08:51.039
He also came to me and said, Hey, this would be a great opportunity for you.
00:08:51.120 --> 00:08:53.679
And I'm like, Oh man, I don't, that's way too big.
00:08:53.759 --> 00:08:55.200
That's way over what we're doing.
00:08:55.360 --> 00:08:56.320
Like, there's no way.
00:08:56.480 --> 00:09:00.879
Plus, I had this dream of a shop created with an office at home.
00:09:01.120 --> 00:09:03.840
Um, I was gonna build up that year.
00:09:04.320 --> 00:09:06.320
Well, the grass is still growing there.
00:09:06.799 --> 00:09:12.240
So Lori and I transitioned over to 89 homes, and there's another side story that I could talk about.
00:09:12.960 --> 00:09:17.759
So 89 homes had the location already with a model home where you're at now.
00:09:18.000 --> 00:09:18.320
Correct.
00:09:18.559 --> 00:09:19.120
Okay, yeah.
00:09:19.440 --> 00:09:21.200
I did not realize I had been there that long.
00:09:21.360 --> 00:09:27.519
But isn't it always awesome when God puts somebody in your life that has a bigger vision for what you could possibly do than you do yourself?
00:09:27.840 --> 00:09:28.799
Oh my lord, yeah.
00:09:28.960 --> 00:09:31.200
You're like, no, no, no, I don't think we can do that.
00:09:31.279 --> 00:09:34.559
And they're they're like, no, pretty sure this would work out great for you.
00:09:34.720 --> 00:09:41.120
So yeah, there's a couple God stories that I'm not going to share now, but that could be that I could share about how that all came about.
00:09:41.279 --> 00:09:54.000
But yeah, so they had everything set up, you know, to be able to build homes from you know, from scratch designs and the office, the samples, everything was we fell in love with it after the first visit.
00:09:54.159 --> 00:09:54.639
So yeah.
00:09:54.879 --> 00:09:57.679
So that was you guys took over that and you said like 2014?
00:09:58.000 --> 00:09:58.480
13, yeah.
00:09:58.720 --> 00:09:59.519
Okay, 2013.
00:09:59.679 --> 00:10:02.159
When did Lori actually join the business full-time then?
00:10:02.720 --> 00:10:05.200
She was about a year prior to that.
00:10:05.360 --> 00:10:08.799
Okay, is when she started working with my company that I had.
00:10:09.200 --> 00:10:13.840
And yeah, so she was she was uh very valuable for me.
00:10:14.240 --> 00:10:19.279
And she'd actually planned to work for another local company when this came about.
00:10:19.519 --> 00:10:24.320
And then we took a detour to State Route 89 and 30, and that's where we landed.
00:10:24.559 --> 00:10:26.159
You're still there, we're still there, yeah.
00:10:26.399 --> 00:10:33.840
So tell us like what has the evolution been of home building from then till now, and kind of tell us like what the business is like now.
00:10:34.080 --> 00:10:36.879
What do you specialize in those types of types of things?
00:10:37.120 --> 00:10:48.879
Yeah, some of the things that of course uh our specialty would be is we can pretty much build whatever people are asking us for as long as it's within a model that we have created.
00:10:49.039 --> 00:10:50.639
Like it can be a lot of different things.
00:10:50.799 --> 00:10:55.519
Like if you come to us and you're wanting a home that's going to take us a year to build, we would be interested.
00:10:55.679 --> 00:11:06.960
But um, we've taken 89 from building eight homes a year through the economy, you know, the recession until now where yeah, it's quite a few more than than eight homes.
00:11:07.200 --> 00:11:09.679
So and then everything's on paper, of course, as well.
00:11:09.840 --> 00:11:14.320
You know, going through COVID as just it's just a lot different.
00:11:14.480 --> 00:11:19.679
The building process, the contracts, everything looks so different now than it did back then.
00:11:19.919 --> 00:11:25.919
Yeah, I would say prior to COVID, the construction construction industry was really not very tech advanced.
00:11:26.080 --> 00:11:36.240
They were not used to doing things virtually or doing anything online, and it's really shifted and brought people into this entry a lot more quickly in the industry.
00:11:36.399 --> 00:11:44.480
So whether you want to go or not, kicking or screaming, you got to get on, you know, have everything be digital and like have things accessible.
00:11:44.639 --> 00:11:48.159
You have to learn how to, you know, use a Zoom call, maybe every now and then.
00:11:48.240 --> 00:11:50.879
So it yeah, and I I enjoy those.
00:11:51.039 --> 00:11:51.759
I do enjoy those.
00:11:51.840 --> 00:11:56.559
I like the in-person meeting, the yeah, like the relationship end of it is really important.
00:11:56.720 --> 00:11:58.159
So the in-person meetings are great.
00:11:58.240 --> 00:12:01.279
However, we do a ton of virtual meetings.
00:12:01.440 --> 00:12:08.960
Uh, I do them a little different than most people do, but I do a lot of virtual meetings and just being able to have 3D renderings.
00:12:09.120 --> 00:12:15.759
Uh, everything was we everything we did basically on our schedule with well, uh lead pencil and erasure.
00:12:16.399 --> 00:12:17.279
So much different.
00:12:17.360 --> 00:12:25.600
We dreamed of the days where the guys would have these electronic devices in their hands, and we would update things at the office, and somehow it magically would appear.
00:12:25.840 --> 00:12:27.279
And it's happening now.
00:12:27.440 --> 00:12:28.639
Thank goodness for the cloud.
00:12:28.879 --> 00:12:29.919
Oh my word, yeah.
