Melody Hacket: Navigating Career Shifts with Courage and Grace

What does it take to succeed in a male-dominated industry? Melody Hackett, a construction powerhouse with 34 years of experience, joins us to share her incredible journey from the field at Finer Homes to Vice President of Operations and Procurement at Eagle Construction. Melody opens up about the challenges and triumphs of managing essential departments and over 300 trade partners across multiple locations. Her candid reflections and humorous anecdotes provide a rare glimpse into the often gritty, always vibrant world of construction leadership.

Next, we delve into a deeply personal and inspiring chapter of Melody’s life—her brave battle with breast and thyroid cancer. Melody reveals how this life-altering experience reshaped her professional journey, prompting her to leave her high-stakes role at Eagle Construction after seven and a half years. By sharing the emotional and financial hurdles she faced, Melody underscores the importance of authenticity and resilience in both personal and professional realms, offering insights on how to navigate major career shifts with grace and courage.

Finally, we celebrate Melody’s new role as Sales Director at 84 Lumber, where she stands as the only female in her sales role within the Mid-Atlantic region. We discuss the shift towards turnkey solutions in the industry and Melody’s excitement for the Builder Bash event. Melody’s story of breaking barriers and aiming higher is a powerful testament to the changing landscape of construction. Tune in to hear about what sets 84 Lumber apart and the importance of knowing the people behind the materials, as we look forward to even more inspiring conversations in future episodes.

Chapters

• 0:03 Women in Construction
• 12:41 Transitioning to 84 Lumber Sales Director
• 21:41 Builder Sales and Career Growth
• 28:17 84 Lumber Podcast Room Meeting

Transcript

Speaker 3: 0:03

oh, I love that, I love that hey y'all, welcome back to another episode of feed me your construction content. I'm carolyn mcmahon and I am joshua mcmahon boo, I am so excited for today's podcast guest this is going to be really fun.

Speaker 1: 0:18

A good guest. She's been in here for the past two hours spilling all of the dirt on rich Builders. It's been great.

Speaker 3: 0:26

She hasn't.

Speaker 1: 0:27

Okay, fine.

Speaker 3: 0:29

All right, everyone Welcome. Melody Hackett.

Speaker 1: 0:33

Yes.

Speaker 3: 0:34

So excited to have our new friend Melody Hackett on. He's got some exciting news, just fun things. She's got a lot going on. I mean, I think you're my spirit animal.

Speaker 2: 0:43

No, question I could be.

Speaker 3: 0:46

No question, I mean. I just I'm excited to hear more about you, what you've done for the Richmond market, good places that you've been, places that you're going, heck yeah, this is like a women empowerment kind of dealio, but not so I don't know what shall we say? Josh is silent for months.

Speaker 1: 1:09

I don't have any voice in that.

Speaker 3: 1:11

You don't want to get in touch with your.

Speaker 1: 1:13

I don't want to get in trouble early in the show. I don't want to get in trouble.

Speaker 3: 1:18

Okay, later we'll we'll blow it out. So, melody, welcome. This is your first podcast.

Speaker 2: 1:24

It is Thank you for having me Tell us a little bit about yourself. So, um, melody Hackett, I've been in construction for 34 years, in new construction, not like swinging a hammer. No, I worked in the field quite a bit when I was younger. Yeah, um, when I was at finer, I was there 20 years, um, and I did work in the field quite a bit, um, but as I got older and went from company to company, um, I did not swing hammers anymore. But no, new construction has always just been a passion of mine.

Speaker 3: 1:58

That's great. We, we love the building business and so that's. You know, part of this podcast, Well, a lot of it. Um, you know part of this podcast, well, a lot of it. Um, you know, for the five listeners or whatever. Well, I mean, we talked to a guy last week and I'm like, hey, well, do you, you know, do you learn anything? It's like well, no, I've been in the business for so long but I just like listening to you. A lot of times it's nice to hear somebody have the same struggles you have. Um, you know that they can really relate.

Speaker 2: 2:26

Yes, we'd love to be relatable.

Speaker 3: 2:27

I know, I know that's very true. Well, so you have just left um Eagle to start a new career path, so we're very excited to hear about that. What did you do at Eagle? How did you, you know, put your stamp on Eagle?

