As Eric Price was trying to come up with a name for his company, his wife jokingly suggested Bearded Builders. Price, who has long sported a beard, decided the name was perfect. And while beards aren’t a requirement for employment, almost all the male employees have them. Beards also are incorporated into the company’s logo and marketing. Price thinks the overall approach makes Bearded Builders more accessible to clients, putting customers at ease around the workers.
The branding worked well enough in Omaha that the company opened another location in Baltimore last year. Price, who’s originally from Baltimore, wanted to experiment with the brand and business model in another market. So far, it’s working. Price says he and the team keep the branding and products consistent. In addition, he brings the Baltimore team out to Omaha for five days for training. That not only helps the branding and quality of work stay consistent at both branches, but also boosts the company culture.
“One of the coolest things, I think, is our company culture here [in Omaha],” Price says. “We have a group of people that didn’t know each other before, and now it’s like family … That's hard to replicate in a different place. With [the Baltimore team] coming out, we can initiate that culture and get them off to a good start.”
Company culture further extends to giving back to its community. The Omaha branch partnered with its local Habitat for Humanity for a few years. Now, the company participates in Habitat’s annual Blitz Week, lending employees to build homes in their area. Having the team build together for a good cause is “just more fun,” Price says.
