Connor McStravick on Hard Work, Hockey, and Growing Build Well Group

Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Connor McStravick (00:00):
Back to the few moments in time that we

(00:02):
realized we're on the rightpath.

Drew Beech (00:04):
Yeah. Those

moments when a client, you know, text or or
calls and, like, is just, like,extremely grateful. We we've had
clients, you know, cry in thepast Mhmm. Because of, know,
what we've done. And

Drew Beech (00:16):
Yeah.

That those moments in time are where I'm
like Yeah. Yeah. This is whatI'm meant to do.

Joey Bowen (00:22):
Yeah. Yeah. Absolutely. Welcome

to the Fuel Hunt Show.

Drew Beech (00:27):
What is going on, Eagles? Welcome to the Fuel Hunt
Show. I am here as always withmy cousin and cofounder Joey.
And today we are joined by avery special guest, a friend of
mine, a father, husband, andowner of the Build Well Group,
Connor McStravich. Connor,welcome to the show.

Thank you, fellas. It's a it's an honor to
be here. Honestly, the past fiveyears of running my own
business, and really learningwhat it takes to do this, both
keeping your body right, yourmind right. Your brand has been
a big part in that. I wear it.

(01:05):
I told Drew probably five daysout of the week, and I wear it
with pride.

Drew Beech (01:10):
And

a lot of the same values that you guys push
is is also an instrumental partof my business as well. So, you
know, I appreciate you having mehere and I look forward to it.

Joey Bowen (01:20):
I appreciate that, brother.

Drew Beech (01:21):
I do also wear Connor's shirt a lot. He has
very nice shirts for hiscompany. It would

Joey Bowen (01:26):
be nice if, like, my cousin maybe had shared some of
that with me, but

Drew Beech (01:30):
you know The timeline, though. You'll like
it.

Joey Bowen (01:31):
I know. We were talking. We were talking. We we
had, like, a thirty minute catchup before

Drew Beech (01:36):
Connor texted me at 07:45AM. Was like, bro, I just

Joey Bowen (01:40):
woke up. You let him you let him you didn't you
should have texted me. You lethim I moved car parts outside. I
went and picked up water. Ipicked up trash.
He's watching me doing his shitoutside.

Good. The worst part about it is I was
actually probably here at, like,9AM and starting at eleven. So I
started my day at the gym like Ialways do and stopped at a
couple job sites and

Joey Bowen (02:01):
Alright.

You know, I've been thinking about this
all weekend and last week andYeah. I've super excited to get
here and see what you guys gotand

Drew Beech (02:08):
Oh, yeah. Locked in for the ESV, like what my
podcast routine was. And I waslike, I just, I just stay locked
in.

Joey Bowen (02:14):
Yeah. I just stay locked in.

Drew Beech (02:16):
So Connor, can you take us through, just start at
the beginning of like yourjourney and maybe touch on your
competitive hockey days and likewhat led you to being the owner
of a thriving business at thispoint. And like, we'll just go
through the story and Joe and Ihave some questions along the
way, but if you wanna start fromthe beginning. Yeah.

Yeah. It's a, it's definitely a long story. So
if I get off topic, you know,kind of.

Drew Beech (02:40):
We got time, man. We got some time. We do tangents
here. So we, I'm sure somethingwill come up and then we will
ask you a million questions onAnd then we'll be talking about
something like outer space atsome point. Yeah.
Love it.

Yeah. So, you know, I've been thinking about
it leading up to this, like, youknow, what I really wanted to
touch on.

Drew Beech (02:58):
Yeah.

And it it really comes down to my values.
Right? Hard work, determination,perseverance, and passion.
Right? And that's somethingthat's just been drilled into me
from a very young age.
I have really good parents. Theywere never together, but my mom
and dad are both extremelyhardworking individuals that

(03:23):
have overcome, you know, verycrazy things throughout their
life and carved out really goodlives for themselves and and
their family.

Joey Bowen (03:35):
Did they did they explain hard work to you, or was
or was it something youobserved?

That's a great question. Yeah. They did
not.

Joey Bowen (03:45):
Yeah.

It was something I observed.

Joey Bowen (03:48):
Yeah.

And both of their teaching styles were very
unique. And I think that, youknow, obviously, it's not ideal
to grow up in a a householdwithout a mom and a dad, but it
also gave me advantage to kindaget learning different styles of
learning in differentenvironments.

Joey Bowen (04:05):
Sure.

And different examples. So my mom is loving,
caring, supportive, always thereno matter what. Where my dad's
more of, you know, he's, he'sfrom Belfast, Ireland, grew up
in the middle of of the troublesover there as a Catholic in a,
you know, pretty dangerousneighborhood. And he was more

(04:28):
rough nosed. He led more byexample and also, like, let me
learn my lessons on my own whilethrowing little, like, jabs here
and there.
Sure. He's also the type, youknow, to this day, you know, I
played, college hockey at UMass,and he's like, well, why didn't
you commit to Boston College?You know? He's that type. Yeah.

(04:51):
Even in my business, you know, Isigned a million dollar job, and
he's like, why didn't you sign a$10,000,000 job? So nothing's
ever good enough, but, like, Iknow deep down that he is
definitely proud of me, but,like, it continues to push me.

Joey Bowen (05:02):
Well, that's what he's saying. He's coming from a
good place. Like, he's he's he'strying to get you to think
bigger. Yep. Even though you'reprobably thinking bigger than
99% of the population, he'slike, there's still room for you
to, like, you know?
Yeah.

Drew Beech (05:14):
That do try so and this is something a question for
all of us. Always because wewant our kids to grow to be
better than us. Right? Like, sodo you guys and you specifically
Conor, but try and instill thesevalues in your kids through what
you say to them or just what youshow them. So, like, that's a
balance I'm always trying to

It's tough.

Drew Beech (05:34):
Right? Figure out because I know there's points
when Parker gets, like, tired ofme talking because Yeah. I'm
almost like a broken record atthis point. So I'm curious what
you being from someone thatlearned it from their dad like
that. Yep.
What are you trying to do foryour kids?

I'm I'm actually I'm actually a lot like
my dad, but I'm also verydifferent. Mhmm. Where I've kind
of taken the approach of mykids, but, like, try to love
them and tell them I love themas much as I can and kiss them
and hug them and be there when Ican. But I also show them
through example, you know,

Joey Bowen (06:10):
like Yep.

Saturdays and Sundays, it's pretty much
accepted at my house that I'mnot gonna be there because I'm
working.

Drew Beech (06:16):
Yeah. You

know? And it sucks because I miss a lot of,
you know, good quality time withmy kids, but I think they also,
well, my son, he's a little bitolder, so he's starting to kind
of realize, you know, what I'mdoing and, you know, he is proud
to wear his build well shirt

Drew Beech (06:31):
and you

know, it's awesome.

Drew Beech (06:33):
So That is.

But it is very tough. You know? What do
you

Drew Beech (06:36):
Yeah. Yeah.

Joey Bowen (06:36):
He's you said he's four, right?

He's four.

Joey Bowen (06:38):
So does he ever come to sites with you?

And He does.

Joey Bowen (06:41):
He does. That's awesome.

It's about two weeks ago, he, I was getting
ready. It was a day I actuallymissed the gym in the morning.
And I was upstairs gettingready, and they hadn't left for
daycare yet. And, he comes up inoveralls with his little tool
belt on, and he's like, wannacome to come to work with you
today. And like, hell, yeah.
I didn't say no. I was like,damn right you are. Yeah.

Drew Beech (07:04):
You're going to school today? That's right.
That's good.

Joey Bowen (07:06):
That's awesome. That's awesome, man. That's the
way to do it.

Yeah. That those are the best days.

Drew Beech (07:11):
That is awesome.

And he, enjoys it. You know? I would
cry.

Joey Bowen (07:14):
I feel like yeah. I mean, I'm I'm doing my best to,

Drew Beech (07:17):
like Yeah.

Joey Bowen (07:17):
You know, hold it back. I feel like like anything
in your life. Like, if you ifyou know somebody, right, that's
like your peer, and you knowthat they gotta get their health
under control. Right? And theyhave to lose some weight,
something like that.
Your words, you constantlytelling them, do this, do that,
do this, do that. They're notthat's not gonna make a
difference. They they wanna seethat you're living that way. You

(07:39):
know what I mean? They wanna seethe decisions you're making.
Like, I feel like with my kids,I try to find a healthy balance
of, like, showing them byexample and then also explaining
what the example means and whyI'm doing it. Because just
preaching, it you know,preaching isn't teaching. Like,
that's what it comes down to.

Drew Beech (07:55):
You know

Joey Bowen (07:56):
what I mean?

Drew Beech (07:56):
And that's why I think a lot of Parker's friends,
friends, parents, like Parkerworks out every day. How like, I
could never get my kid to workout. And I'm well, I'm he sees a
me and Amanda getting

Joey Bowen (08:07):
asked for me Like,

Drew Beech (08:09):
we're working out every day. We're working hard
every day, all hours of day andnight. So he doesn't know
anything different. He hasn'teven seen what and not patting
myself on the back door, but hedoesn't know what laziness looks
like. They even think, like, Ishould be lazy today.

Joey Bowen (08:24):
Yep. Yeah. My I mean, my parents never sat me
down and said, like, okay. Thisis what hard work is, and this
is the value of it, and alsothey just were grinding. Yep.
You know what I mean? Two, threejobs, side jobs, everything. And
I witnessed it. And then that'show I learned. Mhmm.
You know what I mean? They neversat me down and gave me I mean,
of course, sometimes, man, gaveme some wise words, you know, if

(08:45):
I was in a pitch or something asI was growing up. But the
majority of the time was all byexample.

Drew Beech (08:49):
Yeah. The I think not my issue, but I I speak in
Instagram quotes anymore.

Joey Bowen (08:55):
Like, our

Drew Beech (08:55):
in our Instagram quotes. So They're like our OG.

They're like a you're like a walking I'm a
wolf. You're a walking toParker.

Drew Beech (09:04):
How you do anything? And he's like, I know how you do
everything. But Yeah. No one'sever reminding me that every
day.

Joey Bowen (09:09):
What do we say on the show all the time? Like,
sounds cliche until it's not.Parker's gonna reach a point in
time, and it's gonna be soonerthan later where one of those
OGs is gonna ring in his head,and he's gonna have the same
thought. He's gonna be like, oh,you know what? Dad was right.
You know? Dad was right.

But I

Drew Beech (09:23):
I I have to tell him that a lot of the times too.
Like, one day you'll thank mefor being so hard on you. Yeah.
You know what I mean? Like, Iknow it's, I seem like an
asshole now, but realistically,like this is gonna make

you I hated my dad till I was like 30.

Joey Bowen (09:36):
That, that's my

Drew Beech (09:38):
point. Exactly. Yeah. Till 30.