00:12:30.000 --> 00:12:30.960
Yeah, yeah, exactly.
00:12:31.440 --> 00:12:32.399
Automatic updates.
00:12:32.559 --> 00:12:33.120
Yeah.
00:12:33.519 --> 00:12:37.919
Okay, so let's talk a little bit then about your role specifically.
00:12:38.080 --> 00:12:40.159
Like, what do you do within 89 homes?
00:12:40.399 --> 00:12:45.279
What's like that's changed a lot since you guys have taken over, then I'm sure you've added staff.
00:12:45.519 --> 00:12:46.000
Sure, yeah.
00:12:46.159 --> 00:12:48.879
So, you know, what what does a week look like for last now?
00:12:49.360 --> 00:12:55.840
Yeah, so it's it's definitely been a learning curve for me because I've been I like doing things.
00:12:56.159 --> 00:12:59.679
So managing things and doing things physically look totally different.
00:12:59.919 --> 00:13:04.879
So that was probably one of the biggest adjustments for me is is to manage people.
00:13:05.360 --> 00:13:10.480
I would much rather manage a project than people because projects you can kind of control.
00:13:10.799 --> 00:13:14.000
People are a little harder to they are very hard to control.
00:13:14.480 --> 00:13:20.960
You have to use influence to guide people in the right direction, which takes a little longer than just doing it.
00:13:21.120 --> 00:13:27.600
So I used to like if if there was a saying that I used to say, if it doesn't go, just use a bigger hammer.
00:13:27.919 --> 00:13:30.960
And obviously that doesn't work in the relationship end of it.
00:13:31.039 --> 00:13:39.279
But yeah, so being the president of a company um is just a little different than what I had anticipated, I think.
00:13:39.519 --> 00:13:45.600
I I thought I remember saying, like, if I can get up to building 30 homes a year, I'm gonna be done.
00:13:45.759 --> 00:13:55.519
That's I'm gonna we're gonna develop the model that builds 30 homes a year, um, which is in the past multi- I don't know how many years, probably 10 years ago now.
00:13:55.759 --> 00:14:04.960
Um not quite that many, but yeah, so um, but it's just going to work every morning and making sure people have things to do.
00:14:05.279 --> 00:14:13.840
Uh and I found out that I can also get other people to allow them to speak into what other people should be doing.
00:14:14.000 --> 00:14:27.039
So there's so different like tiers of um like management, but find those people that can help you manage your people that are better at it than you are, and just be like feed into that is kind of what I try to do.
00:14:27.440 --> 00:14:28.480
What does your team look like?
00:14:29.039 --> 00:14:47.200
So we have, yeah, so obviously you know that I have a beautiful wife, Lori, that she is she has a business head on her shoulders, like that's so it's her and I own the company, and then our daughter Emma now works for us, who is fantastic on managing people as well, like tasks, like dishing out tasks.
00:14:47.440 --> 00:15:01.440
But yeah, so we have a we have a sales, full-time salesperson, we have a full-time scheduler that takes care of projects, and then we have a drafting team of a couple people, um, and then we have field managers that like supervise our projects.
00:15:02.000 --> 00:15:07.759
Um, so we have it's um we have people that are pulling permits for us.
00:15:07.919 --> 00:15:12.240
Uh everything, everybody has kind of their own little area that they work in.
00:15:12.639 --> 00:15:22.000
So then we have we have the like we have four field superintendents that would take care of projects, and they are, you know, they're they are an extension from the office.
00:15:22.240 --> 00:15:23.840
And then all our contractors as well.
00:15:23.919 --> 00:15:30.720
We are just, we feel like we'd like to say all our contractors, we're just a big family in how we operate.
00:15:31.039 --> 00:15:39.039
But you work very collaboratively and you figured out how to make that seamless and have good communication so things feel smooth for the clients who are building the home.
00:15:39.360 --> 00:15:43.679
Building a home has to seem like one of the most stressful things to possibly do.
00:15:43.919 --> 00:15:47.200
Like, I want to do that one day kind of scares me a little bit.
00:15:47.360 --> 00:15:57.360
I went through that as a kid with my parents, and I just remember the arguing, you know, like when things are not going on track and things, I'm sure Jay and I will just sail through.
00:15:57.440 --> 00:15:59.039
It'd be easy breezy.
00:15:59.120 --> 00:15:59.279
Yeah.
00:15:59.440 --> 00:16:03.919
But a little, it seems like it could be like one of the most stressful things for somebody to go through.
00:16:04.080 --> 00:16:10.320
So I'm like, it sounds like your team is set up well to take care of the homeowners and give them a good experience.
00:16:10.639 --> 00:16:11.679
That's our goal.
00:16:11.919 --> 00:16:21.039
And I think just being transparent with them and working for people, like building homes for people that are fit within the model that we've built.
00:16:21.279 --> 00:16:25.440
And we've we've numerous times we've told people, you know, it's probably not going to work.
00:16:25.600 --> 00:16:31.759
Like what you're asking for is not going to work because we want to make sure they have a great experience, as good as you can make them.
00:16:32.000 --> 00:16:40.720
I will say though, when people are building a house, they're usually kind of in a in a kind of a temporary living situation, which doesn't help.
00:16:40.879 --> 00:16:50.080
Um, if people could stay in their houses while they're, you know, the house that they own potentially are renting, um, if they move in the basement with parents, it gets a little stressful.
00:16:50.240 --> 00:16:53.840
That is, you know, in a camper, that is stressful.
00:16:54.159 --> 00:16:56.240
That's the worst because you've got to be out before winter.
00:16:56.720 --> 00:16:57.360
Yes, correct.
