The Construction Veteran Podcast
Welcome to the Construction Veteran Podcast. This is a podcast connecting and celebrating veterans in construction, those who have the desire to be in the industry, and those who support them to create the built environment.
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The Construction Veteran Podcast
From Rotor Blades to Roof Lines
What happens when a Night Stalker trades flight ops for flat roofs—and still refuses to miss the mission? We sit down with Dylan Kirkpatrick, a former 160th SOAR crew chief, who rebuilt his sense of purpose by owning the full stack of commercial roofing: business development, estimating, and project management in the booming Dallas–Fort Worth market.
Dylan walks us through the habits forged in special operations—meticulous planning, relentless tempo, and uncompromising integrity—and how they transfer directly to high-stakes construction. He unpacks the steep learning curve of product mastery, from manufacturer systems to screw counts that make or break million-dollar proposals, and explains why a partnership mindset earns trust when roofers are first to be blamed for leaks. Along the way, we talk frankly about identity after service, survivor’s guilt, and the ongoing toll of suicide in both veteran and construction communities, grounding big goals with family support and everyday routines that keep him steady.
If you’re curious how to build a book of business from zero, get onto GC bid lists, or diversify into building owners and property management groups, Dylan shares concrete steps and targets—like crossing $1.1M in awarded revenue within months and pushing for $1.5M by year’s end. We also explore the wider DFW landscape—data centers, healthcare, K–12, and high-end interiors—and why now is a prime window for veterans and career changers to enter trades like roofing, HVAC, electrical, or GC operations with tools such as SkillBridge.
Subscribe for more real-world playbooks from veterans thriving in construction. If Dylan’s journey helped you, share this episode with a teammate, leave a review, and tell us what mission you’re chasing next.
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If you're a military veteran in the construction industry, or you're in the construction industry and support our military vets, and you'd like to be a guest on the podcast you can find me at constructionvetpodcast@gmail.com , or send me a message on LinkedIn. You can find me there at Scott Friend. Let's share the stories and motivate others!
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Hey Dylan, how's it going, man?
SPEAKER_01:It's going good, Scott. How are you, sir?
SPEAKER_02:I'm good, man. I appreciate it. Uh, I'm really excited about this Dylan. So Dylan's a U.S. Army vet who served in the 160th Special Operations Aviation Aviation Regiment. We'll get into a little bit about that, but it's basically like the most elite aviation unit in the world, in my opinion, um, and many others. But he recently, after separating last year, correct, from the service, um recently got into business development and estimating for TXD commercial, which is a commercial and multifamily roofing company. So uh I'm excited to dig into it, man. I appreciate it.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, absolutely. I appreciate the intro. I'm glad to be here.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah. So uh let's start kind of with your origin story with your roots. So, where did you grow up and what influenced your decision to join the army?
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, so uh like you said, Dylan Kirkpatrick. So I grew up here in uh DFW, so more specifically, Great Vine, Texas. Uh grew up here, um had an awesome childhood, uh, ended up wanting to join the military just through uh you know having, I feel like a lot of us kind of have this same feeling, but just a passion to do more. You know, I really didn't have a lot going for me coming out of high school, didn't really pay attention to anything like that. So, you know, the army was uh a great way to get out and explore and see the world. And uh yeah, just joined the military, wanted to do something in aviation. Uh I liked being a mechanic, you know, at home, working on cars and stuff like that. So um ended up getting in into uh 15 Tango, which is Blackhawk uh mechanics. So ended up doing that, went to basic at uh Fort Jackson, uh relaxing Jackson, if you will, and then went to AIT at Fort Eustace, learned how to uh fix helicopters, and then uh ultimately got DA selected. So uh the regiment told me that I was gonna go to their selection course. Knew nothing about them and uh went through the course and had a great time.
SPEAKER_02:Nice. So I want to back up. So you you liked tinkering on engines and things like that. So what was it that drew you specifically to aviation? Because there's a bunch of different roles in the army that you could have been working on trucks or all kinds of stuff. What was it about aviation?
