Navigating Business and Marriage: Lessons from 18 Years of Building Together
Working with your spouse in a high-stakes, high-stress industry like construction is not for the faint of heart. Yet, for Will and Sydney Blake, co-founders of Vesta Foundation Solutions, it’s been a journey of growth, challenge, and ultimately, success. Their story, shared candidly on the “Beers with Contractors” podcast, offers a rare, behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to build a thriving business and a strong marriage side by side.
This article distills their insights, hard-won lessons, and practical strategies for anyone navigating the complex world of family business, leadership, and organizational growth.
The Early Days: Building a Business and a Family
From Humble Beginnings
Sydney’s entry into the construction and foundation repair industry began in 2009, joining Will, who was already immersed in crawl space encapsulation. With a background in home inspections and a childhood spent around contractors, Sydney was no stranger to the world of building. But her first role was a crash course in business operations centralizing a scattered administrative office, handling everything from booking appointments to payroll, and learning on the fly.
Together, they worked at various companies before launching Vesta Foundation Solutions in Oklahoma, combining Will’s strengths in marketing and sales, Sydney’s administrative acumen, and Will’s brother Adam’s production expertise. What started as a family venture has since grown into a company with over 60 employees, a seven-person management team, and more than $12 million in annual revenue.
The Family Dynamic
Running a business as a couple brings unique challenges. The Blakes liken Vesta to a “third child” one that often demanded more attention than their actual children. Their sons, Troy and Evan, grew up in the business, experiencing both the freedoms and the sacrifices that come with entrepreneurial parents.
Reflecting on their journey, Sydney notes the importance of boundaries both in decision making at work and in separating business from family life at home. “If I could go back, I’d set clearer boundaries around when we talk about work,” she says. “Vesta would have been just as successful, and our family time would have been richer.”
Working with Your Spouse: Boundaries, Communication, and Growth
Setting Boundaries
One of the biggest lessons the Blakes learned was the necessity of being on the same page before addressing their team. Disagreements between spouses, even minor ones, can be magnified in the eyes of employees, creating uncertainty and tension. Presenting a united front is crucial.
Equally important is setting boundaries around work-life balance. The Blakes eventually established rules about not discussing business after a certain hour and prioritizing family time, recognizing that their children needed their attention as much as the business did.
Embracing Different Strengths
A key to their success has been recognizing and leveraging each other’s strengths. Will excels at galvanizing and inventing rallying people and generating ideas while Sydney is high in discernment, adept at identifying potential pitfalls and ensuring operational excellence. Their differences, once a source of friction, became complementary assets once they understood and respected them.
Tools like the Working Genius assessment and love language tests helped them and their team better understand individual motivations and working styles. Sydney even had her leadership team take the love language assessment, discovering that fulfilling people’s preferred modes of appreciation (like acts of service or words of affirmation) improved team cohesion and satisfaction.
Women in Construction: Overcoming Stereotypes and Leading with Confidence
Breaking Barriers
Sydney’s journey as a female leader in a male-dominated industry hasn’t been without its challenges. Early on, she faced skepticism and was often overlooked as the decision-maker. Over time, however, she built a reputation for competence and leadership, earning respect within and outside the company.
She emphasizes that impostor syndrome isn’t exclusive to women, men experience it too. The key is to acknowledge weaknesses, seek help when needed, and stand confidently behind decisions. “Core values and mission statements are essential,” Sydney says. “They provide a framework for decision-making and help leaders act with clarity and conviction.”
Building a Diverse Leadership Team
Vesta’s leadership team is now predominantly female, a rarity in foundation repair. Sydney attributes this not to a deliberate gender focus, but to a commitment to finding the right people for the right seats. “We’re a people-first company,” she explains. “It’s about culture, customer care, and living our core values.”
This approach has fostered a culture where diverse perspectives are valued, and opportunities are based on merit and fit, not gender.
Leadership Lessons: Building a World-Class Team
The Power of Healthy Conflict
One of the most significant breakthroughs at Vesta was learning to embrace healthy conflict. In the early days, the team avoided difficult conversations, prioritizing harmony over honesty. This led to issues festering beneath the surface, undermining performance and trust.