Speaker 2: 2:42

How did you put your stamp on ankle. So a little over seven years ago I applied for a job as a purchasing agent. I really had no idea what that meant at the moment. I did know that I would be managing all the trade partners, which I was a little skeptical, but actually that turned out to be probably one of the best things that I did. I was like, oh my goodness, this is kind of scary. So for Eagle, I was vice president of operations and procurement, so I was in charge of operations purchasing estimating warranty. I had suppliers for Richmond and Blacksburg.

Speaker 3: 3:27

Okay, wow, that's a lot.

Speaker 1: 3:29

That's a lot to handle. I mean, I think it's exciting to hear you doing all of that stuff, and as the VP of operations, you handled the warranty department as well as purchasing and estimating yes, wow, is that not usually handled by production?

Speaker 2: 3:44

Now it is. Now it'll be handled by production. But you know what my staff was so great and you know I have a way of managing things to where I empower people, and then you know if you need me I'll step in, but I'm not going to micromanage, right.

Speaker 3: 4:03

In positions that I've been in a long time. I'm like look, you know, you do you, and if you need me to step in, if you need the heat or something, if somebody's not getting it done right. You know it's like your bench strength or whatever it's like. I'll come in and give you the assist, but you know I don't think you'll need me.

Speaker 2: 4:19

Yes, yes, definitely yes definitely Get it done.

Speaker 3: 4:26

I love the fact that you applied not really knowing what the position is and the person that hired you. I mean, either you know your resume was just amazing or they just knew that there was something there.

Speaker 2: 4:38

Yeah, I'd never. You know I'd never done any sort of like purchasing but I'd worked at builders and, you know, worked in the field. You know I'd never done any sort of like purchasing but I'd worked at builders and, you know, worked in the field. So, um, managing all the trade partners, which it was over 300. So to me that was kind of intimidating.

Speaker 3: 4:54

Right, and so we're. You know, just as a reminder, we're in the Richmond market, so Eagle um construction is a volume builder, right, so top 10 builder in our area does Does anywhere from. You know, plus the 300s in Blacksburg you guys were in.

Speaker 2: 5:07

Chesapeake? Yes, and we're still in Cypress, yep, cypress Creek, and which is in Smithfield.

Speaker 3: 5:15

Oh wow, Josh knows. Smithfield that is where I met Josh Really.

Speaker 1: 5:20

Yeah, I was working at Smithfield. That's exactly right.

Speaker 3: 5:24

And that's where love blossoms Isn't that too funny, that is too funny yeah. So anyway, I digress, that's funny.

Speaker 1: 5:38

Did your time at finer homes? Did that help you?

Speaker 2: 5:48

You know your time working in the field. Did that help you when it came to managing and leading the trades at Eagle? Yes, it did. Um, it made a huge difference when I would meet with people, um, and they would, you know, use the lingo, you know, like silt, fence, rebar, you know. Whatever it was, I knew what they were talking about and also, you know, didn't get my feelings hurt. I wasn't afraid to. You know, talk to people real. I wasn't an emailer, I always talked in person. So I just really think that also helped as well.

Speaker 1: 6:14

Yeah, I can tell, just talking to you a little bit before we got on the air, that you're a no-nonsense straight shooter get shit done type of person.

Speaker 1: 6:22

And as a person who's worked in the field most of my career, I have a ton of respect for people that are that way. I don't like the opposite, where you know sending an email and it's like a book and I'm like could you send me bullet points with whatever you're trying to say, cause I don't have time to read all that crap. And that's what I like about you and just our short interaction, is that you don't take any shit from people and and listen. In this industry, I think that you want to be successful. That's how you've got to be in to some respect.

Speaker 2: 6:49

Yes, definitely. I mean, if the email exceeds my screen, I'm not reading, I'm just not.

Speaker 3: 6:54

Yes, yeah, so Josh comes out and he says that I just deleted a bunch of emails, I'm like, well, no, I don't delete them, I just put them in a folder and I never look at them again, or something and it's the same kind of deal and it's like God get it over with, get to the point. You know, it's like Dave Chappelle, like wrap it up.

