EP# 278: From DIY Homeowner to Trusted Entrepreneur | James Sutcliffe's Journey with All-Around Railings and Fences

What makes James Sutcliffe with All Around Railings and Fences a good neighbor?

What happens when a passion for home improvement turns into a thriving business? Join us on the Good Neighbor Podcast as we chat with James Sutcliffe, founder of All Around Railings and Fences, about his journey from handy homeowner to trusted business owner on the Treasure Coast. James recounts how a frustrating search for a reliable contractor led him to start his own company nearly 20 years ago. Today, his business is known for its high-quality installations, catering to both commercial and residential clients.

Beyond the blueprints and railings, James opens up about the personal challenges he faced, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, and how he managed to keep his business afloat. Get a glimpse into James's life outside of work—his love for the water, his commitment to his community in Stewart, and how he balances family time with his entrepreneurial responsibilities. This episode offers a rich narrative of resilience, community ties, and the relentless pursuit of quality and service.

To learn more about James Sutcliffe go to:
https://aarailings.com/

All Around Railings and Fences
772-247-4687

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place
where local businesses andneighbors come together.
Here's your host, GarfieldBowen.

Speaker 2 (00:14):
Welcome to the Good Neighbor Podcast.
Are you in need of a fencing orrailing company?
Well, one may be closer thanyou think.
Today I have the good pleasureof introducing to you your good
neighbor, james Sutcliffe, withAll Around Railing and Fencing.
James, how are you doing today?
I'm doing terrific.
How are you doing?
I am doing great.

(00:36):
Listen, we're excited to learnall about you and your business.
Tell us about your company.

Speaker 3 (00:42):
Sure, so we're a fence and railing company here
in Stewart Been on the TreasureCoast now for gosh almost 20
years.
We service everything fromcommercial customers for hotels
and hospitals throughresidential customers and
developers and builders all theway down from Boca Raton up
through Sebastian.

Speaker 2 (01:02):
So, James, how did you get into this business?

Speaker 3 (01:07):
Interestingly enough, I was always really handy
around my house and built allkinds of things and I was trying
to get a company to come outand install a railing for my
property long ago and I couldn'tget anyone to show up.
I called multiple organizationsand they just simply wouldn't
come out.
Or they said they were going tocome out and they never showed

(01:28):
up, or they just simply couldn'tdo what I was looking to do.
So I ended up just putting itin myself.
You know, after that wasinstalled and a lot of my
neighbors saw it, they said, wow, you should start a company.
That thing looks fantastic.
I started the company and youknow, and now it's been almost
20 years and we've been verysuccessful ever since.

Speaker 2 (01:49):
Just want to ask you was that a wooden fence, a metal
rail?
I mean, what was that that youput around your house?

Speaker 3 (01:55):
It was.
It's what's called cablerailing, so you may see them
sometimes at hotels around thepools.
It's the railing that hasusually the horizontal stainless
cable that's going in betweenthe posts.
It usually is something that'sput in front of areas where you
want a barricade but you want anunobstructed or a minimally

(02:15):
obstructed view.
So I live on the water.
We wanted to have a view of thewater but also have that
barricade.

Speaker 2 (02:22):
Okay, interesting.
I hear a lot of interestingstories sitting in my chair over
here, so what are some of themyths and misconceptions of the
industry?

Speaker 3 (02:34):
I think a lot of the myths and misconceptions is that
all the builders are the same.
You know that there'softentimes a price shopping
model of well, I can get it fromhere, I can get it from there,
and everything's the same.
You know there is someconsistency when it comes to
some of the products, that somethings are blown over during
hurricanes and large storms andsome aren't, and that almost

(03:08):
always is exclusively dependenton how it's installed.
So we pride ourselves onfollowing and installing beyond
code specifications and ensuringthat products will last for a
lifetime.

Speaker 2 (03:22):
So, James, when you're not busy running your
business, what do you like to dofor fun?

Speaker 3 (03:28):
Well gosh, my kids keep me busy.
I have two older kids who aregrown, and my son works for the
company and happens to run itfor us.
But I have two younger kids andthey keep me pretty busy, and
you know that one's a gymnastand one's a dancer, and they
have me traveling all over theworld.
But outside of that, I try tospend as much time as possible
on the water.
I live here in Stewart for areason.

(03:48):
It's that I love the water andI love the beach, but I also
love the community.
So we get out on the boat anddo as much time as we can out
there and enjoying thisatmosphere.

