Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Joining us in the studio now is a guy named
Alex Harris, who I wanted to talk to because not
only does he have a couple of really cool businesses,
but he's an entrepreneur. And I met Alex last week
and I said, man, I tell you there's so many
things going on with the economy, and we keep hearing
about the job reduction and the FED. Right now finally
came in with an interest rate drop of a quarter point.
(00:22):
But you know a lot of people you know are
growing businesses and ninety five percent I think of businesses
in Alabama are considered small businesses with employees defined by
employees less than five hundred on their staff. So Alex,
welcome in. Thanks for coming in. I appreciate you. Hey,
thank you for having me. I know you're a busy guy,
(00:43):
and to be as successful as you have become, it
takes a lot of hard work. So I wanted to
get your thoughts on. I want to talk about your
fencing company and outdoor, you know, cob Outdoor. But when
you started out jumping into wanting to do your own
business and not work for the man, what what has
kept you going for so many years? Because you've done
(01:03):
quite well.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
Well, really just customer satisfaction. I mean I was in it.
I was at one point I was in a corporate
environment and it wasn't very customer satisfaction driven. I didn't
feel like and so I just, hey, I like making
people happy. I like people, you know, to enjoy something
that they're paying for, and so we we really concentrate
a lot on customer satisfaction.
Speaker 1 (01:26):
Yeah, so you've been through a lot. You probably went
through COVID years. You know the winds change in business
and you know ups and downs and staffing and you
know what's what's been your biggest challenge as a business
owner to maintain it and get over the hump and
keep it moving.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
Well. Uh, just you know, having a good team is
really what it's all about. So there are there has
been those struggles of hiring and firing and making sure
that we've built a good, solid team, which we have
a great team right now, and it has taken many years,
and there's there's different Uh you know, I say running
a business is like a ladder. I mean you climb
(02:03):
and you get to a certain point. You have to
hire somebody and you have to train and you have
to make sure that they fit your team, you know,
and we're really family oriented and so culture quality and discipline,
you know. Yeah, so it's what it's all about, you know.
And discipline is one of the big big words.
Speaker 1 (02:22):
Well, let's talk about the fencing company, which is one
of you. You've got a number of companies, but the
two biggest ones the fencing company.
Speaker 2 (02:31):
What's the name of the fencing company, Fencing Unlimited?
Speaker 1 (02:33):
Okay, how long you been doing that?
Speaker 2 (02:35):
About ten years? And all kinds of fencing, all kinds
of fence we do. We started off as just a
residential fence company. It really started off by me building
my first fence at my house. Really it did.
Speaker 1 (02:48):
Yeah, you physically did it yourself.
Speaker 2 (02:50):
I actually physically did not do it myself, okay, but
I hired Instead of hiring a company to build my fence,
I hired some people I used to work with when
I was younger, and they built my fence and I
saved some money and realized that this could be a business.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
You guys want to kind of work with me on
a business, Let's get it go.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
And that's what we do.
Speaker 1 (03:09):
And that's how it started.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
That's how it started.
Speaker 1 (03:11):
And now after all these years so you do residential,
you do horse fencing.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
For we do that. We do commercial fencing as well.
We're actually about to launch a lot larger commercial division
here coming up pretty soon. We've been doing We've done
work for the Birmingham Zoo, for the Post Office, for
ups for all kinds of commercial businesses, and so we're
gonna we're gonna start getting a little bit deeper into that.
Speaker 1 (03:33):
I believe most of it to commercial or most of
it residential. And when it comes to residential, all kinds woods,
iron fences.
Speaker 2 (03:40):
Yep, wood, vinyl, aluminum, chain link, and yeah, we're probably
about eighty percent commer residential.
Speaker 1 (03:47):
Yeah, yep.
Speaker 2 (03:47):
Yeah. Hey, we love our residential people, you know. I
mean it's it's fun. A lot of our team members
just like talking to new people every day and it's
just we're people people.
