In this episode, our hosts Mike Nelson and Derek Foster interview Paul Lachar, owner and mason at Top Course Masonry!

The whole family's in on this foundational construction dream... But there's no dysfunction here. Paul and his crew have served the region with pride for over 20 years, and there's no end in sight! Listen to this episode to hear about his experience, how he keeps the family in harmony, how he got back to school after an injury, and more!

Welcome to Blue Collar StartUp, the podcast!

Our Mission is Simple: To facilitate the growth and development of Blue Collar businesses. We will showcase REAL Blue Collar businesses in interviews, and use these stories to help educate and empower the next generation of trades workers to become Blue Collar business owners!

00:15 - Mike’s Feeling Well Again!

01:47 - An Introduction to Paul, and Top Course Masonry

02:55 - A History You Can Count On

05:01 - Finding the Best Solution for You

06:37 - Resolving an Issue… Truly

07:37 - A Family Business

10:13 - Welcome Back

11:12 - A Little Bit of Everything

12:22 - 100% On-the-Job

13:39 - Make Your Choice

15:19 - No TV Drama Here!

16:51 - Mike’s No Mason… But He Does His Best!

19:50 - Paul’s Biggest Challenge: Finding a Balance

22:35 - Picking and Choosing

25:14 - Maintaining the Work-Life Balance

27:49 - What’s Next: The Offsite Location

28:51 - It’s Your Choice

30:12 - The One-Hour Radius

30:54 - A Jiu Jitsu Brotherhood

33:11 - Small World!

34:25 - An Injury Provides an Opportunity: Back to School

36:09 - Knowledge is Power… But it’s All About How You Use It!

38:07 - Paul’s Advice: Don’t Ever Quit!

40:00 - Stick it Out: Hardships Just Make You Stronger!

41:38 - How to Get in Touch

43:17 - Closing Remarks