Knowing what he wanted to do never was an issue for our guest, Yan Girlya, who always knew he wanted to be in the construction industry. 

One day in ninth grade, a professor asked the students to say their names and what they wanted to be as grown-ups during a history class. Lawyer, accountant, doctor, and engineer would be the most heard professions until young Yan raised his hand and said, contractor. 

Yan Contractor would be his name from that day on until the end of the year. 

Yan Girlya is the Co-president of UTV Masters. This company produces cool-looking six and eight-wheelers called ARGO. ARGOs fill the gap between recreational quads and heavy off-road equipment; they climb, crawl, or swim anywhere while carrying the equipment and tools needed for any job. He is also the Co-president of Diggerland. This out-of-this-world recreational park allows families to put their hands on operation machinery like skid-steer loaders, backhoes, tractors, mini dumpers, and small excavators. Yan is also the Principal at Sahara Sam's, an indoor and outdoor water park. 

Yan shared his passion for the construction industry since he was a little kid, his love for building things, and the many challenges he overcame during his career. We delve into how COVID impacted Yan's businesses, how they decided to start Diggerland in the US, and the expansions and new attractions they plan for the park. Yan also shared his experiences at NJ with the difficulties of making projects get out of the paper. He talks about his hobbies, how he balances his personal and professional life and advises young people thinking of joining the construction industry. 

Some Questions I Ask:

• Did you always know that you wanted to get into construction? (5:14)
• You worked for Sambe Construction Company for 20 years; what made you leave in 2014? (9:59)
• You and your brother became co-owners of Sahara Sam's. Correct? Could you talk a bit about how that happened? (16:12)

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

• The story of Yan Contractor from 9th grade (7:29)
• Yan shares the story of how Sambe Construction Company, the family business, was born and evolved through the years (14:29)
• When and how Diggerland started in Yan's life (17:17)
• Yan talks about how COVID impacted them (25:21)
• Yan shares his thoughts on why young people should think of joining the construction industry (39:23)

Resources:

• Diggerland USA website
• UTV Masters website
• Sahara Sam's website

Connect with Yan:

• LinkedIn
• Email: [email protected]

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