Alan Melton: Most business owners think the trap is about working too hard. It’s not. The trap is about building a business that can’t run without you, and not realizing it until it is costing you your freedom, your family, your time, and your future. I’m Alan Melton, founder of Small Business Coach Associates, and for the past 24 years, I’ve helped more than 1,100 business owners crawl out of that trap. This is Beyond the Owner’s Trap: real stories, real frameworks, and real freedom. Let’s get into it.
Alan Melton: My guest today started a remodeling company in 1990 in the basement of his home, after building his own house so well that neighbors started asking for help. Thirty-six years later, Dennis Gehman is the founder and president of Gehman Design Remodeling in Harleysville, Pennsylvania—a 21-person design-build firm operated out of a renovated 19th-century barn, serving homeowners across southeastern Pennsylvania with custom kitchens, baths, and room additions.
Alan Melton: Dennis has been named National Contractor of the Year by the National Association of the Remodeling Industry, not once but twice. He is a Master Certified Remodeler, a Master Certified Kitchen and Bath Remodeler, and leads a firm with more NARI-certified lead carpenters than any other company in southeastern Pennsylvania. His sons, Elijah and Aaron, now work in the business. The legacy is being built in real time. Dennis, welcome to Beyond the Owner’s Trap.
Dennis Gehman: Thank you, Alan. I’m looking forward to our conversation.
Alan Melton: You started Gehman Design Remodeling in 1990 in a basement office, and building your own home sparked neighbor requests. Walk me through those first years. Most people don’t turn a side project into a 36-year, national award-winning business. What did you think running a remodeling company would look like, and what did it actually look like?
Dennis Gehman: I remember hoping that at some point I’d have maybe a handful to eight employees and a few different projects going. I was 33. I really enjoyed working on projects as a tradesperson and wasn’t thinking about giving that up. I knew there would be office work, but for the first few years I worked full-time as a carpenter, then did bookkeeping, estimating, and sales in the evenings and on Saturdays. That got old. I realized I had to decide: did I want to be a tradesman, or did I want to be a businessman?
Dennis Gehman: Roughly two years in, I made that decision. I owe a lot of that inspiration and learning to NARI, the National Association of the Remodeling Industry. Just this morning I had breakfast with a friend who started his company about five years ago, soon after COVID. He’s wearing multiple hats and looking for direction. He’s taking NARI’s Certified Remodeler course. He thought it would be about carpentry. There’s a little of that, but it’s more the business side: P&L, balance sheet, setting a budget. Other than computer technology, those numbers haven’t changed. Business owners need to understand them. I don’t even know if I knew those words when I started.
Alan Melton: Your faith is clearly central to how you lead, as is mine. How has that shaped Gehman Design over 36 years? Has it ever cost you, and was the cost worth it?
Dennis Gehman: The cost was worth it. I’m not sure it has cost me in ways I’m aware of. I’m pretty open with it. I always have a Scripture verse in my email signature. A new homeowner relationship typically starts with a phone conversation. Hopefully my faith comes through not in bold ways, but in gentleness and concern for them, not just for myself. If we set an initial appointment, they get a calendar invite and see that signature. I haven’t had too many cancel at that point. There may be people who decide they don’t want to work with this Christian guy and bow out. I just probably don’t know the reason.
Dennis Gehman: I was raised in a Christian home. I accepted Christ as my Savior at 12. My goal was always to put God first. When my wife Glenda and I decided to start the business, we prayed about it and sought counsel from mentors, several of whom were Christian business owners. We had a conscious time of prayer and dedicated this business to God. I told my friend this morning: this is God’s business. He’s asked me to be a steward of it. Even if nobody else cares what’s going on, God does. I always want to do it for His honor and glory. If it passes God’s test, most people will be okay too.
Alan Melton: There’s a lot of wisdom in that. His strength is made perfect in our weakness.
Dennis Gehman: That’s right.
Alan Melton: For listeners, if you hear any hammering, that wasn’t planned. We have roofers on our roof right now. It’s actually perfect for this conversation, since Dennis is a remodeler. Running a design-build business for 36 years, you’ve been inside clients’ homes during some of the most stressful moments of their lives. Has that cost you personally? What’s been a hard point with a stressed customer whose patience is wearing thin?
