From Carpenter to CEO: Servant Leadership and Building the Next Generation of Tradespeople with Brian Keller

In this episode of People-First Builders, host Fletcher Wimbush welcomes Brian Keller, CEO of Quest Building Corporation, a Wisconsin-based commercial contracting firm that’s redefining what it means to grow a people-first construction business. Starting with four partners framing homes in 1998, Brian has spent the past 25 years scaling Quest into a 300-plus-person company that provides labor and materials for framing, trim, flooring, and countertops across Southern Wisconsin.

Brian shares the behind-the-scenes story of how he transitioned from being a hands-on carpenter to a visionary CEO focused on servant leadership, talent development, and culture-driven growth. He discusses how hitting a wall in the company's expansion led to a complete rethinking of his leadership style, eventually leading to the development of in-house coaching and leadership training programs that now shape the next generation of leaders at Quest.

In this wide-ranging conversation, Brian dives into:

• How Quest integrates recruiting, training, and coaching into every level of the business

• What it means to practice servant leadership in a trade-dominated industry

• The power of writing an employee persona to define company culture and hire the right people

• His "Build Program," an educational initiative designed to help trade business owners grow scalable, sustainable companies

• Tactical changes in recruiting strategy, including high school outreach, referral-driven hiring, and even in-house headhunting

• How the team developed a simple framework for defining roles through the "one-question" model

• Why he believes there’s someone out there who loves every task—your job is to find them

Whether you’re a contractor, tradesperson, or business owner struggling to scale or attract top talent, this episode offers a roadmap for transforming your organization by investing in your people. Brian’s story is a masterclass in letting go, leading with purpose, and building a business that lasts through values, not just volume.