Today we’d like to introduce you to Doug Bisgrove.
Doug, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I have always been interested in how things work… Engineering… taking things apart as a kid… not necessarily being able to put them back together… the family phone, my bicycle… my cars…
I was a quick learner and never really had to study in high school, but I didn’t like school very much…
I joined the Navy in 1980 as a Nuclear Power candidate. Unfortunately, my ability to learn quickly was not up to the task and I was washed out and sent to the fleet in San Diego as a Machinist Mate 3rd class.
I spent the next 4 years at sea duty. On board, the ship I worked in the Steam Engine Room and was really challenged to learn. I continually qualified for more responsible watch stations. When I was Honorably Discharged in 1986, I was supervisor of the 1200 psi steam plant that provided propulsion, electricity, and fresh water for the ship and crew.
After the Navy, I put myself thru college at San Diego State University and graduated with my BS in Mechanical Engineering in 1994. It was not easy for me, and took longer than I ever thought, but I graduated with a respectable 3.2 average.
After College, I relocated to Texas and landed a job with a large Engineering firm in Dallas. I started at the bottom again, learning CAD in the drafting pool and moved thru the ranks again, this time in MEP (Mechanical, Electrical & Plumbing) Facility engineering. After several years (and many jobs) in CAD, Test & Balance, and Air Handler Design, I transitioned into MEP engineering with the necessary tools to be a top performer.
I earned my PE (Professional Engineer) License by Exam and licensed in 9 states now.
I was fired from my Employer in spring of 2003 at around 10 in the morning… I had done some moonlight work and decided to make some calls around town, I thought “maybe I can get some quick work to hold me over until I could find a job.” I started calling Architects in the Carrollton phone book… after a few calls, I figured out a pitch to get past the receptionist and was able to talk to the folks who made decisions. I started in the A’s (A Plus is still one of my clients) and by the time I got to the C’s … (around noon) I had to stop marketing… I had several interviews lined up and had to get flyers and business cards made.
I was offered a full-time job, and several projects… I took on all the work. I then worked full-time as Director of a 3 person MEP group for an Architect in town, and moonlighted in the evenings. I was very busy, I did not watch any TV for the next 18 months. I worked for the man all day, and for myself at night. I saved all of my moonlight earnings, only spending what was necessary for new equipment that I needed.
When I had a year of salary saved, I quit my day job, and somehow managed to keep my old boss as a client.
I have been on my own since 2004, and never marketed myself again. Bisgrove Engineering Services has completed hundreds of projects all over the USA, mostly in TX and mostly from repeat customers.
I am married to the love of my life Marilyn, we have been together 15 years, and married for 7 years.
I take regular music lessons from Eugene at Dallas School of Music for about 1o years now… enjoy scuba diving, riding my Harley and my newest hobby, playing gigs around town in a rock band.
The rock band that I founded with my good friend Danny Blue is called Superglide Band and we can be found gigging bars & clubs around town for almost 2 years now.
Life is good my friends, enjoy what you do and you will never have to work again!
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Hell no! It has not been smooth. I think my biggest challenge was learning business. As an engineer, we were never taught how to negotiate fees, write contracts, manage clients, wrangle scope of work, or collect fees. All of these skills must be learned, or you are doomed to repeat the mistakes. Avoid bad work, capture a fair fee, manage the scope of work, and keep the client expectations realistic are important keys to success.
Please tell us about Bisgrove Engineering Services.
BES is an Engineering Consulting firm. We provide engineering design services including electrical, HVAC and plumbing. Our typical projects are retail stores, restaurants, churches, schools, commercial offices, municipal projects, high tech and industrial work.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
Manage your projects well. Spend the extra time up front, do the research to avoid conflicts. Make sure the equipment will work well and fit in the space provided. When construction is under way, and the crane is lifting the automobile sized equipment into place, It is too late and very expensive to find out the fancy equipment will not fit or work in the space provided.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.besdallas.com
- Phone: 469-363-1052
- Email: doug@besdallas.com
Image Credit:
Doug Bisgrove
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