SPEAKER_01:Man, aviation is just I've always had a passion for it, whether it be you know, planes, cessna's, or you know, jets or anything like that. And you know, everybody sees the cool guy movies, uh helicopters flying around and stuff like that. So I I just knew that aviation was a path that I wanted, and I I liked I liked working as a mechanic, and you know, ultimately I I did have an understanding of uh you know being a crew chief and being able to fly around and escort guys and helicopters and stuff like that. So uh, you know, my baseline knowledge was very minimum, but I knew that was kind of the route that I wanted.
SPEAKER_02:Very cool. So uh for people that don't know, can you give us a sense of what life was like serving in that type of unit and what the 160th is?
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, absolutely. Man, the tempo is insanity. Um, it's the most rewarding job, you know, that I could ever wish for in the military. So I was DA selected, so for people that don't know, I was told that I was gonna be going to this unit, you know, that multiple factors, whether it's low manning or you know, just needing new blood in there. So I was told that I was gonna go to the regiment. Had no idea who they were, what they did. Um so I ended up going and the unit, if I can sum it up, I was with uh 1st Battalion 160th at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, uh, for about two years. You know, side story, I was with uh C2, which was another flight company um within the 160th, uh 2nd Battalion. But basically the mission set is to support customers that we that we had at the you know the highest hot tempo that you can ask for in army aviation, whether it may be you know high-value targets or you know, essentially I like to call it uh uber black. So we would take people where they needed to go to do what they needed to do.
SPEAKER_02:Uber black. Okay, that's a good way to put it. And uh so looking back, what do you feel the army in particular special operations gave you uh in terms of mindset, discipline, perspective, things like that?
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, I actually think about that a lot. I you know, in my new life with what I do now in construction, I honestly I I credit everything to my upbringing in that type unit. I mean, you're taught from day one that the mission set is is number one. You know, whatever you need to do to make it happen, that that's what needs to be done. So I I really hold that to a high value. But you know, transitioning over into my civilian life now, um, you know, I see the resilience, you know, not getting down if you know uh a client doesn't want to go to lunch with you, or you know, if you put out a bad estimate or something like that, it really just helps you grind. And I feel like that sets me apart in this industry as a lot of other veterans may feel the same. I just feel like we all have that edge over somebody else willing to do something, or maybe go the extra mile or stay late or whatever it may be.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, very cool. Okay, so so let's let's talk about your transition um into civilian life and what you're doing now, your roofing career. So you separated just last April. So the transition, it's still pretty fresh. Uh, what was that first stretch of civilian life like for you?
SPEAKER_01:It was hard. Um, you know, biggest thing for me was uh best way to put it. So I did um I did six years active. I'm finishing up a one-year reservist contract contract right now. Um, a sense of purpose, you know, once when whenever you're in that that mindset and with whatever you know unit anybody's with, you you feel that that sense of drive and you have a purpose. Definitely transitioning over. I made the decision personally for my family, you know, with the the unit that I was with, op tempo is very high. You're gone a lot, um, gone frequently. So I wanted to make that transition to kind of be more homebound, you know, with my daughter growing up, my wife. Um, but transitioning over was great. You know, I did the uh career skills program, so I did a uh six-month-long internship with a uh large-scale GC down here in Dallas, Texas. Learned everything from the ground up. I mean, I was green as green gets and not knowing anything about construction. They took me in as an assistant superintendent, just kind of threw me in projects, got to uh experience a lot of different um construction projects from the ground up to heavy industrial to tenant improvement, whatever it may have been. So I ended up doing that. That's kind of how I got into the industry. Once fully separating from the military, um, I just felt like that assistant superintendent wasn't really my calling where I needed to be. So I ended up making a transition over to roofing, more specifically, kind of like roofing sales. Um and commercial roofing is great, man. You know, I get to work with GCs, I get to, you know, own my own book of business, I estimate all my projects, I close all my deals, I manage my projects, so I get a little bit of everything and I like where I'm at right now.
SPEAKER_02:Very good. So how did you get connected with these guys at TXD Commercial?