00:16:57.440 --> 00:16:57.679
Yeah.
00:16:57.840 --> 00:17:00.080
Oh, we've had people live in campers over the winter.
00:17:00.320 --> 00:17:01.279
Oh, no, thank you.
00:17:01.679 --> 00:17:13.039
And relationships get a little strained if because and we have to recognize as a builder that some of that stress that they're getting from is not coming from the actual building, it's from the rest of their lives.
00:17:13.359 --> 00:17:17.440
So we try to recognize that and we try to have those conversations early on.
00:17:17.839 --> 00:17:19.519
Yeah, set up good expectations.
00:17:19.759 --> 00:17:20.319
Well, you have people.
00:17:20.720 --> 00:17:22.559
Here's the way to survive a home build.
00:17:22.799 --> 00:17:23.200
Exactly.
00:17:23.279 --> 00:17:23.519
Yeah.
00:17:23.599 --> 00:17:28.480
And then just sharing everything that you can and trying to meet the expectations.
00:17:28.640 --> 00:17:36.240
Like, I think even building the home itself, I think we have we have figured out how to do it well.
00:17:36.400 --> 00:17:47.759
Sometimes planning out how to create, get to the get to starting day is a little harder in meeting expectations of of like creating a floor plan and making sure you stay on track with that.
00:17:48.160 --> 00:17:58.079
And that's where um I probably that's probably one of my bigger weaknesses is to make sure that I stay on track creating floor plans for people on time.
00:17:58.480 --> 00:18:00.160
On like what does that mean?
00:18:00.319 --> 00:18:10.079
Creating it on time, like within the time frame you've you've given them, like, hey, this is gonna take us two weeks, we'll have this turned around for you, and then just getting that turned around in time.
00:18:10.319 --> 00:18:10.720
Yeah, sure.
00:18:10.799 --> 00:18:15.920
Yeah, that's the challenging part with just the scheduling or making sure you get it all done.
00:18:16.240 --> 00:18:33.279
Or you really enjoy staying in the creative process, like what part of that is yeah, it's like when I say, like, I'll have I'll have something for you in two weeks, I might have it in two weeks, but it may not be polished, like it may not have a roof on it or a basement on it, and not sharing that okay, this is just going to be a floor plan.
00:18:33.440 --> 00:18:45.759
We can look at it 3D that way, but it's not gonna really look like a house yet until another you know, week or two go down the road, and just and then staying on track and not allowing because I do not like new things.
00:18:45.920 --> 00:18:51.200
One of your one of the things that I really enjoy is being creatively with newer things.
00:18:51.599 --> 00:18:56.720
So I can get distracted pretty easily by allowing the new things to come into play.
00:18:56.799 --> 00:18:57.039
Yeah.
00:18:57.200 --> 00:19:00.240
When I've worked on something for a month yet, and we seem like we're at square one.
00:19:00.720 --> 00:19:01.759
Oh, I understand.
00:19:02.000 --> 00:19:05.759
I think that's a very common trait with like business owners, entrepreneurs.
00:19:05.839 --> 00:19:08.720
We tend to be like visionaries, we like to start something new.
00:19:09.440 --> 00:19:13.359
It's definitely not in my strength to stay in the details at the end.
00:19:13.519 --> 00:19:17.680
That's why we have the right people around us to pick us up and finish it for us.
00:19:17.759 --> 00:19:19.519
So at least that's what I'm trying to do.
00:19:19.599 --> 00:19:22.960
Like when we're building out the team, do I have people who will help me finish this?
00:19:23.039 --> 00:19:24.799
Because I know I'm really bad at that part.
00:19:24.960 --> 00:19:43.599
Yeah, that is definitely one of the things that I've learned not only through this, but other boards and like a church that I'm involved in is when you build a team of people, is to look for those attributes that people have, the strength that people have to be able to build a team that actually has the capacity to make it happen.
00:19:44.160 --> 00:19:45.920
So, because it can't all be Mr.
00:19:46.000 --> 00:19:46.480
Miller's.
00:19:46.640 --> 00:19:49.359
They have to be all created with our own unique talents.
00:19:49.519 --> 00:19:51.359
We are put together for a reason.
00:19:51.599 --> 00:19:56.960
So okay, so um you and Lori work together.
00:19:57.279 --> 00:19:59.039
Emma is now working with you as well.
00:19:59.119 --> 00:20:01.440
So let's talk a little bit about working with family.
00:20:01.680 --> 00:20:02.000
Sure.
00:20:02.240 --> 00:20:08.559
I, you know, I had shared with you, I'm pretty sure Jay and I would not survive if we were working in our business day-to-day together.
00:20:08.720 --> 00:20:10.640
And you guys seem to do this really well.
00:20:10.880 --> 00:20:17.680
Um, what do you think the key to success there is and what are you expecting over the next, I don't know, the future now that Emma's there?
00:20:17.759 --> 00:20:18.640
What does that look like?
00:20:18.960 --> 00:20:21.759
Yeah, we're I will, I guess we'll find out.
00:20:22.160 --> 00:20:23.359
I guess we'll find out.
00:20:23.519 --> 00:20:27.519
It's it's been a it's been a journey, it's been a really good journey.
00:20:27.920 --> 00:20:39.440
Probably the biggest things that I would say is just finding your roles, like as a family of finding each person's roles within the company and try to try not to get in other people's way.
00:20:39.519 --> 00:20:44.400
Like sometimes I tend to do things that uh somebody else is supposed to be doing anyway.
00:20:44.960 --> 00:20:52.559
And um, but I think yeah, there's just this is let me start.