Right? I

Joey Bowen (09:41):
got him. I know. I mean, thanks.

Drew Beech (09:43):
Twenty two years ago.

Joey Bowen (09:45):
Yeah. Think so. Take time, man.

Drew Beech (09:46):
He was always that way. Do you think my this is
leading me to my question, butdo you think that how he was,
how hard he was on you led youto being the level of a hockey
player that you were? Like, washe always like that?

He was always like that. Yeah. Yeah. Like
that. And and yes.
But a lot of credit due to mymom as well. You I started
playing hockey when I was four.

Drew Beech (10:09):
Yeah.

And hockey schedules are ridiculous. Okay.
Every know, you're practicing ata young age at least two times a
week, and then you're away everyweekend. Yeah. And then as I
progressed in the game and, youknow, moved more towards elite
levels, it was, you know, three,four, five times a night
practice and then game Saturday,Sunday.
And my dad, you know, he did dohis fair share, but my mom was

(10:33):
there, you know, through thatwhole Yeah. Through that whole
process and played a huge rolein it.

Drew Beech (10:41):
Was he a hockey player too?

My dad now.

Joey Bowen (10:43):
Soccer. How did hockey-

And to this day, he's also pissed that I

Drew Beech (10:46):
chose hockey over That was your choice.

That was my choice. Eighth grade year, I was
was good at both sports.

Drew Beech (10:53):
So you're playing both all the way up to then?

It was like time to get serious about one
and, I chose hockey because Iwas a little bit better at it.

Joey Bowen (11:02):
Yeah. Hockey. I mean, I feel like I mean, I I
grew up playing hockey, but,like, not I was playing, like,
roller hockey and shit. LikeYeah. I feel like committing to
ice hockey, that's, like, athat's a big commitment.
Yeah. Yeah. It's a hugecommitment that not a lot of
kids make, like, because it'snot as accessible. I could walk
to baseball practice. You knowwhat I mean?
I could walk a basketballpractice. Ice hockey is a whole
different story.

Drew Beech (11:21):
There's only, three ice hockey rinks in like a 20
mile. Exactly.

Was I was living away from home at 16
years old.

Drew Beech (11:28):
Yeah. In Canada?

No. In North Jersey.

Drew Beech (11:31):
Oh, okay.

But I was going to a school in North
Jersey living with a billetfamily. Yeah.

Drew Beech (11:35):
Oh, wow.

When I was 16.

Drew Beech (11:37):
Oh, wow.

Alright. Wow.

Drew Beech (11:39):
And also, when I explained to you, like, Connor's
very good at hockey, like, metplaying mentally roller hockey.
Mhmm. And I was the worst playeron the team, and Connor was the
best

Joey Bowen (11:46):
player the team.

Drew Beech (11:47):
So, we were the top line because we rallied each
other out, and, like, got Imight've been the top scorer
that season because Connorliterally just like got all the
defensemen and also just passedme the pub work. It was
basically in the down.

Joey Bowen (11:59):
Your leadership.

Drew Beech (11:59):
I was literally sitting there like this and
Connor would just literallybasically shoot the You were

Joey Bowen (12:04):
your stick. Yeah. You were like

Drew Beech (12:07):
the post. He would just Dude, would just make me
look so stupid, like justskater. I'd just be standing
there, like wide open. They hadto take care of him. Yeah.

It is crazy that, you know, that's how we
met. And then years later, youknow, you went into your
entrepreneur journey and, youknow, through Frank, we've been
able to like connect and likekind of, you know, stay in touch
mildly, but, like, you know howit goes.

Drew Beech (12:31):
And I wrote the the post for tomorrow today, but
teaser is it's clear vision,smaller circle, and it's kind of
crazy to think as you Mhmm.Continue to grow. And, like,
some people who you are friendswith in those times, like,
people will stay the same or getworse, and some people will
continue to grow and develop.And like we were talking about
before the show,entrepreneurship almost forces

(12:54):
you to grow to change.

Yeah.

Drew Beech (12:55):
And the people you're friends with when you
start just aren't aren't thesame people. They can't be

the same people when when It's it's
always evolving. Right? Exactly.Everything's evolving.

Drew Beech (13:06):
Because as entrepreneurs, we're forced to
grow. Yep. You know what I mean?

Joey Bowen (13:10):
It's grow it's a grow or die situation. Exactly.

Drew Beech (13:12):
You know

what I mean? That's that's that's actually,
like, a really good segue into,you know, back to my hockey
journey. Yeah. Right? Like, onceyou get into, like, a very
competitive level of hockey,you're constantly battling.
Like, every day, if you're notgetting better, like, you're not
playing in the game thatweekend. Mhmm. So, like, from 16
years old on playing, you know,junior hockey, then collegiate

(13:34):
hockey, like, it was a battleMonday through Friday

Joey Bowen (13:38):
Yeah.

Against your teammates in practice. If you
didn't

Drew Beech (13:41):
perform Competing for the spot.

If you didn't perform well that week, you you
were scratched that weekend anddidn't dress for the game. So

Drew Beech (13:49):
Is that because you were all around the same skill
level? So it was like, you'reyou're interchangeable at that
point.

Yep. Yeah.

Joey Bowen (13:55):
What's the like, outside of when you're off the
ice at that point, what iswhat's life like? Like, do you
have, like, nutrition goals? Doyou have

So nowadays it's a lot more of

Joey Bowen (14:07):
a lot more

intense back then. Like, you know, we didn't
know much and, like, my parentsweren't, like, super They were
just, knowledgeable in thehealth You know? Was like

Joey Bowen (14:18):
Yep.

Eat your eat your protein and drink your
water.

Joey Bowen (14:21):
I mean, you were getting

Drew Beech (14:22):
that. This is a bit of a segue, but my wife played
D1 softball and I was thinkingabout this stuff we ate growing
up. Was like

Joey Bowen (14:32):
Oh, yeah.

Drew Beech (14:32):
It's like big Texas every morning in high in high
school. Pop Tarts too. Yeah.Yeah. I and and my theory is
imagine the level of athlete Isay to her, like, she could have
been if if you ate actually,like, a normal

Joey Bowen (14:44):
We knew what.

Drew Beech (14:45):
Just a normal person.

Joey Bowen (14:46):
We knew what we knew now then.

Drew Beech (14:47):
Not not Starburst and freaking Toaster Struttles.

Joey Bowen (14:51):
Yeah. Yeah. Mean, even just even just people in
general. Yeah.

Drew Beech (14:55):
Like, if

Joey Bowen (14:55):
we knew that then, we wouldn't be so far deviated
from a line of health that weare now.

Drew Beech (15:01):
Yep, exactly. So you were staying in North Jersey
with a different, like a billetfamily. And what, like, what was
life like? Were you, like, wouldyou just go to practice and come
back?

Or Yeah. I mean, it was like, I didn't have
much parental guidance. Right? Ikinda, like, was You could do
whatever meals and I didn't dowhatever I want. I still had, a
billet family that, like, youknow, I had to kinda report to,
but Yeah.
Know, I was on my own. I had alicense. I was driving myself to
and from practice.

Drew Beech (15:29):
Yeah. That's kind of crazy.

Joey Bowen (15:30):
It's wild. Yeah.

Drew Beech (15:31):
Like I'm, I'm a me now, me at 16 or two completely
different human beings. I can'timagine that level

It nuts. And then senior year, when, when I
was 17 and 18, I moved back homeand commuted every day to North
Jersey. So six, seven days aweek, I was driving myself two
hours to and two hours from, youknow, at 17 years old up the
Turnpike to newer. Jesus. Yeah.
You know, that's the level ofcommitment though, and,

Drew Beech (15:57):
like Yeah.

That's what I'm so grateful to the game for.
Yep. It taught me that. And itwas just it was second nature.
You know?
Yeah. And I was always the type,like, you do conditioning at
practice. Right?

Drew Beech (16:10):
And Mhmm.

You know, you gotta do suicide sprints. Like
Yeah. I was always the guy onthe team that wanted to finish
first no matter what. Like, Itook pride in it. And, like, I'm
gonna finish first.
Yeah. You know, one way or theother. Even if it was sometimes
stopping a little shorter theline. Yeah. I'm getting back
first.

Drew Beech (16:24):
If you ain't seen, you ain't trying. Yeah.

I'm getting back first.

Joey Bowen (16:26):
Did you were were were you enjoying all that time?
Like, all that

Yes and no. Yeah. I made, like, I was also a
very, angry young kid. Yeah. Soright before I made the decision
to go play juniors, I wasplaying for a really elite team
locally with, a lot of eliteguys like Johnny Goudreaux and,
a lot of other guys that went onto do some big things.
Yep. But I was very angry and, Iwas actually taller than

(16:58):
everybody, believe it or not,and stronger. So I would get a
lot of penalties for, you know,hitting too hard. Yeah. And I
would freak out and curse theref out and get a ten minute
misconduct.
Yeah. So at the end of thatseason

Drew Beech (17:09):
Forgot about that. I forgot that about you, actually.
Yeah. Tell me.

I'm a lot better now. Yeah. Still have a
few moments in the entire world.Lose the lose the cool, but

Drew Beech (17:17):
It is.

At the end of that season, my coach was like,
hey. I think it's a good ideayou go play junior hockey
because in junior hockey, youcan fight. He's like, I think
it'd be good for you to get someof your anger out. And, probably
the worst decision I've made inin my career because at that
point

Joey Bowen (17:33):
Did it foster it? Did it foster the anger instead

Drew Beech (17:36):
of you lying?

But once you make that next step to go play
junior hockey, it's not so muchabout development anymore. It's
more about, like, you're just acommodity and a number to the to
win games. So I had a coach thatwasn't a really good human being
and kinda knew I was a innercity kid with, you know, that
gritty personality and

Joey Bowen (17:56):
Sure.

He there was games, where he would come over,
tap me on the shoulder and say,go fight number 10.

Joey Bowen (18:03):
Yeah.

And, like, I had a next shift go out and

Drew Beech (18:05):
fight him. Mhmm.

So my my development kind of stopped at
that point. Yeah. Hey. Not mygrittiness and my self
determination, but my skill and

Drew Beech (18:14):
Sure. And stuff like grinder.

Exactly. I went from being, like, you know,
somewhat of a goal scorer to,like, third, fourth line, you
know Oh, wow. Grinder energyguy. Yeah. You know, it got me
to, you know, a good collegiatelevel.

Drew Beech (18:28):
Mhmm.

But things could have been a lot different.
You know?

Joey Bowen (18:31):
Sure.

And I was also more concerned about, going
out and partying with my local,you know, Philly friends than I
was about developing

Drew Beech (18:40):
Yeah. You're on the brink of doing, like, life
change like, great things, andyou're back to the Queer Vision
Smaller Circle. Were moreconcerned and, again, which we
all are at that age.