Speaker 1 (03:58):
Yeah. Well, the reason you and I ended up meeting
each other, I was looking at getting some stuff done
at my house. You know. One's a stone patio that's
kind of falling apart over the years. The previous owner
built it back there. It's really a nice area, but
it just needs it needs fixed up, you know.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
Yeah, it was a super nice area.
Speaker 1 (04:16):
The mortar or cement or whatever between those flat rock
stones starts over time, it just breaks apart. So and
then Judy wanted to get some lighting around the house
at night, so we're looking at that. So I went
to your website and that's where I saw you, and
I said, my gosh, this looks like country club stuff here.
(04:36):
This is beautiful. So what kind of work do you
do with Kahaba Outdoors? Anything and everything.
Speaker 2 (04:42):
Just to outscape just about everything. I mean, if it's outdoors,
we can just about do it. We just finished up
a project over in Mountain Brook that had everything I
mean at outdoor structure, patio, landscaping, retaining walls, outdoor kitchen,
outdoor fireplace, lighting, irrigation, the whole nine yard. So one
of the biggest projects we've done, but it was it
(05:02):
was a phenomenal project. But yeah, we do and decks, pavilions, party,
Gila's concrete work.
Speaker 1 (05:09):
Anything outside the home you can handle it pretty much.
And if you need something else kind of a little
outside that. As far as grass and landscaping and that,
you got, you got guys you work with.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
We do. We we partner with some landscape companies. We're
not ah We're not a landscape company. You know, we're
not the people to call if you just want landscaping.
But now if there's a project that's going to include landscaping,
you know, a larger project, we can definitely bundle it
in and manage the whole thing for you.
Speaker 1 (05:33):
Well, I got to tell you, is you know what
you just described at one of the homes you did,
you do you still worry about us little people that
just you know, might need a patio and not not
in a full you know.
Speaker 2 (05:43):
Well, you know, I think I think when we were
talking the other day that that project got a little exhausting. Actually,
I mean it took months and months and so uh
I we we like stuff that's a little bit shorter.
So listen, it doesn't matter big or small. We can
do it. I mean we'll build We'll build a deck
that takes one day. So you know, we've got crews
(06:03):
that can handle all of it. So it's it doesn't matter.
We were here for anybody.
Speaker 1 (06:09):
Well, you know, Judy said, look, I really liked his
photos and what he's done. As far as the lighting
goes outside, because our street doesn't have any street lights,
I mean, when it gets dark, it is dark, and
she doesn't want just big old floodlights off the roof,
you know, and lighting it up like a you know,
prison yard. She wants it to look nice. So it
(06:30):
looks like you and I are going to be seeing
each other a little bit more oft time.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
I'm excited about it. And you know, you can thank
Judy for that. Yeah, And in neighborhoods like that lighting,
I mean it'll keep people away from your house too.
I mean they don't want to go somewhere where it's
lit up exactly.
Speaker 1 (06:42):
So, well, man, it's a pleasure to meet you. And
once again, thanks for coming in and talking about your business.
First of all, because a lot of folks want to
start a new business and you know think, eh, it's
not it's gonna be too risky. I need that two
week paycheck. I can't jump. What do you say to
somebody says, you know, it's about time I think about it.
Speaker 2 (07:01):
Take the leap. Well, hey, it's a fun journey, and
it's a scary journey. I would have to say. There's
a lot of stuff that I did not know that
I should have known when I first started. He had
to hire a business coach at one point, I don't
know if he's listening, but Robert Whitaker was a He's
a phenomenal help. He's out in Texas with Purple Coaching.
(07:22):
There's a lot of business stuff that some people that
want to start a business don't know about and don't
don't learn the basics first. Yeah, I sit behind a
desk a lot more than I thought I ever would.
Speaker 1 (07:31):
Well, you're also out there on the field.
Speaker 2 (07:33):
Too, Hey, I am every day, so yes.
Speaker 1 (07:36):
Check him out. Fencing Unlimited.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
That's it, Fencing Unlimited and CA Hob Outdoor.
