From Corporate to Construction: Lessons in Leadership

David’s journey didn’t begin on a job site, it started in the boardroom.

After years leading corporate teams, he made a bold shift into building, determined to apply business systems and structure to the trades.

In this episode, David reveals the principles that helped him build a business that runs without him:

• How corporate discipline drives performance and profit in construction.
• The power of accountability and financial visibility.
• Why leadership isn’t about control, it’s about building trust.

If you’re a builder ready to scale beyond yourself, this episode gives you a blueprint rooted in systems, leadership, and freedom.

🕒 Timestamped Key Points

• [00:03:05] Why David left corporate life to start a building company.
• [00:05:13] Spotting opportunity in lakeside construction, how he found his niche.
• [00:06:20] The “retirement project” that became a multi-million-dollar business.
• [00:10:22] Starting from $400 K a year with no salary, how he grew from there.
• [00:11:07] Building structure across multiple locations and teams.
• [00:14:14] When to hire next: David’s rule for growing the right way.
• [00:18:09] Turning sales into a predictable lead machine.
• [00:20:06] Expanding through acquisitions and learning the risk-reward balance.
• [00:26:04] Covid’s toughest lesson, why clarity in contracts protects margins.
• [00:28:35] How financial visibility shifted his confidence and control.
• [00:30:47] The tech stack behind Master Docks’ systems.
• [00:34:25] The leadership shift: accountability before authority.
• [00:36:34] Scaling through acquisitions, building a business-in-a-box model.
• [00:42:24] Why partnership and team trust are his strongest assets.
• [00:43:02] David’s final lesson: keep going, learn fast, and don’t quit.