I know

Drew Beech (18:49):
it's hard to Yep. Decompartmentalize or separate
the two, but you're more worriedabout the the boys back home
that are Yep. Probably gonna endup just being normal. Oh, yeah.
Like, average potentially.
And you're you were on the brinkof being in the NHL or or

(19:11):
playing Greyhawk or becoming youknow what mean? Mhmm. And again

Things definitely would have been
different. You know? I couldn'tsay that I would, you know, go
on to do Yeah.

Drew Beech (19:18):
Hypothetic. Yeah. Yep. That was something I mean,
I'm talking about at dinner lastnight. It's crazy that every
little decision little decisionleads you to where you go.
Like Mhmm. Things could be somuch different right now if you
change one decision. And it allhappens for a reason.

It does.

Drew Beech (19:37):
Because you're probably so grateful for the
life

you have.

Drew Beech (19:39):
You know what mean? Like, I I hope that if you were
a hall of fame hockey player,like, you probably wouldn't even
trade your life right now.

Yeah. Because when I don't have my kids, I
don't have my wife maybe. Yeah.And it's like Exactly. I
wouldn't trade that foranything.
Exactly. Those dots all

Joey Bowen (19:51):
those dots connect in hindsight. Yep. You know?

And it it's like, you know, it wasn't my
purpose

Drew Beech (19:57):
to Exactly. To do that.

Yeah. Like Exactly. What I'm doing today is
my purpose. Yeah. But, like,taught me that.

Drew Beech (20:03):
Mhmm.

You know? Those trials and tribulations
taught me

Drew Beech (20:05):
what I'm supposed

to be

Drew Beech (20:06):
doing today. And like Exactly.

Wouldn't trade it for the world.

Drew Beech (20:09):
For sure. So you play at UMass, then what is the
journey like to build well?Right? Like

That's where it gets a little messy. Yeah. I
was I'd say in college, youknow, everybody kind of starts
to experiment, smoke a littlepot and stuff like that. Get
carried away. Right?
Yeah. I got carried away.

Drew Beech (20:35):
I was I was experimenting with that before
college personally.

I wasn't, dude. Was a total opposite. Like
before college, like I was sostraight edge, like I was
drinking on the weekends. Yeah.But like if anybody even like
lit up a joint around me, I'dtell them to get away from me.
Really?

Joey Bowen (20:49):
Yeah. I was in

And then you get to college and it's like

Joey Bowen (20:51):
High school.

Adderall to study.

Joey Bowen (20:53):
And even beginning of the and beginning of college,
like, was like straight edge,man. Like, I wasn't like, I
would go out. I would go toKeggers. Would do all stuff, but
I wasn't really drinking oranything. And then, like, later
on in college, that's where Iwas like, okay.
Well, I guess now's the time forme to, like, experiment with all
this stuff. Yep. You know?

Drew Beech (21:10):
I do think college is a wild concept overall still.
I mean, we can talk about therecan be other pockets. Yeah.

Joey Bowen (21:15):
There can be other pockets.

Drew Beech (21:17):
But, like, a bunch of adolescent kids away

with no rules. Wild. Yep.

Drew Beech (21:23):
Yep. Just I mean, my wife was in the middle of center
city.

Joey Bowen (21:26):
Well, talking about like

Drew Beech (21:27):
how 18. Like

Joey Bowen (21:29):
Yeah. Talking about how, like, little decisions
really change the future, yourtrajectory for the future. I
mean, you're putting a potwhere, like, no pun intended,
where, you they're saying nosupervision. Your your brain
isn't even fully formed yet. No.
And you're making decisions thatare impacting your future. And
you don't you have no idea.You're like, oh, I'm just here
to, like, experiment,

figure this You're invincible. Yeah.

Drew Beech (21:51):
Exactly. I've thought of that too. Like, my
mortality practice, I'mthinking, it really didn't hit
me until I became a dad. Andthen I started to realize, like,
okay. Like, I'm actually onlyhere once, and I I have a short
time to do it.
Mhmm. Mhmm. But in college, youjust feel like nothing can

(22:12):
happen to you. You just act likea fuck. You just do whatever the
hell you want.

Joey Bowen (22:16):
World's your oyster.

Drew Beech (22:17):
Yeah. And it there I've heard stories of, like,
kids, and we talked about thisrecently with my family, but,
like, kids, like, getting hazedat frats and being at parties
dying, like, over like Mhmm.Just doing bad. Dead. Like,
literally dead.

Joey Bowen (22:32):
I had kids I had kids drink, choke on their own
vomit, die.

Drew Beech (22:37):
Crazy.

Joey Bowen (22:38):
Kids that drank too much, did a little something or
something else, had a bad daybecause something happened at
home, jumped in front of atrain. Kids got beat to death.
Like, you name it, dude. Yeah.You know what I mean?
OD'd, obviously, like, sorts ofstuff. Yeah.

Drew Beech (22:51):
Yeah. Just crazy.

Joey Bowen (22:52):
It's wild.

Drew Beech (22:53):
But Alright. So sorry to experiment and make it.
Yeah.

So I

Drew Beech (22:56):
had a

I had a really good, collegiate career.
You know, I I carved out areally good role on my team, you
know, third, fourth line guy,energy guy. Like, was, you know,
the hardest worker on the squadmost of the time.

Drew Beech (23:09):
Were you hopeful to get drafted? No.

At this point, it was, you know Okay.
Pretty much, you know, playingThe guys on your team. Playing
for a college championship atthis Okay.

Drew Beech (23:17):
The guys on your team end up getting drafted?

A few did.

Drew Beech (23:20):
Oh, that's cool. Yeah. A few

went on to play a few, with a few different
teams.

Drew Beech (23:24):
Wow. So,

you know, every year, freshman, sophomore,
junior year, we came up shortsemifinals or the finals of the
conference championship. Andthen, you know, by senior year,
my partying kinda got carriedaway, which really started to
affect my emotions and, mybehaviors. Hockey slowly started
to not become my number onepriority.

Drew Beech (23:50):
Because you felt like you were at the end on the

It was a it was a combination of things.
Right? It was the partying. Itwas the I'd like, that impending
doom of, like, my identity isabout to cease to exist as a
hockey player. Mhmm.
You know? And like you said,you're young, you're vulnerable,
and, like, your brain's notdeveloped, and, like, there's a
lot of things going on.

Drew Beech (24:10):
Yeah. What's crazy too is when I met you and people
probably that met you at thattime I mean, I've met you a
little bit later, but think,like, yo, this Connor Studd
hockey player got, like, so muchhe's got so much confidence.
Just, like, killing it. Like, hemust, like, feel awesome all the
time when realistically, like,internally, you're, like, you're

(24:30):
losing your identity. Like Oh,yeah.
You know what I mean? Like, it'sjust invisible battles, man.
Invisible battles. Like,people's perception of you at
that time probably thought youhad it all figured out when
realistically inside you wereYep.

Hurt. You know, on Facebook. Yeah. You
look good. And

Drew Beech (24:44):
Yeah. Oh my god. He's playing collegiate hockey
for one of the best schools inthe country. Yep. Mhmm.

And then midway through my senior year,
had an altercation with my coachon the ice and, he kicked me off
the team.

Drew Beech (24:58):
Really?

Senior year. I moved back to Philly and
watched my team win theconference championship What?
And go to the semifinals of thenational championship on TV. And
that was heartbreaking. Youknow, I played from the time I
was four to 24 and like, youknow, at this point, like, the

(25:21):
goal was to win a, you know, achampionship with my with the
guys I had just become

Drew Beech (25:25):
brothers for

four years, and, it was devastating. And,
know, I went down kind of a darkpath for, like, three years
after that, like, just trying tofigure life

Drew Beech (25:36):
out. Yeah.

And, one day driving to work, just had, a
revelation, like, you know, I'vehad so many opportunities in
life. I had great parents, greatfriends. My wife who I've been
with since 14 is still by myside. Wow. Like, what am I
doing?
I need to I need to figure itout. And, it was from that
moment forward, like I literallymade that decision consciously.

(25:59):
Like, I will never acceptfailure again. Like So

Drew Beech (26:05):
the lowest point was at, like, maybe '22?

'20 '6.

Drew Beech (26:12):
And at what that revelation

Well, I well, I'd say lowest point would be
getting kicked off my teamsenior year.

Drew Beech (26:20):
Twenty twenty

twenty three or '4, I believe.

Drew Beech (26:22):
And then you had so the you had, like, two or three
years of, like, a rough roughpatch. And then '26, you're like
you're like, I'm done.

Joey Bowen (26:30):
Yep. Was there anything well, first, like, you
know, you had you mentioned theimpending doom of, like, your
your identity changing. Right?You were no longer gonna be a
hockey player, and you're gonnabe out in the world. You had to
figure it out.

Yep.

Joey Bowen (26:43):
That was probably enough impending doom. Like,
what actually happened was itall, like, abruptly ended. Like,
you know what I mean? It wasn'tlike a Yeah. Peaceful, you know
what I mean, departure whereyour identity, like, all
abruptly ended.
So so that's one thing. Secondthing that I wanted to ask is
that that day when you had thatmoment, when you were like, I'm

(27:03):
not gonna accept failureanymore. Something needs to
change. Was there anythingdifferent about that day
compared to previous days? Orwas it just

It was probably a moment of clarity,
man. Like Yeah. Just like, youknow, whether it be God or Mhmm.
You know, whatever you want tocall it, the universe, like,
just, like, came to me in thatmoment. I was driving to Home
Depot, to buy supplies for aproject.

Drew Beech (27:25):
For someone else?

For someone else. Yeah. I was working for
cash at the time, you know,doing odd carpentry jobs. And
Yeah. Remember pulling into theparking lot and, breaking down
into tears and calling my momand saying like, I've had
enough, you know, let's let's dothis, and and I wanna change my
life.
And Did

Joey Bowen (27:45):
you feel like, you know, during that during that
rough that rough time of yourlife, that three years two,
three years, did you feel likethere was something, knocking on
other days that you just weren'tlistening to? Yeah.

Drew Beech (27:56):
Oh, yeah. Yeah.

And it was like, you know, when you're in
that that dark state, like, ofdepression and Mhmm. Like, you
know it's knocking and you youknow you wanna drown it out.

Joey Bowen (28:07):
Yeah.

You know? Because you just it makes you
feel like Okay. A burning desireis burning inside of you, but,
like, you're just putting wateron the fire.

Joey Bowen (28:16):
Yeah. Because you you know that you have to accept
and own everything and, you knowwhat I mean, to turn it all
around. Yeah. I get it, man. Iget it.
I mean, lot of people, you know,think that that's your higher
power, you know, when you havethose type of feelings or, you
know, you have that that levelof anxiety or, you know, you're
in that dark place, like,there's someone always knocking.

(28:38):
It's like whether you're gonnaanswer the door is the is the
question. And answering the doortakes a lot of hard work, man. A
lot of hard work because yougotta accept all the shit. You
know?