About a year and a half ago, Sydney led the team through a series of tough, sometimes awkward conversations. “We stepped into the awkward together,” she recalls. “It was hard, but we came out stronger.” Now, team members are empowered to call each other out, address problems directly, and trust that everyone is committed to the company’s success.
Responsibility vs. Accountability
A pivotal resource in this transformation was Christopher Avery’s “The Responsibility Process.” Sydney distinguishes between responsibility (owning the existence of a problem and the solution) and accountability (being held to a result). The process involves moving from denial and blame, through justification and shame, to true ownership.
By making responsibility a core value, Vesta’s leaders and employees are encouraged to acknowledge problems, avoid blame, and focus on solutions. This mindset shift has been instrumental in driving growth and resilience.
Continuous Development and Avoiding Burnout
Sydney is proactive in identifying when team members hit a ceiling—whether it’s a lack of knowledge or signs of burnout. Regular training, growth plans, and open communication help employees develop new skills and envision their future within the company.
She also pays close attention to signs of overwork, sometimes mandating vacations or personal time to ensure long-term sustainability. “If you’re not having conversations about both working more and working less with your team, you’re not managing properly,” she notes, citing leadership expert Craig Groeschel.
Practical Tools and Strategies
The Mystery Shopper Program
One innovative initiative at Vesta was the implementation of a mystery shopper program—unusual in construction, but highly effective. By hiring an outside party to pose as customers, the company gained invaluable feedback on customer service, responsiveness, and process gaps.
The results led to targeted training and process improvements, enhancing the customer experience and driving better business outcomes. Sydney also regularly “sits in every seat” at the company—answering phones, riding along with inspectors, working with production crews—to stay connected to the frontline experience.
Creative Incentives and Team Bonding
Motivating teams doesn’t always require big budgets. When Vesta’s Oklahoma City branch surpassed 700 Google reviews, Sydney promised that anyone mentioned in a five-star review could pie the manager of their choice in the face. The result? A surge in reviews and a memorable team-building event that cost just $35 in supplies.
Other creative incentives have included standup comedy nights and even the prospect of skydiving as a leadership bonding experience (though Sydney has drawn the line at that one—for now).
Recommended Reading for Leaders
Sydney’s top three books for leadership and business growth are:
- The Responsibility Process by Christopher Avery – A guide to personal and organizational responsibility.
- Crucial Conversations – Essential for improving communication, both at work and at home.
- Anything by Patrick Lencioni – Especially “The Working Genius,” “The Ideal Team Player,” and “Five Dysfunctions of a Team,” all of which have shaped Vesta’s approach to teamwork and leadership.
These resources have not only improved business outcomes but have also strengthened the Blakes’ marriage and family life.
Key Takeaways for Family Businesses and Leaders
1. Set Clear Boundaries
Establish rules for when and how work is discussed at home. Present a united front to your team, and prioritize family time as fiercely as you do business growth.
2. Leverage Each Other’s Strengths
Use tools like personality assessments and love language tests to understand and appreciate differences. Assign roles and responsibilities based on strengths, not tradition or assumption.
3. Embrace Healthy Conflict
Create a culture where difficult conversations are welcomed, not avoided. Address issues directly, and encourage team members to hold each other accountable.
4. Foster Responsibility
Move beyond blame and justification. Encourage everyone—from leadership to the front line—to own problems and focus on solutions.
5. Invest in Continuous Development
Provide regular training, growth opportunities, and open communication about career paths. Watch for signs of burnout and intervene early.
6. Innovate in Customer Experience
Adopt creative strategies like mystery shopper programs to gain honest feedback and improve service. Stay connected to the customer journey at every level.
7. Motivate with Meaning
Find incentives that resonate with your team’s culture—sometimes a pie in the face is more motivating than a cash bonus. Celebrate wins in ways that build camaraderie and fun.
Final Thoughts: Building a Legacy Together
The journey of Will and Sydney Blake is a testament to the power of partnership in business, marriage, and leadership. Their willingness to learn, adapt, and grow together has not only built a successful company but also a resilient family.
For anyone working with a spouse, leading a team, or striving to create a people-first organization, their story offers both inspiration and practical guidance. Success, they remind us, is not about avoiding mistakes or conflict, but about facing them head-on, learning together, and never losing sight of what matters most.
As you build your own business, whether with family or not remember: boundaries, communication, responsibility, and a little bit of fun can go a long way. Cheers to your success!
