E29: How to Build a Championship Business Culture | Michael Hiebert
What does it take to build a successful business that thrives on excellence? In this episode, we uncover the journey of a former professional athlete who turned his passion for teamwork into a thriving construction business.
Explore insights on leadership, creating a winning culture, and strategic planning that can elevate any business. Whether you're a seasoned entrepreneur or just starting, this episode is packed with actionable advice to inspire your growth.
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Kellen Ketchersid
Kellen is a co-founder of Stag Business Coaching, business strategist, and a systems thinker. He leverages his extensive experience in biotech and consulting to empower entrepreneurs to navigate complex challenges with strategic growth solutions.
Albert Gillispie
Albert is a serial entrepreneur, business efficiency expert and co-founder of Stag Business Coaching who has founded several multimillion-dollar companies. With expertise in optimizing operations and innovative systems, he mentors business leaders who want to unlock their business’s full potential.
Michael Hiebert is the president and owner of Cantex Roofing and Construction, a full-service construction company based in Lubbock, Texas, serving West Texas, the Panhandle, and parts of eastern New Mexico. With a colorful background as a professional hockey player and enforcer, Michael transitioned to entrepreneurship, blending lessons from sports and business to create a company known for its strong culture and commitment to excellence.
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EPISODE 29 TRANSCRIPTION
Introduction
Albert And Kellen [00:00]: All right, we are live. Today's guest is the president and owner of Cantex Roofing and Construction. Cantex is a full-service construction company from residential and commercial roofing all the way up to ground-up construction. They serve all of West Texas, up into the Panhandle, and parts of eastern New Mexico. We're excited to have you. Welcome to the podcast, Mike Hebert.
Mike [00:22]: Thank you, Albert. I'm glad to be here. Both of you, Kellen, thank you.
Albert [00:26]: We've been excited about this one. Whether you know it or not, you're well known around Lubbock, and people have nothing but good things to say. I'm excited to have you. I do want to start with a little colorful past. I've heard rumor tell that not only did you play hockey professionally, but you were also the enforcer. So tell me a little bit about that.
Mike [00:46]: I did. I dropped the mitts a few times. I might throw some Canadian slang at you, so we'll do some explanations on it as we go. But yeah, I liked to fight. I used to. Not anymore. I just want to hug you now. But no, it was part of my job.
Albert [01:00]: So explain, for those that are ignorant to hockey. Explain a little bit. What is it? What is an enforcer? What do they do?
Mike [01:06]: So what does he do? Again, I don't want to say I was an enforcer. I wasn't scared to fight anyone. Didn't matter the size. I could skate well, played the body, physical, in-your-face type player. That style typically invited physical stuff. I wasn't much of a chirper—there's another term. I wasn't much of a talker out on the ice. I'd rather just fight or skate hard.
Albert [01:26]: So your game invited it?
Mike [01:27]: Yeah, my game invited some physical stuff. But, quote-unquote, an enforcer is a player that can change the tone of a game. They're known for their toughness. That style is really working its way out of the culture of hockey now. You have to be able to play.
The Role of an Enforcer in Hockey
Albert And Kellen [02:30]: So the quote unquote enforcer is kind of dying. Do you think the game's going in a good way? Obviously with all the science behind it, with the concussions, all of that, you can see why.
Mike [02:40]: I still think it’s the only game where you can get into a fight, go to the penalty box, feel shame for five minutes, and then you’re set free. It was definitely an awesome part of my life. I moved away from home when I was 16. I finished playing hockey when I was 30, with probably somewhere in the neighborhood of 200 to 250 fights.
Albert [02:57]: Jeez.
Mike [02:58]: It's a lot. Other than a couple of twitches, I'm good to go.
Albert [03:01]: Okay. So hockey career, where did you grow up?
Mike [03:03]: I grew up in Manitoba, straight north of North Dakota and parts of Minnesota. When I was 14, my family and I moved out west to Vancouver, straight north of Seattle. That’s where I lived until I was 16, and then I moved away from home.
Albert [03:16]: So the difference in Canada for hockey is you don’t live at home if you’re any good?
Mike [03:20]: Exactly. Unless the team is in your hometown, you traditionally move away from home to pursue your dream. It’s junior hockey. It’s a business. It’s not a school-affiliated sport at the level we played. You’re living with host families. The team is taking care of all your arrangements. You live under that home’s rules, go to school in that town, and you’re on the road playing a 60 to 70 game schedule.