Drew Beech (28:48):
It's crazy. I was just like, I got like, it wasn't
thought just about, like and soyou you never looked back, like,
after that. Never.

Joey Bowen (28:55):
Yeah.

It was like

Drew Beech (28:57):
boom. Switch was flipped.

It was flipped. It's actually firing me
up right now. I'm gettingchills, man. Thinking back to it
and right now business is goingwell, but it's stressful. It's
the beginning of the year.
And like, you know, thinkingabout this podcast, like
beforehand, like I'm justthinking back on like how far
I've come in this journey andjust like that overwhelming

(29:19):
feeling of gratitude and like,holy shit, man. Like,

Drew Beech (29:23):
It's like, you know, like, the the breakdowns become
the breakthroughs, and it'slike, you had to go through that
to to grow through that andbecome the person you because
you wouldn't have the resilienceor the No. The strength or the
the vision that you have todaywithout

Joey Bowen (29:36):
Do you, you said when you were getting ready for
the show, you know, you werethinking about the journey and
how far you've come and, youknow, the gratitude that came
from that. Do you do thatregularly? Or

was I try to. Yeah. I try to. I actually, like

Joey Bowen (29:48):
The reason I ask is because, like, you what what
what just happened is, like,very important for the few to
realize. Like, you were, I'mfired up. Like, I have all this
energy. When and you alsosimultaneously said it's
beginning of the year. Businessis stressful, blah blah blah.
But, like, reflecting on thejourney and looking back,
whether you write it down ornot, you just take a moment and
think about it, like, energizesyou. It gives you confidence.

(30:09):
Like, okay. Look. Shit's hard,brother.
It's too hard. Again, soundscliche, but until it's not. You
know what I mean? So you say youdo try to do that.

I try to do it, and I find a lot of success
with music. Yeah. Certain songsthat, like, bring back a certain
feeling Mhmm. Or, like, youknow, it it gets me back into
that.

Joey Bowen (30:27):
Yeah.

You know? I'm in I'm at, like, a point in my
life right now where, like, I'llbe scrolling Instagram. I
shouldn't be, but, like

Drew Beech (30:34):
We all we all do.

We all I'll I'll see, like, dad videos, and
I'm, like I'll pull up in mydriveway, and I'll be out there
for, five, ten minutes just,like, crying to,

Drew Beech (30:42):
like, dad videos. And it's

Joey Bowen (30:43):
You and I are you and I are

Drew Beech (30:44):
still man. Now if you combine the dad videos with
the the military coming homevideo, that's where I get it.

Oh, yeah. I'll be Yeah. I'm, like, crying
in my car. What is

Joey Bowen (30:53):
the name? Look. Look. I mean, we we rag on we
rag on social media and stuff,but there's a lot of, you know,
micro moments that like,positive energy there if you if
that's what you choose to payattention to.

Drew Beech (31:05):
Yep. Yeah. But I no.

I do think that, you know, getting that
gratitude is is super important.And and you and I were speaking
before this. Being anentrepreneur, like, it's a very
hard life. Mhmm. And we get veryfew moments in time where it's
like we actually, like, like, ohyeah, this is it.
Yeah. You know, everything elseis just grind, grind, grind,

(31:29):
stress, you know, pressure.Mhmm. So like trying to carve
out that time for gratitude, inmy opinion, is super important.
Yeah.
Because, like, you can get lostand, like, not realize that how
far you've come in such a shortamount of time.

Joey Bowen (31:44):
And Yeah.

Drew Beech (31:45):
I do have a few so I think Elon Musk said it, but
entrepreneurship is like chewingglass and staring into the
abyss. That is so true.

Joey Bowen (31:53):
Yeah.

Drew Beech (31:54):
But I think gratitude is such a an important
part of the entrepreneurialjourney because, like you said,
you need that reminder. Yougotta, like, you'll never get
through the things you're gonnahave to go through as an
entrepreneur without it, withoutremaining grateful. So, like, my
new a quote I picked up fromsomewhere was, can't have a bad
day when you're breathing. Yeah.And I've been saying that

(32:15):
nonstop.
Like, once a I forget where weheard it, but a man once a man I
heard it, she was like, you'renever gonna stop saying that.
And I was like, that's so true.Because that That's funny.
Literally is my is my

I actually just saw a funny one, like,
making fun entrepreneurs. Like,the guy wakes up, I just took an
ice bath. Yeah. Posted on socialmedia five times. Yeah.
It's a great day to be

Drew Beech (32:34):
alive. Yeah. There was a video. It was.

Joey Bowen (32:37):
Yeah. It's there's a real interesting dichotomy.
Right? Like, you said I think,Drew, you had asked here, like,
did you ever look back? Like,when you had that moment, did
you ever look back?
And you're like, no. From thatmoment forward, like, I was So
there's this, like, dichotomyof, like, you can't look back,
but then you have to look back.Mhmm. Like, further you get down
the road because otherwise, ifyou don't look backwards Yep.

(32:57):
You can't be grateful.
Like, you can't see where youcame from. You know what I mean?
So there's, like, that delicatebalance every day of, like, you
know, having to look backwards,but then also having to stay
focused on the, you know, thefuture goal forward ahead of
you.

Drew Beech (33:10):
And, again, we were talking about how
entrepreneurship levels you upjust in general. But

Joey Bowen (33:16):
If you choose to level.

Drew Beech (33:17):
You're rarely gonna find an entrepreneur that's that
gets upset about the temperatureof their coffee. You know what
mean? Like, dumbass shit type ofpeople get upset about nowadays.
Like because, like like,

we're I'll drink a cold coffee, my guy.

Drew Beech (33:30):
Exactly. But, like, dumb shit, like, like, little
little inconveniences that thatthat get normal people in a
tizzy really just isn't gonnahappen for entrepreneur because,
one, we have way too much othersto deal with to even care about
the temperature of the coffee.And secondly, you through that,
those trials and tribulations,you develop that gratitude that
makes you, oh, my coffee's cold.Well, at least I have coffee to

(33:52):
drink.

Joey Bowen (33:53):
Yeah. Yeah.

Drew Beech (33:53):
You know what mean? Like that perspective.

Joey Bowen (33:55):
Well, I was out eating the other day, and they
brought me the complete wrongmeal, and I just ate it. Like, I
didn't say anything. Like, it

Drew Beech (34:01):
wasn't like, know?

Joey Bowen (34:02):
I didn't look at the price and say, is this is this
was this more than that? Or,like, I was really in the mood
for my, you know, avocado toast.Like, the meal came out, and I
was just like, I'm just gonnaeat this. Like, it doesn't even
matter. What's got bigger fishto fry?

Drew Beech (34:15):
Went to a a restaurant with my Italian
bistro. It's hype. On thebullfart? Yeah. It's not there
anymore.
Yeah. The bullfart. I ordered aveal parm, but they and my
grandpa ordered a eggplant parm,but they swapped us, like and I
didn't know. And they were like,oh, how

Joey Bowen (34:32):
do like eggplant? Eggplant's good.

Drew Beech (34:33):
And I was like, I don't like eggplant. Ew. I would
never eat that. I just I justhouse the whole

Joey Bowen (34:37):
thing. It's funny. It's funny.

Drew Beech (34:39):
Alright. So you have that revelation. Yeah. So no
looking back. What hap like,what's the where what do you do?
Like, what's your first step?What every You're like, I'm
you're like, I'm going to the

doctor first step. At that point, did when
every guy from Northeast Phillythinks is the right move. I
became a union carpenter. Okay.There you go.
Yeah. I got in the union. Ithought that was, you know, what
was gonna.

Drew Beech (35:02):
It's a good it's a good living.

It is. Yeah. Nothing against it. Yeah.
Course.
Respect it. I love the union. Ilove, you know, what it stands
for, and it's a great living.

Drew Beech (35:11):
Yeah.

When I got into the union, they knew I was
a residential carpenter. So Igrew up on the job site. So, you
know, I'm playing hockey allwinter. And then in the
summertimes, when I'm off ofschool, I'm on the job sites
with my dad. Sure.
And this is kind of where thethe build well or not all motto
started.

Drew Beech (35:30):
Asking for my own knowledge, is your dad paying
you at that point? Or you justYes. Yes. I'm wondering at what
point I can, like, get Parker,like, actually working, but,
like, I'm like, do I have to payhim

paying me. Oh, yeah. And we were you know,
I was probably 12 and on, like,we butt heads, man. Yeah. Yeah.

Drew Beech (35:49):
Yeah. I remember I do remember I don't remember the
story, but I remember youtalking about, like, getting
arguments with your dad on,like, job sites and

Joey Bowen (35:55):
shit. Yeah.

Like, almost full on fist fights and throwing
me out of the truck in themiddle of West Philly saying
find your own way home, dude.You know, stuff like that. And
most of the time

Joey Bowen (36:05):
angry and stubborn enough to just walk home
yourself, dude.

Drew Beech (36:07):
Yeah. You go.

Joey Bowen (36:08):
Yeah. Just

Drew Beech (36:09):
walk my ass home.

Was see Those arguments started, though,
because he was trying to teachme to do it the right way.

Drew Beech (36:15):
I

knew it better. Mhmm. Right? Mhmm. So,
like, I'm arguing arguing andthen, like, he's also very
stubborn, hard headed, like, andwe would just, you know,

Drew Beech (36:24):
clash. Mhmm. Yeah. Mhmm.

Joey Bowen (36:26):
Now did you have, you had other guys on the job
site with you? Yep. So we'relike, you and your dad, like, it
was like sideshow time when youguys started arguing. The other
guys were like, oh, here we go.

Drew Beech (36:36):
Is your dad's name Connor too?

No. It's well, my name's actually Sean
Connor. His name's Sean. Oh,good. I go by Connor.

Drew Beech (36:42):
He's been lying to me this whole time.

Joey Bowen (36:44):
Wait, let's re we got to start over. We got to
start over.

That's fine. So he's Sean, but his name's
actually John. I don't know.It's a weird Irish thing.
Everybody has different names.
My son's name is Casey, but hisreal name's Sean Casey. We call
him Casey. Okay. All right.

Joey Bowen (37:00):
Well, we're trust

Drew Beech (37:01):
you on hear the mix feel like here goes McStravitz
again. Like, it's it's likethat. Like, when you guys

are playing on the job. Yeah. And to this
you know, we're a lot betternow. He's he works for my
company, you know, instrumentalpart of my company. But even to
this day, you know, we we'rebuttheads.
And now I'm like, I'm not theway I used to be. Like, when I
see him starting to get hot, I

Joey Bowen (37:22):
Now you're you're fine. You're on way home. You
walk home.

