In 1973, my dad started a construction company while working for the Houston Fire Dept. I was 6 months old. He left the FD to go full time when I was about 5 or so. I was always involved with summer jobs, weekend jobs, brake jobs, cylinder jobs, and lots and lots of shovel jobs. I left for A&M with him making me promise that I'd do something besides construction, but I knew that's all I wanted to do.
When I left college early, (he was soooo pizzed
) I went to work for him and quickly realized that I just couldn't work for my dad. I was too immature and he was too demanding. I could work for him or we could have a great relationship, but not both. I left and went to work for a global pump and compressor company where I learned a lot about customer relations, employee relations and business in general. I did well there, but couldn't see myself working for someone else my whole life.
Three years later, it was 1998, I called my dad up one day and told him I wanted to come work "with" him. He said he couldn't afford to pay me what I was making. I told him to give me six months and he'd be able to pay me more than I'm making. I made it clear that I wasn't looking for a job, but a career that included a path to partnership. We agreed on terms that would let me earn 50% of the company over time. I'm assuming he thought it would be a long time, but it only took a few years. When I first came on, he had six employees, an old Case 580 backhoe, a DitchWitch trencher and old boring rig.... and he and mom lived a comfortable middle-income life.
Today, my Dad owns 2% of the company he started (my sister and I own the balance). We have 350+/- employees. We've spun off 8 other companies and sold four of those. My Dad still likes to work, so he manages a project or two in between cruises and vacations with my mom and their friends. He's an old construction hand and will probably drop dead on a job site, when he's in his 90s, and wouldn't want it any other way.
Starting and growing businesses excites me. I'm not afraid of measured risk and I've surrounded myself with people smarter than me. I've hired the best people I can find and I expected them to perform at a very high level. I've had growing pains, made bad decisions that cost money, hit home runs and I've struck out. I've bought other business and started and sold businesses and closed one down for lack of performance. I've had loans that would choke a mule and more than a few nervous bankers over the years, but we never considered anything beside paying what we owed...even when I once worried "how". I've learned lessons the hard way and made friends that I can't imagine life without. I've just never been afraid to fail, even when others doubted that I'd succeed. I've been broke as a joke and I've had money to spare and it's just never defined who I was. I love the competition. I love the challenge. I love the relationships and the camaraderie of business. Money is just a way to keep score.
I get a lot of credit for our growth, and my Dad would tell you (like he tells everyone else
) that I'm responsible for it, but none of it would have ever been possible if my Dad didn't have the balls to hang out his own shingle, take his future into his own hands and decide to be his own boss. He gave me a good name, a good work ethic and most importantly he always believed in me...even when I'm sure he thought I'd lost my mind.
Funny this thread came up today....because I've recently had another idea baking.
When I left college early, (he was soooo pizzed
) I went to work for him and quickly realized that I just couldn't work for my dad. I was too immature and he was too demanding. I could work for him or we could have a great relationship, but not both. I left and went to work for a global pump and compressor company where I learned a lot about customer relations, employee relations and business in general. I did well there, but couldn't see myself working for someone else my whole life.Three years later, it was 1998, I called my dad up one day and told him I wanted to come work "with" him. He said he couldn't afford to pay me what I was making. I told him to give me six months and he'd be able to pay me more than I'm making. I made it clear that I wasn't looking for a job, but a career that included a path to partnership. We agreed on terms that would let me earn 50% of the company over time. I'm assuming he thought it would be a long time, but it only took a few years. When I first came on, he had six employees, an old Case 580 backhoe, a DitchWitch trencher and old boring rig.... and he and mom lived a comfortable middle-income life.
Today, my Dad owns 2% of the company he started (my sister and I own the balance). We have 350+/- employees. We've spun off 8 other companies and sold four of those. My Dad still likes to work, so he manages a project or two in between cruises and vacations with my mom and their friends. He's an old construction hand and will probably drop dead on a job site, when he's in his 90s, and wouldn't want it any other way.
Starting and growing businesses excites me. I'm not afraid of measured risk and I've surrounded myself with people smarter than me. I've hired the best people I can find and I expected them to perform at a very high level. I've had growing pains, made bad decisions that cost money, hit home runs and I've struck out. I've bought other business and started and sold businesses and closed one down for lack of performance. I've had loans that would choke a mule and more than a few nervous bankers over the years, but we never considered anything beside paying what we owed...even when I once worried "how". I've learned lessons the hard way and made friends that I can't imagine life without. I've just never been afraid to fail, even when others doubted that I'd succeed. I've been broke as a joke and I've had money to spare and it's just never defined who I was. I love the competition. I love the challenge. I love the relationships and the camaraderie of business. Money is just a way to keep score.
I get a lot of credit for our growth, and my Dad would tell you (like he tells everyone else
) that I'm responsible for it, but none of it would have ever been possible if my Dad didn't have the balls to hang out his own shingle, take his future into his own hands and decide to be his own boss. He gave me a good name, a good work ethic and most importantly he always believed in me...even when I'm sure he thought I'd lost my mind.Funny this thread came up today....because I've recently had another idea baking.
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