Albert [03:39]: It’s a lifestyle.
Mike [03:40]: It sure is. It’s a business. You can get traded in high school. I went to three different high schools my senior year.
Albert [03:47]: Whoa.
Mike [03:48]: Very different. That’s something I’m very thankful for—settling in and this being my last stop in Lubbock.
Moving to Lubbock and Starting a New Chapter
Albert And Kellen [04:38]: You know, and having my family, it was really an exciting thought to me as a man and a husband growing my children up that, man, I'm going to have my kids at home until they're at least 18.
Mike [04:49]: You know, it's like a different thought for you.
Albert [04:51]: Yeah, it is. You take that for granted down here.
Mike [04:53]: Yeah, but for me, that was a huge deal. I'm like, this is cool because there's no hockey here, unfortunately. But we're the largest city in America to not have an ice rink.
Albert [05:03]: I didn't realize that.
Mike [05:04]: Well, we did. I guess it's gone now.
Albert [05:06]: So the team that you played for, the Cotton Kings, which anyone who grew up in the West Texas area knows, and if you're like me, I was one of those people that was at the games as a kid always looking for the fight. That was my favorite part of the game. So you end up in Lubbock, play for the Cotton Kings, and that's where you finished your career in hockey, right?
Mike [05:24]: Yeah, 2000 to 2004.
Albert [05:27]: Okay. Finished playing. So then how do you go from playing hockey in Lubbock to now starting a business? Can you tell us that story?
Mike [05:34]: Yeah. Growing up, my dad was in the floor covering business. He had started and ran his own business, so I grew up in an entrepreneurial type family. I believe it's either in your blood, or it's not, and it's okay either way. You have to make a living. I had to get a real job after hockey. So I worked for BNSF Railway for just under 10 years.
Albert [05:56]: Wow.
Mike [05:57]: I was a conductor, then I promoted to an engineer. But there was really no more growth for me there other than my seniority. So I was waiting for guys with better seniority to either die or retire. I was missing something. I had a great job, and I'm thankful I worked on the railroad because I built relationships and friendships I have to this day. But it goes back to my hockey days—not settling.
Albert [06:18]: Yeah.
Mike [06:19]: As an athlete or in life, you're always trying to climb that ladder, right? You're working your way to the next position. That's what I knew in hockey—always trying to make the next level. I went through a lot of mental instability with nothing ever being good enough.
Albert [06:33]: Yeah.
Mike [06:34]: Later on, the Lord showed me who I really was. He didn’t create me to be a hockey player, a railroad worker, or a roofer. He created me in His image, and that's pretty cool. There's peace with that. But at the railroad, I was a conductor, then an engineer. Now, there was no more. I was like, what am I doing? I'm missing something.
Albert [06:53]: Yeah.
Mike [06:54]: It’s a tough life. The railroad life is tough. You're on a variable call schedule, always going somewhere, getting rested to go back to work. I talked to my wife and said, "Honey, I'm either going to do this for another 20 years and we'll be content, or let’s look at something else." She said, "Hey, I want you to be happy." That’s when I got into roofing. I worked for another company here in town for two years and found success with it. It was awesome.
Albert [07:16]: Yeah.
Mike [07:17]: I was talking with people and had a platform, I guess, from hockey. You're recognized to a degree, but that platform is only as good as the individual. I learned from my dad: do things with excellence, do elite work, and when you say something, you do it. That's a simple philosophy.
Albert [07:33]: Yeah.
Mike [07:34]: I’m really thankful for that opportunity to get my foot in the door with roofing. But that entrepreneurial spirit kicked in, and I said, "You know what? I think I can do this. I don’t know everything there is to know about the industry yet, but I’m constantly learning. I want to be able to control the culture. The culture is the key to success in business."
Albert [07:52]: Yeah.
Mike [07:53]: I told my wife, "Honey, I think I want to start our own." I was literally kicking back by my fire. I have a tractor tire rim in the backyard where I burn wood.
The Inspiration Behind Starting a Roofing Business
Albert And Kellen [09:15]: One night I'm just kicking that rim and Cantex came to mind. I'm like, "Hey, Can text"
Kellen [09:20]: Yeah.
