Love What You Do
There are very successful general contractors who would say I am not making money by being out in the field….Money is made in the office. I agree with that philosophy; however, I really enjoy being in the field. I guess I will never be in the 1% when I retire! It was apparent to me at an early age that I would rather be outside than eat when I’m hungry. Wearing a suit, sitting in an office and carrying a briefcase was never in my future.
If you drove by one of my under construction custom homes on Wednesday this week, you would have seen me there after the end of the regular work day taking care of business. You would have had no clue that I was Matt Grace, the owner of Grace Construction, Inc. I am a hands on small business owner and like it that way. When I take on a contract for a custom home or start a spec home, I want to ensure that the work is happening on schedule, meeting regulatory standards and of the quality that I and my customers expect. I can’t do that from my office, or by sitting in my truck in the driveway of a current project – I have to see it up close myself.
Much of what I do is about relationships. My vendors and sub contractors know my expectations, but they also know that I will be checking on the quality of materials and work in process. The inspectors who evaluate our work know that I will take care of any issues noted without making a scene or wasting their time. Knowing the folks I do business with on a daily basis is important. You can learn a lot about a person from just talking about their weekend, favorite sport or family. You just don’t get the same connection from a text, phone mail or email. Don’t get me wrong – My phone rings and pings constantly but technology will never take the place of face to face interactions for me.
