Brandon Hoge shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Hi Brandon, thank you so much for joining us today. We’re thrilled to learn more about your journey, values and what you are currently working on. Let’s start with an ice breaker: What makes you lose track of time—and find yourself again?
Mountain climbing. Unfortunately, we don’t have any of those in Houston, but I have managed to get away five times over the last seven years to do so. I’ve summited four of the five highest peaks in the lower 48 and I’m hoping to summit the tallest in the next year. After that, who knows? Climbing requires preparedness (mentally and physically), full time attention to the environment around you, self awareness, perseverance and humility. Without these, there is too much room for error and a climb can become dangerous quickly. When climbing I only focus on the task at hand. Anticipating and adjusting to the changing situation and elements. I find myself lost in the focus and goal and when finished, though exhausted, I feel a sense of accomplishment and mental rejuvenation.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I am Brandon Hoge and I am the owner of Structured Foundation Repairs of Houston. I built Structured Houston from the ground up starting with very little. I moved into Houston in 2014 beginning my business with a truck and an empty warehouse. I began getting to know the Houston area. I hired my first employee who had little to nothing to do at the time and now we have a full staff and crews ready to serve. We specialize in repairing both residential and commercial foundations, the installation of drainage systems and concrete raising. We provide straight forward answers and solutions for our customers’ issues. Our core values are Service, Follow through, Reliability and Honesty (SFRH). (S)We create the best service experience to our customers through communication, timeliness and quality. (F)We complete every step of the project from beginning to end with no costly short-cuts to ensure quality. (R) We show up on time and communicate regularly with our customers and each other. (H)We are truthful and make sure we deliver the best job in the most effective and efficient way.
When a customer uses Structured Houston they’re not only getting a repair, but they’re adding value to their home by making that repair a selling point for the home. This is something that I believe is lost in the foundation repair industry. Most repairs are done without any forethought. That means that homeowner’s often seek out a solution that is cheap and quick without considering the future selling of the home or the longevity of the work. In addition, the company doing the repair is only thinking one thing; getting paid. Then whatever happens in the future is the homeowner’s problem. Structured Houston provides proper documentation of all work including engineering before and after the project, letters of completion and complete warranty information including a definition of settlement and the transfer paperwork for an easy transition at the point of sale. Many real estate professionals recommend our services and even use us themselves because they know we’re not just some Johnny Come Lately, but rather a team member that will be there for our customer before, during and long after the repair is complete.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. Who taught you the most about work?
My father was by far the biggest influence on me as it relates to work ethic. He was a geophysicist himself working in the oil and gas industry. I remember he routinely left the house while it was still dark outside and I was still in bed and returned home religiously at about 6:30 pm. He never called in sick and probably never used all of his vacation. I recall that his subordinates always spoke highly of him. I knew that he was a very respected man. He always told me that education was important to be successful and that I should never do anything if I wasn’t going to do it right and follow it through to absolute completion even if it turned difficult. He never cut corners and made sure that I never did either. I was required to begin working the minute I was able to drive. While he is no longer with us here on earth, the lessons he taught me live on and will continue to do so through my own children.
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Suffering has only made me more resistant to events in which perceived suffering occurs. The failures that create suffering are lessons in and of themselves. Failing to me is almost mandatory to have success. Without it, we don’t learn how to make things better, more effective and more efficient. In my time as a business owner there has been no shortage of failure and therefore no shortage of opportunity to problem solve and create success.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
So, I wasn’t really sure what friends would say to this question, so I reached out to them. I was interested to see what they would say and of course they had a little fun at my expense in answering. I got the following responses in reply: “Faith, family, friends, physique, football, food and fun.” When asked if there was anything that did not begin with an “F” or the “F sound”, I got the following: “Loyal and sincere friend” and “being nice and being funny”. I also got “Definitely the quarterback of fantasy football” (inside joke). Naturally, there were a few responses that I probably shouldn’t publish. They certainly do know me well and I’d have to put faith at the top of the list as they did.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. Could you give everything your best, even if no one ever praised you for it?
Absolutely! While it is nice to receive some praise for a job well done, I’ve never required or requested it to find self-value or pride in what I do. I know if I’m doing a good job or not and that’s really all I need. I honestly never understood the need for it. That said, I have to remind myself that others around me do seek praise from time to time and find it necessary to stay motivated. So as the company leader, I encourage those in charge to deliver praise when it is earned, but that too much of it, like anything, can devalue it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.structuredhouston.com
- Instagram: @structuredhouston
- Linkedin: structuredfoundationrepairshouston
- Twitter: @SFRHouston
- Facebook: Structured Foundation Repairs Houston
- Yelp: Structured Foundation Repairs Houston
- Youtube: Structured Foundation Repairs Houston