SPEAKER_01:So the COO of this company was actually my youth pastor growing up as a kid. And uh I stayed in contact with him. I I see him as a mentor, I I lean on him a lot, and you know, I I feel like I randomly reached out to him one day and just kind of told him, like, hey, this assistant superintendent thing isn't really for me. I'm I'm fresh, I'm back home, um, you know, looking for something to do, something to, you know, somewhere to work. And uh really just kind of fell in my lap. He gave me an opportunity and I I ran with it.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, that's awesome. So the this job was this kind of on your radar, or did it come more of kind of like an opportunity that opened up? It sounds like it was just more of a shock than anything.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, absolutely. The uh the opportunity was not planned. Uh, I never thought that I'd be a roofing estimator for a commercial roofing company. Uh that was not in the plan. But I mean, these guys are great. They taught me everything. You know, we use a system called Procore. I learned how to estimate projects, pricing, you know, accounting, you know, really taught me how to uh own a book of business, close deals, you know, uh pretty much everything.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, that's awesome. So walk us through kind of what your role. I know you do two different roles. You kind of you do the estimating thing and BD. So what does your day-to-day look like at TXD Commercial?
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, so I I joke about this a lot, especially with my boss. Um, and I have a hybrid role, is the best way to put it. So kind of with my background and my drive, like we were talking about earlier, I I'm a business of business development manager first and foremost. So I own my own book. I I prospect my own clients that I want to work for. I basically go out, I find uh a GC. I do a lot of uh new construction work. So I find a GC that I want to work for that you know has similar values as me. And I earn their trust, I get put on their bid list, they give me opportunities for projects that they're working on. I you know, do my own estimates, create a proposal with whatever number I need, send it off to them. You know, once it's in their ball court, you know, I kind of play into that uh business relationship. You know, I end up closing the deal, and then once contracts are signed, um, then I kind of put on my project management cap. I deal with all the logistics, getting material on site, uh, scheduling my cruise, making sure that they're good to go, and then then I put on my superintendent hat and then I make sure the project goes well uh according to budget. I mean, it's a lot of work, but it's it's the best way that I can do it because it's all in my hands. I know the project, I know the money, I know how it's supposed to happen, and then uh punch lists, get warrantees out, and uh on to the next one.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, I mean, and that's a lot for you to have to learn in about a year and a half or so. I mean, you've you've kind of been all in. Uh so were you what what did you find the most rewarding about this new chapter and kind of what what's been the steepest learning curve along the way?
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, I'd say steepest learning curve for sure is just kind of learning the product. So the biggest thing for me, and I feel like the same thing for you, Scott, and really every other veteran is I mean, we all have the same mindset. I'm not gonna push out a product that that I don't really trust or, you know, know that the product is good. So I would say the biggest learning curve would be understanding the manufacturer that I like to use, uh, giving a detail-oriented proposal, you know, screw screw count matters, you know, whenever it comes down to a million-dollar proposal all the way down to you know a ten thousand dollar proposal. So I guess understanding the systems, really kind of being a steward of my craft, if you will. So knowing what I'm selling, understanding how everything works, I would say that that's kind of my my biggest learning curve and also the most rewarding. It it feels good to be the smartest guy, you know, whenever somebody asks you a question and you can you can answer it with confidence.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, so I'm assuming you stay in contact with a lot of folks from the 160th. So have you have you talked to old friends of yours from your squadron and said, hey, like this is what I'm doing now. I think it's been a good transition. Have you been able to sell for uh lack of better terms, the industry to folks you served with?
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, absolutely. I I I stay in contact with pretty much a pretty good handful of uh of the guys that I used to fly with. Um you know, a lot a lot of my old friends, they're not in the same, not old friends, my current friends, they're not really in the same space as me. You know, they don't they don't have young families, some of them do. Um, but to be honest with you, nobody wants to leave. It's a great unit to be a part of. They take care of their people, you know, it's it's a big family. It it takes a lot for somebody to leave.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, that's awesome. That's really encouraging here. Um okay, so kind of switching gears here. Uh, so vets often bring very unique strengths to the table. Um, and from your perspective, how do you think what you did in the 160th helped you in estimating in BD?
