Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Joe and Juliana Schaefer. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Joe and Juliana, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Parents can play a significant role in affecting how our lives and careers turn out – and so we think it’s important to look back and have conversations about what our parents did that affected us positive (or negatively) so that we can learn from the billions of experiences in each generation. What’s something you feel your parents did right that impacted you positively.

They worked together. When it came to our families and work (which are one in the same for many family owned and operated businesses), they stuck together and figured it out no matter what. Witnessing our greatest influencers come back together time and time again not only gave us a realistic preview of the high-highs and low-lows that may come our way but it also instilled perseverance within us both. Words cannot express how grateful we are for that example — not everyone has the privilege.

We also believe that the teamwork our parents demonstrated has led us to inherit, so to speak, a combination of their greatest strengths. For me, (Juliana) it’s my mother’s passion and my father’s problem solving ability. For Joe, it’s trade mastery at the highest level and a personable character that allows him to connect and work with clients and partners in a way that is, as some may say, rare for a carpenter.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

First things first, we are a married couple with young children. We went into business together officially in the summer of July 2023 after many years of side hustling various property management projects (new builds, renovations, etc.) and reaching our respective peaks in separate careers.

For Joe, his carpentry training started….at birth. Really, it’s in his DNA and you would believe it without a doubt after working with him. He’s built for it – all the way around – mind, body and soul. Joe completed a trade program in welding after high school as a backup plan after the housing crash of 2008. He found his way back to working in the family business for a decade before shifting gears to create JDS Contracting, LLC.

It took me some dabbling to find my way. At one point, I wanted to be a veterinarian, a doctor, a judge – you name it. After narrowing my strengths (i.e., perseverance), interests (i.e., human behavior) and career viability (i.e., cash flow)… I invested in the highest level of education offered today (if you don’t count post-docs) – a PhD program, specializing in Industrial-Organizational Psychology. It was like drinking through a fire hose and I was certainly drowning yet was insatiable. I couldn’t get enough. My professors, peers and mentors were irreplaceable and priceless in every way. Simultaneously pursuing internships in applied settings, I sprinted up the corporate ladder finding myself, a 29-year old woman, managing a diverse team of Sr. Researchers on a People Analytics team spread across the globe for a Fortune 35 (at the time) machine.

Neither of us could really see the forest through the trees, we had started our beautiful family and were running on empty 24/7. We didn’t even know it, really, until it all came toppling down. We were all going in different directions, ships passing in the night. Our physical and mental health was suffering. We had to reflect on our values and make a big change. JDS Contracting, LLC was born and we wake up every day looking forward, working as a team. The difference is night and day and we are living proof of what it means to put your fears aside, take risks and focus on your values. Cancel out the noise.

JDS Contracting offers commercial and residential construction services in the St. Louis region including but not limited to new builds, renovations and additions. Our customers *sort of* know what they want when they call us. Some are clear as mud, others are particular and exact. It is a matter of aligning expectations with reality, which is the fun part. It’s how we learn and get to know each other.

To state what sets us apart from others would mean making an assumption about our industry peers which seems fruitless. We can, however, confidently state that we are dedicated team players with our clients, sub-contractors and suppliers. We value relationships above all else. Thankfully, human connection wasn’t a lost art for our generation (the internet just started to become a “thing” around 6th grade). We are of course extremely proud of the quality of our work and the people that come together to make it all happen. The true message of our brand, however, is in how we view businesses – and what we aspire for ours to be.

We believe that the healthiest businesses act as a cooperative in their communities whether it be in their operating areas or more broadly in their industry. Organizations, whether profit or non-profit, are the heartbeat that keep people going. In other words…. think of *things*, to put it loosely, that go into a business’s operations. I’m going to base this example on our construction business so inputs would be human time, effort, skilled craft, construction materials, marketing, etc. Next are the processes. What happens to make your inputs into your outputs? It may be things like collaboration, hands-on construction, innovating your techniques, finding new suppliers, cost analyses, and more (depending on your specialty). All of that takes place to turn inputs into final products or services. Our bread and butter (primary money makers) being new or renovated homes or physical structures. This is where some people think it would end. But that’s not true.

Here’s the lifeline, the piece that holds it all together: the feedback loop. What are the bi-products of your business and what do you do with them? There’s data that will lead you to insights for future improvement. Think about your business’s footprint, which can help you develop strategies to reduce, reuse and recycle waste. Everything you do should be an investment in your future self and those around you whether it be contributing or partnering with local non-profits and/or continuously reflecting and evolving in general.

Aside from the philosophical, above all, we strive to learn and grow. And without friction, there is no growth. That is simply who we are.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

Play it safe.

Coming from family owned businesses that 1) survived the housing crash of 2008 (as a residential construction company primarily focused on new construction) and 2) sold when stakes were high… We have witnessed a fair share of what fear looks like in decision making.

What if something catastrophic happens and we cannot make ends meet financially? What if we don’t get along and it ruins our relationship or worse, our family? What if we’re keeping each other from pursuing their individual strengths and interests (i.e., holding them back)? and so on.

What we unlearned is to not always play it safe. Let fear have its place, sure. However, fear should not guide every decision. No risk, no reward – right? Spend money to make money and all that? We recognize that we live in a different world, a different time – than our predecessors. We are the product, the next generation. What do we have to show for it? Nerve. Maybe a little too much, if we’re being honest.

More importantly, adaptability. In the sense that our instincts are our compass. When to humble yourself, when to be bold and go against the grain. When and how to use new and innovate or on the other hand, when and how to reuse and repurpose. Sounds like a good skillset to create a diverse business portfolio, doesn’t it? Or as Kenny Rogers would say, “you gotta know when to hold ’em and know when to fold ’em'”.

It’s easy to say all of this like you know what you’re talking about early in your business tenure. We could easily say “well, we’re doing our best, here’s to hopin’ it all works out!”. That would be kind of boring, though.

For now and *hopefully forever*, we believe that our endeavors as small business owners are worth every bit of the risk and this lifestyle is absolutely our first choice. “Belonging” was a hot topic in business (think Harvard Business Review type stuff) in recent years. Apply that to dual, multigenerational entrepreneurial families. True belonging is important to our livelihood. Sure, the stakes are high and it is complex and scary, but we’re built for it.

We’d love to hear about how you met your business partner.

We grew up in neighboring small towns. His dad and grandpa built my family home decades prior. He was friends with my brother in high school (which was a group that I was firmly uninterested in, you can double underline that). We’re both easy on the eyes (to each other, at least). It doesn’t hurt. Pretty simple chemistry, if you catch my drift. We make beautiful, wicked smart children. It’s cool.

Fast forward to reflecting on our path over the past few years which has led us to many revelations. Foremost, the fact that there is a greater plan which has significantly impacted our spirituality. Ultimately, we have shifted to letting go of perceived expectations or social norms, taken the time to get to know ourselves and landed in a place where our work is a just one part of who we are that fortunately grants us the gift of spending more time together.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://JDSContracting23.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jdscontracting23/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61564957297092

Image Credits

Red Bud Chamber of Commerce.