Hi everybody, welcome back to another episode of the Built Different Podcast. My name is Eric Tillman, the CEO of Tillman Builders. And today I’m here with somebody who has been with us for a very long time, almost two decades. He was a lead carpenter for our company for many, many years and has been in our office as an estimator for the last four or five years. And he is now our senior estimator, Jay. Welcome to the podcast.

Eric: So just so everybody knows, anytime me and Jay are in the same room or meeting new people, we always have to be upfront about a certain thing, and that is that we share the same first name. So Jay, how do you feel about the fact that we have renamed you three times now since you’ve come aboard?

Jay: Yeah, man. It’s definitely been a journey. But I think it all kind of made sense. It was “Junior” at first, I believe, and then changed to Jay once I became a little bit older and “Junior” became weird. Yeah, I embraced it. And it’s kind of cool that I almost have this other, not persona, but a different world. People who know me at work know me as one thing, and when people outside of work hear somebody say that, they’re like, “Who are they talking about?”

Eric: Yeah, so if you have a bad week and then somebody calls you Jay on the weekend, it’s almost like PTSD. You’re like, “Whoa, bring me back.”

Jay: Yeah. Yeah.

Eric: Well, thanks for understanding. And yeah, you were no longer Junior once you got your first gray hair. So anyway, everybody, this is Eric Kovac. He’s our senior estimator. He runs the estimating department. You’ve got, what, four people working under you now?

Jay: Three or four. We’re mixing some shifts around here. I think it’ll be three full-time starting April.

Eric: Okay, cool. So let’s go back to the beginning. You are a one-of-a-kind team member because you’ve been here the longest, aside from Bob. How many years are we at now?

Jay: I think it’s going on 17 now. I first started with Tillman Builders in the summer of 2008, right before I graduated high school. Went back, finished senior year, graduated in 2009, and I’ve been here ever since. I never would have pictured it turning out this way, but it’s definitely been a pleasurable experience. Especially now, being able to look back at where it all started.

Eric: Yeah, it is weird looking back. It’s changed a lot. You’ve changed a lot. I’ve changed a lot. We basically grew up in this company at the same time. Our formative years were spent together, making mistakes that dumb kids make and growing into adulthood. So how has that been from your perspective?

Jay: It hadn’t been that way for a lot of years. It’s really been the last eight years or so since you got into the office and had a bigger vision for where the company could go. It’s been exciting to see all the hard work finally pay off. The biggest change is the focus on hiring good people. That’s been huge. Back in the field, there were guys who couldn’t work together. Drama was just accepted. But now, the camaraderie is amazing. Guys help each other, support each other. Honestly, I almost miss being in the field sometimes just to experience that culture.

Eric: Yeah, I’m jealous of them too. They have something we didn’t get to have. And you’re right. There was a time when you and I were at odds. We weren’t pals. There were two teams, two lead carpenters, and we were on opposite sides. Those lead carpenters didn’t like each other and neither did we. Looking back, I wonder: did we actually dislike each other, or were we just a product of the environment?

Jay: Yeah, definitely a piece of it. I never really thought about it like that until now.

Eric: Eventually we got past it. Then there was that moment when you called me and said you were thinking about quitting for another opportunity. I remember telling you to go straight to the office. I called Bob and said, “We’ve got a problem.” And you didn’t quit. Why?

Jay: It was scary to think about leaving. I enjoyed the company. It wasn’t like anything was wrong. There was just a potentially better opportunity, so I wanted to explore it. But after talking to you and your dad, and hearing your vision for the future, it stuck with me. You basically told me to get on your back and that you were going to take it somewhere. And I thought, alright, let’s see what this guy is talking about. That’s really why I stayed.

Eric: I’m glad you did. That moment mattered. And honestly, that’s something I’d tell any business owner, lead with your heart. It was emotional. I remember telling you I cared about you, that I saw you as family, and that I imagined you being part of the future of this company. I hadn’t said that before, but I meant it.

Jay: Yeah, I remember that. It was genuine.

Eric: And since then, I’ve tried to lead that way more intentionally. Not everyone can do that, but if it’s who you are, you should lean into it.

Jay: Yeah, and it worked. It felt real.