I grew up in a hard-working construction family. My family was involved with the renovation of Kansas City, MO, in the 1960s. They secured the contract for the excavation to renovate the Blue Ridge Mall, which was the first mall in the United States to be enclosed with a roof. Additionally, they did the excavation for Hallmark Card’s Crown Center. By the time I was sixteen years old I was figuring long rows of ledger numbers by hand, as it was before calculators came into use, and I called in bids for large projects in downtown Kansas City, MO.

These formative years not only provided me with practical skills but also a deep understanding of the construction industry's inner workings. Witnessing firsthand the complexities and challenges of large-scale projects, I developed a keen eye for detail and an ability to anticipate and solve problems efficiently. This foundation was crucial as I embarked on my own career in construction, eventually finding my niche in creating beautiful and functional aquatic spaces has inspired my entrepreneurial ventures.