Today we’d like to introduce you to Lea Holliday.
Hi Lea, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
When I was a kid, I spent a good portion of my youth in competitive sports. I did fine in grade school, but I enjoyed the connection with my teammates and loved pushing myself to be better. I had a good relationship with my parents and often worked for my father who was a residential general contractor. I eventually had to take on a lot more work and responsibility when he got injured, unexpectedly pushing me to help oversee some 175 properties’ renovations and maintenance. I had to teach myself a crash course on playing the GC and I struggled. Once my father healed, I was free of the pressure but wanted my independence.
As soon as I was able, I moved out on my own and began working odd jobs to make ends meet, from being a furniture mover, to raking leaves, to patching roofs, whatever it took to pay the bills. I decided pretty soon after moving out that I wanted more for myself and started college. I quickly realized that working in construction was where I was most comfortable and allotted me several opportunities. I worked full time and took classes part time, taking classes that were in completely different fields but were things that I wanted to know about. After receiving my associates degree and playing financial catch up for a year or two, I decided to carry on and continue my education and again take courses against my academic advisors’ advice I had more than enough credit hours to land on a degree. I chose to get my bachelor’s degree in biology thinking it was a shoo-in for a good paying job at a hospital or in a lab. I was wrong, and I couldn’t find a job that was anywhere close to what I was making in construction. I was apprenticing under a home builder while at the College of Charleston and figured I had enough time under my belt to apply to be a licensed builder. I started with a lot of very small jobs but was making good enough money for me to live how I liked. I made enough to pay the bills, travel a bit and have fun.
The company stayed fairly busy, and I was involved with every aspect of the job. It stayed this way for years until I got sick. At first the doctors didn’t know what was wrong, misdiagnosing me until I was down a third of my body weight. I have more pride than sense and it was only when my wife (girlfriend at the time) forced me to go to the doctor, after collapsing in the hall on my way out the door for work, I sought out help. In the time that I was getting poked and prodded by doctors I realized that I couldn’t physically do the work I used to. Being weak and malnourished, it was dangerous for me to try and do the things I was used to, so I started to subcontract the work out. Thinking that would be the end of my business and still not knowing why I was sick and only being able to hold down liquids and broths, I was mentally prepared tell everyone my goodbyes. My wife constantly booking and carrying me to one doctor after another all while my company for some reason, is growing doing jobs valued substantially more and with much higher degrees of complexity. I knew I had to focus on something other than my body disappearing a little more every day, so I focused on work getting bigger jobs and more subcontractors. I was finally diagnosed a disease called Achalasia. I had undergone a newer surgical procedure referred to as POEM and I remember the moment I realized I was going to live and the profound moment I had when I could keep down a bite of applesauce. After a few months of recovery, I realized that I had figured out a new business model that worked. Every year the company continues growing.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Yes and no. The issues that come along with being a small business owner in general is something that, I believe, connects a lot of entrepreneurs. The hurdles are different but the same. working ridiculous hours, throwing every dime you have at it, giving up a lot of your social life, hobbies, so many sacrifices needed to be made to take a risk that I wasn’t sure would end up working out.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I focus on high end residential remodels and additions. I pride myself on making sure that the work done is up to that clients standards at a minimum. Everything my company builds is, of course, up to the national and local codes, but a lot of my clients have very specific tastes and to make their vision come to life, I orchestrate many teams. Im involved directly with the client when coming up with ideas, the architect, the engineers, I understand the red tape when dealing with differing jurisdictions, from difficult or complicated terrain to historical areas that every board or window needs to be approved for use. Many of the materials are specialty and need to be ordered from overseas, handmade or fabricated in specialty shops. I pride myself the most on being very hands on for every job.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
I was lucky enough to grow up around a lot of very smart, motivated people that helped to advise me and tell me about their mistakes as well as the things that worked for them. I believe that I’ve had my fair share of bad luck and I believe that their can’t be light without dark, you cant have up without down. The bad luck I have had and the hard times that were to follow have made me a stronger, fuller person. I feel very lucky for being met with hard times and unexpected difficulties because its made this a fight worth fighting for. Also, things sure would be boring if it all was easy and predictable.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://morrisislandconstruction.com
- Instagram: @morrisislandconstruction
- Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/morrisislandconstruction/