00:20:52.640 --> 00:20:53.680
I guess I'll say this.
00:20:53.839 --> 00:21:03.279
I think it's easier to do it with family than it is without family because of the amount of effort and time that it takes to like own a company.
00:21:03.519 --> 00:21:06.799
In the home building industry for sure, it's not a nine to five job.
00:21:06.960 --> 00:21:15.440
It's not like you're open at seven o'clock and people come to get coffee, and then at you know, by eight o'clock the night you're done and you're over with.
00:21:15.759 --> 00:21:19.759
It's and even those places, they have a lot of work that has to happen behind the scenes.
00:21:19.839 --> 00:21:24.319
But in home building, most of our clients are available after hours.
00:21:24.799 --> 00:21:29.200
Like they will say, it's pretty common for people to say, Well, I gotta go to work.
00:21:29.279 --> 00:21:40.079
Like I got I'm working from like six until you know, whenever, and to make ourselves available, and we do through Zoom meetings and other things as well.
00:21:40.319 --> 00:21:46.880
And it's if the family wasn't involved, they wouldn't understand what you wouldn't have as much grace for each other.
00:21:47.200 --> 00:21:52.799
Yeah, I I can see that side of it too, because there is a lot of work that goes in behind the scenes when you're building something.
00:21:52.960 --> 00:21:58.400
And you know, I'm working at home in the evenings, and my family doesn't always understand what I'm doing or why I'm doing it.
00:21:58.480 --> 00:21:59.759
So I could see the collaborative.
00:22:00.400 --> 00:22:09.680
Effort of they're like, oh yeah, you understand why the motivation behind the late night phone calls and texts or whatever it is to be there for your customers.
00:22:10.000 --> 00:22:17.839
And even back in 2013, Emma would have been, you know, I don't know, nine years old maybe.
00:22:18.480 --> 00:22:21.039
And they were with us all the time.
00:22:21.279 --> 00:22:23.680
We were our office was open on Saturdays.
00:22:23.839 --> 00:22:27.279
So Lori and I were there every Saturday, you know, for years.
00:22:27.440 --> 00:22:28.640
And that's our busiest day.
00:22:28.720 --> 00:22:29.920
So you have to be open on Saturdays.
00:22:30.000 --> 00:22:31.200
And the girls were always with us.
00:22:31.680 --> 00:22:34.400
And we were nervous about what that's going to be like.
00:22:34.559 --> 00:22:37.279
It actually worked to our advantage.
00:22:37.519 --> 00:22:43.279
Not that I we used it as a sales tool, but it got people got to see who we were.
00:22:43.680 --> 00:22:46.559
We were very authentic, I think, with the with the girls.
00:22:46.799 --> 00:22:49.839
Um and there was some crazy stuff that happened.
00:22:50.000 --> 00:22:51.440
Like our youngest daughter, Haley.
00:22:51.519 --> 00:22:54.400
If you would have known her, I don't know if you knew her when she was like four or five.
00:22:54.559 --> 00:22:55.119
I did not.
00:22:55.359 --> 00:22:59.759
She would hide underneath the bed at the office and scare people as they were walking through the office.
00:23:00.559 --> 00:23:01.759
We had to put an end to it.
00:23:02.240 --> 00:23:04.480
Emma, Emma was, she loved to read.
00:23:04.559 --> 00:23:07.599
So she would be in a nook somewhere, a reading.
00:23:07.680 --> 00:23:13.119
And we had to actually put signs up in the different rooms where they were hanging out because we we were busy.
00:23:13.279 --> 00:23:18.240
You know, we were meeting people, we were on the phone, we didn't know what they were going to be doing, and we wanted them to have a lot of space.
00:23:18.400 --> 00:23:19.119
We had two homes.
00:23:19.200 --> 00:23:22.880
Sometimes we're in the in not the one that the office was in, our two-story home.
00:23:23.039 --> 00:23:26.400
And so we had to put signs up for people to be aware of like kids.
00:23:26.960 --> 00:23:27.519
Children in the home.
00:23:27.680 --> 00:23:28.640
Yeah, children in the home.
00:23:28.799 --> 00:23:39.680
But it made people feel very at home seeing that we are just we are just a well that definitely makes you feel better than a big national chain that you're building against.
00:23:39.759 --> 00:23:42.240
You're never going to see something like that in those situations.
00:23:42.319 --> 00:23:45.519
So I could see how that would make it easier to connect with you.
00:23:45.839 --> 00:23:48.720
And having the kids around in the business is valuable too.
00:23:48.799 --> 00:23:53.359
And that's those are memories that you guys will all have forever, and it's a part of it.
00:23:53.599 --> 00:23:55.680
So that's I love hearing stuff like that.
00:23:56.079 --> 00:24:05.039
Emma being, you know, graduated college here in December, now has a tremendous amount of knowledge about home building because she was out with dad, out with mom.
00:24:05.119 --> 00:24:06.559
You know, we went to a family.
00:24:06.640 --> 00:24:11.920
We would trick them into saying we're going on a road trip or taking lunch when we were really going looking at a project.
00:24:12.160 --> 00:24:13.200
Oh my goodness.
00:24:13.440 --> 00:24:16.000
And they were on to it pretty quick, but they enjoyed it.
00:24:16.079 --> 00:24:17.039
We had a lot of fun with it.
00:24:17.200 --> 00:24:17.920
A lot of fun with it.
00:24:18.079 --> 00:24:23.920
There's obviously times when when it's not, do you know, mom and dad aren't around either.
