Subject Line: The Story Behind Golden Eagle Home Solutions
Preview Text: Shrimp, true love, and an ambulance trip to the ER

Body:

Hi Andy,

In 2005, I was 25 years old and working for a top home builder in Charleston, South Carolina.

My uncle and mentor, Big Steve, had passed away unexpectedly two years before. With him gone, I wasn’t sure
what to do.

A buddy of mine called to check in on me a lot during this time. He had moved to Charleston and said the building industry was booming.

Come down, he said. This is where the money’s at.

He wasn’t wrong.

I went down to Charleston and quickly found myself in a leadership position under one of the area’s most well-known builders.

There were a lot of good times. Epic fishing trips and beach days.

Still, I felt… aimless.

I was managing and working on a lot of big, “important” commercial projects. We still took on residential work, but my boss didn’t prioritize those (“small potatoes”).

He was all about sales and had started taking on more than he could handle, refusing to scale his systems or hire the help we needed.

I thought of Big Steve and the “small potato” projects we’d done together.

Big Steve approached every one with an earnestness, an excitement: what’s the best way to do this?

I thought of the pride on Big Steve’s face (I’m sure it was on mine, too) when we finished the new sunroom on my parents’ house. The moment my mom walked in and saw it – the room she had always dreamed of.

None of that magic was happening under my new boss.

I saw homeowners get ignored. I saw subcontractors being quickly or cheaply hired and not showing up or getting the work done right.

My friends and family were in shock when I told them I was quitting my high-paying job.

I dipped into the small savings I had built and made a few flyers. Back to basics: home repairs, renovation projects, working on a few bigger crews.

A friend of mine, a house flipper, called me and tried to talk me into investing in a property with him. I told him I’d think about it.

Then came the night that changed everything.

There’s a landmark restaurant in Charleston’s historic district called Poogan’s Porch. It’s classic low-country fare: Sasparilla barbeque short ribs, bone-in fried chicken, and “award-winning” shrimp and grits.

I ended up there one night with the House Flipper, waiting at the bar where his new girlfriend was going to meet us. She was bringing her cousin.

Rachel.

From the moment she walked in, it was like my world shifted. The lighting seemed to change, and the noise of the restaurant disappeared.

She was a teacher from California. The connection was instant.

The night went on and we were sharing stories and laughs and even our meals. She ate a few of my Hush Puppies and I tried her shrimp and grits.

She couldn’t believe I had never tried shrimp before. (I’m more of a burger guy.)

Then, it was like the lighting in the place really seemed to change. Almost like it was burning my skin.

“You’re getting kind of red,” Rachel said, concerned.

I had just met the woman of my dreams. This is NOT how things were supposed to go.

“I’m fine.” I wasn’t.

Turns out I’m allergic to shrimp.

A server nearby saw the little scene and yelled for someone to call 911. Before long I was in the ER at the USC Medical Center Hospital, with Rachel and my friends by my side.

It was dramatic. It was embarrassing.

It was the best night of my life.

Rachel headed home the next day. Two weeks later I was on a plane to Redding, California.

Sitting at Shasta Lake days later and taking it all in – the clear blue skies, the gorgeous pines, the perfect sound of Rachel’s laughter – I realized I couldn’t imagine leaving.

I thought about those days working with Big Steve. Projects that were hard but honest and meaningful.

I could run a business like Big Steve did, here.

I kid you not, just as the thought crossed my mind, a giant golden eagle soared by. I had never seen anything like it.

A sign from Big Steve? I like to think so.

House Flipper called me as I was driving back. He had found the perfect multi-family.

I had to stop and think about what he was even talking about. Oh yeah, that.

“I’m really sorry, man. But I’m not doing the house flipping thing.”

Driving down the 5, with Rachel and her playlist, I knew I had found something more important than an investment opportunity. I had found home.

I came back with everything I owned and an engagement ring in my pocket.

Soon there was a flyer up in every grocery store, coffee shop, and gym in the North State:

Golden Eagle Home Solutions: We Do Things the Right Way.

20 years later, it’s still true. I’ve had the chance to grow this business exponentially, mostly through word of mouth and a reputation for excellence.

Every day, I work with homeowners to create homes that they love. I’m able to act as a mentor to the best and brightest in the field, leading a team that impresses me daily with their dedication and skill.

And I get to do it here, in the stunning North State, with my family by my side.

It’s the honor of a lifetime.

With Gratitude,
Rick

P.S. Thanks again for being here and for reading. I know that was a lot. But stay tuned for my next “non-regular” email. I promise it’s shorter – we’ll talk about why some home projects go wrong (and more importantly, how to avoid that).