15 Years, 15 Lessons: Reflecting on MCA’s Journey

As Metro Consulting Associates (MCA) celebrates its 15-year milestone, Brad E.G. Oliver, PS, and Damon L. Garrett, PE, reflect on their momentous journey starting with the company’s founding in 2009. Brad, the founder of MCA and now Director of Land Surveying, and Damon, the first engineer hired and now President, have molded MCA into what it is today.

From pitching the business idea to MCA’s business partner, Corby Energy Services, to expanding and growing the company to over 75 employees, the duo has overcome challenges, made tremendous sacrifices, and experienced remarkable personal and professional growth. Ranging from leadership to team building and interpersonal skills development, Brad and Damon offer 15 lessons they’ve learned over the past 15 years from building a company from the ground up in the AEC industry.

Lesson 1: Live in the now, but plan for the future.

Brad: When we first started MCA, it was a lot of short-term thinking. We were chasing every little job, and we weren’t looking a year out, let alone 15 years out. It was “I need a job for tomorrow. I need a job for two weeks from now.” At the time, I wasn’t thinking about long-term goals or the big picture.

Damon: About 10 years later, we started the strategic planning that should have happened years ago. That delay set us behind. We were busy working on projects however, developing a strategy, vision, and plan was not part of our immediate focus. Looking back, I would’ve tried to do both. To live in the now but plan for the future. Now I understand the need for strategic planning and succession planning, and it’s about setting the stage for the next generation who are 10 or 20 years behind us. We need to do that planning and ensure someone is prepared to carry the torch for MCA.

Lesson 2: Set the tone and the culture early.

Damon: Part of planning for the future is setting the culture or the tone of the business. When we started MCA, we were thinking about people we knew and assembling skill sets. We weren’t focused on hiring for the long haul, growth-opportunity, team dynamics, or what we wanted the “MCA experience” to be. Establishing a culture forces you to focus on building your team carefully, not only for immediate needs but for the future state.

For example, when I came to MCA, I was well-versed in managing client relationships—managing conversations and expectations beyond the technical aspects of a project. Some people don’t even interact with clients for 15 years into their careers. When starting a company, or building a new division or team, you need to make sure both skill sets are available.

Brad: When trying to grow the team, I’ve found people who appear strong on paper, technically speaking. However, when interviewed, it became apparent they might not positively contribute to our team culture. You need to think about the long-term effects of culture and team dynamics and ensure they align with where you want to go.

Lesson 3: Formal training matters. Invest in your people.

Damon: I think training is a lot different now from what it was. The company where Brad and I met in the early 2000s trained a lot of their younger professionals to grow into managers at a very young age. They had the time and resources to develop and invest in you. I kind of took that for granted; I realize now that not many people have had that same opportunity.

Brad: I feel fortunate to have had that training, as Damon said. Although it has been a huge learning curve running a company, I feel fortunate to have had some training on the project management level that provided a foundation for what I’ve learned over the past 15 years. Other than that project management training and experience, I’ve had to learn everything else on the fly.

Lesson 4: Lead with empathy and accountability.

Damon: A lot of what I do now, as President, is people management, internally and externally. If you’re interested in leadership, managing and collaborating with empathy are the most valuable skills to have in your arsenal. People are our biggest asset, and they can also be our biggest challenge.

Brad: Trying to learn how to read people is challenging. In college, you learn all the math, science, and technical skills you need to know, but they don’t teach you how to deal with people. As managers, that is one of our most important jobs.

Lesson 5: Accept who you are, but flex based on your environment.

Damon: One thing I’ve learned throughout these past 15 years is to accept who I am. Not that I didn’t previously, but I’ve learned how I thrive in chaos. I like challenges, and I like to be on the move. Knowing that about myself, I learned to ask, “Does everyone like that chaos?” Everyone doesn’t move at the same pace, and I need to make sure the pace of my expectations is aligned with what is “realistic” for what I am trying to accomplish.

Brad: Accept who you are, but flex your style. Realize who you are, but find a way to interact with different people. As you grow a business, you start adding people who think and do things differently than you do. That is all good, but you have to understand who you are and how that aligns with your team to be successful together.

Lesson 6: Be willing to go outside your comfort zone to grow and evolve.

Brad: You find a lot of 20, 30, 40, and 50-year-old firms that stick to what they’ve always done, never evolving with the dynamic shifts in their industry. That has never been the case with MCA. We’re notorious for venturing outside our comfort zone to develop new opportunities based on client needs, market trends, and for the good of the company and staff.

A great example is our Renewable Energy division. Back in 2010, we bid on our first wind farm project, recognizing a promising opportunity, and just went after it! Now look at our Renewable portfolio. While risky, the move was a huge success. You have to be proactive in pursuing the next “big thing” in your industry.

Lesson 7: Success in a changing environment demands adaptability.

Damon: To thrive and succeed within a company over time, both individuals and the company itself must evolve and embrace different iterations of themselves. In other words, you need to adapt to the current environment to achieve sustained success.

The MCA from 15 years ago is not the same company today. As the company evolves and grows, the staff must grow and change with it. And if one can’t keep up with the other, that’s when it becomes extremely challenging.

Lesson 8: Client needs and expectations evolve over time.

