The Need to Create

For some people there is a natural element of life that requires them to be creative.  That creativity may come in the form of painting or making jewelry...for me that creativity finds it way out any way it can.  Sometimes the product of that creative moment isn't anything that makes a social media post while other times the final product is something that I am incredibly proud of.

There have been periods of time in my life where I get so busy with the business side of things that the creativity is suppressed.  This isn't because I don't want to be creative but more so that I don't have the time to be.  I have found that the most amazing thing tends to happen during these periods of suppression.  I become more open and willing to take on the strangest of projects as long as I get to feed my need and desire to create.  It is in these moments that my business base has expanded rapidly from what was once mirrors and shower doors to the broad scope of work that it is today.  There was definitely a moment in time when steel fabrication and production wasn't something we even discussed.  The reality of owning a 3d printer from a crowd funding site long before they were readily available to the general public, just so I could prototype invention ideas, wasn't even a thought.  The list goes on but my point is that no matter what happens in life, the need to create will be expressed and for me, that creative desire has helped shape my business life.

I have two theories on where creativity comes from for most artisans.  The first one is simply that people are inherently predisposed to being creative.  Their minds just work differently.  Artist in general tend to think and see things differently than most.  That isn't always a good thing either but in most cases it is.  My second theory is that while a creative mind is often genetic, we find ourselves learning from those that we received those genes from.  For me, my mother has always been incredibly talented in the artistic sense.  While I never picked up painting, sewing or crocheting from her, I did pick up the ability to see things for more than just face value.  I think that attribute has suited me well in regards for seeing everything in a different light than those around me.  At the same time, my father isn't a painter nor can he effectively use a hot glue gun but he can see a solution to a problem when there is no easy option.  His ability to engineer a solution under pressure is incredible.  This genetic gift serves well for business just as much as the creative process.

For most artisans, the need to create is something that finds it's way out on a daily basis through their craft.  For others, its a hobby or side hustle.  I think that a creative mind will always find a way to be expressed. 

One Day, Two Businesses & A Ginger

The day starts at 5:30a. I need to get up and be at the gym by 6:15a so I can be at the office by 7:00a. I take a quick shower and I'm ready to go by 7:30a. I will prepare my morning meeting and my day while sitting in my office. This office is everything I've ever wanted in an office. There is a loft area built out of steel where my desk sits. There is a section of the floor that is glass. There is a wall covered in some of my favorite quotes. Another wall sports a full phone booth, a newspaper stand and one of my favorite graffiti pieces from the artist Banksy. This is the place where I can spend 80 hours a week. The good news is, I don't have to. There is an equally amazing office on the other side of the 10,000 square foot building where there is also a loft that sports two desks. One for me and one for my partner in other business.

The morning meeting for Anderson Glass starts at 8:00a promptly. We discuss the previous days business and the current days schedule. When the meeting is over I head to my office on the Anderson Glass side. I manage a few of the details of the day including the financials and then I head over the D1 Design Group office. This walk is a short one because both of my businesses are under one roof.

Anderson Glass is the family business that I own so that my dad could retire. D1 Design Group is the partnership I am co-owner of, that was established to meet a demand while helping feed my creative outlet. Most days however are spent solving problems and fixing the issues. On the Anderson Glass side, we work on the HGTV show "Fixer Upper" with two people that I've worked with and respected for over 10 years. The excitement around the show is incredible and working on the glass side can be fun and challenging. D1 Design Group caters to division sports programs, creating incredible spaces that are geared to improve recruiting. We work with some of the most exciting college sports coaches in an array of sports. How could any day be boring with this as a work load? The truth is...it never gets boring! It's overwhelming more often than not but that is what makes the entire daily process fun and exciting!

The day may end at 5:00p but that's not likely. Either way, when I get home I will be greeted by my wife, Rebekah. Together now now for over 18 years, Rebekah and I have a great relationship. She constantly reminds of how lucky I am and the truth is, I am. Also waiting for me is my middle child of 14, Hannah. Her passion is dance and she competes with her dance company year round. My 10 year old son, Holden will be in his room playing video games or outside going 100 mph. Oh add the 4 crazy rambunctious dogs to the list. My oldest, 17 year old Hayley, will come home later and tell me how wrong I am about everything which I firmly believe she thinks is her full time job.

I'll end the evening with a little binge watching of whatever show Rebekah and I are on at the time. Maybe some social media work. Then off to sleep where I will wake up and do it all over again. I might however skip the gym tomorrow. Winky face, winky face.

My Journey as an Entrepreneur

Just a few years ago, I found myself becoming bored with work.  I felt like creatively I had done everything I could do in the glazing industry.  I had pushed the envelope with the frameless shower market and had my work featured in a couple of magazines and catalogs.  I had invented 4 tools that were being sold worldwide by the largest industry distributor.  I had built a company that was seemingly self sustained without me.  Now what?

I’ve always had a need to be creative.  There is something inside me that requires a creative outlet and I’ve always looked for a way to feed that creative hunger.  At that exact point in my life where I found myself bored, I had an opportunity to help start a company that was built on creativity.  A startup that catered to sport programs and businesses alike, specifically in the area of recruiting.  I already had one business running and the thought of getting another one up didn’t scare me at all.  The decision was made and just like that, I was an entrepreneur again.

Within a year the new design company was doing well, operating without any debt and rapidly establishing a customer base.  The glass company had began to struggle in my absence but I was adamant that the employees would manage it and things would be fine.  During this time, the glass company had also been doing work on an HGTV show that had started off with a little bit of steam but had been rapidly gaining ground in ratings.  I needed to be a bigger part of this if possible, not only to showcase our work but expose the glass industry for the incredible things that could be done.  This escalated rapidly and before I knew it I was being featured on the show a couple times during the following season. 

