Dennis Hayden
DH Custom Homes
Website: www.dhcustomhomesstl.com
Industry: homebuilding
Education: bachelor’s in civil engineering, University of Missouri-Rolla, registered professional engineer with license in Missouri
Family: Married with three children and five grandchildren
What is your mission?
Our mission is to earn a referral from our client to their family, friends and business associates. We don’t need to build the biggest house, and we don’t want to be the biggest builder. We just want to build a home to satisfy our client’s needs and wants within their budget. If we perform in such a way that every one of our clients becomes a referral, that keeps everybody in the right frame of mind and I am happy.
What was your first job?
I worked in egg sales and delivery for a local farmer at age 7.
What led you to your industry?
My sister worked for McCarthy Brothers. I had always loved math and engineering projects when I was in school, and my brother got me my first job in construction. It exposed me to some large and exciting projects.
What was the smartest thing your company did in the past year?
We moved out of large offices into smaller facilities. We began working smarter and minimizing overhead expense.
How do you try to differentiate your business from others in your industry?
We carefully listen to our customers. We get a lot of clients that have been with other builders and those builders did not have time for them. They received a take-it-or-leave-it attitude. That is not us. We provide honest feedback every step of the way.
What is the hardest part of your job?
Dealing with the harsh reality of the economic slowdown that occurred between 2007 and 2011. It affected not just our businesses but us personally. Hayden Homes, our company name at the time, had 42 employees, and now DH Custom Homes has five. I got through that time by waking up every morning and saying that I can do the best I can right now. I hated that whole period, but it also gave me an opportunity to work on the banking side of our business, an area where I had more limited experience. I got to know a lot of great people, establish good relationships and understand their side of our business more fully. It has been a huge benefit to our company today.
What’s the best part?
There are two best parts: the dig date and delivering the keys. Dig day is so exciting. It’s the beginning of the project. And when we deliver the home, the homeowners get to see the results. It is rewarding.
What’s your favorite place in St. Louis?
The Saint Louis Zoo. The grandkids love it.
What book is on your nightstand?
My journal. I write in the journal every day. Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night with an idea. I write it down and go back to sleep.
What has made you successful in your industry and in St. Louis?
The pursuit of my dreams, treating others fairly, focusing on my business and saying no when I’m in doubt.
What do you like to do in your free time?
I hang out with the family. We try to take a winter vacation to Colorado every year, and it’s so much fun. The atmosphere and scenery out there are inspiring.
Submitted 10 years 330 days ago