Today we’d like to introduce you to Levi Morgan.
Hi Levi, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I grew up in a lower-middle-class family in Southern Oregon, in a home where building things was simply part of life. My mother was always there, a constant flood of nurturing love and guidance. My father and uncle were contractors, and my dad built much of our childhood home with his own hands. There was always something being built, repaired, or improved, and whenever he would let me, I worked alongside him. I appreciate those memories far more today than I ever did back then.
My father is one of the most intelligent and capable people I’ve ever known, but even more so, he is the most moral man I have ever known. From him, I learned that hard work matters, that your word should mean something, and that how you treat people says far more about you than what you accomplish.
For a long time, though, I thought success meant leaving that simple life behind.
I found my way into technology and loved the challenge of it. By 33, I had become a director on the top enterprise team at Oracle. For a kid from Southern Oregon, it felt like proof that I had made it. I wore the suits, spent four days a week on airplanes, and kept chasing the next title, the next accomplishment, the next rung on the ladder.
Then one day I realized I didn’t particularly like the man I was becoming.
Success had slowly become something measured by status rather than substance. I had drifted away from the humility and values I was raised with, and I knew I needed to make a change. So I resigned.
What followed was less of a career change and more of a search for what I wanted my life to be about. Ministry and outreach had always been close to my heart. I had led worship in churches, traveled to Africa to help drill fresh-water wells, and worked at an orphanage in Mexico. Those experiences reminded me that I wanted to build a life where providing for my family, serving others, and doing meaningful work didn’t have to exist separately.
Eventually, almost unexpectedly, that journey led me back to where I had started.
A friend trusted me with a small exterior construction project. When it was finished, I had made about $500. I took that money, hired a designer to create the Gladius logo, spent another $200 on advertising, and reinvested everything I could into finding the next project.
One project became two. Two became more. And somewhere along the way, that first $500 became Gladius Construction & Design. I will say that without the loving support and encouragement from my wife, Elisabeth, none of this would have been possible. She pushed me up and forward.
Today, I’m a NARI Certified Kitchen & Bath Remodeler, our work has been featured multiple times in Luxe Magazine, and Gladius has been honored with Best of Houzz for Service six years in a row. I’m proud of those accomplishments, but I’ve come to understand that they aren’t really how I measure success anymore.
Today, success looks more like the things I saw growing up: craftsmanship, family, service, integrity, keeping your word, and creating something you’re proud to put your name on.
“In many ways, Gladius isn’t the story of me becoming a contractor. It’s the story of finding my way home to the values I was raised with, and building a company around them.”
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. I came from the tech world, so I understood business, but construction humbled me fast. Early on, I underbid projects and sometimes lost money, but I honored my commitments and treated it as part of the education. Another challenge was learning who to trust. I didn’t always get people right early on, and that cost time, money, and a lot of stress, but it forced me to raise our standards and surround Gladius with craftsmen who truly share our values. And then there’s growth. The pressure to scale fast is real, but we’ve chosen to grow carefully, keep a tight-knit team, and protect quality, even when that means saying no. None of that was easy, but each challenge made us better, more disciplined, more intentional, and clearer about who we are and how we want to serve.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Gladius Construction & Design?
Gladius Construction & Design is a full-service residential remodeling company serving West Austin and the Lakeway area. We specialize in kitchens, bathrooms, and larger-scale home renovations, with a strong emphasis on design, craftsmanship, and creating spaces that feel intentional to the home and the people living in it.
What sets us apart is that we’ve made a conscious decision not to become a volume contractor. We keep our team intentionally focused so that I can remain personally involved in our projects and maintain a level of quality control that’s difficult to achieve when you’re trying to manage too many homes at once. Our clients aren’t handed off to a salesperson and then introduced to a revolving door of people. The relationship they begin with is the relationship we work hard to maintain throughout the project.
We’re also very design-driven. We don’t want to simply replace what was there with something newer. We want to understand how our clients actually live, solve the problems that aren’t working in their home, and then bring together design and construction in a way that creates something beautiful, functional, and lasting.
Brand-wise, I’m probably most proud of our reputation for service. We’ve received Best of Houzz for Service six consecutive years, our projects have been featured in several publications, and I’m a NARI Certified Kitchen & Bath Remodeler. Those recognitions mean a great deal to me, but particularly the service awards, because they reflect how our clients felt about the experience, not just how the finished project photographed.
Ultimately, I want people to know that Gladius is intentionally personal. We’re craftsmen, designers, problem solvers, and advocates for our clients.
“We’re not trying to remodel the most homes in Austin. We’re trying to create exceptional spaces for the families who trust us with theirs.”
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
Nope
Contact Info:
- Website: https://gladiushome.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gladiusconstruction/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GladiusConstruction/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@gladiusbuilders