No. I'm like, whatever you you're right, dad.
You're right, dad. You know?But, yeah, I went went to the
union, and, they knew I was aresidential carpenter.
So about six months in, theowner of the company I was
working for had me work on someremodeling projects at his own
personal home, remodeling somebathrooms, building a custom

(37:46):
wine room. And, it was at this,like, six month span where,
like, I saw how he was livingand not like, I didn't think,
like, his way of living wasthis, like, magnificent way of
living, but, like, he had a verynice home and

Drew Beech (38:01):
It's different.

Yeah. It was different. And it was at that
that realization came to me, Iwanna create my own life. Mhmm.
And I'm not gonna do thatworking for for him.
And and I also had another guythat I worked with. He was my
partner in the union. And, hewas like my spirit guide, man.
Like, he was like that that typeof guy that comes along in your

(38:25):
life.

Drew Beech (38:25):
Like, older guy?

Older guy. Unbelievable craftsman. Very
soft spoken. Like, he's the typethat goes rock climbing and
hiking and like Mhmm. You know,that type of free spirit
individual.
And, him and I over, you know,six months period having lunch
together and I'm talking to himabout my ambitions and he was
just like the type that likefueled it for me.

Drew Beech (38:47):
Yeah.

And COVID hit, all commercial sites shut
down. Yeah. So at that point,you know, the government's
paying you, you know, a nicecheck during COVID. Yeah. And I
also, you know, went back andstarted doing work on my own.
Mhmm. So I was, you know, makingsome good money during that
time. And I guess I went back tothe union for, like, a month.

(39:11):
And, before that, I had, met agood friend, now a good friend,
who, you know, kinda gave me anopportunity and and helped me
with some funding and and startup funds. And

Drew Beech (39:23):
Mhmm.

You know, the idea of BuildWell started to
grow. And I was on a union site.It was a Friday, 10AM.

Drew Beech (39:31):
Mhmm.

And I was like, I'm done. I texted my
foreman, hey, I'm out of here. Isaid it in a nicer way, but

Joey Bowen (39:38):
Sure. Yeah.

And the project was, Penn First in
University City and, walked offthe job site. I took a selfie
walking off. I had my, you know,mask on with my hard hat.
Amazing.

Drew Beech (39:49):
Good day. Is bullshit. And that was the day.

Joey Bowen (39:51):
Yeah. Did something happen that day that made that
the day? It was just like No.

But you were over it. I was over it. And
leading up to this point, right?Like, the whole family is like,
what are you doing? I had my sonwas already born.
I was getting ready to buy ahome and the union had very good
benefits. So my whole family islike in my ear, don't do this.
You're taking a major risk. Likewhat if it doesn't work out?
And, like

Joey Bowen (40:14):
What if it does?

And what if it does? Yeah. You know? And
that was it.

Drew Beech (40:18):
Yeah. I do. And Joey's had to reel me back in on
this, but the people trying toreel you in on the
entrepreneurial journey or justany kind of journey. Like like,
say you'd want go up and say youwanna be a professional hockey
player when you were a kid.Like, most parents would be
like, that's only certain peoplecan do that.
And it's like, okay. Well, noone ever accomplished anything

(40:39):
isn't a normal person that'sjust like you.

Joey Bowen (40:41):
Yeah. Everyone. Everybody I mean, look. People
people got love for you. Theywanna

Drew Beech (40:46):
protect you. You you always say that.

Joey Bowen (40:48):
But they also they also project their own
limitations on you. And, like,the thing is, like, everybody
does that. Like, everybody. I'mno stranger to that. I've done
that to people in the past too.
Now I do something verydifferent. I project everything
they can do. You know what Imean? Like, to onto them. But in
the past, it's natural forsomebody to do.
It's human nature. So you know,especially, you're at a pivotal

(41:11):
time. Like, you know, you have achild. You know what I mean? The
world's a little wonky at thetime.
You know? Like, you're readygetting ready to buy a house.
Like, there's a lot of shit influx, and you're like, ah, you
know what?

Drew Beech (41:20):
Fuck it.

Joey Bowen (41:21):
I'm out

Drew Beech (41:21):
of here.

Joey Bowen (41:22):
You know I mean? So you can understand where people
come from.

The the two the two people that were in my
corner from day one, my mom andmy wife.

Joey Bowen (41:30):
I'll tell you

Drew Beech (41:31):
that. My dad.

He was always in my corner, but, like, he was
always, you know, like, oh, yousure you wanna do that? Like,
it's a good job. You know, youcould you could make a hundred
and 50 year Yeah. Yeah. As aunion carpenter.
And I'm like, well

Drew Beech (41:43):
Your dad More. Did your dad I believe I recall your
dad work for himself. Right?

He did. Okay. He did. So my dad always had his
own small business.

Drew Beech (41:50):
Yeah. Sure.

He he spent some time in the union as well,
but had his own small business,him and a helper and, you know
Mhmm. One job at a time. Henever wanted to grow it or,
like, the headache of of what Ideal with today.

Drew Beech (42:03):
He basically created a job for himself. Yep. From an
entrepreneurial perspective.

Joey Bowen (42:08):
Couple couple things. I feel like if more
people we we talk about, like,how people wanna talk to want to
talk you out of the risk. Right?Just, like, kinda stay in your
lane, be kinda average, do yourthing. You had mentioned your
spirit guide, right?

Yeah.

Joey Bowen (42:27):
It's funny you bring him up because I feel like kind
of that's what the few are toeach other. Know, we're speaking
possibility into them, we'respeaking capability into them.
We're letting them know it'sgonna be hard. It's gonna
fucking suck at times. But we'respeaking growth and positivity
into them instead of the reverseof like, are you sure you wanna
do that?
Don't take that risk. Know? Solike, dovetailing off of that,

(42:51):
another, like, theme that Iheard through that story you
just told was you can't do italone. You had your spirit
guide. Right?
Then when you decided you wantedto do it sorry. I don't know
their names, so I'm giving themthe names you mentioned. Then
when you decided you wanna doit, you had somebody else that
said, okay. Hey. Look.
Like, this site can set it upfrom a funding perspective. And,
like, for as much hard work asyou did, you couldn't have done

(43:12):
it alone. I think that's areally important part. And
that's I mean, that's why wehave fuel hunt, a community. You
know what I mean?

Drew Beech (43:19):
So before you walk off the job site, you're already
kind of side hustling, and youbuilt something. So you have a
you have a a living, breathingbusiness at the moment.

Not yet. No. Even when I was in the union, I
was working Saturdays andSundays on the side for myself.
Mhmm.

Drew Beech (43:38):
But it's not necessarily Buildwell. It's just
Connor, the side Correct. Theside work guy.

Correct. Okay. Buildwell probably started
to come to life about a monthbefore I left the union, but it
wasn't fully established. Like,wasn't

Drew Beech (43:54):
No jobs yet.

There wasn't jobs lined up. We were doing, a
small deck. I gotcha. Yeah.

Joey Bowen (43:59):
Nothing Sideword.

Nothing crazy. Mhmm. But it's under the
build well group. Correct.

Drew Beech (44:04):
They got a small deck. There's a small deck. So
you have, like, a job. Yep.Okay.
Mhmm.

Yep. But, yeah, took took that leap. And
That is that's that's kindacrazy.

Joey Bowen (44:15):
Yeah. Oh, yeah. It's wild.

Drew Beech (44:17):
Yeah. It's

Joey Bowen (44:17):
wild. What so what what after you take that leap,
right, how's it go from a deckhere and there to Rittenhouse?
Like, what's that?

Drew Beech (44:25):
Yeah. You have anything lined up?

Joey Bowen (44:26):
Or What's that? Like, when

you walk

Drew Beech (44:27):
off a job, are you like you're like, okay, I have
like 10 I didn't know what I wasdoing Saturday.

Let's put it

Drew Beech (44:32):
that way. Yeah. Yeah. I love this story myself
personally. I love, and Joey andEmmanuel, I say, fuck it.
Let's do it all the time. Butlike, that you got, you had
like, just a you're you're goingoff a feeling. Yeah. Like yeah.
When you know, you know.
Yeah.

Joey Bowen (44:49):
Like, the

Drew Beech (44:49):
energy energy is everything in my opinion. Like

Joey Bowen (44:51):
When you when you walked off the site that Friday
at 10AM, right, the job site,Was that moment anything like
the moment you had when you weredriving to Home Depot where you
decided like, hey. Look. I'mdone living away. I'm living.
I'm gonna turn around.
Like, was there aspects of,like, clarity in both of those
that just, like,

hit you? Would say better. Yeah. It was
better.

Joey Bowen (45:10):
Yeah. Even clearer.

It it was it fired me up, man. Like, you
know, I'm walking in the middleof the city with my toolbox and
my hard hat on and snapping aselfie, calling my mom, calling
my wife like I left. Yeah. Like,it's on. It's on.

Joey Bowen (45:22):
Yeah. Love that, dude.

Drew Beech (45:23):
It was alright. So

Joey Bowen (45:24):
Yeah. So how we go from the deck? How we go from
the deck to the house?

Drew Beech (45:28):
You got me hooked on the story. So

This is where we go back to

Drew Beech (45:31):
the value. So you call mom, and she's like, that's
amazing. Son, you have no incomenow. What are

Joey Bowen (45:36):
you doing Saturday?

It's this is where the values come back.
Right? Like, I knew nothingabout running a business. I
studied sociology in college.You know, I took a few business
courses and Sure.
You know? But I studiedsociology. So at the time, I did
have a financial investor tohelp line up the the funding and
stuff like that, which was gonein a

Drew Beech (46:00):
few years. Guy got you that hookup?

No. No. No. Actually, through hockey.

Drew Beech (46:05):
Okay.

I met. Wow. You know?

Drew Beech (46:07):
Because, I mean, it's gotta it can't be easy to
secure funds for a kid that isjust going off a win and
starting a Yeah. A constructioncompany. Yep.

So it was it was through hockey, actually
ball hockey. Okay. His name'sMarty.

Drew Beech (46:22):
He's he's forgot about that. You're ball hockey.
You were you were hard hard

I still play ball hockey.

Joey Bowen (46:27):
Really? Pretty competitive. Right? Exway?

Drew Beech (46:29):
There's roller hockey and there's ball hockey.
Was foot hockey.

Joey Bowen (46:31):
Oh, foot hockey.

Drew Beech (46:32):
Connor Connor. No skates. Play the ball. It's I
played once. We're we're only

Joey Bowen (46:37):
I used play that direct. He's play foot hockey at
the rack all the time.

Drew Beech (46:39):
Yeah. Yeah.

There's some serious leagues now.

Drew Beech (46:41):
At the level are you really? The level Connor player
is not it's not wreck. It's notyou playing at the rack. It's a
it's a bit.

Joey Bowen (46:46):
Oh, I can imagine.

Drew Beech (46:47):
It's a it's a round.

Joey Bowen (46:48):
I have picked that up from the story so far.

That's why I still play it.

Drew Beech (46:51):
Oh, yeah. It's like Oh, yeah.

