Adapt and Overcome

Adapt and Overcome:

Welding isn’t my trade, but it’s become one more tool in my belt that helps keep projects moving forward.

I wouldn’t call myself a welder, more of a grinder (IYKYK).

But if you need two pieces of metal joined together, I can make that happen.

I picked up welding back in 2018 while building furniture.

Didn’t think much of it at the time, just another skill to help bring a creative idea to life.

Fast forward to now, and that skill has proven to be surprisingly useful on construction sites.

Now, let’s be real, most projects don’t require a ton of welding.

But this one?

Full of small metal fixes.

Nothing worth calling out a fabricator for, yet enough to keep me under the hood for a few days.

In addition, my network is in Houston, this project would cost 10X if I made that call.

So I handle it.

Not because I want to be in the field all day (I had 4 hours of admin waiting for me after this job), but because sometimes the best move is doing it yourself.

There’s another reason I do these tasks: Data.

When I get hands-on, I learn how long something really takes.

That becomes my benchmark.

So when I eventually outsource it, I’ll know what “good” looks like.

These days, gathering data is baked into everything I do, all in spreadsheets, everything from the cost of a screw to scheduling.

And while I love my spreadsheets, it’s good to know that when the job calls for it, I can still get out there, get dirty, and make progress.

Wood, metal, concrete, or code, doesn’t matter.

I just like building things.

With each project, I’m not just improving my skills

I’m sharpening my judgment, my instincts, and my ability to cut out the

noise and focus on what really adds value.

That’s how we grow. That’s how we win.