LivLive Ep. 0000031 - Ben Blodgett

In this episode of LivLive, Dave sits down with Ben Blodgett, owner of TDS Design Build in Madison, Wisconsin, to unpack one of the most interesting career paths in the design-build industry: going from employee to owner.Dave and Ben first met years ago through their Remodelers Advantage roundtable, when Ben was still the general manager at TDS Custom Construction while founder Sam was preparing to transition out. What followed was a six-year journey toward ownership—filled with uncertainty, financial risk, leadership growth, and ultimately purchasing the company right before COVID.Ben shares how he went from farm kid to carpenter to business owner, why the opportunity to buy the company wasn’t something he originally pursued, and what it actually takes to step into ownership when you’ve spent most of your career in production.The conversation explores the real challenges behind ownership transitions: learning financials, developing leadership skills, navigating economic uncertainty, and deciding whether the responsibility of ownership is actually worth it.For anyone in the design-build world who has ever asked themselves “Should I start a company or buy one?”, this episode is full of hard-earned lessons.• How Ben Blodgett transitioned from carpenter to owner of TDS Design Build• What a 6-year ownership transition actually looks like behind the scenes• Why buying a company during COVID created unexpected challenges• The mindset shift required to go from manager to true business owner• How industry peer groups like Remodelers Advantage shape leadership growth• Why many talented builders hesitate to take the leap into ownership• The financial and emotional risks involved in buying a construction company• How TDS evolved from TDS Custom Construction to TDS Design Build00:00 – Introduction to Ben Blodgett and TDS Design Build02:30 – How Dave and Ben met through Remodelers Advantage05:10 – Ben’s background growing up on a farm08:00 – Getting started in construction and becoming a carpenter11:30 – Moving into leadership at TDS as general manager15:40 – When the opportunity to buy the company first appeared19:30 – The six-year journey negotiating the ownership transition24:15 – Learning how to become a business owner29:10 – Buying the company right before COVID33:40 – The financial and operational challenges of that timing37:20 – The mindset shift from employee to owner42:10 – Lessons for builders considering ownership