Construction Forum’s mission is, “To facilitate the collaboration of all the stakeholders in the built environment in creating inclusive, robust employment and economic growth.” 

Forum Focus will present stories of people who are working to make that vision and mission happen. In this podcast, Focus presents the story of Sedrick Brandt.

Sedrick Brandt's path to success with his excavating firm, Brandt Contracting has been anything but straight-line or overnight. It was marked by a lot of unusual turns, hard work,  and great advice. 

After serving in the military he became an equipment operator. With breaks for other enterprises, he operated construction equipment off and on for 20 years. 

Along the way he earned a cum laude bachelors degree in information technology from Maryville University. He also owned a commercial cleaning business. 

After earning his IT degree he worked in the tech sector for several years, until the tech bubble burst. He then returned to construction, a move which ultimately resulted in him starting his own business. 

Brandt Contracting recently "graduated" from the Regional Union Construction Center, also known as the RUCC. Business owners who pass the rigorous screening for acceptance in the RUCC are assigned a board of advisors which includes an attorney, a CPA, a construction business owner and a CPA.

In 2016 Sedrick Brandt was one of two M/WBE contractors selected by Ameren for a scholarship to attend the  Minority Business Executive Program at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College in Hanover, NH. 

Brandt said that he learned to operate lean and efficiently from some of the contractors he worked for during his years as an operator. Brandt Contracting has an office staff of two people, with approximately 20 workers in the field. 

The company has historically done about $3M in business annually, but is on a track to double that number for 2020.