00:24:24.480 --> 00:24:28.000
Um, but they're pretty mature girls, they can take care of themselves.
00:24:28.240 --> 00:24:33.119
I know I had a conversation with Emma recently, and she was like, Yeah, I I never thought that I would do this.
00:24:33.200 --> 00:24:36.799
I went and tried something else, and then I realized, oh, this isn't that bad.
00:24:37.200 --> 00:24:43.119
So she does with what she's learned at college, it's tremendous for us in developing.
00:24:43.279 --> 00:24:51.920
We've got a kind of association going on, and she's done she's done so well with creating product uh for that, and I trust her.
00:24:52.160 --> 00:24:59.359
You know, she's it's sometimes when you bring somebody else in and exposing the business to them makes you a little nervous.
00:24:59.519 --> 00:24:59.839
Yeah.
00:25:00.160 --> 00:25:02.160
But she knows what we know.
00:25:02.319 --> 00:25:04.240
Yeah, she's been there from day one.
00:25:04.400 --> 00:25:08.079
So but it's it's yeah, it's challenging and rewarding at the same time.
00:25:08.319 --> 00:25:22.480
So since working with family is challenging and rewarding, what would some advice be you'd give to somebody else who's listening who might be just starting out and they're gonna go into business with family, or they're well into it and maybe they're not surviving it well?
00:25:22.640 --> 00:25:24.240
Any advice that you'd give?
00:25:24.559 --> 00:25:27.440
Sure, that is that is definitely a great question.
00:25:27.759 --> 00:25:30.720
Man, I there's probably many things to share.
00:25:31.279 --> 00:25:35.039
It's just learning to understand.
00:25:35.119 --> 00:25:36.720
I think I go back to the same thing.
00:25:36.799 --> 00:25:46.559
Like, if they are both like, let's say it's husband and wife, or it's sons, daughters, and they're in the family, is learning your roles.
00:25:46.799 --> 00:25:57.920
One of the things that I have not done a great job is I shouldn't talk about the negative things, but I'm gonna just say like I haven't done a great job is giving probably some people the respect in the family.
00:25:58.160 --> 00:26:07.359
And I would treat the rest of the people better than I treat my own family and allow them and they would have to kind of pick up, pick up where I left off.
00:26:07.920 --> 00:26:17.839
And but I would say value those people and treat them just like you would, if it's your if it's your daughters or sons, treat them just like you treat your employees.
00:26:18.240 --> 00:26:19.440
They want to be treated the same.
00:26:19.519 --> 00:26:22.319
They don't want to be favored, they want to be treated the same.
00:26:22.799 --> 00:26:26.559
And then once you're off of work, and then they can be your kids.
00:26:27.200 --> 00:26:28.640
I think that's one of the things I've done.
00:26:28.799 --> 00:26:32.720
And you had mentioned before clear roles and responsibilities makes a big difference too.
00:26:32.960 --> 00:26:49.279
I also have a tendency to just step over those boundaries a little bit, but I think if you know, your husband-wife team, it's a lot easier if you know the lane you're supposed to stay in, to stay in the lane and then respect that of each other than it is if everybody's trying to do everything and you're all over the place.
00:26:49.759 --> 00:26:50.079
Yeah.
00:26:50.319 --> 00:26:53.039
Your business has grown, you've evolved a lot.
00:26:54.000 --> 00:27:01.039
What are some of the challenges that you had, you and Lori have had to overcome just with all of that growth, with navigating new things?
00:27:01.279 --> 00:27:15.519
Any big like if you're now looking back and reflecting and seeing what are the lessons or challenges that you've experienced over the last, you know, I think one of the things that I would say is for myself is handing off responsibility.
00:27:15.839 --> 00:27:35.519
Because there's only so much time in a day, and being the one that likes to control things, um, and having to oversee basically everything that happens, being okay with dishing out responsibility, allowing other people to bump their heads, make mistakes, and learning from them, because that's sure what I did.
00:27:36.160 --> 00:27:41.359
Uh I didn't do, and I'm still like working on handing off responsibilities.
00:27:41.519 --> 00:27:58.640
That is definitely one of the things as you grow, and especially if I just put like the home building aspect of it into it, is how do you bring on the right people, not just within the company, but like with your contractors as well, and communicating that well without the contractor getting upset with you?
00:27:58.799 --> 00:28:04.400
Like, how do we bring in um so that you can continue to grow and they can continue to grow?
00:28:04.559 --> 00:28:23.119
Um, because there was times when I kind of bullet my way forward and said, okay, so we'll we'll do as much as we can, and I should have brought more people on instead of working people, like just more hours and pushing people, pushing contractors to get stuff done, is adding people.
00:28:23.440 --> 00:28:35.200
Uh and yeah, and then also one of the things that you strive to do is to stay connected the same way you were whether you were building 12 homes or you're building 84 homes.
00:28:35.599 --> 00:28:36.319
That's really hard.
00:28:36.720 --> 00:28:49.440
That is hard to stay connected with everybody because you bring in, you gotta now maybe you need in home building, it takes about 20, 20 contractors for all the tasks, different contractors.
00:28:49.599 --> 00:28:52.000
And now you're bringing, you're basically tripling that.
00:28:52.079 --> 00:28:56.319
Now you're working with, you know, pushing 175 contractors maybe.
00:28:56.559 --> 00:29:06.160
Um, and it is harder, but that's another one, another something like dishing off responsibility is you put that responsibility on other people to stay connected with them.
00:29:06.400 --> 00:29:07.920
I don't have to be that person.
00:29:08.160 --> 00:29:08.720
Yes.
