Matt DeLong has wanted to run his own company for a long time. But what pushed him to finally act on that desire wasn’t the stereotypical belief that he could build a better mousetrap or do the job better his way.
"Quite honestly it was bad bosses," DeLong says.
That led him to start
DeLong Construction Services three years ago. The Chelsea-based building company specializes in constructing pole barn and has doubled in size over the last year, hiring two people and expanding its staff to three. The additions are part of DeLong’s effort to create a people-based firm.
"I try to make sure my guys are taken care of," DeLong says. "I want to make sure they can afford families and have nice things, too."
DeLong believes his
company could have grown faster this year had he been able to find more help. The recent spike for skilled labor in the construction trades has made it difficult for DeLong to find enough qualified people to put together a second construction crew. He believes he will be able to do that next year.
"It's just a matter of finding the right group," DeLong says. "We're busy to the max. But we want to be busier."
Source: Matt DeLong, owner of DeLong Construction Services
Writer: Jon Zemke
Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.
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