Posted on August 10, 2016 by Miller and Smith Blog Team
While homebuilding might not qualify as a designated sport in the upcoming “Summer Games,” you might be surprised how much we have in common with those competing internationally this week. Whether it’s a commitment to excellence that’s second to none or setting the gold standard in our industry, we celebrate what it takes to make dreams a reality, both at home and abroad!
Discipline: The Regime of Champions
Dreams of glory often drive individuals to become world-class athletes. But those athletes need a lot more — including dedication, time and sweat — to become topnotch competitors. Michael Phelps, for instance, swam nearly 50 miles a week and consumes a staggering 12,000 calories a day, all to build and maintain a peak physical form for the games.
Miller & Smith applies a similar discipline to its own daily business. Just as world-class athletes, we follow a strict series of steps to create incredible homes that stand the test of time. We also put quality building materials into our properties to deliver the greatest possible structural integrity and energy — think of these as the home equivalent to a healthy diet. What else is included in our regime? Outstanding weatherization systems, well-insulated roofs for proper ventilation, and specially engineered plumbing fixtures that enable cleaner water and better conservation. Take care of your body (and your home) and it will take care of you.
Perseverance
In 1981, an 18-year-old Doug Smith told his father, co-founder Gordon Smith, that he wanted to join the family business, Gordon famously responded by telling him to get back to him whenever he turned 30.
What happened over those next 12 years is akin to the intense persistence needed to develop into a world-class athlete. Doug kept his eye on the prize, went to college, received an MBA from Harvard, and developed his professional muscles into solid skills through experience working for Procter and Gamble and real estate firm, Jones Lang LaSalle. When he finally made it to Miller & Smith, he had to work his way up from the warranty department, and only ten years later reached his goal of becoming the company’s president and CEO.
That level of persistence builds great athletes, and great careers. It has also played a huge role in helping us make it through the industry’s highs and lows over the decades — from massive interest rates to depressions to booms to busts to the recessions that follow —Miller & Smith continues to come out on top every time.
Setting the Gold Standard
Remember when gymnast, Kerri Strug went on to gloriously win the gold in the 1996 summer games? After a devastating ankle injury, the world watched with bated breath as Kerri hurdled down the runway, tumbled over the vault and stuck her very best tumbling pass. One moment changed everything — Kerri went on to win the gold, led the USA Women’s team to victory and cemented an iconic moment in history of the summer games.
At Miller & Smith, we may not have twisted a ligament to win an award, but we frequently experience the thrill of wowing more than 20,000 homebuyers in over 120 communities and earning 400+ awards for design and construction excellence along the way.
With an intense attention to detail in our designs, discipline in our daily business and a perseverance that never quits, we enjoy creating an experience where one moment and one visit can change everything.
