Associate of the Year Interview Questions

I received the Associate of the Year award from the Builders Association of the Blue Ridge Mountains, and these questions were asked as part of an interview series, so I thought I'd share them on my blog as well.

What was the moment, or series of moments, that led you into the building industry?

Oddly enough, I think it was an interest in macroeconomics. When I was just out of college I really got into economics. I remember reading "The Wealth of Nations" and being fascinated by the idea of a free market where small businesses can disrupt legacy entities by innovating, and having a better feedback loop with their consumers. That started my love for small business and entrepreneurship, even though at the time I didn't really know what entrepreneurship was. I've always been interested in the people around me who are creating the economic environment we live in—how that functions and how marketing works inside that ecosystem. When I got into construction industry marketing, I realized these pretty small companies have a massive impact on our local economy. It seems like small businesses in the construction industry operate on an order of magnitude more capital per employee than the average small business. That is really interesting to me. It's such a massive B2C sale, and it really shifts a lot of marketing fundamentals.

How did your business or career evolve from those early days to where you are now?

I started on the technical side of a small marketing agency, directly out of college. At that point I was just working with any small local business in the college town I graduated from. I partnered with a mentor there, and that's where I developed my love for entrepreneurship. Over time, I kept interfacing with businesses in the construction space, and it really came back around to where I've always wanted to go. When I worked with the Sullivan family of companies, I got to see the details of how a business functions—to learn how other departments work and understand the machinery of a real company from the inside. That entrepreneurial drive combined with my interest in how businesses grow led me to launch my own consulting practice at the end of '24.

What core values guide the way you work with clients, partners, and your team?

Long-term relationships have compounding interest. That's my core value. Good relationships have a deep ROI over a long period of time—that's one of the most valuable things you can have. When you play iterated games with people, integrity becomes practical. This is so cool to me because it doesn't rely on a (usually ambiguous) definition morality. Instead, I can just ask whether or not a decision will result in long-term relationships aligned with my direction.

You see peoples' context, you understand each other better, and the value of that trust compounds over time. People want to trust other people for the biggest, most important economic decisions, and that trust only develops through repeated, honest interactions.

And I think as AI handles more intellectual labor, relationship-based decision-making is going to be even more important. The biggest human moat is cultural—it's a lifetime of context that includes social cues and things only humans can see and interact with over time. Long-term relationships are the core of what will remain valuable, and investing in those relationships is what drives how I work with clients, partners, and my team.

What's one challenge you've overcome that significantly shaped your career or company?

When I was younger, I went through extreme depression and came out the other side as a fundamentally different person. That experience taught me how deeply I can change. Some of the people I look up to most don't even go by their original name anymore. I am currently adopting an ego as "Uncle Mitch", and "Bop" is one of the men I respect the most. We unconsciously want to categorize people to save brain energy, but there's grace and beauty in people who fundamentally change. To have great impact on people's lives—through business or family—you need to become different people at different stages.

Is there a project or accomplishment from the past year that you're especially proud of?

I'm proud of the progress we made supporting local businesses through the Disaster Relief Task Force. We provided meaningful support when our community needed it most. On a personal level, I'm proud that I launched my business a little over a year ago and proud of where that journey has taken me. The growth it's pushed me through has been substantial.

What does receiving this "Of the Year" award mean to you personally and professionally?

This award is meaningful because I feel seen and heard. In my first year of business, I've been pushing in experimental directions and providing excess value for people. That's what you have to do early on—experiment and give generously. Later, a business can capture more of the value it provides. But at first, it's a lot of giving and putting yourself out there. It feels reassuring to see that effort appreciated and reciprocated.

How has BABRM supported your success or influenced your journey in the industry?

The Builders Association has given me a direct link to the industry. It's helped me stay in touch with what's happening locally and nationally, connect with builders across the country, and stay current on trends. They've helped me make connections within our local economy and through introductions to the National Association of Home Builders. It's also given me a way to give back in a mutually beneficial way.

What do you think sets your work apart in the Western North Carolina market?

I focus on builders in markets across the US, and my offer is somewhat uncommon. I help you create a modular marketing system—a hub-and-spokes approach. You have your centralized marketing strategy, and you can bring in vendors and agencies as needed. You retain all your accounts, your processes get built out, and you keep your systems and plans (and my IP). Your company goes from a hodgepodge of strategies to a systematic program that you own. Lots of other offers can give you a systematic machine, but you don't own it.

Who has been a mentor or major influence in your career, and what did they teach you?

Sean Sullivan taught me a lot about resilience, mindset, capacity for change, and leadership. Kyle Parks has given me reassurance and guidance as I launched my business this year. Naval Ravikant has shaped how I think (not a mentor, just reading / listening). And Kevin Whelan is helping me navigate this specific business model. He has been instrumental.

What advice would you share with someone just starting in the homebuilding or remodeling industry?

Avoid the middle. Provide exceptional results for exceptional people, or provide extremely scalable results to a lot of people. Price, hire, and position according to one or the other.

Looking ahead, what excites you most about the future of your work or the building industry in WNC?

I like sci-fi, so I'm extremely hyped about AI right now, and later, it's impact on scientific progress. WNC needs affordable, resilient structures that can help people build equity, and AI can help with a lot of problems to reduce homebuilding costs.