Mike [09:21]: So that might be something. Anyway, that’s where it started.
Albert [09:23]: And that's because you're from Canada and now you're in Texas, right?
Mike [09:26]: I'm from Canada. My wife’s from Texas, and Cantex. So, it’s a maple leaf with the Texas flag colors in it. Very proud to say that.
Kellen [09:34]: It's a cool logo. I really like it.
Mike [09:36]: I am American now though. Canadian citizen born and raised. I was a green card holder for many years, but May 17th of 2022, I became an American citizen.
Albert [09:45]: Man, very cool.
Mike [09:46]: That was unbelievable. Like, come on.
Albert [09:48]: Yeah, that is awesome.
Mike [09:50]: I swore in, I swore to bear arms for this country. To do so, I was like, "Yeah, let's go!" You know what I mean? And we were just coming out of COVID.
Albert [09:58]: Right.
Mike [09:59]: You do that ceremony in Plano at the event center. There were 685 people in that big auditorium, and there were 81 countries represented.
Kellen [10:07]: Wow.
Mike [10:08]: Pretty neat. Pretty special.
Albert [10:10]: That is really cool. You don't get to hear that story very often. How long did that take?
Mike [10:14]: It really just under a year from start to finish. I had made my life down here, and everything was up to date. There were good records, and you just pay the money, get it online, and start inputting all the information they’re asking. So yeah, it was pretty straightforward for me, but it was an exciting one.
Albert [10:30]: Yeah, that's awesome. Congratulations.
Mike [10:32]: Thank you. I have my passport. All along, when we'd leave the country—my wife and I or my kids and I—when we’d come back through customs, I'd have to go one way and they’d go another. Now, we all go the same way. Little things just keep you kind of excited.
Albert [10:45]: You started your own business.
Mike [10:47]: Yes.
Albert [10:48]: Did you just take off and find success from day one?
Building CanTex Roofing and Early Challenges
Albert And Kellen [11:15]: Yeah. Easy ride.
Mike [11:16]: Yeah. Nothing like it. No. So, May 6th, 2016, was the last roof I sold for the other company. May 9th, 2016, my LLC was formed in Austin. Roofed my first house May 25th. I was ready to go on the 20th, but my general liability insurance wasn’t ready. I was not going to do it without the proper insurance. So I waited until the 25th. But, you know, life experiences give you your present. If you can reflect back on those and learn from it, then it was a good experience.
Albert [11:42]: Yeah.
Mike [11:43]: I had a couple of different businesses in the past. When I was playing hockey, I had a company called Go Time Sports. I had a roller hockey business and sold equipment and everything here in Lubbock. Then, while I was railroading, there was a time when I got cut off from the railroad. The economy in 2008 kind of took a dive. So I started a lawn business called Maple Leaf Lawn and Landscape. That actually had really good success.
Albert [12:08]: Nice.
Mike [12:09]: But in those moments, like working with Go Time and Maple Leaf, I was burning the candle at both ends. With the hockey business, I was out on the rink, working with the kids, taking care of all the travel. For the lawn business, I was running my crews. I was out there mowing, weed eating, edging, blowing off, cleaning up flower beds. Then in the evening, I was doing all my books. My books weren’t very pretty. They were right—well, honestly, I can’t say they were right. I probably made a ton of mistakes. It was a mess.
Albert [12:36]: Yeah.
Mike [12:37]: So, when I started Cantex, I thought, “Okay, I’m not going down that road again.” I made sure to have the right people in the right seats. I hired an office manager right off the hop. I set up files, documentation, paperwork, and showed her the process. I said, “This is how this is going to go. I’ll bring you the business. You do it.”
Lessons Learned from Previous Ventures
Albert And Kellen [13:40]: You do with it, you know, as we're showing and night and day different. And so I learned from that experience earlier that, hey, you know what, I know how paperwork should go. I know how all the filing is, but Mike, you're not very good at it. You know, your gifts are out there developing relationships, building the business. And so that was something where I'm glad I walked through it, or else I would have never known.
Mike [14:05]: And it saved me, I think, a lot because the business was running smoothly from the beginning, from behind the scenes. And so I just went out and hit it, and we had a successful first year.
Albert [14:15]: There's so much in that that I feel like applies to many businesses, right?
