Thomas Keehn, Maryland graduate, is a custom home builder who guides Certified Contractors, Inc., in Wilmington, North Carolina, where he manages crews in performing contracted work. Responsible for consulting with homeowners, he also orders needed materials and oversees payroll. Former Maryland resident Thomas Keehn maintains longstanding membership in the National Roofing Contractors Association and the National Home Builders Bureau of Consumer Affairs.
Mr. Keehn earned his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice in the late 1980s at University of Maryland. He gained early career experience as a waiter with the Chesapeake Bay Seafood House and as a home improvement sales rep with Universal Energy Corp. He owned and operated Certified, Inc., in Olney for two decades, earning a number one ranking statewide and 13th nationwide when it came to submitting 5 Star Certainteed Corp. warranties.
Mr. Keehn is an avid golfer who has had the opportunity to play on international courses from Europe to the Caribbean. He also enjoys hiking and boating excursions and exploring the unique scenery and cultures of the destinations he visits.
What is your typical day, and how do you make it productive?
8:00am: Get them in started on the jobs. 9am to 2pm: Run appointments. 2pm to 4pm: Go back and check on jobs. 4pm to 6pm: Work on proposals and finish office work.
How do you bring ideas to life?
I’m an extremely motivated person who sees a vision and then tries to attain it.
What’s one trend that excites you?
New products that come onto the market, which aesthetically look nicer and last longer.
What is one habit that helps you be productive?
I never miss an appointment, and I always get my proposals out within 48 hours so the customer receives the best service.
What advice would you give your younger self?
Be a bit more conservative.
Tell us something you believe almost nobody agrees with you on?
Do not pressure the customer. Let your quality workmanship, reputation, and work ethic gain their business.
What is the one thing you repeatedly do and recommend everyone else do?
Try and give the proposals to the customers on the spot rather than sending it out days or weeks later.
When you feel overwhelmed or unfocused, what do you do?
My younger self would stress out, but my older self realizes that I’m human and things just happen the way they happen and I have no control over certain items.
What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business or advance in your career?
Not hiring many sales people and just doing it myself keeps the profits higher, overhead lower, and customer service better.
What is one failure in your career, how did you overcome it, and what lessons did you take away from it?
Not taking care of the customer the way you say you will causes your reputation to dwindle, but doing exactly what you tell the customer helps the reputation of our business.
What is one piece of software that helps you be productive? How do you use it?
QuickBooks for accounting, payroll, and taxes simplifies everything.
Do you have a favorite book or podcast you’ve gotten a ton of value from and why?
Dana White’s podcast helps with personal health.
What’s a movie or series you recently enjoyed and why?
The Diplomat is interesting in the way our government works in foreign countries, and it shows how corrupt our government and other governments are even though it’s fiction.