Based in Nashville, Tennessee, Clay Hutson is passionate about construction, especially when it involves building homes.
Clay started his home flipping business years ago as an additional source of income while his full-time job was slow. In 2020, Clay took on the construction business full-time, working on not just renovations, but complete builds as well. Clay and his team work on numerous projects, but they have embraced the recent trend of barndominiums.
Clay enjoys the process of building homes, but he likes nothing more than watching a family visit their completed home. There is a uniquely satisfying feeling experienced when one sees a completed project, even years later, and Clay enjoys that feeling of fulfillment.
As part of Clay Hutson’s role as a business owner, he manages a team of construction professionals who help him with home builds. Over the years, Clay has realized that, while construction is a very different career path than a standard office job, many of the same tenets of good management are the same. Clay likes to hire the best construction workers he can find for the jobs he needs to be completed. As a result, he is able to give them the leeway they need to finish their work without delay.
If there is one thing Clay Hutson has experienced in construction management, it is that you get back what you put in. Clay makes a genuine effort to treat his fellow workers with respect. This means avoiding micromanagement, treating everyone with kindness, and always being willing to pitch in on some of the harder, more hands-on tasks. Clay likens his experience to dribbling a basketball — the effort you put in will bounce back just as much. It is due to this effort that Clay has developed great relationships with his crew members.
While Clay Hutson enjoys managing others and leading his team to the end of a successful project, he also appreciates that leading by example is one of the best ways to get a crew to respect you as a leader. He is typically the first person to a site in the morning, and at the end of the day, he often wraps up after everyone has left. Clay is also unafraid to take on the toughest jobs, as he believes in never giving to others what you would not do yourself. Ultimately, Clay is proud of the work he does as both a manager and a leader, and he hopes to give others some ideas on how to improve their management skills.