SPEAKER_01:I I would definitely say the op tempo and the drive. Um, you know, it's really easy to you know punch in at 8, 9 a.m. if that's what you do, but you know, more specific more specific specifically for me here, you know, we we started days around you know 7, 7 30. We go till about 5, 5.30. And you know from what I've seen on the civilian side, that's not normal. Um, but it's also not abnormal. It's really about the drive that you put in. And I feel like kind of my my upbringing in my unit, but I really credit it to that.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, it's that grit, I would say for sure.
SPEAKER_01:Absolutely.
SPEAKER_02:Um, so in special operations, precision and planning are also massive. Um, and you kind of alluded to a little bit about the planning, but how else do those kind of things show up in the roofing world?
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, so uh I mean, roofing specifically, we're the first people to get blamed for anything, right? So if there's a leak, it was the roofer. So definitely planning. Um, you know, it anybody can put numbers together and then you know push out a proposal. The biggest thing for us uh at TXD and myself specifically, um, you know, a partnership mindset. That's kind of what one of our core values that we live by here at TXD. I I don't want to, you know, put down a roofing system and then walk away, wipe my hands, if you will. So the biggest thing for us is uh partnership mindset, basically having a plan, you know, having unwavering, unwavering integrity, just making sure that the the client has trust in TXD. So planning is up up front foremost, the biggest thing for us, just making sure that we know what we're doing, we're confident in our abilities, and you know, we're gonna push out a good product.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, it's good. Um so I know I'm producing this after the suicide prevention month. So we're we're recording this though on September 29th. So we're at the butt end of Suicide Prevention Month. Obviously, we know it's a massive issue uh for vets, but it's also the number one killer in construction as well. Uh so I want to pause because mental health and identity are massive, uh, and they're uh they're a big part of the transition journey also. So, how did leaving the army and leaving such a specialized unit, how did that affect your sense of identity?
SPEAKER_01:Honestly, it's huge. Um, I definitely that was who I was for you know my entire I'm I'm a younger gentleman. I'm 25. Uh, you know, I joined when I was 17, so that that's who I was. That's what I knew. I you know, I wasn't a I wasn't an adult going into the military. So um suicide prevention and mental health is it's a big deal for me. Um, you know, unfortunately, I I did lose my first mentor, uh, my platoon sergeant Roger Waffle to suicide. So I definitely love to check on the guys, uh, make sure, you know, first and foremost, I'm okay and all that good stuff. But definitely, I'm sorry, I drew a blank there.
SPEAKER_02:No, you're good. Just kind of that that lost sense of identity. I think we all feel that. Um, and if anything, I'd venture to say it's probably harder when you leave such a special uh specialized unit.
SPEAKER_01:Um yeah, absolutely, yeah. Thank you. So yeah, losing, you know, leaving the unit was uh a big transition for me, a big, a big jump. You know, I talked about it with my wife quite a bit, but honestly, finding a good network where wherever you go. So whenever I transition, you know, I do stay in contact with you know my old buddies, uh making sure they're all good, and but also finding a new purpose in what I do now. You know, I I was you know the best crew chief that I could be for the 160th at that time, and now I want to be the best business development manager and estimator and project manager. You know, that that's where I put my drive, and I really feel like it it does good for the mental health as well.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, for sure. And I I think I might have mentioned when we went to lunch, um, you know, we we're all touched by it in one way or another. Suicide impacts a lot of people in the veteran community. Um, we don't talk about it enough, I think, in the construction community. It's kind of like, oh, we focus on it a month or so. I just don't feel like it's hit on enough. Um, so my my bracelet that I wear, you know, a lot of vets wear a memorial bracelet. Two of the guys on that bracelet died by their own hand, and it it's rough to think about, but it's we wear these things as a constant reminder. Um that's to check in with your buddies. Um, you know, the ones that that took their life. If you're wearing that on your bracelet, it's a reminder to check in with with your friends. So um what challenges, I would say mentally or emotionally, do you think you you faced during the transition? Maybe not the loss of self necessarily, but was it just like like I'll I'll give you my example for me. I definitely lost myself. It took me probably a decade to really get comfortable with who I was as a man and not identify solely with my service. But what what do you think you really faced?
