BucketTalk Ep 18 | Garrett Davis

Garrett Davis

@thelifeofbub
PLAY NOW

OVERVIEW:

From building houses to building his own business, Garrett Davis a.k.a. Bub is living the dream. Garrett is the owner and founder of G.W. Davis Company based in Central Maine. Through his 16 years in the carpentry world, he has endured the ups and downs of overcoming a turbulent battle with alcoholism and substance abuse. Now in his mid-thirties, Garrett is four years sober and business is booming for his company. Listen in as Jeremy and Eric sit down with Bub to discuss his early career, building houses in New England, addiction, tool belts, and many other topics in this very special episode of Bucket Talk.

View the transcript

ABOUT Garrett

Starting in frame work after high school, Garrett learned early on that he enjoyed building things from scratch. Coming from a family of college-educated businessmen and women, he took his own path building houses after deciding that college was not for him. Instead, Garrett started building houses with his uncle for most of his early adulthood.

“I was just the guy getting everybody everything except I always wanted to understand what I was handing them.. I knew like if I was going to make a living doing this I wanted to excel I wanted to be better I wanted to have a skill set”

On the jobsite, he mostly helped with simple tasks by assisting the other workers before moving into finish work. What set Garrett apart from others was his fascination with the process of building a house. Instead of just working for the sake of paying bills, he wanted to understand the bigger picture.

“I feel like a lot of younger kids nowadays do not have that mindset, they're just ready to make a paycheck and they don't give a shit what they're handing, they just want to get through the day and that was not me.”

As Garretts career progressed, he began doing jobs that required more detail such as baseboards and door trim, then eventually kitchen, bathroom, and deck renovations. After a falling out with his Uncle, he moved on to working for a company in Portland, ME along with various jobs in between. These experiences laid the foundation for his future work (and eventually, his future home).

“I really, I really enjoy doing everything from the ground up. Like I love seeing a pile of dirt turn into a foundation, I love seeing a foundation turned into a house, and I just love finishing it”

After working through several jobs, Garrett eventually decided to start his own business and build houses on his own at age 26. Among some of the reasons influencing this decision, he often struggled keeping jobs due to his lifestyle and wanted to work for himself.

“And maybe I'd show up on Monday, maybe I wouldn't and then finally do that (until) like 26… I was really quick to make decisions when I was not sober and I was like you know what I'm done making people money I'm gonna start my own business. And you know I had like no work lined up and barely had any tools… and I just dove into it man”

Garrett struggled with alcoholism and substance abuse for a majority of his career until deciding to become sober in his 30s. Starting work early on in an environment that enabled this lifestyle created an ongoing conflict in between his habits and work life. 

“I didn't realize how much this stuff was affecting my mindset.. until I cleared up my mind and I got sober.. I literally I'm living proof of what sobriety can do for someone.. I wouldn't be standing on my front porch on the house that I built talking to you guys right now, if I wasn't sober.”

In his 30’s, Garrett is learning to channel his energy into being a workaholic and continue building his business. Recently, his company landed a contract to build a custom home. From partying hard and working job to job, to being sober and working for himself, Garrett has built his way to the top from the ground up.

Visit Garrett's social links

NEVER MISS AN EPISODE