Dennis Gehman: I’ve had some sleepless nights. Very few were customer-related. Typically they were more employee-related: needing a hard conversation. Sometimes it has been with a customer as well. With employees, if someone isn’t meeting expectations, I talk with them along the way. Hopefully they agree to work harder. If it continues, I have the goodbye conversation. I don’t take that lightly. They typically have a family, a mortgage, or rent to pay. I can honestly say every firing conversation didn’t come as a surprise. They had plenty of chances.
Dennis Gehman: A number of people have come back later and thanked me. It was a wake-up call. Some left construction. I’ve heard it said that when you fire someone, you’re freeing up their future. Most of the time they aren’t very happy, because if they aren’t getting attaboys from their supervisor, the work probably isn’t rewarding. Hopefully they find something they can feel good about.
Alan Melton: “When you fire somebody, you’re freeing up their future.” That’s powerful.
Alan Melton: You keep trades in-house rather than subcontracting. That’s a harder way to go. Why do you do it, and what has it meant for clients and the team?
Dennis Gehman: Initially we did it because I’m Dennis the carpenter. Along the way I learned electrical, plumbing, and tile. If I could learn it, I assumed other people could too. Not everybody wants to. They’d rather specialize. In remodeling, 98 percent of the time homeowners are living there while we work. People need good trade skills and good people skills. We commit that when we start a project, we are there each workday, start to finish. We assign a project manager. Most remodeling businesses would call that a lead carpenter. They are a working tradesperson with tools on. Sometimes it’s a small bathroom and they’re the only one there. More commonly one or two others work with them. That project manager is key to a smooth project.
Dennis Gehman: The client experience is what helps us stand out. You can have good craftsmanship but a poor experience, and they won’t call you for the next project. Our project managers are the main reason we have repeat and referral business. People call back years later and ask by name if that project manager can come. Thankfully we have enough longevity that we can often say yes. Sometimes we have to tell them they’ll wait in line.
Dennis Gehman: We’re doing a project right now where a tree fell on a roof. We didn’t have the bandwidth, and we hadn’t worked for that homeowner before. I told him the only way we could get it done quickly was with subcontractors, with us overseeing the work. He was fine with that. Yesterday they opened a section of roof. They worked a long day. About 6:30 last night the homeowner called. They had tarped it with the same tarps that had been on the ground with trash—nail holes and tears. I had to call them back to put on a new tarp. I’m confident that would never have happened with our own employees. Maybe I’m a control freak, but I have better control with employees than with subcontractors.
Alan Melton: Looking at 36 years, was there a moment that made you question whether you were on the right path? What’s the hardest thing you’ve been through as a business owner?
Dennis Gehman: Not too many times did I question if I was on the right path. I questioned more what I had to learn so it would go smoother, so I didn’t have to work quite so hard, and so we could provide a better experience for customers and the team. The hardest time was the Great Recession, the end of 2008 into 2010. In 2006 we decided to invest in a kitchen and bath showroom. We borrowed a quarter million dollars, which we had the cash flow to pay back. Once the recession came, we struggled to make those payments. We even had a realtor see if there was interest in buying our property, the barn we’ve renovated.
Dennis Gehman: We made it through. In the long run the showroom has paid off. It has increased the sale price of many projects because people see upgrade options and sell themselves. Thanks be to God, we are debt-free now and have money in the bank for reserves. The lesson I learned is cash is king. You can be profitable, but if you aren’t wise with money, there’s always another bill. You can’t rob Peter to pay Paul.
Alan Melton: When you received that first award, what went through your mind?
Dennis Gehman: I was honored and very thankful for our team. Without other professionals, it wouldn’t have happened if it was just me. We’ve received an industry award of some kind every year since 1995. Some are local; a few times we’ve won national awards. We continue to enter. Maybe it’s my ego, but the kudos our team members feel matter. NARI judging is peer review and blind. They don’t know it’s a Gehman project or even that it’s from Pennsylvania. Kitchen projects in a similar price range are compared together. When the award comes, people who know the industry recognize the design skill and craftsmanship.
