Today we’d like to introduce you to Michael Blackburn.
Hi michael, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I got started working with a guy named Jimmy Day, who really became my mentor. He took me under his wing and taught me pretty much everything I know today. He was primarily a carpet installer, but he also did all kinds of tile work, bathroom remodeling, and insurance restoration work. He was one of those guys who could pretty much do it all, and I learned a tremendous amount from him.
After that, I bounced around from company to company for a while, getting experience in different areas. Along the way, I really started to fall in love with kitchens, tile work, and bathroom remodeling. That’s where I found my passion.
Eventually, I got to a point where I just wasn’t happy with where I was. I had one job on the books, and I decided to take a chance on myself. I got my MHIC license, left a very comfortable job without really having a plan, and figured I had one kitchen to remodel and I’d go from there.
That was about ten years ago, and somehow I’ve been able to make it work. It’s been a really fun journey, and I’ve learned a lot along the way. I’m proud of how far it’s come and excited about where it can continue to go.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
No, it definitely has not been a smooth road. It’s been an uphill battle at times.
One of the things I learned pretty early on is that I’m really good at the work. I’m confident in my ability to do pretty much anything at a high level. What I didn’t realize when I started was that being good at the work and being good at running a business are two completely different things.
I had to learn marketing, sales, estimating, managing overhead, understanding my numbers, and most importantly, learning how to price jobs properly so that I was actually making a profit. That was probably one of the biggest struggles for me—realizing that this wasn’t just a side job anymore. This was a legitimate business with real expenses and real responsibilities. And honestly, I feel like I’m still learning something new every day.
Marketing has probably been one of the hardest parts for me. I’m a contractor at heart, so I naturally want to be out there doing the work. Learning how to step back and work on the business instead of just working in the business has been a big adjustment.
And then, just to make things interesting, I started my company and about a year later, COVID hit. I was just getting established, I didn’t have a huge amount of money set aside, I had just paid my expenses, and then everything shut down. People didn’t want anyone coming into their homes, and that was a really tough time.
Around that same period, I had an opportunity to work at the White House doing work in the residence. I was an EXR employee, and it was an incredible experience and something I’ll always be glad I got to do. But it also became a bit of a reality check for me.
We had just had our first child, and I realized that having a job where they wanted you there all the time just wasn’t for me. I remember thinking, “I just can’t let go of my company.” I had worked way too hard to get it to where it was, and I didn’t want to walk away from it.
So I decided to double down on the company. Looking back, that was probably one of the biggest turning points for me. It made me realize how much I really wanted this, and things have gotten a lot better since then.
It hasn’t been easy, but I think a lot of the struggles are what taught me how to actually run a business—and they’ve made me a much better business owner.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
We primarily specialize in kitchen and bathroom renovations. Those are really the two areas where we’ve built our reputation and where I feel like we do our best work.
I’m probably best known for my tile work, and honestly, that’s the part of what I do that I’m most proud of. I’ve worked with a lot of different tile setters and different companies over the years, and I’ve always felt like I have a different level of passion for it.
What I love about tile is how difficult it is. A lot of people don’t like how challenging tile work can be, but that’s exactly what I enjoy about it. It challenges you every single day, and every job is different. You can’t just rely on what you did on the last job because every space presents a new challenge.
And tile is one of those things where there’s really nowhere to hide. It shows every imperfection. Your walls have to be straight, your layout has to be right, your cuts have to be precise, and all the little details matter. You really have to be as close to perfect as you can possibly get.
That attention to detail and the pride I take in the tile work is probably what sets me apart the most. It’s not just something I do because it’s part of the job. I genuinely enjoy the process of figuring it out and getting it right.
I think that’s something my customers recognize and appreciate. At the end of the day, I want them to look at the finished project and know that somebody cared about every single detail.
Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
I guess the one thing I haven’t really shared with the readers is that I’m married and I have three kids. Everything I do is really for them. I’m a family man first, and my family is what drives me every day.
One of the things I love most about owning my own business and doing what I do is that it gives me the flexibility to be there for my kids. Being able to show up for their school events, their sports, and all the little moments in between is extremely important to me. I don’t want to miss those things.
My kids are a huge part of what motivates me. I never want to let them down, and that pushes me to keep getting better, to do excellent work, and to keep building a strong business.
And who knows—maybe one day one of my boys will want to take it over. That would be pretty cool. But for now, I’m just focused on being the best husband and dad I can be while continuing to build something that I can be proud of.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://superiorremodelingmd.com