Kellen [14:18]: Yes.
Albert [14:19]: It's like you knew yourself well enough to know what you were best at and what you shouldn't spend your time on. And it costs something to hire people to do that for you. I think a lot of times, as a business owner, it's like, "I don't need to spend that. I can do that myself." And we had a conversation similar to this yesterday, Albert and I, but it's so valuable to be able to focus on what you're best at. And I love that you had this self-awareness. I mean, you can see the success of your business, how it's worked for you.
Albert [14:46]: So, and you said earlier, something else that I think is kind of related, which is, you went into this business and you didn't know. It's not like you knew everything. You had a lot of things you just didn't know. Can you speak to that a little bit? Maybe after you got into CanTex, you already had some things that you brought in with you that you'd learned, but have you learned some lessons or did you learn some early lessons at CanTex that maybe you've gotten better in since then?
Mike [15:11]: Absolutely. Experience is one. Playing hockey as long as I did, then working in the railroad, having a family. I was just—I was right at 40 years old when I started CanTex. And so I wasn’t, not that I’m old, but not a spring chicken, you know? I think it would look a lot different if I was 25 and doing it.
Albert [15:29]: Right.
Mike [15:30]: There are just things you don’t know. So learning and knowing, like putting the right butts in the right seats, plus I’m removed from the game, the hockey game, or like hockey in general, because that’s where I relate a lot of things to.
Sports Metaphors in Business and Team Building
Albert And Kellen [16:02]: My sports life, I owe everything to hockey or else I wouldn't be here. I'd probably be working in a paper mill up in Northern Canada right now. But the experience factor from a... What makes a team? What makes an individual? Okay, it's culture. Yeah, but also understanding the gifts, understanding what are the right butts in the right seats. And so my hockey career, played 27 years, won three championships in my whole career.
Mike [16:34]: So as I removed myself from the game, you sit back and you reflect and you go, okay, what would I do different here? What would I have done different here? How was I as a teammate? Was I coachable as a player? And you look at this, and it, you get to now translate it into business.
Albert [16:48]: Yeah.
Mike [16:49]: Channel that energy.
Albert [16:50]: Trying to make it a championship team in your business.
Mike [16:52]: Exactly. And that's what I strive to do. When it comes to a hockey team, you have an owner, general manager, then you have your coaching staff, and then you have your players. In hockey, you have five players on the ice at one time for one team. You have your forwards, your center, your left wing, right wing, and then your D, and then your goalie is always in the net. You have four lines. You have your first line, second line, third line, fourth line. For forwards' defense, you'll have three pairings typically of two. Then you have your star goalie.
Albert [17:26]: Okay.
Mike [17:27]: Well, your first line is no different than any star football player, baseball player. They're the ones scoring all the points. They're the big dogs. They're the Patrick Mahomes. They get all the recognition. They're getting all the press time, the accolades, everything. That's what the first line is paid to do: put the puck in the net or score touchdowns.
Albert [17:45]: Right.
Mike [17:46]: The second line, they're the same. They're right up there too, but they have a little more of an edge. The third line, they've got a lot of character. Those guys have a lot of character. They might not be the most prolific goal scorers, but they're good at what they do. They're typically shutting down the other team's first line. They are assigned with a job, and they do it with excellence. The fourth line, back in the old days, that's where the enforcers were.
Albert [18:11]: Right.
Mike [18:12]: They were keeping the ends of the bench warm. They're only getting single-digit minutes in a 60-minute game. But they're character guys. Anytime you look their way, they're positive, they're uplifting, they're good in the locker room. They're your blue-collar guys. Same with the defense. Then your goalies are all just a little different. You've got to be to face that many shots.
Albert [18:32]: Yeah.
Mike [18:33]: But, you have all those different personalities. It's the coach's job to understand. The first-line guys, there can be some drama with them. Some guys are more maintenance than others, but it's the job of the coach to know who's what and how to bring everyone together to accomplish the goal. The general manager's job is to assemble the team. The ownership ensures the engine's healthy, making sure there's money in the bank to pay players and empower them to be successful.
Albert [19:07]: Right.
Mike [19:08]: I had three teams my whole career that won championships. For 24 years, I was a loser. Think about that. So I looked at those teams and asked, what was different? It broke down to alignment. Everyone understood their role. They were willing to go through the wall for each other. They were accountable to their jobs. Together, we achieved the goal we set out for.