Dennis Gehman: Homeowners appreciate it. One of the biggest compliments is when a property we’ve worked on is for sale and the realtor’s description says it was a new kitchen by Gehman Design Remodeling. That’s free marketing. NARI requires the property owner’s signature to enter a project. Not everybody wants that. We also get calls from people who say they’ve been seeing our projects and awards. One lady said she wanted her master bathroom to get on the front cover of a magazine. We said, we’ll work with you to make that happen.
Alan Melton: You’ve created systems so you can deliver consistent service. Where is the business still most dependent on you?
Dennis Gehman: Probably the handoff from sales and design to production. We have good people on each side, but we haven’t found a replacement for that transition. Our two sons have both done that task capably, but neither is really interested. There are so many balls in the air. That’s one of the reasons I’m still working at 69. The biggest reason is I enjoy it. I do have freedom. I’m usually in the office four days a week, some weeks three. If my wife and I want to go out for lunch, we take two hours. I want to keep her as my bride. We’re at 48 years, so I’m grateful for that.
Alan Melton: What does it feel like to watch the next generation carry something you built, and what are you doing to prepare them to lead it?
Dennis Gehman: It feels good. They’ve worked for us 22, 24 years, something like that. Both started as tradesmen. In many ways they’re probably better tradesmen than I ever was. We pushed back on our children working in the business. We have four children, all within five years of age. We called a family meeting and told them that whenever their formal education was done, they would have to go work somewhere else for at least a year before they could apply to work for us. I’m glad we did that. Our children have all told us it was a good idea.
Dennis Gehman: Three of them came back full-time for a period. One son had worked in the trades for another contractor; the other did something not trade-related. Our daughter is a CPA. She did that for about seven years, then came on as our CFO for a few years when they started having children. Now she’s a homeschool mom with five boys of her own.
Dennis Gehman: Our sons have different ideas about how they want to do things. This has been about an eight-year conversation. COVID slowed things down. This year remodeling has slowed across the board, and we felt a significant slowdown. In April or so, our oldest son, who has two young girls, asked what we’d think if he took off the summer to stay home with the girls rather than paying daycare. We agreed. Now that he’s back, the understanding is that our sons are really going to take the lead. I want to be here to support them. A salesperson moved on, and our oldest son had been in that role, so I put the sales hat on again. If there’s one thing I can do that’s the most fun, it’s that. I’m enjoying it and being successful at it. I very much want to let them make the decisions. My tongue might be getting a little sore because I’m learning to bite it.
Alan Melton: After 36 years, what are you still holding onto that, if you’re honest, you need to let go of?
Dennis Gehman: I really do desire to let go of the transition between sales and production. I also respect that neither of our sons wants to do it. Since COVID we’ve had four people take a hand at that role. None of them worked out. The last one moved on about a year ago. We saw things slowing down, so we took our time. We’ve revamped the job description with our team on both the design side and production. When a project takes longer, it messes up a whole bunch of other stuff. If selections aren’t all made, the project manager can’t keep going. Hopefully within another month we can diligently search for the right person so I can step away.
Dennis Gehman: My wife and I purchased a motorhome. We’re hopeful this winter we can spend four weeks down south where it’s warm. I think that will be good for the business. We have one team member at 32 years with us. They get along with and respect our sons, but they’re used to coming to Dennis. Most of the questions are easy for me to answer. I need to learn to say, “Did you talk with Aaron about that?” before I just give an answer. It will be better if I’m not here for a period of time so they can get comfortable talking with Elijah and Aaron.
Alan Melton: I’m working with a couple of young remodelers in Louisville who were working 100 hours a week when we started. They pulled out of the business for about a month as a trial. Now they’re a hybrid—some days in the business, some days available virtually. That’s been a game changer. I think you’ll see fruit from that decision.
Alan Melton: What do you want the name Gehman to mean, not just in Harleysville, but in 30 years?
