The last few years have been a blur. I have learned many valuable lessons and have worked to improve the efficiency of every house that I built during that time. The two bigger houses that I built got rave reviews! Imagine an executive style house that is about 4,500 sq feet total that heats to 73 degrees from the sun. A house that is so evenly heated, that the homeowners are amazed. Their old house was very drafty and cold, and they had to give their sweaters away, because the house we built is toasty and they do not need them any more. And, that is when the geo thermal heat is not running. Absolutely amazing, I could not be prouder.
The last year brought about much heart ache also. We had sub contractors that cost us a ton of money, money that came directly out of my pocket. We saw members or our Team get dropped off the Team. We had the Team shook to the very core in such a way, that I questioned why the members were saying they were part of the Team. There was a ton of joy and a ton of heartache during this past year, but still I push this ship forward into uncharted seas!
I am in Northern Michigan now. One of my goals when I knew I was coming up here, was to try to clear my mind. I have been pushed so hard by all the Team Members to keep work piling in and that is incredibly tough to do and breeds incredible pressure. I was told to keep booking work by some and it changed my focus. I was focused more on keeping people busy, then I was doing what I set out to do in the first place. We built some great houses over the last year, but it cost a lot of money. I am happy to say, I made a few tough decisions about 6 monthes ago that ultimately saved this company. I chose to limit the amount of work we would do. But, my mind was still clouded because of a number of stressors 'down state'.
Along came this Earth Shelter Project. This is the largerst Earth Shelter Project ever! I mentioned clearing my mind, how can this be taking on a project like this, another Earth Shaking industry changing project? One of the things that I need to mention, is that I am staying at a school that teaches natural health and massage. I am spending my non-working time with counselors and others who are helping me discover what my core beliefs are and to shape the future of myself and Hybrid Homes. For me to get out of bed every day, I need to feel purpose and also I need a challenge. This Earth Shelter Project is all that and more. I feel more alive at this point of my life than I have ever felt before. I am leading a group of workers from the immediate area, workers who I never met before. They have welcomed me into their homes and have befriended me, as I moved up here with no friends in town.
My mind is clearing and I am excited for Hybrid Homes. So excited, that I am working with a few people to create a way for Hybrid Homes to continue into the future and continue to be the driving force in this state in sustainable building. I will write more about this when I can, but I am happy to be moving the company forward, with some help....
For me, I am torn like an old sweater! This Earth Shelter Project is only in its 3rd week, and it has changed me already and helped me clear my mind. I have friends up here that I just met, who I already know will be my friends for years to come, long after this project is over. My passion lies in projects that push the envelope and connect me with the homeowners and their communities. I have sat in many kitchens and living rooms all over the country this past year and shared food and conversation with many, many people, and I love that. I am having a tough time seeing past this project, because of what it stands for and the experiences that we have had so far. I walked into the school tonight to go to my room, and there was a cooking class in the kitchen. I was last to come in, and I heard "Look, its Uncle Rog!". That made me smile! We have a huge fan base here in Northern Michigan and we can thank our videos for that. I could not get through the group without shaking hands, then I was asked to talk to them, so I did. I told the group of my journey so far and what my hope was for my future. The videos are reaching many, many people, and they are recieving the message that I was hoping to put out there. My goal was to reach the masses in 2009 with my message, and with an average of 2,000 viewers every week of our videos, I would say I reached that goal. I am working with TV people now, and you will most likely see our videos on your tv (if you have one) in 2010!
My passion for a sustainable lifestyle and sustainable building has grown incredibly over the last year, even through all the joys and heart breaks of this business. The economy has not effected our growth, just being connected with the wrong people has. I want Hybrid Homes to grow more, but, that will happen through a new strategic plan for 2010. My personal direction will be to build only specific projects, for people who truly wish to lead a sustainable life. Hybrid Homes will take on the majority of the projects, and I will lead projects like this Earth Shelter Project and others that will be off the grid. Does that mean that I intend on having someone else run Hybrid Homes, I am not sure at this point, but we are actively seeking someone to fill my role as leader of Hybrid Homes, so that I can focus on building my building science knowledge. I want to focus on my calling in life, start speaking, writing books, filming for tv, adn so much more. I will be around, and chances are, these changes won't take effect for some time to come, but, I know what my heart is telling me to do. That is, to build sustainable houses for sustainable people. I will have a list of criteria for the houses I choose to build, and the people I build for. At some point, I would like to build only off the grid houses. As the market builds for that, I will strive to lead Hybrid Homes into the future by building the most sustainable homes that a budget will allow. Once we get ourselves into the right positions, then there will be a noticable change to Hybrid Homes, which will be capable at that point of producing many homes per year, on time and on budget.
Stay tuned for blogs about the future of Hybrid Homes. For now, thank you for your support and here's to doing things in life that make a difference!
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