Q. Kindly give our readers an introduction to your business. Please include what your business is all about, in which city you are located and if you have offices in multiple locations/ cities.
Ans: We are a rapidly growing licensed pool construction company specializing in both new construction and pool renovations. We pride ourselves in offering expert service throughout the entirety of the planning, design, and construction process. As such we strive to provide all our clients with the professional insight and transparency required to make their dream pool or spa a reality while staying within budget and meeting their needs. We are based in Land O Lakes but offer our services in Tampa and many of the surrounding counties.
Q. Kindly give us a brief description about yourself (it should include your brief educational or entrepreneurial background and list some of your major achievements).
Ans: Hello, my name is Padraic Buckley. 25 years ago, I entered the electrical trade as a licensed contractor in the city of Chicago, and in that time I have grown the business to include construction of entire homes, pools, patios, and much more across multiple states. I am always working to grow my business and constantly looking for ways to expand into new fields and perfect the type of jobs we currently specialize in.
Q. What inspired you to (start a new business venture) or (to make significant changes in an existing business)? How did the idea for your business come about?
Ans: When I moved to America from Kildare, Ireland, I was eager to create a business that was wholly mine. I looked to the industries that I could train myself on, and found contractor work to be both a financially smart venture, but also benefited from my inherent problem solving skills and desire for perfection in my work.
Q. What three pieces of advice would you give to budding entrepreneurs?
Ans: Understand the industry you are attempting to enter by studying those who have come before you, always try to continue learning everything you can about your field, be prepared to fail and try again.
Q. What would you say are the top three skills needed to be a successful entrepreneur?
Ans: Perseverance, good problem solving skills, and a good judge of character.
Q. How many hours do you work a day on average?
Ans: Around 10
Q. To what do you most attribute your success?
Ans: Perseverance. Building this business into what it has become was no easy feat, and there were many points where I could have simply walked away, but remaining focused and committed to this company in the face of hardship was what kept it alive and allowed it to grow for as long as it has.
Q. How do you go about marketing your business? What has been your most successful form of marketing?
Ans: We primarily use digital marketing, managed by OUTPLAY Marketing, which allows us to target the specific demographics and locations most likely to need our services. In our experience this highly targeted form of digital campaign is perfect for marketing a specialized service such as pool construction without exceeding our marketing budget.
Q. Where did your organizations funding/capital come from and how did you go about getting it? How did you obtain investors for your venture?
Ans: The initial funding was built slowly over time, first from the revenue of my electrical contracting business, then from the properties I was able to rent out with those earnings. As I continued to reinvest the money I made into my new ventures, I was able to undertake larger projects, eventually moving into full home construction/renovation. Once I established myself and continued to build credit, I was able to then take loans out to help fund larger, long-term projects.
Q. What is the best way to achieve long-term success?
Ans: Consistency. Once you have figured out what your product is, continue to learn everything you can about it and the industry at large. This will allow you to perfect your craft while continuing to grow yourself and your business.
Q. Where you see yourself and your business in 5 – 10 years?
Ans : It’s hard to say what new directions the business will take, but one thing I am sure of is that it will continue to grow. As long as people have a need for construction, maintenance, or renovation at or around their homes, there will always be an opportunity to provide the kind of services that can be grown into a fruitful business.
Q. Excluding yours, what company or business do you admire the most?
Ans: Apple, Despite it’s humble beginnings, Apple was grown from a business run out of a garage into a billion dollar corporation, it’s success serving as the perfect testament to the perseverance of those who worked tirelessly to grow the company.
Q. How important have good employees been to your success?
Ans: Essential to it. Employees are representatives of your business, and by extension yourself. There are already so many things that you have to worry about when running a business that you have to be able to hire employees that you can trust to do their job and do it well.
Q. How long do you stick with an idea before giving up?
Ans: Until it is proven that the idea will not work. Effort must be first applied to work through any issues with an idea, but you always have to be willing to walk away from a failed venture, even when you’ve put so much effort into it.
Q.What motivates you?
Ans: Many things but I think that the most important is the sense of self-accomplishment that comes from overcoming an obstacle. Success is made even more satisfying by the hardships you need to get through to achieve it.
Q. What are your ideals?
Ans: For the phone to always be ringing with new customers
Q. How do you generate new ideas?
Ans: By constantly observing the world around me and striving to learn as much as I can about it. Even if a topic doesn’t seem relevant to your business, you will always benefit from learning something new.
Q. How do you define success?
Ans: By achieving the goals you set for yourself, both in terms of business and personal growth.
Q. How do you build a successful customer base?
Ans: By offering a quality, consistent product, and by maintaining good communication. Even when something goes wrong on a jobsite, transparent and insightful communication ensure that your customers not only have their own understanding of the situation, but a greater trust in your ability to solve whatever problem you are facing.
Q. What is your favorite aspect of being an entrepreneur?
Ans: The freedom to make my own decisions. Being your own boss removes the safety net that comes with working for a pre-established business, but it also guarantees that your successes are wholly your own.
Q. What has been your most satisfying moment in business?
Ans: While I could not narrow it down to one specific moment, there are few things as satisfying than walking through a newly constructed home after working tirelessly to design, plan, and build it.
Q. What do you feel is the major difference between entrepreneurs and those who work for someone else?
Ans: I believe entrepreneurs are risk-takers who don’t want/need the security of an established business. They also have to be incredibly dedicated, often working longer hours than they would if employed by someone else, and without the certainty that all that work will end up being worth it.
Q. What kind of culture exists in your organization? How did you establish this tone and why did you institute this particular type of culture?
Ans : Our company culture is largely built on the idea of communication. We attempt to find employees who are not only skilled at their given trade, but are also able to communicate and coordinate effectively with their team members and customers. By placing such an important focus on finding people with good communication and social skills, we are able to create an environment where everyone is knowledgeable of the current state of the business and the particulars of each job, while also guaranteeing that the clients receive clear and accurate info and updates throughout the duration of their project.
Q. In one word, characterize your life as an entrepreneur.
Ans: Fulfilling
