I recently asked someone this question after a conversation revealed just how unhappy they were in their current role. It was meant to get them thinking, but afterward, I turned the question onto myself, and I’ll be honest, it’s been harder to answer than I expected.

For much of my life, I never really knew what I wanted to do. That uncertainty lingered through childhood, adolescence, and even into early adulthood. The pressure to attend college and “figure it all out” only made it worse. It felt overwhelming to decide how I wanted to spend every day of my life when I was still trying to figure out who I was.

I started my business not because I had some master plan, but because I liked working hard, I didn’t want to work for a big commercial contractor, and I couldn’t find opportunity with the smaller guys. At the time, I thought running my own business might be an easy way to make money, naïve, I know. But one thing led to another, and after college, I launched TRG Home Concepts. It wasn’t nearly as seamless as that sounds, but it worked out. I have no regrets.

Still, the question remains: what would I be doing if I weren’t a residential contractor?

Believe it or not, when I applied to college, I saw two very different paths ahead of me. I was either going to enroll at CU Boulder as a science major or at Virginia Tech for Landscape Architecture. I chose Boulder, and it didn’t turn out how I’d hoped. In hindsight, Virginia Tech would have been a better fit for a lot of reasons, but none greater than my love for the outdoors, landscaping, trees, and design.

That’s right, before residential construction, I had my sights set on landscape architecture. It shares some overlap with what I do now, but it’s still a very different path. I don’t know how well it would’ve worked with my slightly controlling nature and attention to detail, but to this day, I still love being outside, working on our property, learning about plants, and geeking out over design and horticulture.

I think my early love for science and biology led me there, to an appreciation for nature and outdoor spaces. Maybe it’s a bit of romanticism, but there’s something deeply fulfilling about designing, building, and nurturing a landscape. I’m still captivated by beautiful outdoor spaces, thoughtful material choices, and the blending of textures and elements in a landscape. When done well, it transforms a property in a way few things can.

Even now, you’ll catch me watching videos on invasive species management, garden design, site layout, and grading strategies. I know, my wife really hit the jackpot, right? Ha.

I don’t regret the path I’ve taken, but I do sometimes wonder where that other road might have led. Is it just a case of the grass being greener? Or would I have thrived in that space? Hard to say. But I’m not fully closing that door. Maybe one day it becomes a passion project,  who knows.

So I’ll ask you:

What would you be doing if you weren’t where you are right now?

Would you explore a different path if money weren’t an issue?

Do you believe you’re better suited for something else?

I’d genuinely love to hear.