Know, there's you play physical.

Drew Beech (46:55):
It's I was

Joey Bowen (46:55):
gonna say, is it physical? Can you check and
everything?

Drew Beech (46:57):
But I mean,

I You

Drew Beech (46:58):
should you you aren't supposed check. Right?

They let you play the body, like, the
corners. Not open ice, likeYeah. Lay somebody out, but you
battle for the ball.

Drew Beech (47:05):
You're Oh, yeah.

You're playing the body.

Joey Bowen (47:06):
Alright. It's

Drew Beech (47:07):
crazy. It's a cool. Wild type competitive ball
hockey. It's pretty crazy.

Joey Bowen (47:10):
It is. I gotta check that out.

Drew Beech (47:11):
Alright. So you secure, so you secure funding.
And he said it's going in aweek, basically, you said?

Yeah. Okay. Yeah.

Drew Beech (47:20):
Why, why though? Like, does that, so I'm sorry. I
cut you off the top of the ballhockey thing, but so you make
the call your mom and your wifeand you're like, I just quit.
Let's go. Yeah.
Like what what happens next?

What happens next? Like I said, I knew
nothing about running business.I had a partner and a financial
investor. There was a few otherguys involved that aren't
anymore, but, you know, didplay, you know, a little bit of
a Important role in the initialjourney. And I just I just went
out and grind it like, picked upwhatever jobs I could.

(47:57):
Small bathroom remodels, smallbasement remodels. But, like,
I've always, made it very clearto everyone that was involved
from an early startup phasethat, like, we're gonna do big
things because we're gonna do itright, and we're gonna, you
know, do it the best. Sure. Soin three short years, we went

(48:18):
from $5,000 bathroom remodel tomillion dollar renos on Pine
Street.

Drew Beech (48:23):
Wow.

And through that course, literally learning
everything by trial and errorabout business. I remember early
on, you know, the financialinvestor was was pushing KPIs
and profit and loss statements.And I'm like, what the hell are
you talking about? This is aconstruction company. I'm gonna
go out and build shit.
Yeah. Like, I don't need no KPIsor profit and loss. Yeah. Now

Joey Bowen (48:47):
I've looked

at them.

Joey Bowen (48:48):
Yeah. Exactly. That's so funny. After years in,
you're

Drew Beech (48:51):
like, oh, you're I just said to Amanda yesterday, I
was like, you know what's crazy?A few years ago, I hated
numbers. I love a good PNL now.Like, nothing gets

you good. Oh, a good PNL?

Drew Beech (49:00):
Like a nice clean PNL.

Joey Bowen (49:01):
I'm glad you do, man. I'm so glad you do because
I

Drew Beech (49:04):
you know? Neither one of us like the the finances
to begin with, but, like, it ithas to be done obviously. It
does. Now I'm like, damn. A realP and L will get me gassed up.
Yep. I'm a pry.

But early days, it was, like, seven days a
week, twelve hour days. The last

Drew Beech (49:18):
thing I can think about is a P and Working.

Working. Working. You know? Working.
Tools on.
Building everything.

Joey Bowen (49:23):
You have a belief, like, you take care of the
present day and, like, all thatother stuff will work out. Yeah.
The reality of it is it kindadoes, but you do reach a
breaking point where you learn alesson and you're like, I gotta
pay attention to the numbers.

Drew Beech (49:35):
I think this sorry. Go ahead.

Joey Bowen (49:37):
One one thing I wanted to call out about the
story is, I I know a lot ofentrepreneurs that do it for the
gram nowadays. Once they'relike, I got my own thing. I'm an
entrepreneur. I determine what Isay yes to in the work I wanna
do, and they got this likeattitude, right, of like, okay,
well now that I'm anentrepreneur, I'm entitled to
have all this freedom. Mhmm.

(49:58):
It sounds like it was theopposite for you in the
beginning. You were saying yesto whatever job you could pick
up.

Opposite. Exactly.

Joey Bowen (50:05):
And that's that's that's the reality of this.
Like, lot of people, they getinvolved and and they become an
entrepreneur. I want all thisfreedom. I don't I don't wanna
do this. I don't wanna do that.
I'm gonna say no to this type ofjob. In the beginning, you're
saying yes to everything. Youhave to earn the no. Yeah. You
have to earn the right to say no

Drew Beech (50:20):
to things. Yep. See what

I mean?

Drew Beech (50:21):
Be the great segue to my question is, I think it
would be helpful forentrepreneur the potential
entrepreneurs, aspiringentrepreneurs listening, and the
few to know, like, where dothese jobs come from? So you
went from zero no job lined upwhen you start when you quit,
when you walked off. Right? Yougot nothing on the books,
nothing lined up. Where doeswhere does the $5,000 bathrooms

(50:42):
come from?
Are you starting to reach out toeveryone you know? Are you
bidding? Like, you know whatmean? Like, where are you
getting the first two jobs?

Joey Bowen (50:48):
Yeah.

Early on, we tried all the, you know,
traditional platforms likeAngie's List and HomeAdvisor,
Facebook ads. You know, we hadbuilt out a website, and we're
trying to, you know, produceorganic leads. Mhmm. But
honestly, even to this day, thebest lead source is just
Word-of-mouth. Word-of-mouth.

(51:11):
Word-of-mouth. Word-of-mouth.Like, it started out reaching
out to my immediate network.Like, hey. You know, anybody
that needs some work done?

Drew Beech (51:17):
Like friends and family?

Friends and family. Mhmm. And

Drew Beech (51:19):
Who took the first chance on you? Like, who who who
you look back and you're like,I'm so grateful that this person
let me do their first, like

My mom's cousin. I I had never really met
them. They had us do theirbathroom. Uh-huh. Yeah.
And it was a shit show of aproject. Like, it came out
beautiful, but,

Drew Beech (51:36):
like Yeah.

It probably was inefficient.

Drew Beech (51:37):
They got the best project. They probably got the
best bathroom that you ever did.

Joey Bowen (51:40):
Well, that's that yeah. Yeah. For the cheapest
price ever probably.

Drew Beech (51:43):
Yeah. That's my question. So if you don't mind
sharing with the community, likehow much did it charge? I mean,
how much did actually call it?Like, did you, did you make any
money on that?

No. Think we charged $12 today. Same project
I'm charging north of 50.

Joey Bowen (51:59):
Oh, I was gonna say 30, 30 5.

Drew Beech (52:01):
Yeah. It a huge you took a bath?

Yeah. I've I've taken a lot of baths. Yeah.
Yeah. I've built a whole homeand took a bath.

Joey Bowen (52:09):
You can you can call it you can call

it Ground up.

Drew Beech (52:11):
Took a bath.

Joey Bowen (52:12):
How does that happen? Take a bath, dummy tax,
tuition payment. I knew what youwere called.

I wanted it for the portfolio because

Drew Beech (52:19):
I find that with construction a lot that that,
like, that you guys, like,misquote. You know what I mean?
Or, like, we don't know

Joey Bowen (52:25):
what you get into. You got to take part. You don't
know what's in there.

So we we took a house down to the ground
foundation, build it back up twostories, 3,000 square foot home,
beautiful, for a great family.And I'm I'm super grateful to
this day for that opportunitythey gave me because I hadn't
done new construction underBuildwell to that point. My dad
has built, you know, hundreds ofhomes. Yeah. But I hadn't, and I

(52:49):
wanted to very badly.
And I went into it knowing thatI wasn't gonna make money. Mhmm.
I thought I was at least gonnabreak even. I didn't.

Drew Beech (52:57):
For the port it was for the portfolio.

It was for the portfolio, the experience,
for our team, for me, and welearned a lot. And now this year
this was two years ago. Thisyear, we're building two homes
from the ground up. So Brad? Weshould make money.

Drew Beech (53:10):
Yeah. You're gonna make money.

Joey Bowen (53:11):
That's Yeah. Sorry.

Drew Beech (53:12):
Gotcha. So when you quoted it, you thought you're,
like, you

Joey Bowen (53:17):
you were expecting

Drew Beech (53:17):
you were expecting to make money on the quote on
the quote.

I was I was expecting to at least break
even.

Drew Beech (53:21):
Yeah. Yeah. So and you were okay with that move
going

I was okay with that.

Drew Beech (53:25):
Because usually, I I need to It

it's like one of those steps in the journey
where you know you gotta takethe risk. You gotta eat a little
shit Mhmm. To benefit in thefuture.

Drew Beech (53:35):
Yeah. Yeah.

Joey Bowen (53:36):
To grow. To grow.

Drew Beech (53:37):
How did you did. Yeah. Yeah.

Joey Bowen (53:39):
I think that's the whole delicate balance. Like, I
think some businesses don't growbecause they don't wanna do work
that they're not gonna be paidfor. Like, they don't have that
future vision where they'relike, okay. I gotta eat I gotta
eat, like, this row of shitsandwiches to get to the next
level. Yep.
They're kinda just like, no. Youknow what? I'm just gonna make
sure that I'm I'm clearing athousand a week on these jobs
I'm doing, and that's gonna bethat. And you know what I mean?

(54:01):
Yep.
So taking that risk is importantto grow.

Drew Beech (54:05):
I heard Brad Lee say once, dude, Brad Lee is the the
Instagram influencer. Trumpbombs. Yeah. He said most
entrepreneurs never do bigthings because they're afraid to
go back to zero. Mhmm.
Like, they get to a point andthey are afraid to reinvest it
all back into the business or orIt is scary. Take a bath on

Joey Bowen (54:24):
a piece Oh, scary shit. Yeah. Yeah. It's scary
shit. That's why people don't doit.

Because you you you spend those early years
fighting for your life.

Drew Beech (54:32):
Mhmm.

You know, paying the bills. My partner, at
one point, we had a $50,000 Amexbill due and he's refinancing
his home like the night before.Right like because we had to pay
that we had to make payroll andthen you know year four we're in
year five now year three andfour, we finally fight our way
out of that. Yeah. Last year,have a good year, pay a lot to

(54:55):
the tax man, and it's likestarting from ground zero again.
And it, like, it scared the shitout of me until, like, it took
me, like, two, three days of,like, a little bit of panic to
just accept, you know what? I'mback in the trenches and I'll be
here until I have to.

Joey Bowen (55:09):
Yep. Yeah, exactly.

Drew Beech (55:11):
It's funny.

And it might be like that for the next thirty
years.

Drew Beech (55:14):
Yeah. Those lessons come. We're still learning the
lessons. Know I mean? Like, it'sfunny that Instagram lets people
perceive one thing.
Like you come in here and you'reOh my God, this is a huge HQ.
Everything's great. But inentrepreneur business, like
everything is hard. Like it'slike, gotta be willing to
understand that you never makeit Like Yeah. Uncle Bates or

(55:35):
Betters or investor partner, hesays, like, never peak.
Like Yeah. Yep. And I believewhen I'm giving entrepreneurial
advice or business advice, it'slike once you get comfortable
with something, that is when theit starts to creep in. Mhmm.
Like, you know I mean?
Things start to fester. Thingsstart to unravel. Yep. You have
to literally commit to neverbeing comfortable.

