ad was real strong on “everyone helps out.” So we all had chores. There were three of us who worked for him – my older brother, younger brother, and me. I knew that we were always expected to out-perform the other guy cause we were family. That’s where I got the yearning for the experience of working with my hands. I enjoy puttin’ my tools on and doing what I’ve gotta do.

I don’t take the minimum as the acceptable. If someone says, “this is all we expect of you,” give them more. And that’s the way I’ve always tried to do my life. I always want to go out there and work my hardest and be the best.

I push myself and drive myself. I want to go as far as I can. And I’m going to work as hard as I can to get there. Just showing up and doing what’s asked of me is not going to get me up that ladder. And that’s where I want to be. I’ve got to show up and do better than what’s asked of me. It’s just a moral code I have. Hard work always wins out.

I want to make sure that everything is just the way the customer actually wants it. It’s a great feeling when they come on the job and they’re just smiles and real happy with the work they got. That’s what I strive for. I believe in giving people what they pay for. I’m going to give them what they paid for and they’re going to give me what I’m worth.

What makes me good at this is my wanting to do it. You start with nothing but dirt. And then two to three months or a year later you go over to the light switch and the lights come on. You’ve got a sense of accomplishment. You know, “I did that.” And that’s what it’s all about. This is what I’ve always wanted to do and I’m just tickled to death that I’m doing it as good as I am.

Stories from the Field