For Jason Young, one of the most important parts about being a titan is understanding and admitting what you don’t know. “A vital first step is dropping any delusion that a title bestows all-omnipotent knowledge,” he said. “No one is an expert at everything.”
Instead, Young, the president and CEO of 3Up Metal Works, surrounds himself with doers, leaders, thinkers and go-getters to collaborate whenever possible. “It’s how we learn new skills and better means to accomplish goals,” said Young.
Learning new skills has stemmed from collaborating and investing with his team to make decisions together on how to approach projects. “When you’re the leader of a skills-based trades operation, you eat last … and everything else comes first,” said Young. “The contents of your plate depend entirely on those working downstream. If they don’t have what they need, or aren’t well incentivized, you’ll go hungry many nights.”
3Up Metal Works delivers custom steel and sheet metal fabrication that meets each customer’s specs, budget and time frame. From catwalks to conveyors, stairways to structural building components, 3Up Metal Works fortifies the operation with unmatched strength and safety.
When he bought and rebranded the metal fabrication company in 2020, the first big undertaking was assessing every element of the organization from personnel, equipment, the customer base and facility to market strategy. Young began to invest heavily into new equipment, incorporate technology into operations and modernize the organization. He outsourced resources for marketing, legal services and accounting and initiated quarterly safety meetings.
In addition, Young focused on connecting with new markets and enhance the offerings. “Nevertheless, our team’s skills and experience offer a valuable repeatability of these offerings,” said Young. “Customers know they can order a piece that’s similar – but different – from a prior order and it will be made correctly. Word spreads which is why we’ve been booking jobs into 2024 for months already.”
As a result, Young said the company is in a strong position. “The journey has been arduous and daunting, yet ultimately fulfilling,” he said.
Building the company’s niche while fostering employee growth has been his primary focus after recognition as a Titan 100 last year. “We, as a team, are deciding the jobs that are best suited for our business,” said Young. “The true collaboration of feedback on opportunities is seen through our open discussions, versus taking every opportunity that presents itself.”
For his ability to truly assess what his clients and staff need to get the job done, Young has been named a second-year Titan 100.