Yep. I actually experienced it. You
know? Because last year, we did,you know, good numbers, and I
got used to seeing, you know, agood number in my bank account.
Yeah.
And I was feeling good about it,and I got comfortable.

Joey Bowen (56:07):
Yeah.

Right? Like, that I slacked off, you know, by
any means, but, like, you know,maybe some days I was

Drew Beech (56:14):
We did it, bro. And we're the kings of we're the
kings of discomfort.

Joey Bowen (56:17):
Yeah. We are. We're kings of discomfort.

Drew Beech (56:19):
Things things like, it's just human human nature.

Joey Bowen (56:22):
Human nature is the way the the mind's wired. Like,
we're wired for survival. Right?So when we're surviving, the
mind's like, alright. Yeah.
You're doing well. Like,everything's cool. You know what
I mean? Like, let off the gas alittle bit or let there's a
reason why, you know, we'reputting out designs and badges
that say comfort is a slowdeath, prefer pain. Yeah.
It's a strong statement, butit's a reminder that you need no

(56:43):
matter how good things are orhow bad things are, you need
that fucking reminder.

Drew Beech (56:47):
Because it's

Joey Bowen (56:47):
the only it's the only way forward.

That's full circle, boys. Because like I
said, coming into this, like, Igot my average is the enemy
shirt here. I I wear that thingwith pride, man. And it's a
daily reminder that, like, Ichose this path because I don't
wanna be average. And I wannaprovide as many opportunities
for myself and my family as Ican.

Drew Beech (57:05):
Yep. Yeah. Well said. And that I'll try to
articulate this the best waypossible, but that is the
amazing part about the few isthat the modules and messages we
put out on Instagram and on ourour our apparel are literally
the things that we're goingthrough and growing through that
we're relaying on to thecommunity and sharing. And
they're like, hey.

(57:25):
We're all in this together. Thisis what we're we're battling
right now. This is the adversitywe're we're fighting. And if
you're one of the people thatare out there chasing greatness
and and doing great things ortrying to build a better life
for you and your family, you'regonna see that and be like, I'm
in.

Joey Bowen (57:40):
I get that.

It's perfect.

Drew Beech (57:41):
I need that shirt now. Yeah.

You guys hit you hit the nail on

Drew Beech (57:44):
the head.

Joey Bowen (57:45):
And it's, know, like, average is the enemy.
That's from that that mantra'sfrom 02/2018. '2 thousand '17,
'2 thousand '18. Same thing withPreferred Pain. Just as
applicable for us in year two ofFuel On, building the Fuel On
community, as it is now in yeareight.
Yep. Just as applicable. Yeah.If not, more applicable.

Drew Beech (58:02):
And it's not because we have it all figured out. It's
because we're every day wakingup trying to better. Yep. Yeah.
Of course.
Like, that's it. Of course.Like, no one has all figured
out. Even even millionaires andpeople that regular regular
society members idolize, like,they're just people like us
trying to trying to make ithappen. You know what I mean?

Joey Bowen (58:19):
Yeah. For sure.

For sure.

Drew Beech (58:22):
Alright. So where were we at in the journey? So
you had

Joey Bowen (58:28):
Build Well's going.

Drew Beech (58:29):
Yep. Build Well's going. You're

Joey Bowen (58:30):
Yeah. We touched on the Build Well mantra. I know we
we we A little bit. Bit, but

Drew Beech (58:35):
Let's, like, hit that. Let's hit

Joey Bowen (58:37):
that because I love it.

It it's very deep. Like I was saying, my dad
and I used to battle because hewas always doing things the
right way.

Joey Bowen (58:44):
Yeah.

And he always used to say, if you're gonna do
something, do it right or don'tdo it at all. And he would say
it with his accent and add afew, you know, other words in
there. Sure. Sure. And it tookme until later in life to really
understand and appreciate whatthat meant.
And, it kind of developed thisBuildWell brand, where we see a

(59:10):
lot of, bullshit going on in inour industry. A lot of you know,
you hear stories all the timewhere somebody paid a contractor
a deposit and they disappearedor they did a bunch of shoddy
work and, I realize that and Ialso look at that as an
opportunity. I'm 32, you know, Iplan on being around for a long

(59:31):
time. So if we're going to buildsomething, we're going to build
it well or not at all. Andeverybody in our company and and
our team, is on board with that,which is which is also amazing.

Joey Bowen (59:42):
I love it. I love it.

Drew Beech (59:44):
That is so true, though, too. It's I mean,
probably so easy for you guys toget work because freaking most
contractors

are ass. It goes back to the hockey. Right?
And my parents and theopportunities and the different
people I've met along my paththat, like, in today's world and
my industry, I look at myself ashaving an extreme advantage
Yeah. Because I'm determined.
I work my ass off, and I'm verypassionate about doing what's

(01:00:12):
right and building beautifulthings.

Drew Beech (01:00:13):
So Yeah. Mhmm.

Connor McStravick (01:00:14):
It's, you know

And then so everyone a quote that I love that I
posted a few weeks ago was thestandard is the standard, and
that's probably so powerful foryou and your team is that, like,
everyone knows that, like, we'renot gonna half ass anything.

Exactly.

And those every job you leave is a is a business
card. You know I mean? That'slike the great part about
construction. I mean, my beliefis that the work you do is
obvious. Like, they walk intothe that bathroom like, my god.
This is an amazing bathroom.

It's than it's more than the the beautiful
work too. Right? It's therelationship that, like, I build
sometimes to a fault. Mhmm. Mostof my clients, I, you know,
still have very goodrelationships with.
I text them. Our kids hang out,stuff like that. Yeah. Yeah.
But, like, when I take on aproject, like, I commit pretty
much all of myself to it.
Yeah. Yeah. If it's a Sundaynight and, you know, your roof's

(01:01:04):
ripped off and my wife is aboutto have a baby the next day,
like, I'm there covering it withplastic, and that's a real
story. I was

gonna say that story is out

Joey Bowen (01:01:11):
a little Yeah.

It sounds a too intricate. Sounds too
Hypothetical.

Yeah. The, thing that we we were talking a little
bit before the show, I shared,with Connor that, my dad is, was
a custom cabinet maker. You knowwhat I mean? One of the things
that I think is really specialabout what you do is you said
you're building beautifulthings, whether it's a house or,
you know, you're doing somethingin the living room or something

(01:01:36):
whatever. Mhmm.
You're building somethingbeautiful, but, like, that's so
people can have beautifulmoments inside of it. So your
work has ripple effects. And yousaid, you know, which I would
expect you to say, like, youhave very good relationships
with your customers. Maybe theybecome your friends. But, like,
I think you're giving evenoutside of that relationship,
you're giving them, like, youknow, a a forum, a home to

(01:01:58):
create a life, which is thatthey can comfortably do so
because they enjoy theirenvironment and their
surroundings.
So it's really it's reallybeautiful. And, like, that's the
way I used to think about whatmy dad did. You know I mean?

And that back to the few moments in time that
we realized we're on the rightpath.

Yeah.

Moments when a client, you know, text or or
calls and like, is just likeextremely grateful. We've we've
had clients, you know, cry inthe past because of, you know,
what we've done and that thosemoments in time are where I'm
like, this is what I'm meant todo. Yeah.

Absolutely, man.

Alright. So you get the we get to try and bring the
story wrap the story up. But,like, so you get your first the
bathroom job that you took abath on. Like, where does it go
from there?

You're taking you're you're taking jobs.

Just taking everything I could.

Yeah. No subcontract work?

At that point, no.

Okay.

At that point, no. Mhmm. You know, I I
went through hiring a lot of

people that I shouldn't Well, do you're never
being a subcontractor orsomething under the Bilbo group.
Yep. Okay. Yeah.

Yep. And just, you know, kept growing
that brand and that image andthat reputation.

Taking risks on You

know, the the decent bathroom grew to, you
know, the beautiful kitchen tothe beautiful addition to, you
know, the ground up or, youknow, the Rittenhouse Square
renovation. And it's just beenhonestly attributed one to my
team. My wife since 14 is ourlead project manager.

Oh wow.

And she's an instrumental part. I recently
hired my aunt as our communityand sales leader.

Love that.

My dad and then a good friend of mine is
one of our carpenter apprenticeand another really good
superintendent. Everybody kindof on the same page. And from
day one, made it clear that,like, I'm not doing this so that
I can be rich and takevacations. I'm doing this
because I want to see all of usgrow and have a good life. And I

(01:04:03):
try to do everything I can.
We're still early on. I just gothealth insurance put in place
for our employees and I'm tryingto set up retirement packages.
And even when we didn't makemoney, I was still given bonuses
and just trying to build that

community. That'd be a whole another podcast. We're
on the same

We're same page, man.

We get literally the same. And I think that's what
makes our companies both sopowerful. It's just that we're
doing it for the right reasonsand not just to be profitable,
make money.

Yep.

I mean, being rich, taking vacations is also nice.
I'm not arguing that.

There ain't nothing wrong with it. Yeah. But

But, I mean, have you guys taken vacations
lately?

We've not had a vaca think actual vacation because

even when you do, it's so hard. Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah. We do, Joe and I do both at the shore
for

You gotta do one for a week.

The

shore. And and we do a half day.

But you're an hour away.

And we do a half day.

We're an hour away.

A half day work done.

Yeah. Exactly.

You get some of your best work done in

those Oh, yeah. In those circumstances. About being
in the shore.

Because you're away from the, you know
Exactly. Day to day.

And also and also being on the beach for if I
could do

a shower Get shower by my son.

An hour or two on the beach every day, I would
probably be at another level.

Yeah. Human. Of human. Well, that's the goal.
Told you, man.

I'm Yeah. Oh, yeah. Goal,

man. That's the goal.

So you would say, like, that was the the maybe the
last peak or valley potentially?Like, like, has has it been
peaks or valleys throughout thelike, throughout the journey?
Like you

said Constant ebbs and flows. Yeah.

Yeah, man.

Up and down, day to day. You know, one week
you're flying high, you just,you know, signed a big project,
and the next week you'restressing on how the hell you're
gonna get it done.

Yeah. Yeah. Of course. Yeah. Of course.

Man, that roller coaster is something, isn't it?
Like, you you it takes you back.Like, sometimes those invincible
moments, you're like, wow. I'mI'm really doing this. Like, I
can do anything.
I'm like, I'm invincible. Andthen literally, like, within the
same day, something can happenwhere you're like, what am I
doing? What am I doing with mylife? You know what I'm saying?

The other crazy to to even pick that apart even
more, what's even crazy aboutentrepreneurship is the inverse
of that happens. The Yes. Thebest parts of the journey come
at the worst at the worst time.