Speaker 2: 7:14

Let's go, yes, yes, when I was at Eagle, we did disc assessments. Um, and I'm very high red, which high red just means urgency. Um, I learned a lot about myself and that is one of the things is I just don't. I don't want long emails, I don't want long conversations, just kind of get to the point.

Speaker 3: 7:33

Well, I think that's really good, and and, and you know whether you are or not in the field, but I mean you, you kind of have to be somewhat. I mean assertiveness, right, for women can often be um taken as you're being a bitch, yes, right, yes. And sometimes I have to embrace my inner bitchiness and I mean, and I and I have to do it in order to get what I need done. And again, whether you want to call that assertive or being a bitch, it's often necessary. Sorry, josh, Men can get away with it and be total douchebags.

Speaker 1: 8:10

Depends on the culture.

Speaker 3: 8:11

Yeah.

Speaker 1: 8:12

There's some cultures that you can't get away with it, no matter if you're a man or a woman or one in between, and those cultures is where I don't do well. I like a culture where it's very clear we're going to have really good relationships, because it helps us get to our results.

Speaker 3: 8:27

You mean like a Frank Lackman kind of culture.

Speaker 1: 8:33

Those cultures you can do well in. I'm going to see Frank on Thursday when this drops. I have to be careful what I say.

Speaker 2: 8:41

I'll see Frank in like two weeks at HBAR. He's on the membership committee with me. He's so sweet.

Speaker 1: 8:46

I think, the world of Frank. I'm a big fan of Frank. He is extremely difficult to work for. Look, he's an asshole. He will tell you I'm an asshole, but he made me a better leader today and if it wasn't for him, I wouldn't be where I'm at today.

Speaker 3: 8:59

Yeah, no, we still talk about it.

Speaker 1: 9:01

Every time I see him, I thank him.

Speaker 2: 9:03

Do you know? There's someone that I talk about that made me who I am today. Can I tell it real quick?

Speaker 3: 9:07

Yeah.

Speaker 2: 9:08

Steve Myers Plum Right.

Speaker 1: 9:10

Oh God yes.

Speaker 2: 9:12

No, not him, though Not him. His uncle used to work at DNF Plumbing.

Speaker 1: 9:17

Rick.

Speaker 2: 9:18

He made me who I am today. I haven't seen him in several, several years, but Rick made me who I am today.

Speaker 3: 9:27

And how so did he just tell you to like embrace it and go with it or don't take any shit off?

Speaker 2: 9:34

anyone. Yeah, and you know he would give it to me and he would. You know he's like don't take it, melody. What are you going to say? What are you going to say? And him and I became the best of friends and I still tell Steve Myers, I'm like it was your uncle that did it. It was your uncle.

Speaker 3: 9:50

That started this, and that's funny because so I never dealt with Steve directly. Joshua did, and and but his opinion was, you know, I don't know, he was very rigid, right, but if you honored things that you were supposed to honor, like your schedule, things like that, he would get it done for you. But boy, you messed those up and you like you kiss your job. It was hard to get him, you know, to wrangle him back, right?

Speaker 1: 10:21

Very, very difficult, and the best and worst discussions I had to have with Steve Myers was when one of my superintendents screwed something up.

Speaker 2: 10:30

Wow.

Speaker 1: 10:31

Because, man, he would rip you apart.

Speaker 2: 10:34

That is. He was at my party the other day and you know, I mean I think the world of him he is like one of the best business people that I know that can run a lot of stuff and I have huge respect for him and I think you know him and I are kind of alike, kind of you know that way of being, though, is what got you to where you are today, and I feel sorry for the generation coming up now where they think that what we're doing is going to last.

Speaker 1: 11:05

This is a very short term thing, right, this will not last, you know. I think the best example is when 9-11 happened. We were the most patriotic country you could imagine. We loved our military. We did all these things. A year or two later, nobody gave a crap. We forget. We have very short term memory, and this will go away, and we'll go back to hey, we need results. Businesses don't make money and you don't get paid by just coming to work and having a good day.

Speaker 2: 11:31

Well, you know, um, a lot of builders talk about it, my, my group um, a lot of them were the younger generation and you know I taught them just like I was taught you know meet in person. You know we're not doing this over the phone, we're not doing emails, and you know they really, really blossomed and I couldn't be more of a proud mama, you know Well but it's hard in this time to to captivate some like a captivating audience, right, because of time.

