The Woodsmith Story: Present Day
The Woodsmith Story : Part 2
The Woodsmith story continues from that young boy banging way too many nails into the side of a building to my present-day self. There has always been a love affair with building homes. I wish that everyone could find the joy I find in doing what I do. It was that very wish that started me on the path to the present-day Woodsmith Construction.
How I started out
I started my actual learning path by working for my father on the homes we were renovating while living in. Yes we lived in a constant construction site. Not everyone’s idea of a good time, but for me, it was heaven. I was obsessed with finding out how to build. I would read whatever magazines I could get my hands on and try whatever tasks were thrown in front of me. Some had more success than others, admittedly. It was not your traditional learning experience, but it suited my temperament well. The daily challenges of trying to figure out the best way to get from A to B seem natural to me, and I took to it like a fish to water.
Time to grow
It wasn’t long before I out grew my surroundings and those tasks were no longer challenging enough. I wanted to see if I could make it out in the real world. If I could play with the big boys so to speak. My journey beyond my father was a mostly disappointing one. Seeing how working as a trade really worked, was an eye opening experience for me. The contracting industry has always been plagued with a lot of people who rob Peter to pay Paul, and I was neither of those people in the equation. I found myself constantly getting shafted for work or money due. There were a few good guys I worked for but they struggled to keep things going because it was tough to remain competitive and pay everyone, sad to say.
Learning the business
There were worse off then me, much worse and far less able to deal with those realities. I am speaking of the customers that had hired some of the guys I worked for. It was watching how they were misled and misinformed that pushed me into starting my own company, and so began the Woodsmith story. I always felt that if I was upfront and honest about things from the start. Then maybe I could help some people have a great experience building their homes vs the terrible nightmare that seemed to be the norm.
Youth always has a simplistic way of seeing the world, and I quickly learned that things are that way for a reason. On the customer side, they had no reason to trust a contractor, so the lowest price always won the day. On the contractor side, they felt pressured to lowball in order to get work. I had a hard time trying to be honest and straightforward with people. I had many doors slammed in my face and yelled matches about it. I had no idea what I was talking about when I put my bid in. Even though I could justify every line, I would always hear, well, “Joe” says it can cost less, and so we are going with him. Now I know that whatever bid someone puts in there are a million ways to change it or add to it. I knew how things would go with “Joe.”
Standing the test of time
Nonetheless, it was a hard time to make a buck, but my love for building kept me and the Woodsmith story going. Then something fantastic happened: HGTV brought out Mike Holmes, and things changed for the better.
I will never forget the first show I watched, saying to myself. This guy says everything I have been telling people for years. This was great, now the public could see what had been covered up for years. From that day on, people have been more willing to listen and try it. They approach things not just from a cost perspective but also from an informational one.
I now have a team of people and we all love helping people with their homes and the best part is, I love it more then ever. Being honest and straightforward is always the way to go. No matter how hard it may seem at first and how tempting the tricks are. They will only ever just be half-measures, and the saying the truth will set you free is correct. When I can look each one of my clients in the eye and have them know they can trust what I say. It is the best feeling in the world.
I am a very lucky person because every day I get to help people with something I love. It is sharing that love with the people I work with that gives me purpose, and that is really what Woodsmith Construction is all about.
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