My Story
Welcome!
My name is Chris, owner of DayBuildCo, and I’m writing this first post to share who I am.
I grew up in Manhattan, Kansas in the late 90’s & early 2000’s. I graduated from Manhattan High in 2010 and pursued an engineering degree from Kansas State.
Career
College was both a challenge and a blast. I began my jouney as an adult with full intention to become an Army officer - 3 of the 4 years I spent in college practically revolved around Army ROTC - more about that here.
Among other activities I was a proud member of the on-campus fraternity Sigma Phi Epsilon, I tutored physics, met some amazing people, and I learned more than I ever could have imagined.
Personally, the most valuable lessons came through the process of learning itself.
Most of all I learned there are always going to be things to learn (even re-learn), and that isn’t scary - it’s a joy of life!
I completed my degree in Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering in 2014 and moved to Denver to join a small team of telecom and oil & gas consultants. At this boutique consulting firm I learned the value of data analytics and dove into data engineering.
In 2016 my then girlfriend and I decided to relocate closer to our families in Northeast Kansas. I took a job doing traditional engineering at YRC Freight and we moved to Overland Park, KS, where we got married in 2017.
Traditional IE work makes a lot of sense to me: Measure inefficient processes and find ways to improve them - like Toyota. Climbing the ladder in corporate America, however, didn’t really appeal to me so I jumped ship in 2018 and landed a job as a private consultant doing data engineering for large agricultural producers throughout the midwest - where I still work today.
Hobbies
Music was a big part of my life growing up and I wanted to be a drummer for as long as I can remember.
Eventually I got a drumset for Christmas; little did my parents know that would mean loud noise for the next 10 years.
I linked up with some friends who shared the interest around age 13 and we’re still playing gigs in our 30’s.
In 2019 we moved out of the city and relocated to Tonganoxie, KS. When COVID struck 6 months later I wanted to try something new. Hunting was a great option because isolation was built right in!
I spent many hours that first year out in the woods thinking about life, loved ones and what the future might hold. A year later, I harvested my first buck.
I still needed a physical activity. Thanks to Jocko Willink I took up Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
BJJ is ego-shattering. You know right away where you stand in the food chain when someone half your size puts you to sleep without breaking a sweat - it’s great!
After a few years I was given a blue belt and somehow managed to take the podium in a few local tournaments.
Jiu Jitsu is still teaching me but one thing I’ve learned is how long it can take become competent in a new skill. It takes some will to get on the mats knowing that you will lose, like, a lot.
But if you trust the process, you will start to win - and it’s worth it!
Family
My wife and I had our first child in late 2021, and our second mid-2024. Having kids has been life changing in so many great ways, and I can’t believe our first is almost ready for school!
That leads me to starting DayBuildCo.
There are a few things I need to be satisfied at work:
- I need a problem to solve. Nothing beats using your noggin.
- I need a physical project. Manual labor is good for the soul.
And in the last few years I have discovered something new:
I love building
The truth is - If I won the lottery I would continue building.
So there you have it. That is why I started DayBuildCo.
