Introduction
Jefferson Ovalle, CEO of Genesis Construction, joins Jack Ossa on The Power of Design Podcast to tell the story of how a young immigrant from Bogota, Colombia, became the owner of a commercial general contracting company in the Carolinas. Genesis specializes in retail renovations, shell build-outs and self-storage work.
Both men are from Colombia and run companies in the same industry, so the conversation is part career story and part comparison of what it takes to build a business: mindset, mentors, learning from mistakes and a team that shares your values.
About the Episode
Jefferson moved to the United States in June 1999. His first job was painting stairs in Charlotte's summer humidity, and he soon changed jobs because he was not learning English. His brother-in-law had told him two things: always pay your taxes and learn English, because your English will set the level of work you can do. He took a job in a cell phone store, then worked for Coca-Cola and a large apartment company, where he moved from leasing to property management.
He later went to Charleston to open a painting branch for a subcontractor and asked for a share of the business in exchange. The agreement was never written down and the owner changed his mind, which Jefferson calls his first big business lesson and the moment he decided to work for himself. After a hard stretch he got a drywall contract from a former customer, and Genesis Construction of the Carolinas began. He explains how he lost most of his early capital when a client company went under in 2008, how that taught him to protect the asset and manage cash, and how he moved from residential to commercial work.
Jack asks how he grew from a tradesman into a businessman. Jefferson points to books, Chamber of Commerce classes and mistakes. He also describes his plans to develop real estate through a separate holdings company and to build a legacy, not just a bigger revenue number.
Key Takeaways
- Learn the language: English opened the door from manual labor to better jobs, and customer-facing work was the fastest way to learn it.
- Ask for what you want: you will never get answers to the questions you do not ask, and agreements belong on paper.
- Mindset is the biggest obstacle: Jefferson says you become what you feed your mind with, so doubt is the first thing to manage.
- Protect the business: reinvesting every dollar and neglecting receivables is risky; he learned to use accounting software and watch accounts payable and receivable.
- Hire slow, fire quick: take time to know a person, and hire for your weaknesses.
- Residential and commercial are different businesses: pricing, running and managing are different, and Genesis lost money on its first two commercial jobs.
- Find a mentor: a mentor costs nothing, but you should arrive with questions and respect their time.
Highlights from the Conversation
You will never get the answers of the questions that you don't ask.
Jefferson Ovalle
You hire slow and you fire quick.
Jefferson Ovalle
Hire your weakness. If you're not good at these, hire someone who's really good for it, and don't see it as an expense, see it as an investment.
Jefferson Ovalle
Topics Discussed
- Growing up in Bogota and moving to Charlotte in 1999
- Early jobs and learning English
- Asking for ownership and starting Genesis Construction
- The 2008 downturn and lessons about cash and receivables
- Moving from residential to commercial construction
- Retail, shell build-outs and the self-storage industry
- Hiring, culture and company values
- Mentors, mindset and future plans in real estate development
Why This Conversation Matters
This episode is useful for owners, contractors and design professionals who want to see how a construction company is built from the trades up. It also shows why the relationship between builder and designer matters on retail, industrial and renovation work, the kind of projects we handle in architecture. Ossa Studio created the brand identity for Genesis, which you can see in Genesis Construction, and our branding work helps contractors present their culture and values. For a renovation and expansion for a contractor, see Crowder Construction Expansion.
About the Guest
Jefferson Ovalle is the CEO of Genesis Construction, a commercial general contractor licensed in North Carolina and South Carolina. Born and raised in Bogota, Colombia, he moved to the Carolinas in 1999, worked in trades, sales and property management, and opened Genesis after learning the business through hard lessons. He and his wife also own Genesis Investment Holdings, which holds and develops real estate.
Genesis Construction website
Connect with Jefferson on LinkedIn