00:29:09.039 --> 00:29:15.519
Creating the structure for scaling that growth and putting the people in between and then trusting them to do it the same way that you would do it.
00:29:15.759 --> 00:29:16.160
Yeah, for sure.
00:29:16.400 --> 00:29:17.440
I understand that's really hard.
00:29:17.519 --> 00:29:22.720
I mean, because you've invested a lot into the dream, the time, the energy, everything that goes into it.
00:29:22.799 --> 00:29:25.200
So it feels scary to hand that over to somebody else.
00:29:25.440 --> 00:29:26.400
It does a little, yeah.
00:29:26.720 --> 00:29:29.759
A little bit, but they have to learn, like you you said.
00:29:29.920 --> 00:29:35.359
And really, you're learning then to lead at another level as well when you're trusting them with a new responsibility.
00:29:35.519 --> 00:29:40.640
So we'd stay stuck if we were just gonna continue to do things the way we can do it.
00:29:40.720 --> 00:29:43.279
There is, we do actually have a capacity max.
00:29:43.440 --> 00:29:46.240
Yes, we do, regardless of whether we want to believe it or not.
00:29:46.480 --> 00:29:48.160
There's only so many hours in the day.
00:29:48.480 --> 00:29:56.000
And I will add just to that yet on on like not only like your contractors, but other like competition, like locally.
00:29:56.160 --> 00:29:58.720
I think we are blessed with our local competition.
00:29:58.880 --> 00:30:03.440
Like, I have a lot of friends that are doing pretty much what I am, a little different model.
00:30:03.599 --> 00:30:05.440
And we bounce ideas off each other.
00:30:05.680 --> 00:30:06.960
It's actually a little bit unique.
00:30:07.200 --> 00:30:08.559
I know I had mentioned that to you.
00:30:08.720 --> 00:30:14.880
It's really something to watch the home builders in the Wayne Holmes County area come together and collaborate.
00:30:15.039 --> 00:30:17.359
I don't think that that's a normal situation.
00:30:17.839 --> 00:30:27.519
We go to some national meetings and we talk with builders from the Carolinas, from Michigan, and they struggle with the things that we are really strong at.
00:30:28.000 --> 00:30:33.119
Uh and actually, just on the way here, I had, I did I say that I was talking on the phone while I was driving.
00:30:33.519 --> 00:30:37.119
No, I had a conversation with one of our closest competitions.
00:30:37.680 --> 00:30:57.279
And I had some questions about, and it has to do with, you know, growing up in our lot very technical, technological like smartness, whatever you want to say, but not knowing if your contractor has equipment that you could help them immensely with what you have, but you don't know how to do it.
00:30:57.920 --> 00:31:09.920
So I had a conversation with a a company out of Holmes County uh that is that we've been very, we're very comp we're pretty competitive, however, we're very friendly too.
00:31:10.319 --> 00:31:21.279
And just how do we do that well with because the contractor not only is are we not the smartest, the contractor isn't either, but he has this tool that would allow us to help him immensely.
00:31:21.680 --> 00:31:33.920
And there's people that are like prominent home builders in in the Wayne County and Holmes County areas, and we, yeah, like you did mention, there's just there's so many, there's so many ways that we can help each other.
00:31:34.400 --> 00:31:38.559
And we would a lot of our us builders would say, if you have some questions, just give us a call.
00:31:38.720 --> 00:31:45.039
We are proud of an organization, uh part of an organization, the home build association that we try to help each other through that.
00:31:45.359 --> 00:31:46.319
It's it's been good.
00:31:46.480 --> 00:32:04.720
That's one of the things that I was probably surprised the most coming into like looking at our competition is how much there's people that don't like to, but there's some companies that are very open and they won't give all the details, but they're very open to sharing like they'd rather have friends and enemies within the industry.
00:32:05.119 --> 00:32:06.000
It's easier that way.
00:32:06.240 --> 00:32:06.400
Yeah.
00:32:06.640 --> 00:32:20.480
Well, and you have to have an abundance mindset that there's enough out there for everybody, and you're still gonna go do things your way and figure out how to make yourself stand out and be unique, but um that does not happen in the marketing industry.
00:32:20.799 --> 00:32:27.759
So, and I've been around construction enough to know that that's pretty actually unique in as well, like working with individual services.
00:32:28.000 --> 00:32:32.880
Some of them are really competitive, and so that's it feels a little scary sometimes to be that friendly.
00:32:33.119 --> 00:32:36.160
Um, but I think that it's working well, yeah.
00:32:36.400 --> 00:32:41.359
Like, you know, it gives you an opportunity to learn from each other and and build each other up.
00:32:41.599 --> 00:32:44.000
Competition makes better clients too.
00:32:44.160 --> 00:32:44.480
It does.
00:32:44.640 --> 00:32:51.839
So if you're on the same playing field, then it's a lot easier to know that everybody's charging what they should charge and comparing apples to apples.
00:32:51.920 --> 00:32:55.119
So it's fun to watch a little bit from the outside.
00:32:55.359 --> 00:33:03.119
And then it's not as painful then, you know, you're you're not gonna you're gonna lose some clients to your friends, and those aren't that that those aren't that painful.
00:33:03.519 --> 00:33:06.000
Like if you think about, well, I could have gotten that one.
00:33:06.079 --> 00:33:11.599
But if it's somebody that you're kind of pulling for anyway, it's like you said, there's an abundance of work currently anyway.
00:33:11.680 --> 00:33:13.759
So help each other out as much as you can.
00:33:14.240 --> 00:33:18.640
Okay, so let's talk a little bit about the future of home building.
