My husband and I started out with nothing, and now we own a plastering and drywall business.
- Our crew is very important to us.
We follow safety practices, of course, and offer decent pay and a benefits package, but we go above and beyond what is necessary to keep our crew happy. My husband acts as foreman. He likes to keep an eye on his crew because we live in a subtropical area and it is hot all year round. Our men can easily get overheated and sick. My husband has a large air conditioned trailer that he takes to the larger job sites so crew members can come in and cool off in the air conditioning if they start to feel overheated. He also has a large tent that he keeps the water cooler under so the crew can get some shade while they drink. We always try to make sure the crew has a way to cool down. The same is true on Labor Day. We have an employee appreciation day every Labor Day and invite crew members and their families to a barbecue. The weather is still really warm in September, and the families and children often need to cool off and with the crowd, our house is not feasible. So, on Labor Day weekend, we rent a large tent and a portable air conditioner, as well as some chairs, so the crew members and their families can get out of the heat. The air conditioned tent is especially great when it comes to eating in cool air conditioned comfort. And keeping our crew cool is important.