Building a Company with BAC
From an early age, Garret Shafer knew he wanted to be involved in the construction world. He started by taking classes in construction management at his local community college. During the summers, he worked odd jobs here and there, taking side jobs to get by.
Then one of his friends called to let him know that his job site needed a framer, and his path to the BAC started. “I was making fifteen an hour when I got there, but soon I met the owner who told me everyone else on the job was union and they were all making thirty an hour. I went home that night and did research on the BAC. I realized I didn’t have to go to school for construction, I could join the union and learn on the job in an apprenticeship.”
Shafer dove into his apprenticeship, falling in love with the materials and the craftwork. He took advantage of every learning opportunity the union had to offer. “When I first started my apprenticeship, I took the New Contractor classes. Those were hugely helpful because they showed us how to have up-to-date project management software and processes that keep us competitive,” Shafer explained “The information is there. It’s not going to be handed to you, you have to want it and put in the work, but the BAC is there to give you help and offer guidance.”
When Garret Shafer became the principal executive officer of Northbound Masonry in 2017, he quickly realized that trust was the most important ingredient in a successful masonry company. “It takes a long time to get your name out there and prove you can handle multiple big projects at once,” Shafer said. “You have to build that trust with the general contractors, and build trust with your guys by keeping them busy.”
While Shafer continued to grow his business, he realized his biggest challenge to sustainable growth was manpower. That’s where Shafer says the union is essential. “In masonry, it takes skills to pay the bills. You can have all the contracts and all the work you could ask for, but if you don’t have talented people to do the work, then it means nothing,” Shafer explained. “To hit the schedule goals on almost every project that we do now, we need to have union workers. There isn’t another way to get this work done on time and on budget.”
“The biggest difference between the non-union companies up here and our company is that we actually have the skilled craftworkers who can get these projects done in the timeframes these banks and developers are looking for,” Shafer continued. “Thanks to the union, we have the ability to find more skilled craftworkers on shorter notice for bigger projects.”
“It’s all about the apprenticeship and the trainings,” Shafer added. “Having access to the training and the skills translates to earning more money in the field. Since the access was there because of the union, I was able to utilize it. I have always been able to provide for my family and live a blessed life.”