926. A Day in the Life: What's It Really Like to Be a Home Builder and Renovator?

“After graduating from Vanderbilt University, with no clear career direction, I took a job in commercial real estate. For roughly 7 years I learned the ropes in various roles moving up the ranks at Branch Associates, a well-respected company. I finally realized that this was not the occupation for me and began exploring other fields. A friend told me about a new career planning company–The Highlands Program–and after reviewing their materials I decided to take their course, which consisted of an extensive test of several hours of my innate talents and abilities followed by a weekly 2-hour class for 10 weeks that delved into the other vital factors that impact every person’s life and career plans. This experience was a game changer because I gained a perspective on myself that made clear to me the direction that would satisfy not only my innate talents, but also my goals and values for the balance of my life. Not long after this experience I moved into the home builder and renovation niche and have over the last 30 years built a very successful company. I am grateful that I stopped and took the time to learn more about myself early on in my career.”

1. “My dad was a bond lawyer and writer with a great sense of humor. My mother was an artist who did commissioned paintings and portraits. I was always fascinated by their independence and self-confidence, in the best sense of the word.”
2. “Both parents were avid readers and gave me a reading list of all the Pulitzer Prize winner biographies when I was very young, which I have been working my way through over the years. This piqued my interest in history, which I majored in at Vanderbilt. I think it’s a great benefit in one’s life to have a broad perspective of the world, not just the one you live in.”
3. “I worked overseas as an assistant in a foreign stock exchange in London one summer, which opened my eyes to an altogether different culture and gave me greater confidence to be on my own.”
4. “The direction of my life changed in 1992, when I discovered my innate talents and abilities via an innovative assessment and then dug even deeper into the other vital areas that directly impact my performance and satisfaction with the work that I do every day.”
5. “When I realized I wanted to move from commercial real estate into home building and renovation I was lucky to get a job with a visionary named Jim Coward who developed most of north Atlanta from Perimeter mall to Alpharetta, Georgia. He became my mentor and helped me get the financing and other vital aspects of my launch of my own business Josh Steed Homes. He was a fine man and an excellent mentor.”