From the outside, everything looked amazing.  There I was on the show with two people that were rapidly becoming the hottest stars on HGTV while working with some of the most exciting names in college sports coaching.  What the outside world couldn’t see was an internal struggle that still plagues me to this day.  There is no easy was to put this so I’ll just say it…I could not effectively keep every important person in my life happy.  I was letting people down.  This also included me.  See, I’m the type of person that finds my happiness in pleasing those I love.  When I feel like I have let them down, it hurts.  I quickly learned that being an entrepreneur wasn’t as glamorous as I once thought.  Not only was I letting down those around me in some facet or another but I no longer had time to feed the internal need to create.

No two days in my life are the same and every single day poses some new problem or obstacle.  This is the path I wanted and it’s the path I chose.  No complaints about the journey and no focusing on the destination.  I’m doing my thing one day at a time.

My name is Dustin Anderson and this is my journey as an entrepreneur.

The Search for Inspiration

It’s a Friday in June and I am sitting at my desk plugging away at the ridiculously long list of “to do’s”.  I take a quick break from my list and check some social media.  I see that Dwell Magazine has their Design show coming up the next week in Los Angeles.  These moments usually end in me being a bit excited about the idea of going but result in living vicariously through my social media accounts. 

This year is different.  I’m frustrated with myself for not making time to focus on what I’m good at.  I am focusing on all the things that I am paying others to manage.  This frustration turns into excitement because I am not going to live vicariously through my social media this time.  I’m going to provide the vicarious experience myself.  Yeah, that’s what I’m gonna do.  Right?  I guess I better ask Rebekah first.  I go home and casually bring this idea up…”so you know Dwell Magazine right?  The one I’ve depended on forever to get inspiration and insight.  The magazine that kept me ahead of the curve long before the idea of social media inspiration.  Well they have this show in LA and I wanna…”  Rebekah cuts me off and says, “you should go to that and you should take Hayley.”  Hayley is the oldest of my three kids.  She is 17 and passionate about everything and nothing all at once.  Now I know you’re thinking, “no way this handsome young ginger has a 17 year old!”  …and you’d be wrong.  I immediately agree and the seed of an idea has begun to emerge from the ground.

I tell Hayley that I want to take her to a design show in LA.  She obviously jumps at the chance and is smiling so big.  Hayley doesn’t know what she wants to be when she grows up and I’m ok with that because neither do I.  My plan is to inspire her all while finding some inspiration of my own.  I do have a stipulation for her though.  One she might not like.  Hayley has to design a piece of furniture based on inspiration from the show and she has one month to build it. (With my help of course).  Surprisingly with absolutely no argument she agrees.  I know you’re thinking, “of course not, she gets to go to LA” but you don’t know Hayley and I assure you that all my words cause an argument of some kind.

Now we have just left the show and she is be-boping down Figueroa Blvd.  I ask her if she saw anything that sparked an idea.  Her response is merely “yep, several things.”  I see it so clearly as we talk.  She has seen something that got her attention.  Maybe it was a lot of somethings.  Regardless of the number of somethings, she is excited.  Now that excitement might dwindle when we return to Texas but a deal is a deal and I’ve always taught my kids that integrity is everything.  Even when we mess up, owning that mistake is what is important.  (Learning from it too but we aren’t on that topic).  I also found inspiration at the show for a couple of ideas that I’ll work on when I get home as well.  That seed of an idea is out of the ground and has a flower bud on it and I can’t wait to see it bloom.

Working with Family

You know it's hard to work with family. Some people think that it's an amazing opportunity and wish they had the ability to do it. I'll tell you without a doubt it's one of the largest hurdles that any family business faces. Where do you draw the line between business and family? It's insanely difficult to navigate and can make Thanksgiving very awkward.

My brother, Eric has worked with me off and on since I came to Anderson Glass in 2001. There were times early on when we hated each other and probably could've cared less about ever seeing each other again, much less working together. As the years have passed we have obviously grown up and have different perspective about things versus being in our twenties. We certainly don't think the same and Lord knows we don't look the same. We absolutely don't act the same but if you ask him he'd say I still act like a kid.

Now a days, we get along extremely well and rarely have issues. His role with the company is one that gets very little merit nor attention unless of course something he measured was wrong or he said he'd do something that he didn't get around to doing.  There are no "attaboys" when a shower fits perfectly or "great jobs" when an window glass fits just right.  There is no TV time as the big brother and his name rarely gets mentioned on the company social media.  See, Eric's job has transformed over the years and he currently plays the role of Salesman, Industry Expert to our clients and Measuring Guru.  This role is close to the most important role in the business as he is the first person that our clients meet.  He educates our clients and makes suggestions as to what they need.  The thankless role is crazy important to business success at Anderson Glass.

So for all the nights he stays late standing in the warehouse in the silence to gather his thoughts of the day, for all the showers that fit so perfectly, for every window glass that fits as it should,  let me say thank you Eric.  Your dedication to this business is more than I can ask for and I appreciate what you do here more than you'll ever know.  The bar will never lower and my expectations will always be high but you didn't expect anything else from your little brother anyway.

When people ask me what it's like to work with family, first I ask if they mean my brother or my dad...but then I tell them I'm extremely lucky.  See anything in life that is hard to navigate is worth navigating to.  Anything difficult to make work is worth working for.  Our name is on this business and the level of pride that comes with that doesn't change regardless of the role we play.  Family is what makes it a Family Business and Anderson Glass is a Family Business!

-dsa