I Build Things
I Build Things
From as far back as I can remember, I was either building something or taking something apart. The latter is likely because I broke it from playing too rough with it. I grew up in construction, and the 17 years I spent in Oil & Gas were spent in well construction.
I first got introduced to home construction from a Mr. Clayton Zeno, Z or Straw for short; he has been my friend since I was 6 or 7. I grew up on a farm, and there were always things to be built, from fences to barns. I lived outdoors, and when there was work being done on the farm I was right there in it. The old men spoke French, and I was right there with them learning all the bad words: Cinq cents barrils de merde (500 barrels of shit); things were really bad when that was said.
As the years passed, I continued in construction. I helped build my grandmother's house, and the camp we had in the Atchafalaya Basin where I spent most of my formative years surrounded by nature and hosting some of the wildest parties. You could say construction was part of my DNA. I worked summers from my 8th grade year and beyond for my uncles. One owned a flooring company and the other a large construction company that builds bridges and other infrastructure projects. My first college internship was with a heavy equipment company. In many ways I spent a lifetime learning my craft. My stint in the oilfield refined me as a man and allowed me to look under the hood of some amazing companies.
In 2018, I went to work with a Mr. Javier Orozco. This is where I really learned construction. This is where I applied my Rice MBA + 17 years of business experience. I was introduced to the network. I was earning my stripes and earning the trust of the men I would one day lead. My 17 years in the oilfield took me all over the world, but I became an expert in The Americas. You see, I speak a few languages and have always loved an adventure. I managed to work in just about every country in the Americas with the exception of a handful. I worked with Javier for 3 years before breaking out on my own.
So why now? The imposter syndrome is real. It haunts many of us and has been the impediment for so many to take the leap. The gray in my beard, the scars on my body are reminders that I am living the story–I am not pretending. I have tested myself against the best and brightest. I continue to push myself to see how far I can go. It was a speech by Neil DeGrasse Tyson that forever changed me. On that beautiful day in May of 2013, I was freed from the chains of my mind. I was given permission to be smart. I earned my spot, and I had just graduated from Rice University.
