Meet Kevin Sills | Entrepreneur

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kevin Sills and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kevin, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
Honestly, I’ve always been the type of person to look at something and think hmmm how can they do it better? A business, a problem, product, or strategy, you name it.

I grew up working for my dad in construction. He was very experienced and knew way more than I ever could. However, we would often butt heads because he’d give me a task or a job to do and I’d always find a way to do it slightly different. Maybe quicker, or easier for me to accomplish whatever. Then he’d step in and say “No son, this is how you do it. Do it like this.” Which with two stubborn people resulted in conflict at times.

It wasn’t until I worked for him long enough and into my early adult age that he trusted me enough to just get the job done, however it worked best for me. Because he began to see the final results would always be what he wanted.

The same came to be true over the course of my adult life with various jobs or work. However, in those roles and even during my time in college studying Marketing I was never granted the freedoms to navigate how a process should go. I’d see a void or a need and was never able to fill it the way I felt like it could.

Eventually I realized the only way for me be able to serve that purpose and utilize my creativity was to work for myself. I could visualize a need and then approach a way of solving that problem maybe others haven’t thought of yet.

That’s how the evolution of the Builders Joint began.

What should our readers know about your business?
I am the Founder and CEO of a company called “Builders Joint”. Its a marketing platform for Home Builders across the country. The plan is to better help people find and connect with home builders in their area. Think speed dating meets Zillow. HaHa. Truly tho the idea is based on the fact that people often don’t know where to look for home builders beyond Google. Then it’s like ok but are they right for me? Can I trust them? Sure they have some decent reviews but am I even a type of client on their radar and so on.

Builder profiles will be available and focused on video content builders provide. Whatever content they chose and desire. We help builders mold their current social media content into a branding opportunity to best convey WHO they are. Many builders don’t do anything. They still only work with a street sign and maybe a website. So I want to showcase to them the multi level benefits of video for their name and brand.

Like the phrase states: “If a picture’s worth 1,000 words, whats a video worth?”

Getting even to this point has NOT been easy. Raising my own capitol to invest in the development of the app. Which always ended up being more and more because my brain wouldn’t shut off about a feature the app would need to have. A better way for people to browse or save information on a builder. Networking opportunities for builders with each other, and so on and so on before I finally decided ok look, I just need to get version 1.0 done and rolled out. Then…. progress according to all of the creative aspects of the platform I want there to be.

I’ve spent years picking the brains of other builders across the country. Making friends and hearing their stories about how they operate, what makes them different from their local competitors and also all of the various men and women in the industry who feel overwhelmed, tired, emotionally exhausted and so on. It’s provided opportunities to connect people. Lean on each other and beyond the Builders Joint platform form bonds of friendship, support, and allies in the construction industry instead of always looking at someone as the competition alone.

There are a few current businesses that exist out there with a similar approach as me. Zillow for real estate. Angi for local sub contractors and such and I feel somewhere along the way they became more invested in data, sales, profits and have neglected the people they initially tried helping and connecting with along the way. I feel like thats why they’re no longer innovative, or reaching their full potential and I hope as Builders Joint grows I can help keep the focus on the builders and the community it helps provide a service to. Otherwise whats the point? It will diminish the very explanation I gave earlier in why I decided to go into business for myself in the first place.

I want to provide value. That has to come first. If I can provide value to someone as a person, a friend, a business service or relationship then success will work itself out. If you’re just chasing a number even if you catch it, it wont last.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I currently live in St George Utah, I was born in the Pismo Beach CA area and raised just outside of Redding, CA in far Northern Califorina. In that regard you can see how the outdoors have shaped my experiences into what makes a good time. Growing up in Palo Cedro, CA we’d often spend the summers out at Lake Shasta and the winters up in Tahoe or Mt Shasta. Here in St George is a very active outdoor lifestyle as well. Zion National Park is just around the corner. Vegas is an hour half south west of here and snowboarding in the winter is the same in the opposite direction. Lake Powell is a popular spot just a couple hours from here as well.

If you were to come visit me I’d most definitely plan it around some sort of outdoor related activity. Plan a trip to the lake, mountains, or even a weekend getaway to Vegas and see a show, sporting event or more. I’m social and love those opportunities where you can unbutton your collar and really get to know someone. Authenticity is the name of the game and with me what you see is what you get.

I’m a big college football fan so if it’s this time of year, how about we fly back to Eugene and see my Ducks play! Especially since the wont be coming to Utah anytime soon anymore after joining the Big10.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My shoutout could easily go to a list of mentors, examples, coaches and friends who have guided me along the way. However, I’m going to reserve this for the man who taught me how to be one. Who showed me what hard work was but always encouraged me to use my brain and not just my back. Taught me the value of being a good father and husband and those are the greatest jobs I have to date.
This shoutout goes to my Dad.
He passed away two years ago and whenever life or business gets crazy I often think man I wish he were here to give me the perfect advice. He still does guide me just in different ways now.
My goal now is to pass that ethic onto my kids.

Instagram: https://instagram.com/buildersjoint

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thebuildersjoint

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@buildersjoint

Image Credits
Picture requiring credits or descriptions follows

Shirtless contractor: My Dad- Ken Sills Construction

Pictures of Homes/Builders
White/Black Home : Linnane Homes. Charlotte, NC
Brick Home: Robinson Home Builders. Orem, Utah
Industrial Home: Ezra Lee Design & Build. Alpine Utah