This week, our executive leadership team gathered in Old Snowmass, Colorado, for “Beyond the Summit,” a time to pause, reflect, and reimagine what’s next for Clayco. Held at my Buttercup Ranch, the setting reminded us of what makes this company special: we build not just structures, but communities and connections.

We began by confronting the hard truths and opportunities that define this moment. In candid sessions like “Lessons from the Brink,” we faced the realities of a shifting marketplace and reaffirmed our commitment to resilience and innovation. These weren’t comfortable conversations, but they were clarifying ones, setting the tone for a summit focused on truth, purpose, and forward momentum.

Day two was about recalibration, aligning our strategy with both today’s realities and tomorrow’s ambitions. We examined how to rebalance the business, strengthen our integrated and self-perform services, and elevate our culture through talent and leadership.

The most transformative moment of the summit came on the final day, during a joint session with Zack Kass, AI futurist and former Head of Go-To-Market at OpenAI. Zack brought both urgency and imagination to the conversation around artificial intelligence, the catalyst for rethinking how we lead, create, and build.

He reminded us that AI isn’t the future; it’s the present and that those who lead with creativity, humanity, and integrity will shape how this new era unfolds. His perspective challenged us to see technology not as a replacement for our craft, but as a tool to expand it. He asked us to imagine what happens when innovation and purpose converge when data amplifies design, and intelligence deepens impact.

As I looked around the room at some of the most passionate, driven, and creative leaders I’ve ever known, I was filled with gratitude and optimism. Beyond the Summit wasn’t just the name of our executive gathering, it’s a mindset.

Leadership isn’t about having all the answers; it’s about staying curious, challenging assumptions, and pushing boundaries together. The future belongs to those who are brave enough to keep asking, “What’s next?”

Here’s to building it, and becoming it, together.