This business is all about “getting it ALL done.”

How do you get things done?  One surefire way is to deal with a person like Nate Grigsby, who doesn’t believe in saying the word “can’t.”

“I never say can’t.  Growing up, my mom would always say, ‘Can’t never could until he tried.’  We’re also believers.  God said, ‘You can do anything with me.’  All of that goes hand in hand.  I often remind people, ‘Never say can’t.’

Perhaps a testament to this is how well-rounded Nate is in his work.  He owns and operates G2 Construction, which specializes in new custom home construction, remodels, decks, roads, land clearing, and anything and everything dealing with concrete work.  If that wasn’t enough, he purchased a septic business in 2017 and added that into the mix, handing new installs, maintenance, repairs, and pumping.

Nate shared about his path to owning G2, “I am four generations in the concrete business.  My great-grandfather started here in Huntsville. Then my grandfather picked it up.  Then my dad and my uncles picked it up.  When you come from a family of workers—as I grew up, my “babysitter” was work!  I’ve been in concrete work all my life.”

As a teen, a single event stood out as “cementing” his practical view toward earning a living. “I tore my ACL on my birthday on homecoming night as a senior in high school,” said Nate.  “From that time forward, I told myself I need to be doing something that’s going to be here until the end of time.  So, I knew I was going to do construction.”

Nate continued to work with his family until a pivotal moment and conversation.  “My uncle called me in and talked to me and gave me the green light to go out on my own,” recalled Nate.  “That’s been 25 years ago, and I’m still doing it and still going strong.”

Once Nate got on his own in the concrete business, he was doing some work for a gentleman, and he asked if Nate could build him a house.  “I said, ‘Yeah, I can build you a house.’  I hadn’t ever built a house other than in school,” stated Nate.  “It was 3,360 square feet, and I got him in it in three months.  I did the construction, I did the dirt work, I did the concrete work.  I realized I could make good money doing this.”

Soon, the construction side grew at a rate that Nate had to stop doing the concrete work for a while, because it was just too much.  He scaled back and achieved a balance.   He still builds houses every year now.  Most are custom homes.  Nate shared that a lot of folks will just come to him with ideas.  He will sketch them out.  Then his brother, who is an architect, will develop into house plans.

Nate enjoys the work because he gets to go a lot, and do a lot, and see a lot, He states, “It’s not really a job to me; it’s more like a hobby.   “I’m not in the same place.  The only time I’m in the same place is if I’m building a house.”

Part of his formula for success is surrounding himself with the right people. Nate commented, “My subcontractors have been with me since I started, and I keep at least two of everybody–two bricklayers, two plumbers, two electricians, two roofers… This helps keep everything moving forward.  Whoever works with me, I want them to love what they do.  When you love what you do, it speaks volumes, and it shows.”

This also applies to his direct reports.  Nate shared, “One of the first things I ask potential workers when I’m looking to hire is, ‘Can you listen?  Because, if you can listen, then you can learn.’  I guess I consider myself a teacher.  You can make money at any job.  But it’s the learning that grows you and moves you forward.”

Nate has also learned to maximize their skills and time.  “All my concrete guys are cross-trained in the septic, so we can be flexible on the jobs that come in.  I tell my guys, ‘We can stick our hand in the cookie jar multiple times, where other people can’t.’”

Most of G2’s work is in Walker and surrounding counties, but they do travel much farther sometimes for concrete work—it’s definitely a case-by-case basis.

Nate thanks the Lord for his wife Ann, their two daughters, and three granddaughters, the oldest of which is 7.  Asked about hobbies outside of work, Nate said, “Work is my hobby.  I love it.  I like it.  The satisfaction in seeing people’s faces after we did what they wanted done is important.  We love providing a service and helping people, and I love building relationships first.” He laughingly added, “My wife says all I ever do is work.  I ask her, ‘Well, you like to eat, don’t you?’”

When asked what surprises people most about all the things he does, Nate shared, “I also was always fascinated with the funeral industry.  I went to mortuary school and became a licensed mortician.  A mortician is a funeral director and embalmer.  Some people just do one or the other. I did both.  The schooling was a year.  After graduating, I returned to Huntsville and did an apprenticeship working with several local funeral homes.  People are most surprised to find out I’m a mortician. That’s going to be my ‘retirement job.’  I tell people, ‘You’re going to have some type of dealing with me.  You can deal with me on this side, or you can deal with me on the other side.  I’ll let you pick.’”

G2 Construction
office 936-435-9452
cell 936-714-8163
email: nategrigsby2017@gmail.com