Speaker 2 (03:57):
OK let's change gears a little bit.
Life often throws us curveballs.
Let's talk about one hardship,one challenge, something that
you went through and you couldlook back today and say you're
better and stronger because ofit.
What comes to mind?

Speaker 3 (04:09):
I think the most immediate thing that comes to
mind I think for all of us, andparticularly the small business
owners, is during COVID andmanaging the pandemic and trying
to identify how you stay afloatand keep business running
during those situations.
You know we're very, very peopledependent and our obligations
to customers are paramount.
So if we don't have staff thatare available or there's

(04:32):
specific restrictions that don'tallow us to do our jobs, it
doesn't allow for us to meet theexpectations and exceed the
expectations of our customers.
And we were hit just as hard,if not as hard, harder, than
everyone else, in the area whereI couldn't get our staff to
come to work or I couldn't getpeople to allow us to go do our
product or installations, and itreally challenged us as an

(04:53):
organization and threatened usto remain open.
But you know, we hung on, hungin there and were able to work
our ways through it, even if itmeant you know, me or my son or
family members having to help usto go out and do installations
and ensure that we met theexpectations and met the
deadlines when necessary to getthose things going.
But it's probably the hardestthing we've had to deal with in

(05:13):
the last 10 years.

Speaker 2 (05:15):
I'm not sure that showed you how strong you are.
You're stronger than youthought, right I?

Speaker 3 (05:21):
think that a lot of us learned about perseverance
during that time and what we cando to ensure you know you
survive.
You know survivability iscritical and in this industry
right now there's a lot ofuncertainty.
You have no idea where themarket's going to go, so you
know.
Fortunately, we've been able tosee various cycles and business
cycles over the last 20 years,so we can prepare for those

(05:42):
things and ensure that we'rehere to stay.
But the pandemic definitelytested me and probably many
others very closely.

Speaker 2 (05:50):
And you've been around for a long time so I'm
sure you know usually when thestorm, you know the weaker
companies fall by the waysideright.

Speaker 3 (05:58):
That's usually the case, but you know I don't want
to speak for other organizationsor the leaders of those
organizations, but you have tobe able to take the good with
the bad and prepare for that.
So if you're a small businessowner and you're not prepared
for the worst and you're notgoing to be ready to be
available for when it's time forthe best, so, james, I'm going
to put you on the spot here alittle bit.

Speaker 2 (06:17):
I know there's a lot you want to share about your
company, but I want you tonarrow it down to one thing, one
thing that you want ourlisteners to remember about all
around the railing and fences.

Speaker 3 (06:27):
Well, one thing that I would say, I want our
listeners to remember, is, again, as I mentioned, a quality
installation is what's going tomake the difference for your
solution.
So, shopping around for priceis critical, but the quality of
your install is going to beparamount, and that's what we
strive for.

Speaker 2 (06:43):
And then, on that note, I know there's one word on
my listeners lips right now andthat's how You're looking
around their house and the fenceand that old fence is hanging
on.
How can we get more informationon all around railing and
fences?

Speaker 3 (07:00):
We have a lot of different outlets for
communication, but the mosteffective one is just going
directly to our website atwwwaarailingscom.
You can go on there and see thevarious type of products that
we installed and the locationsthat we install.
You can choose from differentproducts if you need a design
idea, and you can book orschedule an estimate directly on

(07:22):
our website.
So you don't even have to pickup a phone and call us.
You can schedule 24 hours a day, all day long, and pick a time
that meets the best needs foryou, and we're willing to come
out for free.
It's not going to cost youanything for us to come take a
look at your project and get youyour estimate the same day?

Speaker 2 (07:37):
And for the old school people that just like to
hit the buttons on the phone, isthere a number you'd like to
share?

Speaker 3 (07:42):
Absolutely so.
Our phone number is772-247-4687.
And Danielle is typically theperson who's going to answer the
phone and she'll brighten yourday when you give her a call.

Speaker 2 (07:53):
Excellent, James.
It's been a pleasure having youon the show.
We wish you and your businessthe very best moving forward.

Speaker 3 (07:59):
It's great to meet you and I appreciate you having
us on and thank you so much.

Speaker 1 (08:03):
Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor
Podcast Port St Lucie.
To nominate your favorite localbusinesses to be featured on
the show, go tognpportsaintlucycom.
That's gnpportsaintlucycom, orcall 772-362-3840.