Builder's Story

A funny thing happened on the way to Harvard…

A young David Weekley. David graduated from Trinity University and was on track for Harvard Business School. All he lacked was the requisite two years of management experience. So when recruiters from a Home Builder visited his campus looking for management-trainee candidates, David accepted their offer. Within the first year he discovered a passion for home building and quickly rose through the ranks to lead his own Team, building and selling homes in a new subdivision."I liked the company, was learning a lot and doing well," David recalled. But his visions of a bright future at this company faded quickly when he was forced to choose between his prosperity and his principles.

Would you trade your principles for an Oldsmobile?

An old Oldsmobile. They say,"It's not a principle unless it costs you money." When David's supervisor wanted to substitute the use of a company car for the bonus he had earned, David took his case to the company president who told him to take the Oldsmobile or take a hike. Although he enjoyed everything else about this job, how could he work for a company that refused to keep its promises? David made one of the most difficult—and important—decisions of his young life. He left with his principles and a dream.

Big brother is watching you.

Dick and David Weekley.23, unemployed with a family to feed, David still couldn't shake the idea of starting his own company. After all, he now had homebuilding experience. He had fire in his belly. The only thing he didn't have was capital. David's older brother, Dick, had watched with amazement as David excelled at his first job. To him, it was obvious that his little brother was a natural. So Dick risked everything he owned for a line of credit and the two brothers started David Weekley Homes. Little did they know they would face a challenge of biblical proportions.

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