Speaker 1 (07:40):
Cob Outdoor. Just fantastic. Alex Harris, thank you, Bud. I
appreciate Hey, thank you for having me
Joining us in the studio now is a guy named
Alex Harris, who I wanted to talk to because not
only does he have a couple of really cool businesses,
but he's an entrepreneur. And I met Alex last week
and I said, man, I tell you there's so many
things going on with the economy, and we keep hearing
about the job reduction and the FED. Right now finally
came in with an interest rate drop of a quarter point.
(00:22):
But you know a lot of people you know are
growing businesses and ninety five percent I think of businesses
in Alabama are considered small businesses with employees defined by
employees less than five hundred on their staff. So Alex,
welcome in. Thanks for coming in. I appreciate you. Hey,
thank you for having me. I know you're a busy guy,
(00:43):
and to be as successful as you have become, it
takes a lot of hard work. So I wanted to
get your thoughts on. I want to talk about your
fencing company and outdoor, you know, cob Outdoor. But when
you started out jumping into wanting to do your own
business and not work for the man, what what has
kept you going for so many years? Because you've done
(01:03):
quite well.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
Well, really just customer satisfaction. I mean I was in it.
I was at one point I was in a corporate
environment and it wasn't very customer satisfaction driven. I didn't
feel like and so I just, hey, I like making
people happy. I like people, you know, to enjoy something
that they're paying for, and so we we really concentrate
a lot on customer satisfaction.
Speaker 1 (01:26):
Yeah, so you've been through a lot. You probably went
through COVID years. You know the winds change in business
and you know ups and downs and staffing and you
know what's what's been your biggest challenge as a business
owner to maintain it and get over the hump and
keep it moving.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
Well. Uh, just you know, having a good team is
really what it's all about. So there are there has
been those struggles of hiring and firing and making sure
that we've built a good, solid team, which we have
a great team right now, and it has taken many years,
and there's there's different Uh you know, I say running
a business is like a ladder. I mean you climb
(02:03):
and you get to a certain point. You have to
hire somebody and you have to train and you have
to make sure that they fit your team, you know,
and we're really family oriented and so culture quality and discipline,
you know. Yeah, so it's what it's all about, you know.
And discipline is one of the big big words.
Speaker 1 (02:22):
Well, let's talk about the fencing company, which is one
of you. You've got a number of companies, but the
two biggest ones the fencing company.
Speaker 2 (02:31):
What's the name of the fencing company, Fencing Unlimited?
Speaker 1 (02:33):
Okay, how long you been doing that?
Speaker 2 (02:35):
About ten years? And all kinds of fencing, all kinds
of fence we do. We started off as just a
residential fence company. It really started off by me building
my first fence at my house. Really it did.
Speaker 1 (02:48):
Yeah, you physically did it yourself.
Speaker 2 (02:50):
I actually physically did not do it myself, okay, but
I hired Instead of hiring a company to build my fence,
I hired some people I used to work with when
I was younger, and they built my fence and I
saved some money and realized that this could be a business.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
You guys want to kind of work with me on
a business, Let's get it go.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
And that's what we do.
Speaker 1 (03:09):
And that's how it started.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
That's how it started.
Speaker 1 (03:11):
And now after all these years so you do residential,
you do horse fencing.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
For we do that. We do commercial fencing as well.
We're actually about to launch a lot larger commercial division
here coming up pretty soon. We've been doing We've done
work for the Birmingham Zoo, for the Post Office, for
ups for all kinds of commercial businesses, and so we're
gonna we're gonna start getting a little bit deeper into that.
Speaker 1 (03:33):
I believe most of it to commercial or most of
it residential. And when it comes to residential, all kinds woods,
iron fences.
Speaker 2 (03:40):
Yep, wood, vinyl, aluminum, chain link, and yeah, we're probably
about eighty percent commer residential.
Speaker 1 (03:47):
Yeah, yep.
Speaker 2 (03:47):
Yeah. Hey, we love our residential people, you know. I
mean it's it's fun. A lot of our team members
just like talking to new people every day and it's
just we're people people.