Speaker 3: 12:05

Think that way is when I was email, right, and so that's all you did, where you were on the phone all the time calling and then so slowly I transitioned to email and then I find myself, you know, did you email this person? Did you email this person? And I'm like, wait a second, just pick up the damn phone and, amazingly, you'd get results. Imagine that someone's on the phone, especially that person who is like the email you know, like a keyboard warrior.

Speaker 2: 12:29

Oh yeah, I hate that, right, they're the worst. They're the worst, worst, worst, worst.

Speaker 3: 12:33

And then you get them on the phone You're like, oh, you're just really nice and kind and yeah, they're not fun.

Speaker 1: 12:40

They're not fun. Well, let's circle back. I You've been at Eagle for seven and a half years. You're definitely a trailblazer in our industry. You have a lot of respect in the community, the building industry. What was the big driver for you with hanging up and deciding you wanted to move on and do something different?

Speaker 2: 13:04

Well, I can say one of the things that probably led me to that was three years ago. I was diagnosed with breast cancer, thyroid cancer. At the same time, my mentality changed a lot that life is too short, life is too short. And I just felt like I was at a place where I had already made my impact. And it was a very big position and a lot of moving parts and pieces and I was like I just want to do something a little bit different. And I don't know you know I'm I'm very involved with Habitat and you know the different groups and HBAR, and I was just just soul searching for what I wanted to do and I just at the moment I didn't really know what it was, but I wanted to stay in the industry. But I also did not want to go to another builder and make things disruptive for my trades you know, and you know my team and but I knew that I wanted to stay in the industry.

Speaker 3: 13:57

I mean, I love that you just went out on top right.

Speaker 1: 14:00

Yeah.

Speaker 3: 14:01

You know it's like, oh, melanie, she couldn't cut it. It's like, no, she, she left when she was doing her thing. I mean and and God bless you. You know you pulled a Josh, you left and you didn't have a job. Josh McMahon, the better. Josh. And you know, Josh, you didn't have a job.

Speaker 2: 14:22

No, no, and I didn't. And you know it was so sweet. I mean, you know they would have, I would have stayed until you know I found something. Of course, but it was just they knew that, you know, melody just really just wants to do something a little bit different, and I just didn't know what that looked like.

Speaker 3: 14:42

But yeah, I didn't. I mean for me to have the strength because I am the warrior of our relationship. Josh is the hey. I mean for me to have the strength because I am the warrior of our relationship. Josh is the hey, it'll all work out, let's just do this. And I am the one that always has to kind of ground him. That would have scared me to death, and typically it does. When Josh pulls his shit, I'm like, oh, we're fine, everything's fine, we're going to be good and it is eventually.

Speaker 3: 15:09

But there are, you know, some some scary moments, as Josh and I have, you know, grown up. Right, we have a, we have a lot of shit going on and a lot of stuff to pay for. And that's immediately what I'm thinking about. I'm like, hey, we need to cut the cable, we do all of these extras. And Josh and I was like Josh, I think I'm going to, I'm going to cancel Botox the last time you did this. And he was like what are you talking about? I'm like I just I feel like that's, you know, financially irresponsible. Oh, that is too funny.

Speaker 2: 15:41

I've never had that before. Oh girl, oh, don't start, oh girl.

Speaker 3: 15:45

Oh, don't start Anyway, but yeah. So I mean hats off for you to have the, I mean the courage to do that Again, and I knew that somebody would snap you up right your melody.

Speaker 2: 16:06

Well, no, I was really. You know, I have, like before Eagle in my career. I have went on interviews and people would say I think you're a little too much to handle. Maybe or do you know what I'm saying? That's great.

Speaker 1: 16:13

Did you appreciate that, though, when they said that?

Speaker 2: 16:15

I did, or things that you know, they'd say you were, you know, overqualified maybe for this, or, and I was thinking to myself I was like holy crap, what am I going to do? But then you know, but Eagle was so sweet and they're like you know, you know, do you want to work here six months? Or you know, I didn't know how long it would take me to find something. Um, but they totally understood and, um, it only took me two days.