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, actually, it's funny you say that. I I was talking about it with you know my dad about two weeks ago. So the biggest challenge for me was you know feeling a sense of um quitting, if you will. So I was able, you know, I could have kept going. You know, I made a selfish decision to, you know, prioritize my family. Um, not saying that the guy's still in the unit or doing that by any means, but you know, whether it may be, you know, losing friends and and crashes or whatever it may be, um, definitely feeling a sense uh of being a quitter. You know, I I was able, I was trained, I was proficient, I knew what I was doing, and you know, you just get that self-doubt. You you know, you think that maybe you could have done something or you could have been a mentor or trained somebody or something like that. I would say that's the biggest struggle for me.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, I I want to interject there. I would say I'm gonna disagree with you. I don't think it was selfish, I think it was selfless. I think if you were selfish, you wouldn't have thought about your wife and child. You would have thought about what my career was, my future, me, me, me, me. So I don't think you made the wrong choice at all. And there's a lot of guys that get out uh for that reason. And I know there's a lot of people that want to focus on retention and staying in, but you've got to do what's what's best for you and your family. And I remember um I might have shared this during lunch, but when I when I went back in and I commissioned this time, and I I had every intent to go back to active duty and to the chaplain corps, and my mentor at the time he said, Listen, don't forget that your family needs to be there to receive you off that stage when you retire. And you know, don't screw that up. And I I served in the reserves for a couple years, and then I went, you know what? I don't think this is the best thing for my family. So I think I'm done. I'm I'm glad I gave it a shot. Um, but I I think if anything, you were you were selfless. So um, so construction, it it's very, very high pressure, just like the service. Uh, have you seen similarities between the stress of military life and the stretch stress of construction and business development?
SPEAKER_01:Oh, absolutely. Yeah, so prime example is I have a project uh locally here in Weatherford, Texas, which is uh it's a large-scale project, I would say, you know, maybe 30,000, 40,000 square feet, something like that. So um definitely whenever you kind of get up there in the the larger square footage, I mean, there's always problems in construction. Somebody did something wrong or somebody messed up your your roof, and you know, it it's hard to be everywhere at once, but you know, just kind of taking a step back, taking a breather, you know, it's construction, things are gonna happen. Um, but yes, to answer your question, the stress levels are there.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, I mean it's a different type of stress, granted. Um, you're not getting bombs lobbed at you, but it's it's still dangerous. I mean, it's very high pressure, especially in roofing. You know, me being an insurance guy now, roofing is it's very difficult to insure roofers because it's it's a high-risk environment. So what do you think has been helpful for you personally to keep balance and stay grounded and sort of protect your mental health?
SPEAKER_01:And honestly, family. I mean, it it's awesome. You know, I was at Fort Campbell, so the in the regiment, there's only three places you can go, and that's Georgia, Kentucky, or Washington. So my family's all here in Texas, so you know, seeing them maybe once, twice a year, something like that. Definitely being able to rely on a on a family system is amazing. Um, whether it be parents or brother, sister, you know, in my family, my daughter and my wife, it's it's just great. You know, right now, you know, I'm doing the podcast and my mom's helping me out with my daughter tonight.
SPEAKER_02:That's awesome. God bless, man. That's such a a huge, huge thing to have that type of support system. I mean, in the military and and out for sure. Um, what what advice do you think you would give other service members who are they're about to separate and they just don't know what's next? I mean, it's scary. Let's let's be honest. It's a very scary jump. Um, I think guys like you and I are very fortunate because we we sort of had a way to land on our feet. But I've seen guys from my battalion that like they don't know what to do and and they get they get worried. I don't know what's next. So, what advice, if you're somebody getting out right now, would you give them?
SPEAKER_01:Man, trust the process. The that's the one one thing that I can say is trust the process. And two, use the resources allocated to you. You know, the the army or whatever branch of service you were with, you know, you gave everything you had, and you know, now it's your time to transition. The military has so many great opportunities, like Skillbridge, for example. That that's the route that I took to ensure employment whenever I separated. The army will literally pay, you know, per diem, travel, you you keep your your military pay, your tri-care for six months while you are essentially um a civilian employee. You know, it's a no-brainer for yourself or a company wanting to give you an opportunity because it's uh you're essentially free labor for the for the civilian employer. You have endless opportunities. Whatever you want to do, take the jump. Uh, one of the biggest things I struggled with before I separated was, you know, is this the right decision? You know, I have a paycheck every two weeks, I have tri-care, my family's taken care of, all I got to do is work. You know, walking away from that is is tough, but there are endless opportunities out here. You know, you just have to keep that same drive. It's not gonna be easy, but just work at it.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, very cool. Um, okay, so I'm gonna kind of segue into something else here. Um, sort of like lessons, the vision, and and looking forward in your career. So you've been in this new career for just over a year. Uh, what do you think you're most proud of so far at this point?
