Over the years, I have learned that the way you approach your work is closely connected to the way you approach life. For me, my faith has become an important part of that.
I grew up in the Lewiston-Auburn area of Maine, and my path has not always been straightforward. There were times in my younger years when I made mistakes and spent time around the wrong people. My parents divorced when I was young, my father struggled with alcoholism, and I did not graduate high school. Looking back, there were plenty of reasons why my story could have turned out differently.
Instead, I found my way into the trades, built a career, started my own business, and most importantly, found a deeper relationship with God. I was recently baptized, and my faith continues to shape the way I think about my family, my work, and the future.
Work Ethic Starts With Your Character
Working in the trades teaches you quickly that nobody can do the work for you.
You have to show up. You have to put in the hours. You have to learn from people who know more than you. You have to make mistakes, correct them, and keep moving.
I started my electrical career as a helper working on solar installations in Massachusetts. At that point, I was not a Master Electrician or a business owner. I was someone trying to learn a skill and build a future.
Over time, I worked my way up to foreman, gained experience in different electrical environments, earned my Master Electrician license, and eventually worked with the IBEW across different parts of the country.
Looking back, I believe faith and work ethic have a lot in common. Both require consistency. You cannot expect results without putting in the effort.
For me, faith reinforces the idea that the right thing is worth doing even when nobody is watching.
Treating People With Respect
One of the biggest lessons I learned early in my career is that you can be firm with people without being disrespectful.
You do not have to be an aggressive person to get things done. You can communicate clearly, hold people accountable, and still treat them with respect.
That is something I try to carry with me every day.
Whether I am dealing with a customer, another electrician, a supplier, or someone I have just met, I believe people deserve to be treated well. Everyone has their own story and their own challenges.
Faith has reinforced that belief for me. It reminds me that how you treat people matters just as much as what you accomplish.
Leadership Is About Setting an Example
When you become responsible for other people, leadership takes on a different meaning.
As the owner of Rocky Coast Electric, I have responsibilities that go beyond completing electrical work. I have to make decisions, solve problems, communicate with customers, and set expectations for the way work should be done.
That means I cannot expect other people to have a work ethic that I do not have myself.
If I expect people to show up on time, I need to show up on time. If I expect quality work, I need to demand quality from myself first. If I expect people to treat customers with respect, I need to demonstrate that behavior.
I believe the best leaders lead from the front. You show people what the standard looks like instead of simply telling them what to do.
Doing Things the Right Way
Electrical work is a trade where cutting corners can have serious consequences.
You are working with systems that need to be installed correctly and safely. There is no reason to rush something just to save a few minutes if doing so creates a bigger problem later.
That mentality applies to business too.
I would rather build a reputation slowly by doing quality work and treating customers honestly than chase quick growth by taking shortcuts.
Your reputation follows you.
In a small business, people remember whether you showed up, whether you kept your word, and whether you stood behind your work. I believe those things are connected to character, and character is something I take seriously.
Faith During Difficult Times
Running a business is not always easy. There are good days, difficult days, unexpected problems, and moments when you have to make decisions without knowing exactly how everything will turn out.
Faith gives me perspective during those times.
It does not mean I expect every problem to disappear. It means I have something to lean on when things become difficult.
My family is also a huge source of motivation. My wife and children have kept me going during some challenging periods of my life. They remind me why I work hard and why building a successful business is important to me.
I want to create a future for my family that reflects the values I believe in.
Never Stop Learning
One of the values I connect strongly with both my faith and my career is the idea of continuing to grow.
I do not think you ever reach a point where you know everything.
I still read. I still learn. I still look for ways to improve myself and my business. The electrical industry continues to change, and there is always something new to understand.
I believe a good leader should remain teachable. The moment you think you have nothing left to learn is probably the moment you start falling behind.
Continuous improvement is something I have tried to make part of my life.
Building Something That Matters
When I think about the future of Rocky Coast Electric, I want to build more than a successful electrical company.
I want to build a business people can trust.
I want customers to know that when we show up, we are going to do our best to solve their problem and treat them fairly. I want the people who work with me to know that hard work is appreciated and that doing things correctly matters.
Most importantly, I want my children to see that it is possible to overcome difficult chapters and build something meaningful.
My past does not define me. It is part of my story, but it does not determine where the story ends.
Looking Forward With Faith
My career has taken me places I never expected. I started as a helper, became a foreman, earned my Master Electrician license, traveled across the country, and eventually started my own business.
Through all of those changes, I have learned that success is about more than money or a job title.
It is about the person you become while you are building your life.
For me, faith is part of that foundation. It reminds me to stay humble, work hard, treat people well, and keep moving forward.
I do not know exactly where the future will take me or Rocky Coast Electric. But I know how I want to approach it. I want to keep learning, keep working, keep serving people, and keep my faith at the center of what I do.