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You Win With People! Contractor Edition

You win with people.

In Columbus, Ohio and particularly around The Ohio State University campus, it's a saying that's both well-known and well-loved. I use the phrase lot a myself, partly in earnest, and partly in sardonic reference to the deeply flawed and equally revered man who made it famous, OSU football coach Woody Hayes.


Hayes coached The Ohio State University's football team to remarkable success during his two-decades plus career. Along the way he wrote a book (You Win With People!), supported Nixon, said objectionable things, and often exhibited such a volatile temper that one might rightly wonder why people would stick around long enough to do any winning at all.

But I digress. As with most maxims, this one is true. Woody Hayes was right. You really do win with people. Sure, plans help. Budgets help. Strategies help and material resources help. At the end of the day though, success in any endeavor hinges on people.

I've been thinking about this a lot in the context of the Akron almost-mansion. It's perhaps easy and natural to view progress on this house through the lens of before and after pictures taken of a particular project or room. That's a good measure in some respects, but one that ignores what happens in between those photos. In between those photos there were actual people doing actual work; people with lives of their own trying to get a job done. They took on tasks large and small. They exerted effort. They hit roadblocks. They got frustrated and overwhelmed. They identified problems and solved them. Using a metaphor Woody Hayes would appreciate, they moved the ball forward.

I don't feel like it's good form to take pictures of contractors while they're working and so far I haven't been, but maybe I'll ask. They really are the key to the success of this project, and I feel like I should have some record of that.

Until then, I want to at least acknowledge the work they've done and the time they've put into our dream. I know I'll miss some folks here (there have been so many!), but I want to at least try offer some acknowledgment to the people on site who've been transforming this almost-mansion into a place we might one day occupy.

So, let the record reflect that we wouldn't be where we are today without the help of these amazing folks. We see you and we see your work:

Matt - en suite bathroom
Bill - kitchen
Brenda P - kitchen design
Tom - plumbing
Joe - plumbing
Dave - drywall
Hermilo - drywall
Dale - heating and boiler
Tony - heating and boiler
Bryan - heating and boiler
Scot - electrical work
James - electrical work
Dave - garage doors
Devon - raccoon removal
Greg - fireplace
Steve - locksmith
Marlin - roof repair
Ron - roof
John - Arborist
Ryan - tree removal

And that's just the names I know! There were also plenty of people who helped out that I never got a name for (and often didn't even see). This includes delivery folks, dumpster contractors, roof crews, counter installers, and more. 

We've been heartened by all the recent progress we've seen at the house. The summer really did feel like a slog at times, but of late we've been...dare I say it...winning.

And that winning? It's been with people.  



        

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