00:33:18.720 --> 00:33:20.559
So we talked about how we got where we're at now.
00:33:20.720 --> 00:33:21.680
What do you see?
00:33:21.920 --> 00:33:26.319
Obviously, the um the real estate market is pretty challenging.
00:33:26.480 --> 00:33:33.279
It's there's all kinds of crazy things going on, you know, post-COVID rates skyrocketing, land's not available in our area.
00:33:33.359 --> 00:33:35.200
It's just like there's all kinds of things.
00:33:35.359 --> 00:33:38.720
Um, so what are you guys preparing for over the next like three to five years?
00:33:38.799 --> 00:33:39.680
What do you see happening?
00:33:40.000 --> 00:33:41.279
Sure, that's a good question.
00:33:41.519 --> 00:33:59.759
I think I think the the more the because of the challenges with real estate, people I think are going to be moving to more of like a condo like type setting where it's smaller footprints, less maintenance, less property like cost per se.
00:34:00.079 --> 00:34:01.519
And how do we do that well?
00:34:01.759 --> 00:34:05.839
And kind of combined with like today, we make ourselves so busy.
00:34:06.079 --> 00:34:11.440
We have two to three kids, they're involved in sports, nobody has time to do anything hardly.
00:34:11.599 --> 00:34:15.679
If if you especially when it's rainy like this, and you don't have time to mow the yard.
00:34:15.840 --> 00:34:22.960
So I see that um where people are pushing towards more of a maintenance-free living area.
00:34:23.199 --> 00:34:30.239
Where I think now for a couple of years, I would I could have said, like, there's so much opportunity for like maintenance contractors.
00:34:30.639 --> 00:34:41.760
Like, if we build a new home and I could sell a maintenance package with it, you come change your my furnace filter, my water filter, make sure my duct work, my HVC is working properly.
00:34:41.920 --> 00:34:43.840
People would sign up for that type of service.
00:34:44.400 --> 00:34:53.360
And then the other thing that I'm kind of excited about is like more efficient um like pieces in our home, like our HVAC, our air conditioners.
00:34:53.440 --> 00:35:04.400
Like we have some products that are a lot better, more efficient than they were, trying to keep those costs down, spending a little bit more money up front, but then keeping the like the daily costs down.
00:35:05.039 --> 00:35:13.760
Um and not and you know, and of course, not building these huge homes that have huge property taxes.
00:35:14.000 --> 00:35:16.960
Uh, but it's very challenging currently in in real estate.
00:35:17.039 --> 00:35:25.920
That's do you see so do you see the the smaller house, smaller footprint trend in Wayne and Holmes County here locally as well?
00:35:26.159 --> 00:35:29.519
I know that that has been coming like in larger urban areas.
00:35:29.679 --> 00:35:33.760
What do you see actually translating to like locally in our area?
00:35:34.079 --> 00:35:34.320
Yeah.
00:35:34.480 --> 00:35:40.559
One of the challenges that we face locally is is finding property that's you know an acre or two.
00:35:41.119 --> 00:35:46.880
And and one of the issues has been like the regulations that come with that.
00:35:47.119 --> 00:35:55.920
And with our new commissioners that we've had over the last couple of years, um, we've had some conversation and they changed some of that where it's a little easier.
00:35:56.079 --> 00:36:11.119
And I think we we're gonna see, we're gonna see like smaller roads put in, maybe roads connecting new roads connecting other roads, where we're taking some area where, and of course, I like, I mean, nobody wants to see the farmland go away.
00:36:11.199 --> 00:36:13.440
Some of it is gonna go away because we have more people.
00:36:13.599 --> 00:36:21.519
And I keep saying, like, if your farmland is going away, what a better way than having little kids growing up in neighborhoods where they can interact.
00:36:21.679 --> 00:36:34.000
And I think that's where I see Holmes and Wayne County going, is we'll see more like connecting roads, dead-end streets, you know, into Cold-Sax, um, where people are able to like make them a little bit more affordable.
00:36:34.159 --> 00:36:41.199
Like when you have properties in Holmes County going for upwards of a hundred thousand an acre, it's it's just not within the budget.
00:36:41.519 --> 00:36:42.159
It's wild.
00:36:42.400 --> 00:36:43.039
It's not, no.
00:36:43.199 --> 00:36:51.039
But if you can, if you can get it where it's a little bit more reasonable, break these properties down to like one, two acres apiece, um, and being part of that.
00:36:51.119 --> 00:36:56.880
That's some of the things that excites me about creating those opportunities, partnering with the right people to create those opportunities.
00:36:57.039 --> 00:36:58.320
I think that's Homeland County.
00:36:58.480 --> 00:37:09.679
And then out of from away from that, I think it's it's smaller footprint, you know, having um like almost like HOA set up where people don't like restrictions.
00:37:09.840 --> 00:37:19.440
However, if they can pay an X amount and they know that the budget is fixed per month, uh it's a lot easier to predict, it's a little safer for them, and then they don't have to worry as much about the maintenance.
00:37:19.599 --> 00:37:19.840
Correct.
00:37:20.400 --> 00:37:29.119
I remember this winter when we had a really awful winter talking to somebody who lived in an HOA where their snow was cleaned every single week, and I was like a little bit jealous of that.
00:37:29.760 --> 00:37:37.199
They don't have to worry about like being in the country where your safety or a well is gonna fail, and it just they want the stretch fee part of it.
00:37:37.280 --> 00:37:37.519
Yeah.
00:37:38.000 --> 00:37:44.719
I mean, I employ a young team here, and just seeing how challenging just getting into homeownership is for a younger generation now.