Speaker 3: 16:40

That's. That's really cool. So that reminds me and again, just why you're my spirit animal. Uh, it happened to me on a job. Um, I had interviewed with people that I had already had a relationship with and the comment from the owner was I don't know if we can control her. That was the feedback and I was like I don't know what to think about that, but I kind of like it.

Speaker 1: 17:05

It's all about knowing who you are and embrace.

Speaker 3: 17:08

I think that you, you helped me with that Cause I didn't. That didn't happen for a long time for me.

Speaker 1: 17:14

I mean, I certainly helped you with that because, as I started breaking through my shell and as I would interview with jobs and say this is who I am and this is what I'm going to do, please, god, don't hire me if that's not what you're looking for.

Speaker 3: 17:23

Exactly. I mean, unless you were true to yourself and I had gotten to this position where I just I have got to be my authentic self or I just can't. Well, number one I'm not going to be good for your business if I can't.

Speaker 2: 17:37

Yeah Right. And I always say you know, if I'm not going to make a difference, I'm just going to go home and take a nap. I mean I just have to feel like I'm making a difference where I'm at. Yeah, so yeah, I just I don't know what's wrong with me.

Speaker 1: 17:52

Well, we've got the same disease. There's nothing wrong with you.

Speaker 2: 17:55

Yeah.

Speaker 1: 17:57

I think it's a great thing.

Speaker 3: 17:58

Yeah, so you said it only lasted two days. Huh, so you were out on your own for two days For two days in the wilderness fighting to stay alive yes, yes, yes.

Speaker 1: 18:12

It doesn't take long. Top talent is extremely hard to find and the moment it's on the market, everybody is going to be coming out of the woodworks to snatch you up. That's how it works.

Speaker 2: 18:23

Yeah, and I was a little nervous to make sure you know who is it going to be. What is it going to be doing? You know, is it going to be something that's going to fulfill my? You know, I always say fill my cup.

Speaker 3: 18:36

Is it going to it's?

Speaker 2: 18:36

going to.

Speaker 3: 18:38

Well, it's funny cause you know you don't want to be in that position where you know you take a job just to take a job right. No, no, to take a job Right Um, it's, it's, you know so mine, so yours. You know your mind's a what is it Filling my love tank kind of thing. It just it does nothing to fuel my like soul or or what I do. And when I can no longer be, when I'm no longer effective, that's normally when I bail on something you know it's like or it's too messed up that I can't fix it.

Speaker 3: 19:05

Right and the anus like you got me which happens, it does which happens and I'm I'm out. So are you able to tell us who you're going to?

Speaker 2: 19:16

who has you? Yes, um, so I am going to be uh the director of sales and uh business development for 84 lumber.

Speaker 3: 19:27

Oh, so you're going to the dark side, you're becoming a vendor.

Speaker 2: 19:30

You know what's so funny? Everyone says that I don't know how many people have said the dark side. I'm not sure what that means, though.

Speaker 3: 19:37

You know, for being on the product side, it's tough. Now I know that you are going to be managing those folks who are actually, you know, being the salespeople. But being a salesperson can suck it really does. And then having to like herd the flock, you know can, can suck. So I mean, but I think that that's pretty amazing because you do have a way with people. Yeah, um and yeah, in an industry that may be struggling.

Speaker 2: 20:14

Yes, yeah, and I'm, and I'm also hoping you know, cause you know I've made, you know, a lot of changes. When I was at Eagle, bid out a lot of things, and I know a lot of like little secrets. You know, it doesn't have to be that hard. Let's let's see how to make this easier. Um, and you, you deal with people that are in those roles that maybe haven't been doing them very long. Um, and you don't want to have to go in and you know, think that you have to bid 500 doors. It doesn't have to be like that. We can make this easy.

Speaker 1: 20:44

Yeah, I think that's the critical thing for for that type of role, and role is saying alignment, accountability and then acceleration.

Speaker 2: 20:51

Yes.

Speaker 1: 20:51

I think so many businesses are just in a hurry to go. We want to grow we talked earlier about 50 homes to 100, to 100, to 200, 200, to 500. But if you don't have the alignment, you don't have the accountability, you're not going anywhere and you need to slow down, to go fast. And what's your thoughts as you move into 84 Lumber and you take on this role? Because I think it's a great opportunity for you, as 84 Lumber and a little bit I know about them in the market they're going to be grateful to have somebody like you on the staff.