Dennis Gehman: Hopefully it will continue to mean integrity, honesty, trustworthy—doing good quality work, treating people right: clients, team members, vendors, and trade contractors. When Gehman says something, they’re going to follow through, even if it isn’t written into the contract. These days we try to have everything documented. People who have worked with us know we’re Christians, and that’s where our values come from. I’m hoping that continues. It’s not a requirement that everybody on the team have the same faith. We ask them to respect it as I do with them. From 1995, we’re at 31 years of winning an award of some kind. We don’t want to lose that. We want 60 years. It takes work, but it’s worth it for the camaraderie of the team, and it doesn’t hurt on the marketing and public-relations side.
Alan Melton: This is the stage check. We look at the Seven Stages to Business Freedom. Stage 1 is startup, the dream. Stage 2 is chaos, doing everything. Stage 3 is break-even, hitting the wall. Stage 4 is burnout, ready to quit. Stage 5 is profitability, systems working. Stage 6 is success, leaders leading. Stage 7 is freedom: start another business, replicate, or exit on your own terms.
Alan Melton: What you’ve built over 36 years is one of the most complete stories of craftsmanship and character I’ve encountered. Certified professionals, a project manager system, in-house trades, two National Contractor of the Year awards, and some type of award every single year—that’s one of the characteristics of Stage 6. Given where you are with your sons, still with a few more things to delegate, I would put you in Stage 6. Stage 7 would be the ability to work or not work every day without being required for sales or anything else in the business. How do you feel about that?
Dennis Gehman: I think it probably is. Unfortunately there’s probably still some Stage 5, so I’m probably in between those two. I’m certainly not to Stage 7. I was never super interested in owning a business where I didn’t have to be involved. There’s that adage that if you have work you really like, you never have to work a day in your life. I’ve been pretty close to that. I enjoy what I do, especially the people interaction. I get energy from that. I’m not looking to retire and sit home and be a hermit. That sounds awful. Maybe sit a bit more—I’d be okay with that.
Alan Melton: I’m with you. I plan to work until I fall over. There’s no reason you can’t have your cake and eat it too. If you heard yourself in Dennis’s story—the long years, the hard seasons, the craft that became a company, and the family that’s now part of it—that’s not coincidence. The Owner’s Trap finds everyone who builds something real. The way out is one honest decision at a time. If you’re ready, go to smallbusinesscoach.org. It takes about 60 seconds to book a strategy session.
Alan Melton: Dennis, this has been one of the most grounded conversations I’ve had on this show—not because of the awards, though two National Contractor of the Year awards are extraordinary, but because of what’s underneath them: a faith that’s guided every hard decision, a team of craftspeople who care the way you do, and two sons who came to be part of what you built. You started in the basement in 1990 with the belief that craftsmanship and character could build a business worth trusting. Thirty-six years later, they did. Where can people find Gehman Design Remodeling online?
Dennis Gehman: Our website is gehmanremodeling.com. We’re on Facebook and LinkedIn. You’ll certainly find me there. The business hasn’t done a whole lot on LinkedIn, and we’re just venturing into Instagram. People are welcome to reach out directly. My cell is 267-718-4697, and my email is dennis@gehmanremodeling.com. I enjoy talking with people. One of the side benefits of NARI involvement is remodeling friends in many states. Pick up the phone or shoot me an email. I’d be glad to have a conversation.
Alan Melton: Go support Gehman Design Remodeling. All the links will be in the show notes. Before we close, I want to speak to anyone who runs a trades business—remodeling, construction, or any craft-based service. Dennis’s story is your story: the long years, the clients who trust you personally, the team that reflects your values, and the quiet question of what happens when you’re not there. You don’t have to have it all figured out to take the next step. You just have to be honest about where the gaps are, as Dennis was today.
Alan Melton: If this episode resonated with you: one, share it with other trades owners who have been doing it the right way for a long time and wonder if that’s enough. Dennis’s answer is yes. Two, if you’re ready to find your way out of the Owner’s Trap, go to smallbusinesscoach.org and book a free strategy session. Three, subscribe wherever you listen and leave a review. It helps more business owners find this show. I’m Alan Melton. This is Beyond the Owner’s Trap. We’ll see you next time.