SPEAKER_01:Man, probably a selfish answer, but just kind of what what I've built. Um, like I said, I walked into this industry with zero contacts. I I built my book of business from from nothing, from networking or, you know, office visits or you know, whatever it may have been, you know, I'm approximately sitting, you know, 1 million, 1.1 million in awarded revenue. It's a great goal and a great accomplishment for me, not knowing that, you know, I'd be here and you know, kind of killing my goal that I set for myself. I I'd say that that is that's my greatest accomplishment as of right now.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, you should be proud, man. I mean, I have just been stunned by a couple folks that I've interviewed to see the success in such a short amount of time, Dylan. I mean, I'm impressed, man. I'm proud of you. And another guy, Carl Muller, that I interviewed, he's he just finished up his skill bridge program. He retired after 21 years. He was a master sergeant. And to hear the knowledge he has about the construction industry that took me years to build, um, I'm just impressed, man. I mean, the the quality of people that are coming out of the service these days has been nothing short of amazing. So that's a big deal. I mean, 1.1 million in sales in your first year and a half being in the industry. That's a that's awesome. You definitely should be proud of that.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, I'm just gonna add a couple more brownie points in there. That's yeah, 10 months, 10 months. So just this year. Yeah.
SPEAKER_02:Wow, that's awesome, man. Yeah, it's awesome. Um, and I mean, roofing, like you said, it can be tough, but it's I'd say with a lot of trades, it's certainly rewarding. Um what do you think is the bigger vision for you, like personally or with with TXD? Like, what do you see coming for Dylan in the future?
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, so the biggest thing is I I'm invested in in TXD. They've they've invested in me. They've they've took the time to train to you know bring me up the right way. And I really have massive goals for myself and for TXD. We're you know, a roofing company here in in the Metroplex, which, if anybody knows this area, roofers are a dime a dozen. I mean, there's a million of us here, so definitely wanting to scale my operations and what I can you know produce here and with TXD commercial. And also, you know, I'm I want to see I want to see us grow. I want to see multiple uh campus locations for for TXD, and you know, I want us to do large-scale projects.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, that's awesome. So, what about personally? What do you think? So you got you got a little one and your wife, we didn't mention your wife is prior army as well, she's a police officer. Um what would you say, like what's the big picture for the family?
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, absolutely. So definitely wanting to man, what do I want us to do? I I want us to, we just got into a new house. Uh we live up in Hazlet, Texas. I I would say the next goal is to buy some land, uh, build our dream home at that point, and you know, just keep seeing my my daughter succeed. I wanna uh we just finished up potty training this week, thank God. Yeah, so it's been rough. Yeah, so you know, just seeing her succeed. I want I want her to play sports, I want her to be happy, I want her to grow up uh with her family and cousins and all that stuff, and just kind of keep going.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, and you know, I we might have talked at lunch, but when my so I've got three daughters, as a lot of people know, but when my first one came, my dad, so it's just me and my sister, my dad said, Be ready to be stressed out for the rest of your life, because we know how little boys think. So, like protecting her, but man, it's it's such a cool journey, and I'm I'm I'm so excited for you guys uh to walk through that. So um kind of looping back around. If so, if a younger vet came up to you and said, Hey, I'm thinking about construction after I get out, what what would you tell them? Like, let's talk about the good, the bad, the ugly, all of it. Like, let's I think we need to be straight up with people instead of uh the industry sugarcoating it a lot because they make it seem like it's wonderful just because they need more people. But what would you tell this person?
