For the last eight years, J&R Construction has been remodeling homes and businesses throughout Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Kansas, bringing to life the vision and ideas of many home and business owners.
Jose Leyva worked in the oilfield for nine years until the industry began to tank in 2013, leaving little to no hope for the workers who had dedicated many years to the advantageous, yet unpredictable field.
Leyva then went to work for Frank’s Hardware, bringing in what little knowledge he had of home improvement and construction gained during his time helping members of his family with construction projects as well as embarking on some of his own.
While he was grateful for his employment with Frank’s Hardware, the wages he earned during his time in the oilfield was incomparable and Leyva knew he needed something more, but his ambition was anything but self-serving.
“I just wanted to do something that I can help people with-the whole heart and the whole idea was that I wanted to help people,” Leyva said.
“I came up with the idea, but I didn’t know what all it would entail. I never went to business classes or anything related to owning a business. But every time I put something on my mind, I place God first.”
Not having today’s social media platforms to advertise his new business at the time, Leyva hit the streets-walking through every neighborhood, knocking on every door and pitching his jack-of-all-trades skillset to the residents.
“I saw mail carriers going from house to house and thought, well, I’ll just go door to door like that. I walked this entire town, half of Borger, and all of Canadian. I didn’t even have business cards. I had a 5-gallon bucket with my tools in it,” Leyva laughed.
“I started with yards then I would fix faucets and stuff like that. The first few years of my company, I was doing it all on my own. I learned a hundred ways on how not to do something before I learned how to do it right.”
Competing with more established construction and home improvement companies, Leyva knew that it was going to take more than being on foot to advertise his business and get his name out to the public, and trying to figure out how to do that was an obstacle he was willing to face, but unsure of what his next move should be.
“Those were hard years and I wanted to give up, but I was determined because I knew I had all I needed: God.”
“I was relying on God, but also putting in my effort. God says help yourself, and I will help you. He doesn’t say stand still. Prayer and faith is great, but not followed by any action is worthless.”
After a while, the work started to pick up and Leyva knew he needed some help and began the hiring process. The people he would hire on through the years would bring their own knowledge and expertise to the company, therefore furthering its growth.
With the company doing well, Leyva decided he would take on a new endeavor by purchasing properties in need of rennovation in an attempt to flip and sell them, but he soon found himself in an upside-down financial situation and he was losing money and employees.
Considering this moment in his career as the absolute rock bottom, he turned to God, asking for help and guidance.
“I made a deal with God. My offer was God, if you make this work, I promise to help everyone that I can,” Leyva said.
Leyva’s prayers were answered the very next day when he was made a cash offer to purchase the homes he had worked on.
The big break helped pull Leyva’s company out of the financial hole and put them back on the map, allowing Leyva to hire more people and take on more jobs, expanding J&R Construction.
Through many lessons and moments of trial and error, Leyva recalls the best piece of advice given to him when it comes to running a successful business that even eight years late, still rings true.
“When it comes to business, worry about making one customer happy at a time. And overtime, you’ll get to where you want to be.”
But as with any business, outside factors can effect its operation such as the Covid pandemic, rising costs and product availability, but Leyva’s faith and the support of his family would help him pull his company through anything thrown at it.
“Throughout that whole amount of time, I know it was God that pushed me. And my wife of course. God, my wife and my children-they are my biggest motivators.”
Although home rennovation and construction is laborous and strenous at times, Leyva considers it more of a mission than a job, keeping the promise he made to God all those years ago.
“One of the things that I enjoy the most is being able to do what I love and at the same, being able to help families,” he said.
With the continued success of the company, Leyva has been able to bless families within the community, from providing 3,000 free meals at Central Park to offering free giveaways for remodels on homes.
“I keep my promise and He keeps His promise and the business continues to strive that way.”
For more information about the services that J&R Construction offers, call 806-440-4563 or to view their impressive portfolio on their remodels, go to their Facebook page J&R Construction and Yard Service.
