Hawaii WBE Feature: Compassionate Construction

Intro: Broadcasting live from the Business RadioX Studios, it’s time for Women In Motion. Brought to you by WBEC-West. Join forces. Succeed together. Now, here’s your host.

Lee Kantor: Lee Kantor here. Another episode of Women In Motion and this is going to be a good one. But before we get started, it’s important to recognize our sponsor, WBEC-West. Without them, we couldn’t be sharing these important stories. Today on Women In Motion, we have Brandy Cajudoy and she’s with Cajudoy Construction. Welcome.

Brandy Cajudoy: Hi.

Lee Kantor: Hello.

Brandy Cajudoy: Aloha!

Lee Kantor: Aloha! I am so excited to be talking with you. Can you tell us a little bit about your construction firm, how you serving folks?

Brandy Cajudoy: So, we actually serve the island of Maui. It’s my home. I love it so, so much. And all the people. But we truly love our Aina in Maui.

Lee Kantor: And what type of building do you do?

Brandy Cajudoy: So, we actually specialize and love to do residential. We do some commercials once in a while, and then we do have a few state jobs and county jobs here in Maui, too.

Lee Kantor: Now, what’s your backstory? Have you always been involved in the construction industry?

Brandy Cajudoy: No, I was actually an Algebra 2 high school teacher in my former life. I loved it. I had so much fun, loved the kids, still miss the coworkers because my only coworker now is my husband, which is okay. But yeah, I was a former teacher before, you know, we kind of decided that you know what, our kids are getting older. We are financially have positioned ourselves so that we can kind of start working from home.

Brandy Cajudoy: We had done construction on the side for 20-something years. We all – we both enjoyed it. My husband always came home with a smile on his face, and then kind of made the jump to get our general contractor license, and I did. I did that, with, of course, a lot of help from my husband. But yeah, I got the license and then started staying home. And from there, we just made it a full-time thing and it has grown. Normally, people tell you in the first five years you’re going to just, you know, struggle, struggle, struggle. And our first five years, it just got better, better and better. And it’s been great. We’ve had a lot of fun.

Lee Kantor: So, what do you think your secret is to having such explosive growth right out of the gate there?

Brandy Cajudoy: I want to say it was our experience, and I have to say that it’s just – and we’ve never advertised, so it’s word of mouth. And so, it’s all about the relationships that we’ve made with the people in our community.

Lee Kantor: Now, how did you get kind of those early jobs? Was that word of mouth like friends and family, people you knew, like, had projects that they needed help on?

Brandy Cajudoy: Yeah, exactly. So we did a few family jobs, and then our whole goal was that we had some friends that were close, and they worked early in the morning and they wanted to do some part-time work in the afternoons. And so, my husband was just finding construction jobs because they all enjoyed doing it, just to have them have the extra money. It wasn’t about us bringing any money. In fact, I think a lot of those early jobs, we didn’t get any money out of it. It was literally just for those family and friends that we got jobs for so that they could just have that extra money for their own families. Because here in the islands, we all have to work two and three jobs. And it’s just not that we want to do it, but it’s a must. So, it’s just second nature for you to have a second job or a third job. So, that’s what we did. We created those second and third jobs for a lot of our family and friends, and that’s how it grew.

Lee Kantor: And, like, what do you think the split is between kind of construction from scratch and remodeling?

Brandy Cajudoy: Remodeling can actually, and we tell these people – we tell people all the time, remodeling almost can be double your price sometimes because you’re having to pay for that demo, which is one price, and then rebuilding it back, which is a whole nother price. So if anybody ever has an opportunity to kind of start with the clean slate, it’s definitely, you know, for the budget-wise, they’re going to make out better.

Lee Kantor: So, sometimes if you have just you’re at the ground and you’re building up from like a blank slate that’s less expensive than tearing down and then, like, kind of piecemealing something?

Brandy Cajudoy: Yes. Yes, definitely.

Lee Kantor: Can you talk about a project that you’re particularly proud of? Has there been any work that you were like, wow, that really came out nice, look at how this family really appreciates, and this is going to really make a difference?

Brandy Cajudoy: Oh, man. There’s so many, so many. But I think one of the projects in particular that, I don’t know if it’s a, it’s not like a good story, but it’s a story where we’re hoping for a happy ending. And this family had worked really, really, really, really hard and saved up for years and years and they wanted to build this huge house and it was in Lahaina. And their whole family had put in money to do this. And so we started building – it was like eight bedrooms, seven or eight bedrooms.

Brandy Cajudoy: And in Hawaii, you know, we have a multi-generation – everybody lives together. And because it’s just economically, that’s what they – that’s what we can do. So this is what this family did, they were building this huge house for their families for them to all live together. And then the fire came. We were in the middle of building that, and it was right in Lahaina. And it’s just gone. Completely gone.

