Ten years is a milestone worth celebrating, especially when it’s backed by more than three decades of experience in the construction industry. As Wilshire Pacific Builders marks 10 years, we’re not just recognizing a decade of growth. We are honoring the 30+ years of industry knowledge, relationships, and grit that laid the foundation long before WPB ever had a name.
We sat down with the founder Jim Brundage to get the real story: the why, the how, and the what were you thinking? moments that turned an idea into a decade of success.
Jim, what made you decide to start Wilshire Pacific Builders?
After years in affordable housing, I saw that new construction was often too slow and costly to meet the urgent demand. I wanted to create a model that augmented new development by renovating existing, underappreciated projects.
My goal was to provide safe, quality housing that had an immediate and positive impact on residents’ lives.
On day one, what did you hope the company would look like in 10 years?
I didn’t have 10 years in mind. My initial goals were simple: to complete one project and be able to make payroll, I couldn’t even afford an office; so we worked out of a Panera Bread for the free Wi-Fi and soda refills. I never imagined we would grow to become an industry leader.
When was the moment you realized, “This is actually going to work?”
That first project took months of blood, sweat, and tears. About halfway through, as we saw the results, we realized our process for efficient occupied renovations actually worked. That was the moment we decided to jump in with both feet.
What are some of the challenges you faced in the early years?
We made our fair share of mistakes, especially in years two and three. We had tremendous early success but we scaled too quickly, and because of that, suffered growing pains. Our mantra was simply, “We need hands… hire, hire, hire”.
Without the right infrastructure, we let many of those early hires down and our projects became nightmares. Those expensive lessons forced me to recognize my shortcomings and implement the changes that define our success today. I realized that we didn’t just need hands, we needed structure. I couldn’t just will it to work. We needed processes built around the three pillars of construction success: budget, schedule, and quality.
How did the core values start to take shape in those early days?
I recognized early on that culture isn’t a buzzword; it’s a shared set of values and beliefs. Early in my career, I set myself up as the sole decision-maker. This was a fear-based approach that stifled my growth. With Wilshire, I knew I had to build the best team, one with high technical and emotional intelligence.
I really wanted to create an environment where people truly enjoy showing up to work. They enjoy it because they feel valued, supported, and trusted, their work matters and they are apart of a team that holds each other accountable. The feedback that someone “looks forward to Monday morning” is incredibly rewarding to hear.
Did the company change direction at any point?
I’ve been asked many times to do everything including new construction affordable housing, custom homes, and commercial projects, however I’ve remained deliberate in my direction. I decided early to stay focused on what we do best: affordable housing renovations.
We’ve grown from a few people to an entire team of qualified experts. We are licensed in 20 states, and have completed over 8,000 successful unit turns in 13 states (and counting). Our goal is to be the best affordable housing renovation company in the country.
What drives your company and its impact on the industry?
Our biggest impact is changing the expectations of what affordable housing should be. We believe “affordable” should never mean sacrificing quality, sustainability, community impact, or resident experience and we’ll continue to raise the standards of the affordable housing industry.
My guiding principle has always been “Making Lives Better.” Not just for me personally, but for every resident, client, architect, construction partners, and the WPB team members.
As you celebrate 10 years, what do you see next for Wilshire Pacific Builders?
Over the past 10 years, I have a developed a deep appreciation for how far we have come as a company. The team at Wilshire Pacific Builders truly makes this company what it is; this ten-year milestone belongs to them.
As I think about what’s to come in the next ten years, it isn’t just about the continued growth of the company it’s about growing our impact in the affordable housing community.