Albert [19:33]: Yeah.
Mike [19:34]: You translate that into business. There’s no locker room speeches, no kicking garbage cans. That’s not the real world. But you redirect that energy into business. You put the right butts in the right seats. When we hire, we're intentional. What's your why? What gets you out of bed? We want this to be life-giving, not just a job.
Albert [19:59]: Yeah.
Mike [20:00]: Sometimes you do things you don’t want to do, but that shouldn’t be every day if you have a choice. That’s how we’ve built our team, and I’m sticking to it.
Kellen [20:09]: We love the sports metaphor. We use them all the time. Right now, we’re looking for the A player for somebody we’re helping hire. We've also talked about the glue guy on a basketball team, the guy who can do everything. I love the analogies in your business.
Albert [20:25]: I’d imagine you’re a combination of a coach, GM, and owner, wearing all those hats and looking at your team. As you were talking about the lines, I was thinking about sales and marketing as the flashy guys. Then you have the back line, administrative types. It's knowing what people fit where and hiring people gifted in that area to build a championship team.
Kellen [20:48]: That’s so important. I love the analogy.
Albert [20:50]: Same.
Kellen [20:51]: Keeping it simple is key. I love the journey from solopreneur, touching everything, wearing every hat, and justifying it with wanting excellence, to having self-awareness, starting fresh, and saying, "I can’t do everything."
Mike [21:06]: Exactly. People want to play for a championship team. They want to be in a group where everyone’s striving for excellence. That’s contagious. People want to progress and do excellent work. We've touched on culture so much. Can you describe what Cantex looks like today? How many employees? What does your first, second, third, and fourth lines look like?
Mike [21:31]: We’re very blessed. We have 46 employees. We have our front office: accounting, finance, AR, and AP. Then we have upper management or our leadership team. We have our general manager, COO, and CFO. Then we have division leaders for commercial roofing, pitched roofing, commercial glass, and construction, which is split into residential and commercial. Each division has a leader. We meet with them weekly.
Albert [21:55]: Right.
Mike [21:56]: I have an executive team, a group of four of us. We do a Monday recap, looking back at the week and ahead at the week. Accountability is key. We have a really neat group of individuals. The culture starts and stops with me. That’s something entrepreneurs need to know.
Creating a Culture of Excellence in Business
Albert And Kellen [24:48]: Your company is only as healthy as you're going to allow it to be. A lot of people want to take the credit for the good things, but they don't want to take the credit when it goes south. We've had different times in our eight years where the culture—well, that Kool-Aid didn't taste very good for a short time. And I was to blame for that. What I'm thankful for is the team I had around me that was there to jump in the gap for me. Because I haven't always been perfect. Life throws you some lemons sometimes, and you've got to pivot and deal with it.
Mike [25:21]: I'm thankful we had the team to support because I'm as accountable as anybody. It's not just about me laying out the iron fist. You better look in the mirror as the owner and say, "Am I leading the way I'm supposed to be?" I'm thankful for those times they were able to jump in the gap. Every person that joins our team is an ingredient to that culture. We ask them, "Do you want to be part of something bigger than yourself? What do you bring? Because this is what we do. This is how we are." You either fit in or you don't. People don't typically get fired from Cantex. They fire themselves because they want to separate themselves from the pack.
Albert [25:58]: Yeah.
Mike [25:59]: It's an ever-evolving process. Roofing construction—it’s not the most glamorous job. It's awesome, but it's hard. Those are hardworking people. I wouldn't do it without our people.
Albert [26:12]: And you talk about this culture. For those of you listening who aren't from Lubbock, you guys have a reputation for having a good culture. Your team walks into events, like the apartment association events, and they're there to serve, to learn, to listen, and to deliver good service. I'm proud of you for that. But big picture—it’s construction, blue-collar work. It's hard. You're going out and getting dirty every day.
Kellen [26:37]: Can you give some practical things you guys are doing to help create that culture and sell that vision? Guys coming to work for you, it's their career, not just a job. How are you selling that vision and culture practically?
