Today we’d like to introduce you to Ben Miller.
Hi Ben, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I started work in the glass industry in 2004-2007 as a Glazier. I focused on reglazing/replacing broken or foggy windows, hanging mirrors, and installing glass shower doors for new residential developers. I worked in the glass industry for three years before discovering commercial diving. I read about underwater welding on oil rigs and knew I wanted to do it. I signed up for commercial diving school in Houston and could not wait to start. I learned everything about offshore commercial diving. I learned high stakes and hard work. You better know what you are doing as the work was dangerous—I had a blast. I dove offshore inspecting oil rigs for a busy season before winter slowed down in 2009.
While waiting for the next season of work, I leveraged my knowledge from commercial diving to hyperbaric oxygen therapy. I worked as the Lead Hyperbaric Technician & Safety Director for a hyperbaric wound care center. Before the next commercial diving season, the BP oil spill occurred. All work in the Gulf of Mexico (including mine) shut down. I was thankful to have made the transition before that incident.
I continued work in the medical field for nine years, administering nearly 6,000 hyperbaric treatments for patients. I was grandfathered into several hospital by-outs before the last facility closed its doors.
Around the same time, my daughter was born. It felt like an opportunity to take time off, enjoy family, and reassess my next move. I missed working outdoors and with my hands and decided to go back to school for Construction Management. I found a job installing high-end steel doors and windows. It was completely different from when I worked in the glass industry previously. It reminded me of the grit of working offshore. I took pride in working on multi-million dollar new residential construction. Our glass installs in these forever homes were something to see. I paid close attention to detail and showcased integrity in my working relationships with homeowners and development builders.
My wife and I bought a lot in the Texas Hill Country near Lake Travis and decided to build our own forever home. Seeing all the new home construction and development around Lake Travis and surrounding areas, I knew there was a need for a glass trade and jumped on the opportunity. I started AXIS Glass LLC specializing in glazing, window replacement, free-standing showers, and mirrors for residential development and existing communities. I immediately started working with our builder re-glazing windows and installing shower glass enclosures.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Everything started pretty quickly. I took on a lot of jobs trying to find the perfect formula for bidding and estimating projects. I lost some jobs, and I won some jobs. Some I did very well on and some I lost money on. But each time, I use my experience to perfect my approach. Customers are happy with my grit and integrity and I finally have my estimating down.
My current and biggest challenge is the shortage of raw glass materials and production time. My turnaround, from getting a lead, to visiting the home for measurements, to supplying an estimate, is usually 48 hrs. It is difficult when the blocker is out of my hands.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Axis Glass LLC?
Glass glazing, window service, shower glass enclosures.
Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
The glass industry will continue to grow. There will always be a need for glass as the Texas Hill Country and Cedar Park, Leander, and Lago Vista areas continue residential development. Especially with the implications of COVID—more people are working from home and investing in their home space. The Austin real estate market is still booming.
Contact Info:
- Email: ben@axisglassllc.com
- Website: www.axisglassllc.com
- Instagram: AXIS Glass LLC
Image Credits:
Ben Miller
