Today we’d like to introduce you to Jody Watkins.
Hi Jody, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
When I opened Watkins Landmark in 2004, I wanted to bring my experience from working on such award-winning projects as Petco Park, Indian Wells Tennis Garden, Pfizer Campus Biotech Research Buildings, and the Bay Club of Carmel Valley to my own company. High-profile “Landmark” projects require a custom level of quality done at the efficiency only a commercial contractor can provide. These projects also regularly have incredibly compressed schedules with significant logistical challenges. The best terminology for this type of work is “projects with hair on them.” These are the difficult projects that Watkins Landmark embraces! This is our market. While we proudly say “our niche is that we don’t have a niche,” that is not necessarily true. Our niche is landmark projects. Since I formed Watkins Landmark Construction, we have added a strong team of builders to our staff that have the ability and desire to work on complex and intricate projects. We exist to build Landmarks.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
From 2004 to 2008, I always questioned, “Why didn’t I do this sooner? This is easy!” Then the 2009 real estate collapse occurred. That was a real eye-opener and forced us to get a lot smarter in the way we ran our business. There have been several significant struggles along the way besides 2009. Fluctuation of the amount of our personnel dependent on the size of projects we are currently building is a continuous challenge. COVID was a struggle for every company, and we were certainly no exception. All that being said, I would say we are in a good place today and are prepared as possible for the coming recession.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
As I said earlier, our niche is we do not have a niche. However, with the word Landmark in our name, that sets the bar pretty high. We have been very fortunate to build significant Landmark projects throughout Southern California. Our latest Landmark under construction is the Front Wave Arena project in Oceanside. The Front Wave Arena will be the new home for the San Diego Sockers. It will also hold many other events such as minor league hockey, NBA D League, WNBA G League, MMA, Boxing, Concerts, etc…
We’re always looking for the lessons that can be learned in any situation, including tragic ones like the Covid-19 crisis. Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you can share?
Watkins Landmark was very fortunate when the government determined the construction industry to be an essential and not subject to shut down. However, the lack of confidence in the financial sector postponed or killed several projects in our backlog. This forced us to get lean quickly, which is never a pleasant task. This process taught us to have a contingency plan if we are ever faced with a similar crisis in the future. A plan to downsize and adapt to an ever-changing business climate.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.watkinslandmark.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/watkins_landmark/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WatkinsLandmark
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/WatkinsLandmark