Yes. Yes. Yes. Lowest points. Yep.
Yep. Yeah.

Well, that so so what's next for for do have any
more questions?

I I do have one question. Right? A couple times
throughout this show, youmentioned the gym. Right? So,
obviously, you know, you playeddamn near played juniors.
You played, like, damn near prohockey. It seems like the gym is
still a very important part ofyour day. You went there before
you came here. Right? Yep.
So what is it? And I I'm sure Ican come up with, three reasons

(01:06:45):
that are gonna hit the nail onthe head, but what is it about
sounds like you start your dayat the gym. What is it about
starting your day at the gymthat's so important to you?

And I would like to add on to that. Was that always
the case, or was it before shoutout to FTB Fitness started
working at Fistop and Liberty?Like it was

No, it was before.

Yeah.

It's interesting because towards the
end of my hockey career,remember having a conversation
with the team captain at thetime And, I was maybe a
sophomore and he was a senior.And I asked him, are you gonna
continue to work out aftercollege? And he's like, hell
yeah. And I'm like, yeah, notme. Once I'm done playing
hockey, I'm I'm done workingout.

Yeah.

And then, you know, about four years ago, you
know, early startup days, likeyou eat like shit, you drink a
lot of energy

Sleeping like shit.

Sleep like shit. And like my, you know,
body kinda got away from me. Andthen you're also not operating
at, you know, your highestpotential when you're living
like that. Yep. So I got back inthe gym mostly to get back in
shape, but it's become more ofjust a time in my day where the
pressures kinda don't exist.

Mhmm.

I can kinda focus on myself. We got a nice
little community over at, FittsStop Northern Liberties.

Mhmm.

As you mentioned, Frank's been a, you
know, a big part of that journeyas well. But yeah, it's one,
it's challenging. So I'm growingand getting better physically.
It gives me that that mentalclarity early in the morning.
And I like looking good.

So Yeah. There you go.

He peeled.

There you go.

He's peeled. There you go. I've I've we have the
same with I would say for us,it's jujitsu. Like, I also we
lift and work out, but, so youput your phone away when you
walk in the door, like, justlike phones in the cubby, like,
and you're just like, this is mythis is my hour. Yeah.

It's it's like it's pressure and pain on your terms.
Yep. You know what I mean? Forthe right reasons To keep you,
like you said, you know,performing at a high level, keep
you here on this planet long.You said you wanna be here for a
while.
Like, it's the the pressure andpain on your terms. And you know
when you leave the gym or youleave the school or the academy,

(01:08:59):
like, there's gonna be somepressure and pain that happen
that aren't on your terms. Yep.So if you can put yourself
through it on your terms, youhave the confidence that you
can, you know, go through it andgrow through it when it's not on
your terms. At least that's theway

I see it.

I took it a step further too. I've been
trying to get Drew over, I builta shed in my backyard Nice. And
built a custom sauna inside ofit, put my cold plunge in there.

Nice. Here's the thing. Frank and Connor do it
at, like, 5AM. I'm like, I Ihave a So you're with

Frank when he does his whole, like

We've done it in the past together. We come
over on Sundays, and and we'd,you know, hit the song.

And I'm a big morning routine guy.

Listen. I I don't have a I don't have a Bill Well
T shirt.

Get a song. Oh, Come on. Own the power company, but
the Bill Well T shirt. Yeah. Ilike

supporting people. I might have you guys
make our next company.

Oh, that's

what I'm talking about.

Bill Well Badge. I mean, that'd be sick.

I'd go nuts on that.

That'd be sick.

That would

be cool. All right. So, well, do you any other
questions? Mean, all right. No.
We do have the light we have thelightning round. Three
questions.

Yeah. Mean, there's there's three, you know, three
things, right? Like that, definewho the few are. Like, if you're
one of the few, chances are youhave these three things. You're
in the gym, which you are.
Right? You've gone through someshit, which you have, and you
have a growth mindset, which youalso have. So I just wanted to
we hit on the gone through someshit, we hit on the growth
mindset, so I wanted to makesure I hit the gym, you know,

(01:10:22):
aspect just to make sure that,you know, the few knows.

It's it's an honor to be part of the few, And

then where I'm gonna we had the lightning round last,
so we're overlook that, butwhere can people find Connor and
the Bilbo Group if they areinterested in a a custom quote
or renovation? Yeah.

Well, I didn't say much about what our
company does.

Please do that. Please do that.

Do that.

So the Buildwell Group, right, we do
high end custom construction. Sowhether that be remodel,
addition, or, new construction.We have the ability to design
build it, which means we handlethe full process from design
conception through construction,and we also work with a lot of
high end designers executingtheir design.

Gotcha.

Our Instagram is at the Buildwell Group. My
personal one is at Connorunderscore custom builder, and
our website istheBuildwellGroup.com.

Alright. Lightning round. Let's do it.

Yeah. Yeah. Any more questions?

No. I'm good. I I dude, I love this. I had I mean,
I had

great That was a great talk.

I had a great time catching up with you beforehand,
but this is amazing.

I don't I I I just don't even, carry expectations
into each show we do. Mhmm. Ijust kinda go go with the flow.
I do I do love the flow state,and this definitely exceeded any
potential expectations I could

have had. I I would agree. So I

you know?

Full transparency. I was, super
nervous because, you know, I canshoot videos on my own terms,
but, like Yeah. With someone setSure. Videos, like, there's
pressure builds up.

I agree.

You know, I just kept reminding myself,
like, just be genuine.

Exactly. You also wanna relate you wanna make sure
that, like, you're relaying yourstory and your brand's message
Exactly. Yeah. Perfectly.

Another key, it's worth pointing out, which you
mentioned a couple of times wasyou thought about it like
beforehand, like you prepared,like whichever, yes, whichever,
whichever high performer shouldgive me

call before I want to go over. So in case I
got to prepare anything.

I tried to, like, I tried to play too much because
we did very often, but we did,like, leading into every
episode, I'd be part of havesome questions. Like, we're
like, so we're

It's brutal.

We overanalyze everything. So I kind of
downplayed with with guests. I'mlike, we're just gonna chill and
talk and and talk about

We're just gonna kick it. Gonna jam. We're gonna
jam.

The hero's journey. Yeah.

Yeah. I appreciate the opportunity,
seriously.

Likewise, dude.

Thank you.

I appreciate you coming.

Alright. Lightning round. Covered all

the choices. We covered all the Lightning round.
Of the gym, at FitStop, gettingcoached by Frank, what is your
most Frank from FTD Fitness.Your most and least favorite
workout and or movement? I'dhave

to say the assault bike.

Yeah. I found it. Yeah. There is.

I'd have to say the assault bike.

Is that your least favorite?

Gives me shit. And I'm like, you know,
this probably isn't the bestmindset, but I'll be like,
Frank, I'm not getting paid toride that guy. Bike today. Okay?

That's funny. So true.

Well, I mean, look. There is something to it. Like,
you you know, you you have to beyour best self when you leave
that place to to build well inmany ways. Yep. You know, death
by a salt bike before you haveto go do that maybe isn't the
best option.

Have you tried the Rogue bike the Rogue Echo bike?
The

yes. I think I've tried both.

Dude, I we did those at FLAWLESS yesterday. I made
this gym for couples therapy.Yeah. The Rogue bike is I I have
More attention. It's solid in myhouse, but Rogue is so far it's
like you're you're riding in.
Dude,

it's crazy. Yeah.

Yeah. I'm

crazy. My first day at Fit Stop, I threw
up. Really? Nice. I think Ithrew up last month doing a
conditioning Nice.
Nice. And like, you know, Idon't drink or party. Like,
that's just straight hardworkout.

Yeah. Thing is about the about those style workouts
and we're going off on tangentagain, but it being when we got
it and played competitivesports, like, it probably gives
you that same the sameendorphins. It does. Feeling.
You know I mean?
Like, you're you're you'reracing against the clock. Or is
there a a movement you prefer,like a a most favorite movement?

Right now, I'm really loving hang cleans.

Really? Yeah. With a bar? With a bar?

Yeah. Okay. I I did them most of my hockey
career. Okay. And it took me along time to get good at them.
Yeah. You know, pretty decent atthem, and it they're
challenging, and I enjoy them.

Yeah. Sweet. Is there a quote you live by?

I wouldn't say a particular quote. I'd say
a lot of the quotes on yourguys' shirts, and the rules of
the few is on our fridge

at home. Yeah.

Sounds like

to our kids. See, I'm saying, like, imagine our
kids. Like, they're gonna befucking

Oh, yeah. Who knows

what they're gonna accomplish? But they're walking
by our fridge every morning,seeing the the rules of the
field. You know what mean? Like,just if I had those 11 rules
instilled in me at that age,just literally who knows what
I'd be doing right now?

Yep. But thinking about it, the quote I
do live by, build well or not

at Yeah.

Yeah. And I I apply that to every aspect of
life. You know? Being a father,being a husband, being a son,
being a business owner and aleader. I want to do it to my
best, the best of my abilityevery day.
And, you know, I take whateversteps necessary to do it.

I agree with them. It's like my favorite quote is
how you do anything is how youdo everything. So like, it's the
same thing.

Very similar.

Alright. Last question. What is one piece of
entrepreneurial advice you wouldgive to a new entrepreneur?

Aside from learning about KPIs and PNLs, My
best piece of advice is ifyou're passionate about it, do
whatever the hell it takes.

I like that. One of people on core values.

It's actually one of our core values. See? Whatever
it takes.

Whatever it takes.

Yep. Same way, baby.

Yep. I love that, man. I love it. This was
amazing.

Yeah. That was great. Got anything else?

No. I'm good. You can sign

as well.

I appreciate it, fellas.

Thank you

coming here. Thank you, brother.

Appreciate it very much. Thank you for doing it.
And for the few, here's areminder. Always choose effort
over entitlement. Always choosehard work over handouts.
And remember, no one owes you.No one owns you. You're one of
the few, baby. Let's hunt.

All Episodes

Episode Transcript

Popular Podcasts

New Heights with Jason & Travis Kelce

Dateline NBC

On Purpose with Jay Shetty

.css-15opob5{left:0;position:absolute;top:0.8rem;} All Episodes

.css-14f5ked{margin:0;word-break:break-word;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;box-orient:vertical;-webkit-line-clamp:2;overflow:hidden;}Connor McStravick on Hard Work, Hockey, and Growing Build Well Group

Episode Transcript

Popular Podcasts

.css-r6mb8g{margin:0;word-break:break-word;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;box-orient:vertical;-webkit-line-clamp:1;overflow:hidden;}New Heights with Jason & Travis Kelce

Dateline NBC

On Purpose with Jay Shetty

All Episodes

Connor McStravick on Hard Work, Hockey, and Growing Build Well Group

New Heights with Jason & Travis Kelce