Mike [27:14]: If you don't like people, you probably don't want to come work for us. Everything we do, whether it's putting a new roof on a homeowner’s house or doing a construction job or a curtain wall glass job, you're dealing with a human being. The home—that's a personal purchase. The business—that's an acquisition. But when you have the mindset and the heart to serve, that's what we're looking for when we meet people. Do you have the heart to serve?
Albert [27:39]: Right.
Mike [27:40]: I've been asked several times over the last few years, "How's the roofing business?" I always say, "Awesome." They say, "Really? What’s so awesome about roofing?" I say, "It's not necessarily the roof. It's the people behind it." That's what I'm intrigued with most. We're a bunch of relationship management people. If we're chasing after the dollar, that's going to come through. But if you're chasing after relationships, that’s different.
Albert [28:03]: Yeah.
Mike [28:04]: Our purpose statement is, "Together we are one serving you." When you have a culture that gets into alignment—our front office serves our field people, our field people serve our clients—when you know your role and do it with a joyful heart, it doesn’t matter what you’re selling: toilets, sinks, roofs, whatever. There’s pizzazz behind it.
Kellen [28:22]: Absolutely.
Mike [28:23]: And, yeah, you’ve got to have some cojones to be in business. What’s your why? I want to change people’s lives. I want to impact people in a positive way and know that our product is fantastic.
The Importance of Serving Customers with Excellence
Albert And Kellen [29:37]: We've put a great roof over your head, or we've put great windows, or we built an awesome construction process or a project for you, but that you enjoyed the process. Our people were awesome to work with. I know, that's, gotta have some cojones to do it though. That's so important, and there's such a difference, right? The, you know, I think of a lot of, a lot of the trades, like there's such a difference. You know, some companies, I think of all the plumbing companies that have come in, come into my house to fix this or that. And, and there's some, you know, they're going to show up when they show up. They're going to come in and do the job and get out as quick as they can. And then they'll email you an invoice and great. They got the job done, but that, there's such a difference. The people that want to pursue that with excellence that are communicating with you. Hey, we're, you know, just letting you know, we are a little late on this job. We'll be at your house in the next, you know, this window. And when they get there, they're going the extra step. They're bringing towels, they're laying down tarps, they're taking care of, you know, that house that they're in. And when they leave, they're cleaning it up and leaving it better than what they found it.
Albert And Kellen [31:02]: That's right. And I'm going to pay more for that. My wife, she stays at home with our boys and she's a professional chauffeur for the family keeping us together. If she's stuck at the house for eight hours waiting for some obscure window, she's not going to be happy. I'm going to be mad too because something didn't get done that day that now we have to go do that night. So anyway, I'm rambling, but I think there's... There's so much, there's so much honor and there's so much like just being a servant like that in, especially in the trades that there's like, that's impactful when you, when you can deliver something that you care about. And that's, that's what I'm hearing from you in your culture is like, you give a crap. You want to serve these people with excellence and you can sell that vision to your employees that they know, like I'm doing good work. How much does your faith.
Integrating Personal Values and Faith into Leadership
Albert And Kellen [32:03]: Playing to that. And do you speak in that way in the workplace? Is that something that you're talking about? Yeah, I mean, what you see is what you get here.
Albert And Kellen [32:17]: To me, faith, God, that's a relationship. And it's shown through your actions, how you treat. To me, we have church every day. We get to witness to people every day. And that's not sitting there just with the Bible open. I believe in corporate fellowship and all that. But we are to be a light in the community. And so, hey, it comes in all different shapes and sizes. You know, I don't believe in some cookie cutter, one way is right and the other way is wrong. I believe that's a personal relationship with the Lord. And through him, you know, seek his counsel, his wise, he's the wisest counsel you could ever seek. And so that should shine through you as an individual.
Albert And Kellen [33:01]: Well, when you're talking about serving in the way that you are in your business, it can’t help but think that that's a big influence in your life. Just cool to see that in a business owner and the way that you're doing things. So I guess I'm curious, this is a little bit of a shift, but what are you excited about? Like what is on the horizon for CanTex that gets you fired up?
Albert And Kellen [33:21]: I'm fired up, man. So in 2024, the vision was grow within, okay? Refine our processes, become more efficient, which should in turn improve profits, okay, whether it's one, two, three points here or there, okay? If we can become more efficient and be better at what we do internally, then it'll reflect. And so I believe we have done a very good job. Everybody bought into that and drank that Kool-Aid this year and was a part of the ingredients to the Kool-Aid.
