What’s a decision that changed the direction of your career?
Saying yes to an internship in the architecture and engineering industry changed the direction of my career more than anything.
At the time, I was working for Red Bull and seriously considering switching my major toward marketing and business. Then I got introduced to estimating, and honestly, I did not even know that kind of work existed. What grabbed me was how important it was. Architects and engineers can design what a client needs, but one of the final questions is always, “How much is it going to cost?” I realized quickly that estimating helps shape decisions.
It was difficult right away because there was so much to learn. You have to build proficiency across multiple disciplines, and that can feel daunting when you do not even know where to start. But I stayed interested because it felt unique, fast-paced, and challenging. The work felt like math and art at the same time. It was not just counting and pricing. It was problem-solving, understanding constructability and feasibility, and thinking through surrounding factors.
What’s something you once feared in business but now embrace?
Failure, and if I am being honest, the feeling of not being enough.
A lot of that came from the pressure I always put on myself. I always felt like I had to be the best I could be. I wanted to be someone others could be proud of, especially my parents. That translated into work as a fear of letting down my team, my clients, and my family.
Earlier in my career, that fear showed up as paralysis by analysis. I wanted to understand every angle and prepare for every outcome. Over time, I learned you cannot prepare for everything. You will make good decisions and bad ones. What matters is how you respond. “Pressure is a privilege” changed my perspective. It helped me see stress not only as something heavy, but also as an opportunity to work through something hard, learn, and come out better than before.
How do you stay grounded as your responsibilities grow?
For me, staying grounded means having ways to clear my head and keep perspective.
Golf helps, but surfing is the biggest one. Surfing is a total brain detox. Once I am out there, everything else gets quiet. The stress, the noise, and the weight of decisions all fall away for a while.
I am also part of a strong business group, and that has helped me a lot. Learning through other people’s experiences and talking through challenges with people who understand that level of responsibility has been huge.
But more than anything, my wife keeps me grounded. She is my anchor. She is the reason I get up in the morning and do what I do. I want to build a life we enjoy and create opportunities together. I only really feel at home when we are together.
What’s one moment that reminded you why you love what you do?
It is not one big moment; it is a lot of small moments over time.
What keeps reminding me why I love what I do is my team. Work means different things to different people. For some it is passion, and for others it is how they provide for their family and create the life they want.
What means the most to me is seeing people grow in their judgment and confidence, then turn around and help others grow too. Seeing that “put me in, coach” mindset, or hearing someone ask, “How can I help?” says a lot. Culture plays a major role in that. When people have a safe space to ask questions, ask for help, learn, and teach, growth happens. Learning helps you understand. Teaching helps solidify what you learned and makes you a multiplier.
I also learned from my own experience that I cannot assume “I’m fine” always means everything is fine. Earlier in my career, I mostly just powered through. That grit helped me, but it also cost me in stress, burnout, fatigue, and even relationships. Because of that, I want my team to know that asking for help is not weakness, and success is not worth sacrificing everything around you.
What excites you most about the future?
What excites me most about the future is the chance to keep building something meaningful while also enjoying life.
To me, meaningful work can look different for different people, and it can change over time. For me, the common thread is positive impact.
That starts with my wife and family, then my team, then clients, then the next generation, and then the broader community. The kind of future I want is one where success is shared, not just personal. The most meaningful picture of that for me is seeing people enjoy life more because of what the work made possible: more freedom, more confidence, more stability, and more experiences together.
At the end of the day, if people can learn from my experiences and take something from them that helps them build a fulfilling life of their own, that would mean a lot to me.