Brad: Initially, I thought of it as frustrating – working with clients with less experience than I’m used to. But I quickly found that the new leaders stepping into client roles provide an opportunity to optimize our work-life balance that the next generation values. They’re okay with getting projects or information delivered next week, whereas I’ve been conditioned to get it done within the hour. The overall shift in urgency enables MCA to capitalize on more relaxed expectations with our own staff.

Lesson 9: Mentor younger generations, just as others did for you.

Brad: With the changing of the guard, you quickly recognize when your client lead is new to their role or may not have a ton of experience—just like when I was their age. Our job is to support them and ultimately help them identify what they need to run their project smoothly.

Damon: Someone told me this years ago, “Support those new project managers. They may be your clients, but they recognize your gray hair and seasoned experience as a chance for real mentorship and often reciprocate with more work.” It’s easy to work with someone you value and trust. So, instead of getting frustrated by their lack of experience, coach them up and pay it forward!

Brad: I will add that with hybrid work environments, you have to take a different approach to mentoring remote team members. But it’s today’s reality, so we have to embrace it.

Lesson 10: Tech advances and new generations have changed the workplace.

Damon: One of the most significant workforce transformations is the adoption of hybrid work models. Nobody was talking about remote work in 2009 or even pre-pandemic. Now, you see a lot more remote work, hybrid work, and flexible schedules. Previously, it was all about bringing your hard hat every day and going to battle.

Brad: The COVID lockdown really accelerated inevitable changes. Technology has advanced so much that remote work was going to happen—it was just a matter of when. At the end of the day, younger generations are very comfortable leveraging technology to communicate, collaborate, and complete tasks remotely. I’ve come to the realization—maybe kicking and screaming—that to resist this shift is a losing battle. It’s time to learn how it can benefit everyone.

Damon: Another change is the engineers entering the industry today value work-life balance much more. We came from a company that had a “work hard, play hard” mentality that would not fly today. People want more balance between work and personal time. It’s becoming the norm to ask if they want more work and if they can put in extra hours.

Lesson 11: You can’t please everybody.

Damon: When I assumed leadership of the company in 2019, I thought it was more important to make everybody happy instead of focusing on decisions that were in the best interest of the company and its employees. As President, my job is to lead MCA for eventual hand-off to the next generation. And that includes making hard decisions that may displease a few. You can’t please everybody; it’s impossible, and you’ll run yourself into the ground if you try.

Lesson 12: Embrace an entrepreneurial environment for opportunity and growth.

Damon: The two main reasons I’ve stayed with MCA for so long is that there is never a shortage of opportunities or challenges to address. I’ve always had the opportunity to grow personally, professionally, and financially. Every year presents something new.

Going back to setting the tone and culture of the organization, it’s vital to offer opportunities and challenges to keep your teams engaged and motivated. At MCA, our environment fosters support for change initiatives—our culture encourages staff to seek out and receive the necessary backing to implement ideas and changes effectively.

Lesson 13: Be patient and look at the bigger picture.

Damon: The advice I wish I could give my younger self is, “Be patient.”

Brad: I agree. I wish someone had told me to “Be patient and don’t get swept away by the extreme highs or lows.” For example, the period during COVID was rough, but before that we had 10 really great years. Stay focused, practice patience, and weather the storm because brighter days are around the corner.

Damon: Like Brad said, there’s going to be ups and downs, but look at the bigger picture. When you run into some adversity the first few times, you think it’s the worst thing in the world. Until you hit the next five challenges that are even bigger. Your view shifts, “Okay, I made it over that hurdle; gained some perspective. Let’s assess the situation and come up with a plan moving forward.”

Lesson 14: The grass is green where you water it.

Damon: Starting and growing a company to MCA’s size isn’t common. Along the way, many threw in the towel and quit. I’d rather be in control of my own story—if I didn’t like the last couple of chapters, I should write some better ones.

Brad: I always think, “Why can’t we do that here? Why can’t WE make it, change it, or fix it? Why is it going to be better somewhere else?” The entrepreneurial spirit at MCA empowers us to really consider new opportunities beyond our fears or limitations. And that comes from our parent company Corby Energy Services.

Lesson 15: First, you must believe you can do anything.

Damon: Over the past 15 years, I’ve learned to trust and believe in myself. I’ve conquered many challenges, and with each win, I found myself believing in MCA and myself more and more. We can say we’re going after the next big thing and do it, successfully. This sounds so cheesy, but my dad always said, “You should believe you can do anything. And if you put your mind and your heart to it, there’s nothing you can’t do.” It’s cliche, but I believe it based on my experiences.

With one in five small businesses failing within the first year and the 2008 economic recession looming large, the odds of a new business launching and thriving are exceedingly slim. MCA likes going against the odds—15 years later, the firm’s success is attributed to the passion of the team and the support from Corby Energy Services.

Thank you for the support, guidance, and constant challenge to do more.

Damon: Thank you. We had no idea what we were getting into, and Corby took a chance on a group of individuals. They believed in the idea, the people, and I don’t even know if we believed in it at the time. The ability to carve our own path has always been present and will remain so.

Brad: It’s been a remarkable ride. I don’t know many people who would have invested in a new startup during the financial crisis of 2008/2009. But Corby took a chance on us, and I’m grateful for the opportunity.