Things not found offshore

Got a welcome-back surprise at the jobsite this week.
We all got a good laugh out of these shoes.

I was so inspired, I figured I’d kick off the week with a few thoughts.

Construction is a different beast.

It’s still primal, rugged, and in many ways...untamed.

After just getting back from the tech capital of the U.S., I found myself missing the simplicity of this world.

Today, I want to highlight a few things I picked up on my trip.

I’ll dive deeper into where I think tech is headed in future posts.

But for now, let’s keep it high level.

The first phase of my career was spent in the ocean, technically 90 feet above it.

In all my years offshore and around the world, I can confidently say:

You’d never find a pair of shoes like the ones in this photo out in the work area.

The level of safety, discipline, and constant readiness in offshore work is what made that time in my life so powerful.

Fast forward to now.

I pull up to my jobsite and spot a pair of shoes sitting on a pile of wood.

The team lead laughs and says they belong to “Gordo.”

I chuckled, Gordo is every bit of 6’3” and 275 lbs.

After four days of walking around San Francisco, one thing became crystal clear:

Even in the most advanced tech environments, some things still need to be done the old-fashioned way.

Hands. Tools. Boots.

The last time I was in San Francisco was eight years ago.

Back then, I was still neck-deep in O&G.

When people asked what I did, there was always a subtle pause, like they didn’t quite know what to make of it.

This time?

I answered confidently:

“I build things.”

From waiters to my wife’s classmates, people immediately got it.

No explanation needed.

Here’s the refresher for those curious:

Who: We are Sidney and Sarah Huval

What: We own and operate multiple companies in the construction space

Where: Based in Houston, working across the Texas Triangle (Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth, San Antonio, Austin)

When: Started in 2017

Why: Because we love to build, maintain, and renovate structures. Everything from single-family homes and multi-family complexes to commercial and industrial sites, including hospitals.

All that to say, I’m glad to be back.

I will end with a question: What industry do you think is safe from the tech disruption of AI and robotics?