Speaker 1 (03:58):
Yeah. Well, the reason you and I ended up meeting
each other, I was looking at getting some stuff done
at my house. You know. One's a stone patio that's
kind of falling apart over the years. The previous owner
built it back there. It's really a nice area, but
it just needs it needs fixed up, you know.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
Yeah, it was a super nice area.
Speaker 1 (04:16):
The mortar or cement or whatever between those flat rock
stones starts over time, it just breaks apart. So and
then Judy wanted to get some lighting around the house
at night, so we're looking at that. So I went
to your website and that's where I saw you, and
I said, my gosh, this looks like country club stuff here.
(04:36):
This is beautiful. So what kind of work do you
do with Kahaba Outdoors? Anything and everything.
Speaker 2 (04:42):
Just to outscape just about everything. I mean, if it's outdoors,
we can just about do it. We just finished up
a project over in Mountain Brook that had everything I
mean at outdoor structure, patio, landscaping, retaining walls, outdoor kitchen,
outdoor fireplace, lighting, irrigation, the whole nine yard. So one
of the biggest projects we've done, but it was it
(05:02):
was a phenomenal project. But yeah, we do and decks, pavilions, party,
Gila's concrete work.
Speaker 1 (05:09):
Anything outside the home you can handle it pretty much.
And if you need something else kind of a little
outside that. As far as grass and landscaping and that,
you got, you got guys you work with.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
We do. We we partner with some landscape companies. We're
not ah We're not a landscape company. You know, we're
not the people to call if you just want landscaping.
But now if there's a project that's going to include landscaping,
you know, a larger project, we can definitely bundle it
in and manage the whole thing for you.
Speaker 1 (05:33):
Well, I got to tell you, is you know what
you just described at one of the homes you did,
you do you still worry about us little people that
just you know, might need a patio and not not
in a full you know.
Speaker 2 (05:43):
Well, you know, I think I think when we were
talking the other day that that project got a little exhausting. Actually,
I mean it took months and months and so uh
I we we like stuff that's a little bit shorter.
So listen, it doesn't matter big or small. We can
do it. I mean we'll build We'll build a deck
that takes one day. So you know, we've got crews
(06:03):
that can handle all of it. So it's it doesn't matter.
We were here for anybody.
Speaker 1 (06:09):
Well, you know, Judy said, look, I really liked his
photos and what he's done. As far as the lighting
goes outside, because our street doesn't have any street lights,
I mean, when it gets dark, it is dark, and
she doesn't want just big old floodlights off the roof,
you know, and lighting it up like a you know,
prison yard. She wants it to look nice. So it
(06:30):
looks like you and I are going to be seeing
each other a little bit more oft time.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
I'm excited about it. And you know, you can thank
Judy for that. Yeah, And in neighborhoods like that lighting,
I mean it'll keep people away from your house too.
I mean they don't want to go somewhere where it's
lit up exactly.
Speaker 1 (06:42):
So, well, man, it's a pleasure to meet you. And
once again, thanks for coming in and talking about your business.
First of all, because a lot of folks want to
start a new business and you know think, eh, it's
not it's gonna be too risky. I need that two
week paycheck. I can't jump. What do you say to
somebody says, you know, it's about time I think about it.
Speaker 2 (07:01):
Take the leap. Well, hey, it's a fun journey, and
it's a scary journey. I would have to say. There's
a lot of stuff that I did not know that
I should have known when I first started. He had
to hire a business coach at one point, I don't
know if he's listening, but Robert Whitaker was a He's
a phenomenal help. He's out in Texas with Purple Coaching.
(07:22):
There's a lot of business stuff that some people that
want to start a business don't know about and don't
don't learn the basics first. Yeah, I sit behind a
desk a lot more than I thought I ever would.
Speaker 1 (07:31):
Well, you're also out there on the field.
Speaker 2 (07:33):
Too, Hey, I am every day, so yes.
Speaker 1 (07:36):
Check him out. Fencing Unlimited.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
That's it, Fencing Unlimited and CA Hob Outdoor.
Speaker 1 (07:40):
Cob Outdoor. Just fantastic. Alex Harris, thank you, Bud. I
appreciate Hey, thank you for having me
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