Albert And Kellen [33:55]: So the vision for 2025 is plan and execute, plan and execute. That sounds, we've heard it lots before, but planning is putting together a plan and it's a group of people. There's nobody just on an island in our company. You have a group of people you work with, you're accountable to. So putting together a plan, a good plan doesn't have a, well, if this would have worked out, I would have gotten this. A plan is you've punched holes in it.
Vision and Strategic Planning for Future Growth
Albert And Kellen [34:34]: You've just lit it. If this goes on, we're going to do this. That's what a good plan is. And so now it's executing. Yeah. Execute that plan. So that's our vision for this year, really for 2025. It's using very intentional words—accountability, communication, excellence, elite. In order to be elite, you have to make some sacrifices. Yeah, you put in the work. You have to put in the work. I have a group of people that are fired up.
Albert And Kellen [35:16]: Cool. So we go on a leadership trip each year. We call it a vision trip. And in January, I've tasked my team—and I'm doing the same thing—but we're putting together a presentation. We've been doing our budget and revenue meetings since October as we prepare for 2025, but they're putting together their final presentation. They're going to present it to their colleagues on our leadership team. At the end, we'll do a Q&A, and we'll either buy or pass. We could buy or sell.
Albert And Kellen [35:43]: So there's a little pressure because I feel that if your colleagues aren't going to buy it, why do you think our customers would? And vice versa, right? I'm excited. They're really taking it to heart. They're working hard on it, and I'm excited to see what shakes out.
Albert And Kellen [36:01]: That's fun. Not every business owner thinks at that level. Thinking about what you want to do with the business and not just being in the weeds all the time. I love seeing that. When we do business coaching, that's where we start—a strategic vision exercise. What are we dreaming about? What are we going for? How are we going to win this game of business?
Albert And Kellen [36:31]: People need to know—business leaders need to know—that you don't have to be perfect. It's okay. You're going to fail. You're going to fail in business, and you're going to fail with your customers. How are you going to respond to that? Are you going to make it right?
Albert And Kellen [36:49]: We have some commission-only sales guys. When it comes down to integrity, are you willing to forgo your whole commission if a job just goes to hell? Are you willing to give up your full commission to make sure that job is good? Because if you're not, you're not a fit with us.
Albert And Kellen [37:08]: From a coaching perspective, I want to talk about something real quick—insecurities. About five or six years ago, I saw the trajectory we were on, and I became really insecure. Am I equipped to take this where it needs to go? Or where I think it's going to go?
Albert And Kellen [37:28]: Because you had so much growth happening. Is that why?
Albert And Kellen [37:30]: Yeah. I'll be honest. I went through some stinking thinking for a while. I actually reached out for some help. I came across a contractor coach who had run his own successful construction companies but found his niche in serving and coaching. I invested in him for a year, and it was a game changer.
Albert And Kellen [37:52]: I've always been very process-oriented, with SOPs and everything, but they were all in my head. He taught me to write them down, take that load off. We now have a standard operating procedure and job description for everything in our company. There are so many positives that come from that.
Albert And Kellen [38:13]: My point is, as a boss, we're often looked to for answers. And yes, you probably do have most of the answers, but sometimes you don't. Don't be afraid to reach out. Hopefully, you've surrounded yourself with good people.
Albert And Kellen [29:37]: We've put a great roof over your head, or we've put great windows, or we built an awesome construction process or a project for you, but that you enjoyed the process. Our people were awesome to work with. I know, that's, gotta have some cojones to do it though. That's so important, and there's such a difference, right? The, you know, I think of a lot of, a lot of the trades, like there's such a difference. You know, some companies, I think of all the plumbing companies that have come in, come into my house to fix this or that. And, and there's some, you know, they're going to show up when they show up. They're going to come in and do the job and get out as quick as they can. And then they'll email you an invoice and great. They got the job done, but that, there's such a difference. The people that want to pursue that with excellence that are communicating with you. Hey, we're, you know, just letting you know, we are a little late on this job. We'll be at your house in the next, you know, this window. And when they get there, they're going the extra step. They're bringing towels, they're laying down tarps, they're taking care of, you know, that house that they're in. And when they leave, they're cleaning it up and leaving it better than what they found it. That's right.
