15 years ago, on my way to Alaska to join the crew of a fishing fleet I ran out of money just North of Seattle, on the island of Bainbridge. I met Rich at a campsite, he was building homes in the area and I joined up.
He was a journeyman carpenter, my mentor, and is still my friend. He taught me simple things like, “Carry with you in your tool belt what you need for the job because to go up and down a ladder or across the site too many times costs energy and wasted time.” He also taught me how to pitch a roof, build trusses, frame a house and build staircases.
We were a three-man crew and it took us 21 days to plate, frame, sheet and roof a 4,000sf two-story home.
These were million dollar homes and Rich was diligent about quality at the stud level, even though drywall and flooring would ultimately cover up all of our hard work. Rich taught me to build the stairs squarely and use plenty of glue on the treads. “Nothing is worse than a beautiful home with a perfect view and squeaky steps,” Rich said.
I use this same concept today in my work and speeches to my crew; fix that sticky door lever, the creaky floorboard, or the crooked switch plate. This is your end game, these are the details that set you apart from the common crew.