By ZOË WATKINS
zwatkins@bedfordcountypost.com
Submitted photo
Rowland Construction is recognizing its 10th year anniversary as a local company this May.
It’s owned and managed by Robby Rowland and his wife of 11 years, Kaitlyn.
Growing up, Robby said he had a close family friend who did a similar line of excavation and construction work. “That’s kind of what got me interested in excavation,” he said.
When he was a senior in high school, Robby bought a bulldozer and started work on the side.
Little did he know at the time that his side hustle would turn into a full time business with 20 pieces of equipment and a full staff.
It all came down to taking a risk and a leap of faith.
Robby began serving in the Army National Guard full time after he graduated in 2007 from Shelbyville Central.
He continued to work in excavation on the side. He was doing so when he met Kaitlyn.
“We got married, and I told her that spring that I wanted to go full time with the business. And that’s what we did,” he said. “We’re still doing it 10 years later.”
“At the time I was a teacher for Bedford County Schools,” said Kaitlyn, who taught 4th and 5th grade at Eakin and Learning Way elementary schools. “We just sat down and said let’s do it before we have kids and see if we can sink or swim. Gambled. And it was a gamble that worked out.”
Often, there’s no guarantee of a paycheck when you’re self-employed. The Rowlands had no financial backers and purely built the company through hard work, consistency, and faith.
“It was a lot of hard work, a lot of long days,” said Robby. Those long days looked like 18 to 19 hours days in rain or shine.
“But you’ve got to do what it takes to make it work,” he said.
“As a 24 year old who had been married for eight months, I never for a second thought he would fail. I just knew we would be ok,” said Kaitlyn.
For the first few years, Robby worked primarily on his own with help from others now and then. Eventually, five years in, they started hiring employees.
“We truly have enjoyed the people who have worked for us over the years, and we feel like we’ve been able to make differences in some peoples’ lives, and many have become like family to us,” said Kaitlyn.
Kaitlyn was also there to help a lot in administration and bookkeeping. “I also know more about a bulldozer than any woman should,” she said with a laugh.
Today, Robby is still in the National Guard but serves on a part-time basis, totaling 17 years he’s been with the military.
“So we’re a veteran-owned business,” said Kaitlyn.
Serving commercial, industrial, and residential projects, Rowland Construction focuses primarily on excavation, but they also offer much more.
“We do anything from new construction as far as excavation for pads, footers, basements, road work, land clearing, forestry, mulching, gravel hauling,” Robby said. “We’re pretty open to doing whatever it takes to get a job done.”
He also has a specialty in ponds and said he plans to add tar and chipping to their list of services this summer.
A lot of it is self-taught for Robby, while some experience comes from working with heavy equipment while in the military.
“Looking back, joining the military was a great decision. It opened a lot of doors for me in more ways than one,” said Robby.
Now in the company’s 10th year, they continue to build their customer base as the area grows in addition to providing quality service for their repeat customers.
“I think we pride ourselves the most on repeat customers,” said Kaitlyn. “If he bids a job, he sticks to what he says he’s going to do at the price he said, if at all possible.”
Robby explained his philosophy, “Andy Haynes, another local businessman, told me it’s real simple, ‘Treat people how you want to be treated,’ and I’ve really stuck to that.”
They’re office is located in Lynchburg, but they are licensed in both Moore and Bedford counties. Call or text them 931-703-0990 for construction needs.
“This area has certainly grown a lot in the last several years. We feel like we’ve had a small part in helping to facilitate that,” Robby said.
“We’re very, very appreciative of all the people in the community who have helped us get here.”
When not working, the Rowlands enjoy taking care of their two daughters, who are four- and five-years-old, and love taking them on camping adventures in their RV. They are members of First Baptist Church in Shelbyville and added that they wouldn’t be where they are today without faith in the Lord and without faith in each other.
