Ep. 27 - From Side Hustle to $68 Million A Conversation with Corenic Construction CEO Brunson Cooper

In 2009, Brunson Cooper started his business as a side hustle with one small lobby project. After being passed over for another promotion and a conversation with his wife, in 2012 he decided to bet on himself — and never looked back. In this episode, Marlon sits down with Brunson — CEO of Corenic Construction and Black Enterprise-featured business leader — to talk about what it really takes to build a minority-owned construction company from the ground up. From that first small lobby renovation to leading a powerhouse firm in the Washington DC area, Brunson opens up about family, reputation, relationships, and the mindset that drives him to keep growing.Chapters:(00:00) Introduction to Brunson Cooper and Kornik Construction(04:12) The Journey of Building Kornik Construction(07:03) The Importance of Family Support in Business(09:37) Involving Family in Business(12:11) Building Relationships and Reputation in Construction(15:08) Navigating Challenges as a Minority-Owned Business(17:37) Growth Strategies from $33 Million to $60 Million(20:23) Lessons Learned in Business Development(23:13) Delivering on Promises and Maintaining Reputation(29:31) Navigating Company Growth and Personal Development(32:23) The Importance of Executive Leadership(36:38) Balancing Risk and Leadership Styles(38:49) Building Professional Relationships and Opportunities(43:18) Creating Impact in the Community(45:47) Lessons Learned: Advice for the FutureWHAT WE COVER IN THIS EPISODE• How Brunson went from side hustle to $68M• Why reputation is your most valuable business asset• How to know which clients to walk away from• Building an executive team so you can scale• The mindset that drives his growth• Creating a legacy — not just a businessResources:North Carolina A&T University - https://www.ncat.edu/Black Enterprise Magazine - https://www.blackenterprise.com/U squared Book by Robert Anthony - https://www.amazon.com/U-Squared-Robert-Anthony/dp/0972459274Learn more about Brunson Cooper:LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/brunsoncooper/Corenic Construction Official Website - https://corenicconstruction.com/#kickingassandtakingnames #BrunsonCooper #KickingAssPodcast #BlackBusiness #Entrepreneurship #BusinessGrowth #Leadership #MarlonGriffith #CorenicConstruction #MindsetMatters #BlackEntrepreneur #Podcast