rand*s humble beginnings started with the passion and drive for success exhibited by Founder and Chairman Linda Rabbitt. Those same qualities are what we look for when recruiting new talent to the rand* family and are precisely what Bryan Stolz brings to the table.
Through Bryan’s leadership, rand* Atlanta has become a key player and general contractor of choice in the Southeast, supporting new and existing customers. We sat down with Bryan to learn more about his background, goals for rand* Atlanta, and advice he has for those considering a future in construction or at rand*.
1. What is your role at rand*, and how long have you worked with the company?
I am the Atlanta office director and have been with rand* for eight years. My entire construction career has been in commercial interior construction, and it’s the only thing I’ve ever done. I started with rand* as a Project Manager and worked as both an Assistant Project Manager and Project Manager at my previous company.
I was first introduced to rand* through friends and colleagues who worked here. I noticed that everyone I encountered who worked for the company seemed to be having way more fun doing the same job I was doing. I finally decided to join rand* primarily due to the company’s camaraderie and overall culture. Once I was at rand*, the teamwork, family environment, and opportunities are why I have stayed.
2. How did you get started in a career in the construction industry?
I was introduced to the world of construction at an early age. Growing up, my dad was a carpenter, and I helped him every weekend, summer break, as his honorary gofer. When I went away to college, I was unsure of what I wanted to do. I started in the music program and later transferred to the business school. They offered a dual degree in real estate development and construction management. Since I grew up around construction, it seemed the logical choice—and the rest is history! I later interned in Washington, DC during the summer of my junior year and was offered a job when I graduated on a commercial interiors team.
3. As the first expansion office for rand*, can you explain the evolution of rand* Atlanta?
When I joined rand* Atlanta in 2018, we were not doing any work in the city specifically but for clients in the surrounding area. Believe it or not, we had no corporate interiors clients at the time and were focused primarily on restaurant and retail work. What we started in 2018 was building a corporate interiors department and building who rand* is nationally. We aggressively began building our team and selling rand* to subcontractors, architects, and potential clients in the CRE industry. During those early years, we were hyper-focused on building our portfolio and the culture for rand* Atlanta based on accountability, teamwork, and camaraderie. Today, we’re continuing that mission by striving to exceed client expectations and deliver the best customer service and construction experience in the Atlanta market.
4. How is the Atlanta team helping to serve rand*’s national clients?
Roughly 50 percent of our business here in Atlanta comes from our work with national clients. Our ability to cross-sell across rand* offices is the future for our company. It is how we will continue to evolve as a national contractor and expand to new locations throughout the country.
5. Can you share a few goals for rand* Atlanta for 2022-2023?
Our primary goal is to be in the top five of the Atlanta interiors general contractors. Until we operate at that level and consistency, we will stay focused on our bread and butter, corporate interiors work. There are some interesting emerging markets in the Southeast, but right now we’re hyper-focused on being the best corporate interiors contractor in Atlanta. We will also continue to support our national clients in the Southeast from this office.
6. What can the construction industry and rand* specifically do to attract new talent to the industry?
Compensation is always high on the list, but we’re finding that people are looking for mentorship, accountability, and the chance to learn new skills. At rand* Atlanta, we spend a lot of time and energy in these areas because the runway in corporate interiors is enormous. A noticeable gap exists between young talent joining the industry and those who are near the end of their careers—what we’ve recognized is if people are motivated, sharp, and hungry, there’s no holding them back. We are committed to helping team members succeed at the fastest rate possible. As rand* continues to grow and expand, we need people to grow and develop with us. For people who want to be in an environment where they can drive their success, rand* is the place to be. Many places don’t allow you to advance, but we don’t have that here; the sky is the limit!
7. What does Operational Excellence mean to you?
In a nutshell, operational excellence to me means being asked back. If our team successfully transitions a relationship to another office because of a job that we’ve completed in Atlanta, we’re not only contributing on a national scale to rand*, but our clients are having a positive experience that they want to continue both in Atlanta and nationally. Without operational excellence, that doesn’t happen; you’re not asked back.
Learn more about Bryan and rand* Atlanta here: https://randcc.com/locations/atlanta/