Interviewing a Park City Contractor with a Rustic Edge.
Rustic Park City feature
Can you tell us about your background?
I started Rustic Park City in 2022 after working as the lead project manager for a prominent Park City general contractor for 6+ years. While working as a lead project manager, I learned rather quickly that my skills as a problem solver were well suited for this business. I also learned that I cared about meeting timeline commitments and budgets much more than most others in the business.
How did you get started in log home finishing?
I bought a log home in the mountains near Park City and decided to take the restoration job on myself. I quickly realized that despite being a general contractor, I had a lot to learn. A local distributor, Wasatch Timber, helped me learn each step of log home restoration and muster the courage to point a blaster at my own home. As I restored the home, I fell in love with the details: the depth of the wood grain, the way the sun highlights the curvature of each log, the living character, and the rustic feel. I am standing here looking at it now. Sashco products made the home stunning. Living in a log home high in the mountains is the dream.
Our slogan at Rustic Park City is “Locals Building Locals.” We are protective of Park City, but we want others to have the opportunity to live the dream as well.
What advice would you give to a newbie?
Don’t devalue yourself. We don’t lower our prices. If at the end of a project you can walk away proud of your work, then the homeowner will be proud of it too. Work with dignity and integrity. You are an artisan.
We are builders by trade, not business owners. To start a business, you have to go out there and face your fears. Do one thing each day that moves your business forward. Face one fear each day.
What does the future look like for Rustic Park City?
I am legitimately scared by how quickly we are growing. I have built a team around me to support our growth. I have hired multiple accountants, business managements, and legal counsel. Without the team around me I am nothing more than a guy with a truck.
Michael, thanks for sharing a bit about your business. Feel free to look Michael up and pick his brain!