Life really does have a sense of timing, doesn’t it? Just when you think everything’s steady, something unexpected comes along to shake things up. That’s exactly what happened to me in the unpredictable world of construction.

I started working at my stepdad’s construction company when I was just 15. My early jobs weren’t glamorous—mostly organizing paperwork and keeping the office tidy. My stepdad, who married my mom when I was 10, believed in tough love. His motto was simple: “Earn your keep or find a new roof, Sheldon.” It wasn’t exactly the warmest welcome into adulthood, but it taught me a thing or two about responsibility.

While other teens spent weekends relaxing, I balanced construction shifts with a part-time job at an ice cream shop, eventually becoming a master at the perfect caramel swirl. By my 20s, I’d worked my way up to foreman. It felt like I had earned my place—not just in the company, but in our unconventional family.