Today we’d like to introduce you to Gary St. John.
Gary, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
In 2004, I started making warranty repairs for local home builders. As the work with home builders grew, I knew this could become a growing company so I partnered with a good friend, Ron Price, to form DFW Improved. At that time, it was Ron and I doing the repairs, and my wife, Sherri, keeping the books. As the business grew, Gary and Ron quickly moved from throwing hammers to leading people and processes.
Our company’s key moments of growth were typically tied to events that were outside of our control. For example, in 2008, the market took a dramatic downturn. We knew our best opportunity was to move away from warranty work and focus on remodeling for homeowners. During a capital raise for marketing we added a third partner, Gary Simms, and began growing quickly. That change in our business model was critical for us to be where we are today.
We’ve had other things out of our control like weather events that expanded our business. DFW had a significant freeze that caused busted pipes and flooding so that expanded our service offerings. Then a year of uncharacteristic hail, even for Texas, led to additional expansion of service offerings. Due to the opportunity and growth in the insurance side of the business we invested in training and software to develop key staff to handle the insurance business.
When the market increased with new home construction we found our trade base being thinned out. We reacted to this new reality by vertically integrating with our own sub-business; custom cabinets, plumbing company and debris removal.
In recent years, our key growth moments have been based on strategic decisions. We chose to add things like a showroom, multiple designers, and even an architectural designer. This has allowed us to be a full design-build remodeler so our clients can work with us from start to finish.
Ultimately, our heart is to be able to serve our clients with excellence, so as we’ve recognized a need they have or an opportunity to serve them better, we’ve expanded our service and brought on the people to help.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It definitely has not been a smooth road, but I don’t think any entrepreneur would say building their company has been easy. That’s probably what makes it so special when you do build a company that lasts. You know the sacrifices that were made and the team of people it takes to be successful.
Remodeling projects in general are rarely smooth. We recognize our clients are trusting us with something very special to them – their home. We want them to love the finished product, but we also want the process to get to the finish product to be good.
The nature of remodeling is that there are unexpected obstacles that arise everyday. Over the years, we’ve learned how to set realistic expectations with our clients and to be intentional with communication throughout the project. I believe those two things have really helped make the process smoother for us, but more importantly, created a better experience for our clients.
As for the people we work with, they are an essential part of DFW Improved’s growth. We do not take it lightly how fortunate we are to work with such a great team. Our tradesmen are top tier and we could not have grown like we have without them. There have been a handful of times our vendor did not rise to the occasion in adverse situations and we’ve had to make it right.
One time that stands out from our early days was a subcontractor that made a mistake with one of our clients. Instead of fixing the mistake, the subcontractor walked away. We had to step up when the subcontractor didn’t, which meant repairs that cost us in excess of $250,000.
We learned a lot from that experience, and that goes into how we choose who we work with today. But had we not gone through that difficult situation, we may not have the policies we have in place that help us serve our clients better.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
DFW Improved is a full-service residential remodeling contractor. We specialize in understanding our client’s goals and providing top-tier interior designers, architectural home designers, project managers, and builders to bring creativity and vision while executing their home solutions.
We’re ranked among the top Home Remodelers in the nation for 2018 by Qualified Remodeler. We’ve also been featured on the DIY Network and other local publications.
I believe what sets us apart is our ability to provide turnkey solutions of any size for our clients. We have a team that can start in the design phase and work the project through the build phase to completion. I believe having designers, an architectural home designer, and project managers all on one team is definitely a differentiator that our clients experience.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
What I am most proud of is that I’ve gotten to work with my wife, Sherri, for the past 15 years building this business. Not a lot of people get that opportunity and I feel grateful for her and proud of what we are building. She helps us keep grounded and focused.
Having great partners has been another major factor to DFW Improved’s success. Ron and Gary bring unique abilities and together we have been able to build something that I believe is special.
In the beginning, we had a few local realtors that helped us a lot, including Abby Hall and Cindy Spiger. They introduced us to client after client early on in our business that was the lifeblood of our company for a season.
We enlisted the help of a key marketing and brand company, XXII Brands, to market, business consult and strategized to help take our business to the next level.
Where do you see your industry going over the next 5-10 years? Any big shifts, changes, trends, etc?
I believe one of the big trends across the nation will be the need for homes to address multi-generational needs. Because of the amount of Baby Boomers, there is going to be a growing need for homes to address aging parents moving in with their children.
I also see the cost of housing rising in DFW along with a surprisingly low median income influencing the future. You will likely see homeowners recognize the financial benefit of remodeling their existing home instead of moving to a new home. I also believe you will see homeowners want options that allow adult children to live with them longer because of rising home prices.
Contact Info:
- Address: 6652 Pinecrest Drive, Suite 100
Plano, TX 75024 - Website: https://www.dfwimproved.com/
- Phone: 972-787-2171
- Email: marketing@dfwimproved.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dfwimproved/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dfwimproved/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/DFWImproved
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/dfw-improved-plano
- Other: https://www.houzz.com/professionals/kitchen-and-bath-remodelers/dfw-improved-pfvwus-pf~721503426 https://www.pinterest.com/dfwimproved/
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