00:37:44.880 --> 00:37:52.880
Um, I had a conversation with a homelander recently, and he was talking about how like upper 30s is the average age of a first-time home buyer, which is wild.
00:37:53.039 --> 00:37:59.519
I mean, you used to be able to do that at a much younger age, but it's just so challenging that it's challenged, challenging to rent.
00:37:59.679 --> 00:38:04.639
Renting is renting is expensive, but so is buying, so is building.
00:38:04.880 --> 00:38:10.639
And really comparing renting to buying or building, it really is almost as equally affordable.
00:38:10.800 --> 00:38:16.000
And I think that's also an area where if people just understood, you know, what do they need to save?
00:38:16.079 --> 00:38:16.960
What does it look like?
00:38:17.519 --> 00:38:35.920
My encouragement would be is if you have considered building a house or if you're trying to get in to talk to you guys, because I've talked to some of your clients who have said you guys are really a great team to work with if you, you know, you make the process easy, maybe it's more affordable than what they realize it could be, and you really help guide them through the process.
00:38:36.159 --> 00:38:44.079
So if somebody's listening, yeah, we we do kind of pride ourselves a little bit in that, in trying to be very transparent, right?
00:38:44.159 --> 00:38:45.599
You know, from day one.
00:38:45.840 --> 00:38:53.280
Uh, and and we've had numerous people come with, you know, a tight budget and figuring out how to stay within them.
00:38:53.760 --> 00:38:57.119
But often I mean, there's people that, you know, obviously can't afford it.
00:38:57.280 --> 00:39:01.280
However, there's a lot of people that can actually afford more than they think they can.
00:39:01.599 --> 00:39:06.719
It's we pride ourselves in putting the tools in their hands and saying, hey, this is how it works.
00:39:07.119 --> 00:39:11.440
You if you can like if we can develop a plan together, we might be able to do it.
00:39:11.840 --> 00:39:23.599
And figure out what what are the fixed plan, fixed pricing that you can't change, like your driveway, all your all your uh property improvements, and then the balance that's left over, let's figure out what what we can build the house for.
00:39:23.840 --> 00:39:28.639
I'll let uh me and Jay be a really fun challenge for you on shop versus house.
00:39:28.800 --> 00:39:29.519
There you go.
00:39:29.920 --> 00:39:31.280
Which one's going to win?
00:39:32.159 --> 00:39:33.119
That would be fun.
00:39:33.920 --> 00:39:42.239
Okay, so if somebody is listening and they're thinking about maybe having a conversation regarding building a home, where would they find more information about 89 homes?
00:39:42.400 --> 00:39:42.639
Sure.
00:39:42.719 --> 00:39:42.960
Yeah.
00:39:43.119 --> 00:39:45.840
Well, if you see me going down the road, you can flag me down.
00:39:46.000 --> 00:39:47.119
No, I'm just kidding.
00:39:47.360 --> 00:39:52.639
Um a lot of people contact us just through calling us at our phone number.
00:39:52.800 --> 00:39:56.079
Uh, we have a website that's gonna look a lot nicer.
00:39:56.719 --> 00:39:57.440
And just a little bit.
00:39:57.519 --> 00:39:57.679
Yeah.
00:39:57.840 --> 00:39:58.719
Well, I'm so excited.
00:39:58.800 --> 00:40:01.360
Lindsay, you have no idea how I'm excited about that one.
00:40:01.599 --> 00:40:07.599
It's it it felt like it was gonna be an uphill battle and it would never happen.
00:40:07.920 --> 00:40:09.519
Well, I'm so excited about it.
00:40:09.679 --> 00:40:15.360
But yeah, so they can find us on, they can call us, you can hit us up on there's a contact us.
00:40:15.840 --> 00:40:21.760
A lot of people contact us through our website, um, follow us on Facebook or Instagram.
00:40:21.920 --> 00:40:23.679
We have a good amount of followings.
00:40:23.840 --> 00:40:26.000
We post most of our projects.
00:40:26.239 --> 00:40:30.880
Um, we're not the quickest to put like a ton of information out there.
00:40:31.039 --> 00:40:35.920
We'd rather have people contact us and figure out like kind of what we do.
00:40:36.000 --> 00:40:39.679
Uh, but yeah, just calling us or hitting us up on what's your phone number?
00:40:39.840 --> 00:40:44.559
My our phone number is 419-368-4961.
00:40:44.800 --> 00:40:45.119
Okay.
00:40:45.360 --> 00:40:52.320
So if somebody's thinking about going through the process, just call us or Lori or whoever answers the phone and they'll walk you through the process from start to finish.
00:40:52.800 --> 00:40:55.119
We love talking about our process.
00:40:55.199 --> 00:40:58.079
So thank you very much for being on the show with me today.
00:40:58.159 --> 00:41:00.320
I enjoyed learning a little bit more about your story.
00:41:00.480 --> 00:41:05.039
I get to spend some time with you at church, but I don't get to spend a lot of time talking to you about business.
00:41:05.119 --> 00:41:06.239
So I really enjoyed this.
00:41:06.320 --> 00:41:07.039
Thank you very much.
00:41:07.360 --> 00:41:08.639
I enjoyed being here.
00:41:08.800 --> 00:41:09.199
Thank you.
00:41:09.760 --> 00:41:11.440
Thanks for tuning in to Torch Talk.
00:41:11.519 --> 00:41:17.440
If today's story sparked something for you, share it with a colleague, community leader, or future change maker.
00:41:17.599 --> 00:41:22.559
Until next time, stay inspired, stay intentional, and keep your fire burning.
