Influencers are a social media powerhouse that have significantly increased their reach over the last four to five years. Influencer marketing has had proven results that have led more and more industries to try it out, which is why micro-influencers are popping up in nearly every category—even libraries have gone viral on TikTok.
There are still some industries, like construction, that have been slower to adopt these digital tools, but this contractor-turned-influencer is trying to change that.
The Potential for Construction Influencing
Brian Hess, President and CEO of The Pavement Group, saw the potential in social media as soon as he founded his company in 2018. “I could see that people were connecting online and we started using social media as soon as we opened our doors.”
Hess started an online presence for his company as well as for himself, but it’s the latter that’s been the most valuable. Hess has over 19,000 Instagram followers, a growing YouTube channel and hosts The Perspective Podcast where he shares insights from industry experts and entrepreneurs on how to achieve success.
“I like to think of myself as a new school type of CEO who does things the new school way,” says Hess, who has also incorporated technology into the heart of his business.
“We use collaborative software tools that allow our customers to be involved in every step of the process.” Throughout the pandemic, clients of The Pavement Group have been able to keep up to date on their projects from home.
The combination of social media presence and digital tools has allowed the company to expand across the US. Shortly after launching in Pittsburgh, the Pavement Group expanded to Boston and then Minneapolis before business exploded. “We’ve seen exponential growth that I know will continue as long as we continue to innovate in our industry,” says Hess.
Not only does Hess continue to seek out innovation for his own company, but he’s hoping to change the industry, too. He founded Top Contractor School where he provides courses and coaching to help contractors learn how to leverage digital tools so that they, too, can be successful.
Authenticity at the Core
Part of his success has been this human approach to business. Hess is a relatable and authentic presence online and puts his customers at the center of his business.
In an industry that can often be transactional, Brian has made personalized customer service a core tenet of his brand. “My goal with these technologies is to provide a tailor-made customer experience and a hallmark approach centered on personal attention.” He’s even started a mentor program within his company to allow more experienced contractors to share their knowledge with people their junior.
It’s the people that really motivate Hess. “I’ll never forget the feeling I got when two of our personnel were able to buy their first home. We built this business from scratch and in a few years, it was helping other people live the American Dream.”
His definition of happiness is knowing you’ve made a difference in someone’s life. It’s something he’s been able to do in business and online, but his biggest impact is at home.
When asked, he’ll always say his favorite job is being a husband and father.
For more information or to connect with Hess, visit realbrianhess.com.
