If you haven't figured out by now, I have tended to move around a fair amount. Unlike those in a specified career path, my moves have not necessarily been for work, but rather, because of work in a way. I decided early on that the reality of work & being an employee came with a lot of 'accepting things the way they are', which I am not fond of. Certainly, there are elements of any job or company which you find less than desirable, but can't change, that is not what bothers me. What truly bothers me is when things can be changed, improved, or streamlined to produce a better product, work environment, etc. and they are not addressed. This bothers me enough that I will leave, move across the country, and find someone else to add value to. Trust me, I've done it 6 times already.
As an employee, and a young man in the workforce, I am well aware of the lack of experience as I come into a new job, which forces me to earn respect by finding ways to add value. Once this has been accomplished, the momentum swings back in my favor, as I now start to analyze this company / employer for the value they can bring me, not just what I can bring them. This value is assessed in a number of ways; what they are paying me, what they are teaching me, and what opportunities for growth they are presenting me. When this scale gets out of balance, and I feel that you are not adding enough value to my career for the amount of stress or incompetence I must put up with, I leave.
In a traditional sense, or in a modern sense (if you consider the path they hammer onto kids from the day they set foot in school), you are trained to get a degree, get a job, work that job for a career, and hope to excel with that company. This might still work for some, but my personality has never aligned with that methodology. I am going to add value to you through work ethic, intelligence, trustworthiness, a desire to learn, and pride in my work. In return for this value, I am looking for a fair return of value, in the form of income, training, and opportunities to grow. Once I feel that you are taking advantage of the value I provide you as an employee, rather than taking my foot off the gas and matching your effort with a reduced output on my end, I find it more valuable to leave you and find another position for me to put my entire effort into.
After a number of jobs in the construction industry, I realized the core values I desire, the product I hope to produce, and the life I am striving to build, are simply not going to be fulfilled by another company. Hence, I started Lucid Development. The goal is not to sell a decent product with the largest margins by sourcing low-quality labor and/or products, but to take pride in producing the highest quality building which is worth every dollar. These are not DIY crafts, these are homes, and I want to be proud of every project you hire my company to complete.
I am sure this will adapt over time, as is required in any industry if you want to stay relevant and forward thinking. At this time, we are setup to hire top talent from subcontractors instead of fighting for employees. The shortage of skilled labor, and a lack of work ethic has made it very challenging to find, keep, and mentor talented employees. My skills are most effectively deployed as a project manager for residential construction. Each previous job has exposed me to different aspects of construction, and the integral pieces to complete a remodel / new build. I am not a master carpenter, a journeyman plumber, or a master at any other specific trade, but I am confident and experienced working alongside every one of these trades, so I can most effectively manage them. As a construction manager, I source the best talent from those who have chosen to become masters in their trade.
Each project brings new lessons, and as an analytical person, I look for ways to constantly improve the systems I have in place to stand out amongst fellow contractors with a firm hold in their local market. I wouldn't say I am here to shake things up, but I am certainly not going about this adhering to the age-old methods of construction companies. It is time to take pride in our homes again. I want every owner to feel confident that the money they have chosen to invest into remodeling / building their home was worth it, without questioning the quality of the product or the morals of the contractors involved. If another contractor isn't looking to add as much value to you as you are considering adding to them, it may be time to move on. Let's build the dream together!