Answer extracted from the Forum Focus podcast — listen to the full episode below.
What is the current workforce size and trajectory for a growing minority-owned construction contractor?
Sled Rock Construction currently operates with 26 employees combined across carpentry and laborers unions, and founder Cordell Sawyer's explicit goal is to double that workforce to approximately 52 employees within two to three years. This growth target reflects both the company's current market trajectory and Sawyer's deliberate strategy of building the right connections to scale.
Founded in 2009 during the economic downturn, Sled Rock Construction evolved from specialty carpentry into small general contracting by leveraging strategic partnerships and visibility in the regional market. The company became signatory to both the carpenters and laborers unions, positioning itself as a credible player in union construction—a critical distinction for accessing larger projects in the St. Louis region.
The path from founder to scaled operation was intentional. As detailed in the Forum Focus episode, Sawyer invested 11 years of disciplined execution—writing a strategic business plan, joining trade organizations, and attending networking meetings—to build the credibility and relationships necessary for growth. This foundation now positions the company to accelerate from its current 26-person team to a substantially larger operation.
The two to three-year doubling timeline is not arbitrary; it reflects realistic market demand from visible regional projects (including work on the Missouri Botanical Garden Visitor Center and the Queenie Tower demolition project) and the relationships Sawyer has cultivated with larger regional contractors. Leveraging the relationships that have been built and maintained over these 11 years is the explicit mechanism Sawyer identifies for this next phase of growth.
"Leveraging the relationships that we have built and maintained over these 11 years has been the key to growth."
Cordell Sawyer — Founder, Sled Rock Construction. Sawyer grew up in University City and worked as a janitor while reading books on wealth creation. He became one of the first apprentices to complete the carpenter's associate degree program through Balls Park Community College, then worked as a union carpenter for a decade before founding Sled Rock Construction in 2009. He bootstrapped the company by investing carpenter wages into real estate and leveraging that equity to fund construction operations—a model that required both financial discipline and deep industry knowledge.
The scale-up from 26 to 52 employees also carries operational implications. This is not simple headcount growth; it reflects deeper capacity to handle larger, more complex projects, faster project completion, and the ability to maintain multiple concurrent engagements. In construction, doubling workforce size typically enables a contractor to bid on and execute significantly larger contract values, shift from niche carpentry into broader general contracting, and reduce dependency on individual key personnel.
For a minority-owned business enterprise (MBE) like Sled Rock, this growth trajectory is particularly significant. MBEs historically face financing constraints, access barriers to larger clients, and credibility gaps that slow scaling. The Forum Focus conversation with Sawyer demonstrates how intentional networking, visible project delivery, and union signatory status can overcome these headwinds—enabling a pathway to substantial organizational growth that many smaller contractors, regardless of ownership, struggle to achieve.
See also
What are the most damaging payment term practices in the construction industry?
Cordell Sawyer identified 60, 90, and 120-day payment terms as standard in construction, which he called unfathomable and particularly harmful to small contractors managing cash flow.
How can a small contractor build visibility and overcome the credibility gap in construction?
Cordell Sawyer turned the situation around by writing a strategic plan, joining trade organizations, attending all possible meetings and networking events, and deliberately building relationships with established contractors.
What barriers do minority-owned construction companies face when entering new markets?
Cordell Sawyer explained that the natural assumption is that minority-owned small businesses do not know what they are doing, creating a significant hurdle that requires explicit credibility-building and visible project delivery to overcome.