Paving the Way: Insights from Three Generations of Success with Guest Chris West
April 12, 2024
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The latest episode of Marketing with Purpose, features none other than Chris West, President of West Contracting. 🎙️
Chris and his team spent the past year in a cycle of change, reevaluating their internal structure, figuring out what works and what doesn’t, and charting their course for the future.
As part of their marketing team, it’s been awesome to be a part of the journey!
Today we’ll dig into:
- How they are continuing to strengthen company culture through recent changes but keeping what works, including their employees, who have an average tenure of over 10 years!
- What it’s like working in a family business (Chris is the 3rd generation to manage West Contracting) and how they transitioned from each generation to keep the company strong.
- Tap into Chris’s never-give-up attitude. Even if you’re a steadfast procrastinator like him, he’s got some wisdom to share on how to still get things done and find success.
We’ve been lucky enough to get to work with Chris for many years now and are proud to share his story through the West Contracting marketing. Now, we’re excited to get to share it with you in this episode!
Episode Summary
Company Culture and Leadership (0:00)
- Cultivate a positive company culture by emphasizing strong leadership and a robust work ethic.
- Recognize the pivotal role of employee appreciation in driving the company’s ongoing success.
Sports, Childhood, and Business (4:42)
- Chris West shares the foundation of his work ethic and leadership skills through personal stories intertwined with a passion for sports
- Apply personal values and effective decision-making in achieving ongoing business success.
Career Choices and Industry Perceptions (8:23)
- Chris reflects on the decision to pursue education instead of entering the family asphalt business directly
- Monica and Chris discuss common misconceptions surrounding asphalt paving and the construction industry
Company Culture and Employee Retention (12:47)
- Explore the synergy between leadership, work ethic, and ongoing employee retention by treating employees like family and maintaining a positive company culture
- Employee retention is a focus with the company maintaining a long history of long-term employees despite the industry’s typical turnover rate
Work Ethic and Respect in Family-Owned Business (18:02)
- Instill a strong work ethic through personalized employee appreciation, echoing values from Chris West’s father.
- Cultivate values crucial for effective leadership within their family-owned business.
Running a Business with Family and Managing Generational Differences (24:11)
- Navigate the dynamics of a family business with changing leadership styles and differences in decision-making
- Emphasize the importance of ongoing generational understanding in business operations. Sometimes gaining outside experience can help inform expertise coming back to the family business.
Leadership, Management, and Family Business (28:46)
- Reflection on the challenges of leadership, effective decision-making, and the transitioning to a new CEO
- Chris stresses the importance of gaining experience in the business and industry prior to entering a management role
Defining Roles and Goals for a Family-Owned Business (35:01)
- Defined roles, values, and goals have helped lead to the company’s success
- Chris discusses the evolution in his company’s operations, budgeting, and ongoing strategic decision-making.
Overcoming Procrastination and Work-Life Balance (40:09)
- Overcome challenges of maintaining work-life balance while managing a team and maintaining family life.
- Chris shares his mindset for overcoming procrastination and persevering through difficult situations
- Achieve a healthy work-life balance by setting boundaries, communicating openly, and acknowledging when problems are not one’s responsibility
Connect with Our Guest
Connect with Monica & the MayeCreate Team
Who Manifested This Madness?
This fabulous human, that's who.
Monica Maye Pitts
Monica is the creative force and founder of MayeCreate. She has a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture with an emphasis in Economics, Education and Plant Science from the University of Missouri. Monica possesses a rare combination of design savvy and technological know-how. Her clients know this quite well. Her passion for making friends and helping businesses grow gives her the skills she needs to make sure that each client, or friend, gets the attention and service he or she deserves.