Albert And Kellen [31:12]: I'm going pay more for that. My wife, she stays at home with our boys and she's a professional chauffeur for the family keeping us together. If she's stuck at the house for eight hours waiting for some obscure window, she's not going be happy. I'm going be mad too because something didn't get done that day that now we have to go do that night. So anyway, I'm rambling, but I think there's... There's so much, there's so much honor and there's so much like just being a servant like that in, in, especially in the trades that there there's like, that's impactful when you, when you can deliver something that you care about. And that's, that's what I'm hearing from you in your culture is like, you give a crap. You want to serve these people with excellence and you can sell that vision to your employees that they know, like I'm doing good work.
Albert And Kellen [32:33]: How much does your faith play into how you run your business?
Albert And Kellen [32:41]: It's everything. To me, faith, God, that's a relationship. And it's shown through your actions, how you treat. To me, we have church every day. We get to witness to people every day. And that's not sitting there just with the Bible open. I believe in corporate fellowship and all that. But we are to be a light in the community. And so, hey, it comes in all different shapes and sizes. You know, I don't believe in some cookie cutter, one way is right and the other way is wrong. I believe that's a personal relationship with the Lord. And through him, you know, seek his counsel, his wise, he's the wisest counsel you could ever seek. And so that should shine through you as an individual.
Albert And Kellen [33:57]: Well, when you're talking about serving in the way that you are in your business, it can’t help but think that that's a big influence in your life. Just cool to see that in a business owner and the way that you're doing things. So I guess I'm curious, this is a little bit of a shift, but what are you excited about? Like what is on the horizon for CanTex that gets you fired up?
Albert And Kellen [34:34]: I'm fired up, man. So in 2024, the vision was grow within, refine our processes, become more efficient, which should in turn improve profits, whether it's one, two, three points here or there. If we can become more efficient and be better at what we do internally, then it'll reflect. And so I believe we have done a very good job. Everybody bought into that and drank that Kool-Aid this year and was a part of the ingredients to the Kool-Aid.
Albert And Kellen [35:12]: So the vision for 2025 is plan and execute, plan and execute. That sounds, we've heard it lots before, but planning is putting together a plan and it's a group of people. There's nobody just on an island in our company. You have a group of people you work with, you're accountable to. So putting together a plan, a good plan doesn't have a, well, if this would have worked out, I would have gotten this. A plan is you've punched holes in it.
Albert And Kellen [36:33]: People need to know business leaders need to know that you don't have to be perfect. It's okay, you're going to fail. You're going to fail in business, you're going to fail with your customer. How are you going to respond to that? Okay, how are you going to make it right? Like when we have we have some commission only sales guys. When it comes down to integrity, are you willing to forgo your whole commission? If a job just goes hell in a hand basket, are you willing to give your full commission up to make sure that job is good? Because if you're not, you're not a fit with us.
Albert And Kellen [37:56]: I went through some stinking thinking for a while, you know? And so I actually reached out for some help. I came across coaching, contractor coaching. He had run his own successful construction companies, but he found his niche in serving and coaching. I invested in him for a year, and it was a game changer. I was able to learn, take the load off, write things down. So my point behind that is don't—like we are so many times as a boss, we are looked to to have the answer. And yes, you probably do have most of the answers. Sometimes we don't. Don't be afraid to reach out. Hopefully you've surrounded yourself with a good supporting cast that you can be transparent with. Surround yourself with a team of people that aren't going to judge you. Seek wise counsel, and you'll be all right.
Albert And Kellen [39:57]: All right, Mike, what do we got here? What's your favorite movie?
Albert And Kellen [40:03]: Shawshank Redemption.
Albert And Kellen [40:05]: Aside from the Bible, what is your favorite nonfiction book?
Albert And Kellen [40:09]: Rich Dad Poor Dad.
Albert And Kellen [40:11]: What's a piece of advice that's common in your industry that you don't agree with?
Albert And Kellen [40:15]: Don't put that shingle on because it's too good.
Albert And Kellen [40:17]: Where do we need to send them to get in touch with you?
Albert And Kellen [40:21]: CantaxRoofing.com or our office is 806-475-0010.
Albert And Kellen [40:23]: That'd be great. Thanks, guys. Thank you. Yeah.