Speaker 2: 21:20

I'm, you know, I'm very lucky to have this opportunity Also just to bring a different spin. You know I've never worked in lumber but that will you know. Take care of the hard technical questions, but I'm really good at setting things up, problem solving relationships. So I think being on the builder side and knowing what a builder needs is probably one of the most important pieces.

Speaker 3: 21:47

Well, it's critical because right, Do you think? Oh well, you know, just because you're a salesman I know I need relationship building. It's like I can go buy that from anybody. Why would I buy it?

Speaker 2: 21:57

from you? Yes, exactly, and you know, and you know just getting into more of like turnkey things, like we talked about earlier, just things to make it easier for builders nowadays, because everything is so, so fast and you know we can make it a lot easier.

Speaker 3: 22:12

Well, right Time is money.

Speaker 1: 22:14

I'll tell you the other thing that you're going to be able to do is you know what the builder's pain point is? Salespeople think you're building houses. That means you need lumber, you need windows. Okay, yeah, that's true, we do need that.

Speaker 2: 22:24

But if you're not solving my pain point, then you're not really my salesperson and that've learned a lot of things being at Eagle, like you know. You know types of access doors. You know 84 Lumber makes them for us and it was, it was so easy and no one else uses them. You know I know the best columns to use, you know. So I know all these things that you know took me years to come up with and now I can share that with other builders.

Speaker 1: 22:54

Yeah, that's good and that's what you need to do.

Speaker 2: 22:57

Yes, yes.

Speaker 1: 22:58

Well, let's round the corner to the to the conclusion of this melody. You're going to 84 lumber, and when do you start? What's your first date on the job?

Speaker 2: 23:08

So my first day is Monday, the 10th of June.

Speaker 1: 23:12

Oh great, so you're getting a little break in between.

Speaker 2: 23:15

Yeah, I'm getting a little break. Um and I will be at the builder bash on Thursday.

Speaker 3: 23:20

Builder bash is my jam. Like, how many years have you been to the builder bash? Oh, goodness.

Speaker 1: 23:26

Right 34 years.

Speaker 2: 23:29

It's been close to that, I bet you. I mean I can remember going with finer.

Speaker 3: 23:34

So I think my first memory of builder bash, I think, was in 2005. Wasn't?

Speaker 2: 23:40

it. Wow, it was off of knuckles.

Speaker 3: 23:43

Um, well, that's what I yeah, that's where it used to be. And then they moved to the training camp. But before I mean, I remember going I can't remember exactly where but I missed, I think, one builder bash and I was so pissed. I was in the hospital and Josh was like are you sure you, you know you're okay with me going to the builder bash?

Speaker 2: 24:02

And I'm like yeah, you need to go mother.

Speaker 3: 24:04

You know I'll try not to have, you know it's much fun. And he and his brother went. I think he visited me either before or after. Man, I was mad, but the builder bash is a big, big fun deal. I mean everybody just kind of, you know, lets their hair down. Um, you know it's, it's, it's all. It is weird, though it's like employees past, like ghost of employee past, and you know people that you try to avoid, people, that you try to see Um it it's a big deal.

Speaker 2: 24:35

So when you're in that 84 lumber tent, yeah, I'm, I'm, I'm very excited we're actually also going to be giving out the house that she built books. So 84 lumber has gotten a bunch of those. So we will have pink and blue drinks at the 84 Lumber table.

Speaker 3: 24:57

Heck, yeah. So when I have one of each, it'll be purple. That's the spirit. That's right, you know, because you're still dry, josh, so I'll.

Speaker 1: 25:08

I'm sober yeah.

Speaker 3: 25:09

Yeah, no drinking, I'll drink for you.

Speaker 1: 25:11

Thank you, you can have his. Well, you're going to be in a tent, which is a, which is a really good convenience Cause. Then you don't have to worry about walking around people and avoiding them. But who are you trying to avoid this Thursday?

Speaker 2: 25:26

Josh, don't ask her that. I'm going to keep that a secret? But no, I don't. I'm trying to think. I don't think anyone yet.