SPEAKER_01:Honestly, I would tell them yes. I mean, there's a thousand different avenues that you can go through uh, you know, in the construction network. I mean, if you want to be on the GC side, if you want to be operations, you know, as a superintendent, or if you want to go to school and be a project manager, I don't even think you have to go to school necessarily, but really uh you can go into each trade, HVAC, you know, plumbing, electricians, roofing, you know, whatever it may be. There's endless opportunities in the in the construction world. And contrary to belief, I mean, industry's booming right now, people are building. Uh, it's a great time for me specifically. Um, I would say it's it's a great way to go. You know, some of the ugly of it is it's not easy. You know, you you had a hard life in the military. It's hard over here, too. It's just about grit. What do you want to put into it? What do you want to get out of it?
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, for sure. And and dude, you're not lying. I mean, here in Dallas Fort Worth, we are blowing up, man. I mean, it is booming. Uh, it's moving up north, like practically into Oklahoma. It's moving down south where I live. So you got data centers, you got healthcare, you got K through 12, you've got high-end interiors, office fit out, like all this big stuff going on. And it's not looking like it's going to slow down. I mean, I know the tax structure here is great, so businesses want to move in here. Um, so now's definitely the time to get into it for sure. I mean, I I would say if I man, if I went back and did it all over again, I would have gotten my general contractor's license, and I probably, this is when I was in Virginia and DC at the time when I got out. I probably would have started my own gig. Um, and Texas is a really good place to do that. You don't need a GC license here. Um, you can start an LLC for what, like 300 bucks, maybe go on a legal Zoom website or something sim uh similar to that. But yeah, I I I think what I would tell people is there's a lot of positives, but like you need to be ready to have that grit that you talked about too. Because there are like somebody once said to me, the highs are high and the lows are really low. Like it can be really tough. You can really have to grind through it. But I think where we bring a different perspective as vets is like, man, today sucks, but I'm not getting bombs lobbed at me, I'm not getting shot at. I will most likely be sleeping in my own bed tonight if I'm not a traveling guy. So I think you know, even the the negatives aren't as bad as we've experienced, right?
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, absolutely.
SPEAKER_02:So um what goals are you chasing right now, man? You got a you got a big revenue goal you're chasing, or are you guys trying to expand? What do you think?
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, so personally for myself, um, a goal that I set for myself earlier in the year, you know, I really want to reach 1.5 million, which you know, I a couple of my clients that I have, we have some outstanding proposals that you know have a have a really good chance to go through. I'd say financially that that's my goal. Um personally, a goal for myself is you know, I'm very uh GC dense in my pipeline. I I do a lot of GC work, a lot of new construction. Definitely trying to get out there and network, meet a lot of uh you know, building owners or property management groups, just trying to diversify myself a little bit. You know, TXD Commercial, we're a large-scale roofing company where we can, you know, knock out the accurate dealership off of 820. You know, we we have the capacity to do that, but we also do you know, tenant improvement. You know, if anybody has a leak, I can go out there and fix it or you know, service plans, whatever it may be, just kind of diversify myself a little bit, you know, get away from strictly GC work, which is great, it's profitable. I'm having a great time doing it, but just trying to expand my book a little bit.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, very good. Well, man, I gotta say, I really appreciate you sharing your story. Uh, you know, going from serving in one of the most elite aviation units and then stepping into a brand new role in roofing and BD. I mean, your your journey is inspiring, it's real. Um, so if if people are listening and their your story resonated with them, what's a good way to reach out if they want to get in touch with you?
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, absolutely. So, I mean, obviously you can Google TXD commercial, call our office line, and you know, you can get my contact information there, or feel free to reach out on LinkedIn, Dylan Kirkpatrick. Um, and I'd love to uh diversify my network, not only you know business-wise, but um on a personal level. I I love meeting veterans, you know. I'm talking with you, Scott and Dan, trying to get into some construction networking events around here. Just kind of get back to the roots and talk to some uh like minded people. So please feel free to reach out. I'd love to help out if you have any roofing related issues or even you know, just a network.
SPEAKER_02:Very cool. Man, I appreciate your time, Dylan.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, Scott, thanks for having me, man. This was awesome.
SPEAKER_02:Absolutely.