Brandy Cajudoy: I mean, that fire was so hot. We had steel beams inside this house because it was right by the ocean. It was like right across the street from the ocean. So, you know, the foundation was just phenomenal because we had to go so far deep because there’s a whole, like, you know, I mean, obviously the ocean is right there so there’s an SMA and everything else. So, we wanted to make sure that it was very sturdy. These steel beams just, like, melted like butter, you know, down into the – but it’s going to come back, it’s going to come back and the family is going to come back and so is the rest of Lahaina.

Brandy Cajudoy: But I feel like it’s not a really good, good story, but like, we know we’re looking for the happy ending. I feel like right now everybody’s seeing kind of the light at the end of the tunnel a little bit about okay, here’s the road, this is where we’re going, this is what’s going to happen. But that family, they’re just, they’re so special to us. And we’ve been with them for like three years because we actually had a home on that property, and as you were asking, you know, is it better to remodel or to start from scratch? And they demoed their whole – there was a house there already and they demoed it and got everything off the land and started from scratch. And they saw it started coming alive. We were 98% done with that house when the fire hit.

Lee Kantor: Oh, wow.

Brandy Cajudoy: Yeah, 98%. So for that, the permit is still open, which is – so whenever the fire had hit and we had asked the county, like our permits still open so as soon as their lot is cleared and everything’s cleared and we can go in, “Can we just start rebuilding?” And they were like, “Yes. We’re not holding anybody back.” So, that’s been really amazing.

Brandy Cajudoy: So, they’re still waiting for their lot to be cleared. There’s a couple of different stages they got to go through but they have a few other properties too that they need to rebuild. But it’s just it – time’s going to heal everything. And it’s going to be great. It’s going to be great. They are already excited. But that family holds a special place in our hearts, though.

Lee Kantor: Well, so they got to see it at 98% done so they were like – it was almost real. And then it becomes, you know, not real. Wow. That must have been really hard.

Brandy Cajudoy: Yeah. It crushed everybody. Yeah. Yeah.

Lee Kantor: And then what’s the – like, how long would it take, like if everything said, okay, tomorrow we can start, like how long would it take for that to be completed?

Brandy Cajudoy: That house was pretty big so I’m probably – that would probably be like a year project. Most projects could be, like, eight months to 12 months, but this one definitely, because it was so big and it had, like, CMU blocking on it. But there were a lot of different sidings. But yeah, that one probably took about a year to get rebuilt. And we were right at the year mark. We had already been with them, like I said, for three or year years. So, yeah.

Lee Kantor: Now, for you having the career as a teacher and now in this construction world, when you’re completing a project here, does it feel like when the kid gets it in class, like, are you getting the same emotional kind of thrill from those experiences?

Brandy Cajudoy: Oh, yeah, that’s a good question. Yeah. There is that like, “Oh, my goodness, the light went off. Oh, and this finished project, it’s beautiful.” And the happy faces that you see on the family’s faces, yeah, definitely that same feeling and the little giddy like, “Oh, my goodness, we did this for our – ” and that’s what we’re all about is we always wanted to give back to our community.

Brandy Cajudoy: Like, when I was a little girl, I actually grew up in Louisiana, and so my Tutu, my grandmother, was born and raised in Maui and Oahu, and she married a military man, who was from Louisiana. So when I was growing up, she would always tell me, “You know, you need to give back to the Hawaiian people. You go give back to Maui.” And I was like, what is she talking about? I have no idea. I have no clue what she’s talking about. But I get it now.

Brandy Cajudoy: You know, now that I’ve lived on Maui for over 30-something years, I’m like, oh, my goodness, they’ve given so much to us and to our family. You know, we wouldn’t be where we are today if it wasn’t for the people of Maui and the Hawaiian people. So, to just be able to give back to our community every single day, it sends chills down the back of my spine. I love it, I love it.

Lee Kantor: And then when you’re done, you see it. I mean, it’s not –

Brandy Cajudoy: Yeah.

Lee Kantor: Like, this is something real at the end of the day that you were part of making come to life.

Brandy Cajudoy: Yeah, yeah. And that’s what we’re all about, we just want to keep giving back to whoever. And I actually have to scold my husband. He gives a lot of freebies. And so when I run reports on different projects, I’m like, “Why do we never make any money? Never make any money. You give away so much.” And like, how do I scold him for doing that? You know, it can be hard. It can be hard.

Lee Kantor: Look, he’s just doing what your grandmother said to do.

Speaker4: I know, exactly, so I can’t scold him. I can’t get mad.

Lee Kantor: Now, any advice for women out there who are thinking about getting involved in the construction industry?

Brandy Cajudoy: Ooh, that’s a tough one. Getting involved in construction, you better have some tough skin. You’re still going to run into certain people that don’t think you know what you’re doing. And when you get really riled up and passionate about something, they’re going to think that that’s, oh, you being overwhelmed or not being able to handle it whenever you’re just being passionate.

Brandy Cajudoy: So, just have some tough skin when you’re getting into the construction business. But other than that, I mean, it’s a lot of fun and there’s a lot of gratification, you know, in everything that happens. And I love that we can see a finished product and see how the families are. But yeah, just have a little tough skin when you’re starting to deal with certain people out in the community.

