Erik, Principal / Business Owner at Precision Construction Services: Advize Career Interview

A winding academic journey led to a construction management degree and international projects building a World Cup stadium and a university, propelling rapid career advancement culminating in founding Precision Construction Services, a successful construction consulting and contracting business with SpaceX as a key client, including work on the first SpaceX rocket landing facility on the west coast.

This Principal/Business Owner's daily life is dynamic, encompassing everything from White House award celebrations to Colorado job site visits.

Success requires "seeing the big picture," effective communication, problem-solving, and relationship-building. The most rewarding aspect is "building something," witnessing company growth and improved client service.

Challenges include managing communication in a rapidly growing 50-person company. The industry's tangible results and slower technology adoption provide ample opportunity.

Strong communication, problem-solving, and pressure resilience are crucial for success. A key lesson learned is that significant achievements take time.

Undergraduate students should pursue project engineer roles for a comprehensive industry overview. Real-world experience through internships and mentorship is crucial for career success.

Advizer Information

Name

Job Title

Company

Undergrad

Grad Programs

Majors

Industries

Job Functions

Traits

Erik Wright

Principal / Business Owner

Precision Construction Services

California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo / Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, South Africa

Design & Construction

Construction

Business Strategy

Honors Student, Scholarship Recipient, Pell Grant Recipient, Took Out Loans, Worked 20+ Hours in School, Transfer Student

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Career Path Of A Business Owner At Precision Construction Services

Erik's career path was anything but linear, starting with a winding academic journey that ultimately led to a construction management degree and early international experiences building a World Cup stadium in South Africa and a university in Tanzania, where Erik "had to figure out how to make all this come together". This diverse background propelled Erik's rapid ascent through the ranks of a local firm, culminating in the founding of their own successful construction consulting and contracting business with SpaceX as a key client, taking on projects like "the first rocket landing facility for SpaceX on the west coast".

Career Path Of A Business Owner At Precision Construction Services

Main Responsibilities Of A Business Owner At Precision Construction Services

Erik, a Principal and Business Owner at Precision Construction Services, wears many hats, "really [having] a hand in all aspects of the business," from accounting to operations. However, Erik's primary focus is on the company's growth, developing "the big picture" strategy and charting the path forward.

Main Responsibilities Of A Business Owner At Precision Construction Services

A Day In The Life Of A Business Owner At Precision Construction Services

Erik's day-to-day responsibilities as a business owner at Precision Construction Services are "very dynamic," ranging from White House visits celebrating company awards to on-site project visits, such as a recent snowmobile trip to a Colorado job site. The work also includes typical office duties—meetings, emails, and phone calls—within a "family-friendly workplace" that Erik clearly enjoys.

A Day In The Life Of A Business Owner At Precision Construction Services

Most Important Skills for a Business Owner at Precision Construction Services

For a principal and business owner in the construction industry, "seeing the big picture" and avoiding getting bogged down in details is critical, as is the ability to communicate effectively, solve problems, and build strong relationships—"incredibly important to your future success." These skills are essential for navigating the inherent challenges of business ownership.

Most Important Skills for a Business Owner at Precision Construction Services

Favorite Parts of Being a Business Owner at Precision Construction Services

Erik, a Principal and Business Owner at Precision Construction Services, finds the most rewarding aspect of his role to be "building something," seeing the company's growth and improved client service as a result of their efforts. The dynamic nature of the position, involving diverse tasks from new construction projects to team collaboration, contributes to its constant engagement and lack of monotony.

Favorite Parts of Being a Business Owner at Precision Construction Services

Biggest Challenges Faced By A Business Owner At Precision Construction Services

Erik's biggest challenge at Precision Construction Services has evolved from initial survival concerns like "payroll and finding the next job" to effectively managing communication and maintaining team intimacy within a rapidly growing company of 50 people. This involves "carving out that time" for communication to ensure everyone feels connected and informed, a significant shift from the smaller team dynamics of the company's earlier years.

Biggest Challenges Faced By A Business Owner At Precision Construction Services

Favorite Parts of Working in the Construction Industry as a Business Owner

Erik, a Principal and Business Owner at Precision Construction Services, finds immense satisfaction in the tangible results of the construction industry, stating that "you can take an idea all the way to completion and...see this idea manifest itself as a new building." He also enjoys the industry's relatively slow technology adoption, viewing this as "a ton of opportunity for fast growth" and a chance to significantly impact both their company and the industry at large.

Favorite Parts of Working in the Construction Industry as a Business Owner

What Type Of Person Thrives In The Construction Industry, According To A Principal Business Owner At Precision Construction Services

Precision Construction Services' Erik highlights strong communication, problem-solving, and the ability to "thrive under pressure" as crucial skills for success in the construction industry, especially for project managers navigating "tight schedules, tight budgets, and a lot of people invested in these projects." These attributes, according to Erik, are essential for overcoming inevitable challenges and succeeding in this demanding field.

What Type Of Person Thrives In The Construction Industry, According To A Principal Business Owner At Precision Construction Services

What A Business Owner At Precision Construction Services Wishes They Had Known Before Entering The Construction Industry

Erik, a Principal and Business Owner at Precision Construction Services, reflects that starting a construction business is "incredibly difficult and hard," taking much longer than anticipated to achieve meaningful results. The experience highlights the importance of grit and perseverance, although Erik admits that knowing the true difficulty beforehand might have deterred them from pursuing this path.

What A Business Owner At Precision Construction Services Wishes They Had Known Before Entering The Construction Industry

Entry-Level Positions For Aspiring Project Engineers

For undergraduate students interested in construction, a project engineer role offers a strong entry point, providing "a good feel for...how all these different roles fit together," encompassing project management, field management, and estimating. This rotational approach allows for exploration of different facets of the industry before specializing based on individual skills and preferences.

Entry-Level Positions For Aspiring Project Engineers

Significant Career Lesson From A Business Owner At Precision Construction

Erik's most significant career lesson is that "things really do take time," learning to adopt a "long horizon" rather than expecting immediate results, and appreciating the cumulative progress over five or ten years. This perspective shift has profoundly impacted their career trajectory at Precision Construction Services.

Significant Career Lesson From A Business Owner At Precision Construction

College Experiences That Helped A Business Owner At Precision Construction Services Succeed

Erik, a Principal/Business Owner at Precision Construction Services, emphasizes the importance of "real world experience" during college, noting that internships and mentorship provided an "amazing soundboard" to inform academic choices and enhance learning. This practical application, Erik suggests, differentiated academic success from career success.

College Experiences That Helped A Business Owner At Precision Construction Services Succeed

Advizer Personal Links

https://www.linkedin.com/in/2erikwright/, https://precision.services/