As someone who has dedicated their entire lifetime to innovation, it’s only natural that they approach business decisions from an innovative perspective. Born to a single mother, I grew up with a relentless drive to become the first in my family to earn a college degree, despite the daunting odds against me. Despite the obstacles that hindered my path to upward mobility, I persevered and achieved my goals nonetheless.
I am immediately grateful for the challenges that lay alongside me throughout the journey. Exposing me to adversity honed my capacity for perseverance, fostering a relentless pursuit of innovative approaches until I find a solution that surpasses the original one. Throughout my professional career, it’s the very same attributes that have enabled me to consistently strive for and achieve success.
As the founder of Curbed Building, Connolly Improvement, and Roamstead, a premier chain of luxury campsites, I am proud to have opened our inaugural location just outside the stunning Great Smoky Mountains National Park in 2023. Success has depended on identifying vulnerabilities in processes and procedures, allowing us to develop innovative approaches that yield better results.
Expert incorporation services for a wide range of entities, including Restricted Liability Companies (LLCs), Close Corporations (C-Corps) and Subchapter S Corporations, ensuring prompt, efficient and dependable filings in any state. We decipher the intricacies of the Company Transparency Act, providing crucial services that ensure your organization remains compliant and in a position of good standing.
While acknowledging the inherent flaws in the industry, I’ll be the first to admit that my own involvement within it is not immune to criticism? Regardless of your affiliation with the industry, you may inevitably encounter several developmental trade-offs. Whether you’ve experienced the frustration of working on a DIY project or simply attempted to hire a contractor for a small home renovation, it’s unlikely that you don’t have a cautionary tale to share?
Believe me: I had stories to tell, as well.
As I ventured into the realm of real estate development, it became apparent that competing against self-performing homebuilders would prove to be a significant challenge. Initially, I found myself hindered by a lack of transparency, inadequate management of subcontractors, and various other hurdles that impeded my ability to complete lucrative projects successfully.
Instead of allowing frustration to consume me, I harnessed its energy to generate innovative solutions.
Legacy trades often face resistance to innovative ideas and approaches, prompting skepticism from those more familiar with traditional methods. While seasoned veterans think they’ve cracked the code, newcomers struggle to navigate the complexities and search for a way to effectively integrate their skills. The construction industry is notoriously plagued by inadequate customer service, abysmal communication, and exorbitant costs, rendering it a labyrinth of difficulties. Individuals often accept such norms because they are familiar, and many legacy providers seem hesitant to invest the necessary effort and thought required to deviate from these established patterns. At Curbed, we recognized that widespread tolerance of subpar service in the industry didn’t mean we had to accept it as standard practice.
By disrupting traditional practices and embracing innovation within our industry, we’ve successfully achieved numerous milestones.
When you’re experiencing discomfort, there’s a strong chance that your customers, business partners, and acquaintances are also going through similar struggles. Forming Curbed Building was my response to the pressing concerns and frustrations I had as a developer in that role. I was struggling to find contractors willing to approach tasks in innovative ways, but I just couldn’t seem to locate any. My companions felt equally.
Once we had resolved our own personal challenges, we inadvertently created more problems for those around us. By engaging in proactive dialogue with our prospects, nurturing and sustaining our community, and investing resources into its development. While these efforts may not require extraordinary expertise, it’s astonishing that subcontractors are frequently undervalued and unappreciated on construction sites. The power of personal relationships can lead to remarkable professional opportunities when fostered through genuine interactions and mutual respect, as word-of-mouth referrals can snowball into lucrative collaborations. By prioritizing individuals, we enable cohesive teams to form naturally on our projects, ultimately benefiting everyone involved.
What’s the original text you’d like me to improve? Assuming understanding without genuine contemplation can be detrimental in business operations, echoing the cautionary tale of past Y2K bug stories.
There are still several projects and initiatives that I’ve started but never fully completed within my online business. Regardless of where you came from, let’s give this a try.
For our team, getting hands dirty might involve unloading windows from a semi-truck, procuring materials on-site, or assisting a concrete crew with tying rebar and pouring footings. By offering to absorb some of the workload from someone struggling beneath the surface, you’d essentially ask: Who’s feeling overwhelmed within our team? Focusing solely on completing a task hinders one’s ability to envision ways in which it could be enhanced.
By willing to go above and beyond, you’re sending a powerful message to your team: I’m committed to getting the job done, no matter what it takes.
“You can’t hit a home run without swinging the bat.”
In an era where data has become the lifeblood of modern society, we find ourselves immersed in a world driven by statistics and insights. In certain situations, employing a data-driven approach is crucial. You’re unlikely to pioneer a novel approach if you’re seeking others to implement it and demonstrate the evidence-based results before attempting it yourself.
Typically, efforts won’t necessarily pan out as anticipated. Before embarking on a fresh endeavor, ensure that you’re prepared to afford it the necessary time to demonstrate results. While avoiding pessimism about potential setbacks, cultivate a mindset that values gradual progress and accomplishment. Recognizing when to adjust strategy and when to maintain momentum is crucial.
Discovering companions proved to be a perfect complement to Curbed Building’s mission. With a dual background in development, I, along with Nolan Woody’s expertise in development and Gary Crowe’s insight into real estate, we formed a formidable team from the outset. While introducing a fresh viewpoint, we collectively harbored a unified creative vision for alleviating the pain that people often associate with a development project.
Companions have the unique ability to reveal hidden biases and limitations, providing fresh perspectives that we may overlook or be unaware of in our own thought processes. When complementary skillsets converge to achieve a shared mission, a solopreneur can leverage collective momentum that would be difficult to attain alone.