Lee Kantor: Now, what was it that compelled you to get involved with WBEC-West? Why was it important for you to join that community?

Brandy Cajudoy: So, a few years ago, because we’ve actually had our general contractor license for maybe about seven years now, and maybe four or five years ago, I had run across WBEC-WEST by email or online, or it may have been through SBA, through the Small Business Administration. And one of my goals, not my husband’s goals, but one of my goals was I wanted to start doing state jobs and county jobs and maybe even some federal jobs. And so SBA had said, “You know, you’d probably get your small business, your woman-owned small business.” And I was like, “Oh, okay, I’ll look into that.”

Brandy Cajudoy: So, I did, and I was like, oh, federal jobs. We could get, you know – people could probably use us to do some contracting because there are a lot of federal jobs that have to give back to a certain percentage, and it has to go to small businesses and even more so to women-owned small businesses. And so, I had gotten, you know, once I started looking into that, and then I saw all these, like, resources through WBEC-WEST, I would get emails all the time, I love it. In fact, I’m trying to get into one of their other programs right now where – but they have a lot of classes on working capital. That has been amazing. And that was one of the big things was right in our five-year mark, I had said, “You know what? Let’s start doing these state jobs.” Got into the state job. We received a state job. We were, you know, just so excited about it.

Brandy Cajudoy: And we knew that that project I was talking to you about earlier, we knew that when that project ended, we were going to have the perfect amount of working capital in order to allow us to go into working in that state job because many of you know that in a state job, you need to have a lot of your money upfront so that you can – because you’re not going to get paid as quick as possible in most state jobs and even federal and county jobs. So, we knew we had to have a lot of working capital going to that job.

Brandy Cajudoy: So, that job that we had, that burnt out in Lahaina, the goal was that whole year we were going to use that final payment, and then it was going to take us into the state job. But then the fire had happened. So, we didn’t receive that final payment. So we did – we almost gave up the state job. We did not, though. We have two state jobs and one county job now, and it worked out fine.

Brandy Cajudoy: But I have to say that WBEC was able to help me figure out where am I going to get this working capital from, what am I going to do, how am I going to make it so that my books look good because there’s all this bonding involved, too. Bonding wants to make sure that you have working capital. So, I have to say that WBEC really helped us in that area and helping us make our plan and getting back on track.

Lee Kantor: Well, congratulations to work through that. That’s a great story, you know, to have that tenacity and just hang in there through that tough time. That’s great.

Brandy Cajudoy: Yeah, yeah. Thank you, thank you.

Lee Kantor: Now, what do you need more of? How can we help you? What, like, who’s your ideal customer? And what can we do to help you connect with more of them?

Brandy Cajudoy: Well, I have to say that I have so many hats in our community, and I am going to put a plug out there because Lahaina is special now in all of our hearts. So, I am on the board for the long-term recovery and I am in the construction management. And we need all the help we can get out here on Maui, if anybody has, you know, supplies that you want to send out or volunteers that you want to send out and skilled volunteers for construction would be amazing and helpful. Not to say that we don’t have enough here on the island but there’s no way that we’re going to build back a whole town with just us. We know that we need help.

Brandy Cajudoy: But that would be amazing because us as a small business, we know we can only build so many houses. But even if with the amount of contractors that we have on the island of Maui, we probably could probably build about, you know, 100 homes in a year. If you look at that, we have 1700 homes to rebuild. That would take 17 years. We don’t want to do that. You know, we need to be able to get out there and get these done.

Brandy Cajudoy: And with our county doing what they’ve done, and I think this is kind of unheard of, they are going through the permitting process. Once you put in a permit and you have your plans ready and you put in your permit, it’s taking about 15 to 20 days for it to get back out to you. Normally, it takes, you know, six months.

Lee Kantor: Right.

Brandy Cajudoy: So, it’s unheard of. I love it. And they’re not skipping any – they’re not skipping any steps. They just have found a third party to kind of come in and help get it done. And so, I feel like being on this long-term recovery board with our island and me being able to give back in that other way, we’re going to need so many resources and so many, so much help in order to make that happen. And if our whole nation and our world could come together and just, like, help Lahaina rebuild in the way that it needs to be would be amazing.

Brandy Cajudoy: And I’m – I just – that’s all I want. I don’t need anything for my company. I mean, we’re word of mouth. I love it and we have so much, but I really just want to give back to our community and give back to the people.

Lee Kantor: If somebody wants to learn more about your firm or connect with you, what’s the website?

Brandy Cajudoy: It’s cajudoy.com, so C-A-J-U-D-O-Y dot com. I believe my phone number is on there and my email is on there. You are more than welcome to contact me. It’s nothing fancy, but it’ll get to you – it’ll get you to me and we can connect and I can give you any other information you need. And if you have any questions, let me know.

Lee Kantor: Well, Brandy, thank you so much for sharing your story today. You’re doing such important work and we appreciate you.

Brandy Cajudoy: Thank you. Thank you for the opportunity.

Lee Kantor: All right. This is Lee Kantor. We’ll see you all next time on Women In Motion.