Speaker 3: 25:32

I mean you don't need to avoid anybody right, no, no. I'm excited, I think it's going to be so cool, and so you said that the book, that the house that she built. But you also mentioned something interesting that you were the only female at 84 Lumber in this type of role.

Speaker 2: 25:49

Yes, in the mid Atlantic, yes, in sales. So I'm very excited. Um, I don't think it's, like you know, only hire women, blah, blah, blah.

Speaker 1: 25:59

I just think.

Speaker 2: 25:59

I just think women don't think about it. Do you know what I'm?

Speaker 3: 26:02

saying Well, I mean, I'm sorry, I'm all about, you know, hiring the qualified individual. I don't care.

Speaker 2: 26:09

Man, woman. Yeah, what you got going on there.

Speaker 3: 26:12

Yeah, you know, yeah, you're obviously the qualified person and, um, I think you can, uh well, not like the Phoenix, you know.

Speaker 2: 26:20

Yeah, exactly, and I mean I'm hoping other women will say well, you know, I could probably do that.

Speaker 3: 26:25

Well, if melody can do it, I can do it. That's what they're on jobs, if this moron can do it.

Speaker 1: 26:29

Oh great, You're going to be going to a lumber yard now.

Speaker 2: 26:35

You want to sell lumber. I love wood.

Speaker 1: 26:39

And that's a wrap. No, I think you're right, though I do think you're the best person for that job, and I think what holds a lot of people back, men and women, is they don't set their vision big enough.

Speaker 2: 26:52

Yes.

Speaker 1: 26:52

They don't think that they can achieve more. Somebody, somewhere, has told them you know what this is all you're good for and you know I say F? You to any of those people set your vision higher and go get it.

Speaker 2: 27:03

Oh yeah, I mean, you know, in between. You know, I would say in between Stanley Martin and um Eagle. I'd been a lot of different places and I think it was just, you know, finding where I could fit, and I tried all kinds of different things.

Speaker 3: 27:19

But I mean even having the courage to do this like you know. You, when you first put your resume in to you know to be a purchasing agent and you didn't really know what it was and I'm like. But no, it doesn't really matter if you find the right person you know to, to believe in, you know that you've got enough going on. Yes, you may have never done this formally, but you know what a good get for me because of all of your experience.

Speaker 2: 27:43

Yes, and I think that has a lot to do with it. Um, and I think it's believing in yourself. Yeah, you know. I really I I can't think of anything that I don't think I couldn't do. Well, I can't do brain surgery or anything like that, but I really can't think of anything that I don't think I can do.

Speaker 1: 27:59

You could probably do brain surgery if you wanted to.

Speaker 2: 28:01

If I wanted to.

Speaker 1: 28:01

It would take a lot of years of practice.

Speaker 3: 28:03

No, no, no, there's a YouTube video for it, I'm sure.

Speaker 1: 28:06

Oh, you can skip the years of training, just go to YouTube.

Speaker 3: 28:08

That's what the customers do, oh yeah, I watched a YouTube video. No, you're doing it wrong. Yeah, exactly, exactly. Well, I am so excited to see you on Thursday Me too.

Speaker 2: 28:21

Thank you all so much, yes.

Speaker 1: 28:22

Yeah, it was great for you to come in in person to the podcast room. We are so glad you did. We wanted to do this for a long time.

Speaker 3: 28:31

Yes, do you remember it was last year that we finally met at the Builder Bash? Probably yes, it was yeah.

Speaker 1: 28:38

We would love to have you back again to talk maybe more about how things are going at 84 Lumber, what's working well, what's not working, what changes are you making and what builders should know about 84 Lumber, Because I think that's a big part of some of these companies is nobody knows who they are. We all know, know who 84 lumber is, but who is 84 lumber? What do they stand for? What is their mission? What are they trying to do and and I think that's what you're going to do different at 84 lumber? At least this is me talking. This is what I see that you're going to do.

Speaker 2: 29:08

Yeah, I think it's important to know everyone. You know who delivers the material, who's pulling it, you know who's making it. I think it's important to know every single piece of it.

Speaker 3: 29:16

Well, they're all important, cogs for sure. So, see you on Thursday and thanks so much.

Speaker 2: 29:23

Thank you, thank you See, ya See ya, all right yeah.