Today we’d like to introduce you to Neal Harris.
Neal, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
It all started back in 2002. I had just graduated from Prairie View A&M University with a degree in mechanical engineering, and I immediately moved to the Tri-Cities area of Washington state to start a job with Bechtel. Though I enjoyed my job, two years in, I was looking for a way back to Houston, Texas. I got married in the summer or 2004, and I needed a way back to Houston to be with my wife and son. The things we do for love! Well, as we know, it’s all about who you know. A mutual friend worked for Perry Homes, and he put in a good word for me. Next thing you know, I was packing my car and headed home! I worked as an Assistant Project Manager at Perry for five years in communities such as Shadow Creek Ranch in Pearland and Cinco Ranch in Katy. This is when I realized how much I enjoyed construction and customer service. Unfortunately, I was laid off in the spring of 2009 when the housing market crashed. My wife and I were in the process of buying a house and she was pregnant with our second daughter. But God made a way! I founded and incorporated the Blueprint Improvement Group (BIG) that year to help make ends meet. This was my first experience with being my own boss and thought it was just a side hustler at the time, I loved every second of it. Again, my network led me to a job in the Summer of 2009, this time in the oil and gas industry.
I worked for Cameron, which was later acquired by Schlumberger for nine years as a project manager. I worked on several international projects and had the opportunity to travel to the U.K., Germany, China, Italy, Malaysia, and Egypt. In the last year of this job, I began to feel undervalued and realized it was time for me to move on. God said go, and I had to follow his lead! I had been doing small residential remodeling jobs under BIG, and I was ready to now take this endeavor to the next level. It was time to THINK BIG! In March of 2018, I quit my job at Schlumberger to become a full-time entrepreneur. I spent most of the year seeking informational and networking opportunities. I enrolled in classes to learn about certification for underutilized businesses, attended lunch and learns to discover and act upon upcoming procurement opportunities, and researched various marketing strategies to promote my brand. Blueprint Improvement Group is now a project management company that provides home improvement and home inspection services to the Greater Houston Metro.
Has it been a smooth road?
The biggest struggle has been not sticking to my initial business plan. When I decided to take BIG full-time, I decided the foundation of my business would be residential home inspections and home improvements would be an additional revenue stream. However, to be able to offer home inspection services, the state of Texas requires one to be certified and licensed. I began my home inspection certification in late March 2018 with the intention of finishing in Sept 2018. This past year, I had a lot of home improvement projects – almost a new project every 2 weeks, which I was very thankful for. So, although I had revenue coming in, it caused a significant delay in completing my home inspection certification. I have had to re-forecast my strategy, and now have a mid-summer 2019 completion date for the home inspection certification.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
BIG-Blueprint Improvement Group is a project management company that provides home improvement and home inspection services. We proudly serve the Greater Houston Metro and offer the following services: electrical, HVAC, plumbing, roofing, fencing, landscaping, carpentry, painting, flooring, and home theater installation. I have a degree in mechanical engineering and over 15 years of project management experience. BIG is a problem solver. I am most proud of being the only company that has figured out how to remove the triple constraint (time, cost, quality) associated with executing projects.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
In 2017, Expert Market ranked Houston the No. 1 city in the U.S. for minority entrepreneurs. Additionally, according to Wallethub, in 2018, Houston is America’s most diverse city. Finally, Houston is BIG – that is why you can have similar businesses in close proximity. As a result of Hurricane Harvey, the city of Houston will award a significant contract in 2019 to residential contractors to aid in the rebuilding of Houston. There is plenty of work in Houston in the construction industry. Also, because of the diverse economy in Houston, there are numerous opportunities for partnerships with multiple industries.
Contact Info:
- Website: Think-B-I-G.com
- Phone: 713-259-0673
- Email: info@think-b-i-g.com
- Instagram: think.b.i.g.
- Facebook: thkbig
- Twitter: thkbig
Getting in touch: VoyageHouston is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
