Meet Marcus Kirkwood, founder of Outpost Construction Supply. On today's episode, Marcus shares his unique journey from being a college football player at the University of Colorado to establishing a thriving business in the construction industry.

Discover the lessons Marcus learned along the way, including the importance of maintaining purpose and perspective, even amidst the day-to-day challenges of running a company. He opens up about the significance of personal and professional growth and the role of faith and passion in business.

Tune in for an inspiring conversation about leadership, entrepreneurship, and the value of building meaningful relationships while driving a purpose-driven company forward.

 

Episode Summary

 

0:03 – 0:32 | Introduction

  • Host Steve Van Diest introduces the episode and Acumen, a peer advisory group for business leaders.

  • Topic preview: growing businesses through the metaphor of raising teenagers.


0:32 – 1:14 | Guest Introduction

  • Marcus Kirkwood explains his 14-year entrepreneurial journey, founding Outpost Construction Supply at age 22.


1:20 – 2:01 | College & Athletic Background

  • Marcus attended the University of Colorado, played football, and jokes about being the "tallest kicker" in program history.


2:03 – 5:49 | Starting Outpost Construction Supply

  • Describes the company’s mission: supplying materials and safety gear for commercial and civil construction.

  • Motivated by inefficiencies in the industry observed through his father’s work.

  • Emphasis on creating purpose-filled work environments where Mondays don’t feel dreadful.


5:49 – 7:02 | Early Entrepreneurship

  • Lifelong entrepreneurial spirit: started ventures as early as middle school.

  • Passion for purpose-driven work rooted in his Millennial outlook.


7:02 – 9:33 | Bootstrapping & Going Against Advice

  • Turned down lucrative job offers post-college to bootstrap his business.

  • Felt that being broke and unattached at 22 gave him the freedom to take risks.

  • Ignorance proved useful in launching something innovative.


9:33 – 10:54 | Business Maturity Moment

  • The transition point was when Marcus began analyzing team performance, not just his own.

  • Realized true leadership involved guiding others with data and vision.


10:54 – 13:41 | Managing Growth & Avoiding Stagnation

  • Wrestled with the idea of strategic stagnation vs. growth.

  • Discusses hitting market saturation and the challenge of finding new revenue streams.


13:41 – 17:13 | People, Purpose, and Perspective

  • Core values: People, Purpose, Perspective, and later adds Passion and Gratitude.

  • Emphasizes that joy and fulfillment don’t come from financial gain, but from meaningful impact and aligned values.

  • Faith plays a central role in his leadership and company culture.


17:13 – 22:16 | Learning, Reading, and Growth

  • Daily spiritual practice and consistent reading habit (20+ books/year) drive his growth.

  • Recommends The Traveler’s Gift—a book that deeply influenced his mindset.

  • Advocates for applying at least one actionable insight from every book read.


22:16 – 25:45 | Reflections and Community

  • Discusses the support and insight gained from the Acumen peer group.

  • Shares a light-hearted moment about kickers and football.

  • Stresses the value of surrounding oneself with wise, growth-minded people.


25:45 – 26:18 | Closing Remarks

  • Steve promotes Acumen and invites listeners to engage with the community.

  • Marcus signs off with appreciation for the opportunity and camaraderie.

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