Food for thought
A good portion of Hahn Builders work is devoted to creating areas where families gather to relax and share a meal.
That is the important ingredient — people.
And in this thought, we show gratitude to members of our community who are devoted to helping out on a daily basis.
Small Scale Farms gets a big hug for their market focus on locally grown vegetables and grocery goods that are fairly distributed.
Hahn Builders supports Small Scale Farms in a partnership that extends the life of surplus building materials by diverting wood and other construction products from landfill and into the hands of this remarkable group.
It’s a small contribution that allows the organization to maintain its pay-what-you-can and other outreach programs.
Find out more about Small Scale Farms
Purpose-built: Aaron Hahn and Small Scale Farms founder Renee Delaney load lumber at the Hahn Builders yard as part of a partnership to extend the life of construction materials.
Aaron’s outlook
Purpose is built together
Amidst the details and deadlines that too often dominate our lives, we can lose touch with what really counts.
And then a simple conversation or an unexpected event returns us to that sense of purpose with the reminder of the power in a small group working together.
It was a recent event on a volunteer excursion to Mexico that brought this message home.
My family and I said yes to an invite from friends to travel to a part of the world where basic shelter is a critical concern. The goal was to build a home in four and a half days in a suburb village of Ensenada Mexico for a family of 6 (Dad, Mom and four children).
We departed from Canada, where we take for granted such things as a roof over our heads, and prepared for a family adventure in a place of substantial need.
This was a rugged region that had endured more than its share of difficulties, but we were greeted by an uplifting spirit in the community. The families and the volunteer crew all connected in a purposeful and fun way. Daily we took the drive out to our work site to build a house. Before we knew it, a house was constructed — but something greater was created.
The discovery was that home is where the heart is, no matter where you are, and hearts need a shelter. Working to build a structure/house with the family turning it in to a home created something much bigger for all who were involved.
In my personal life and in by business affairs at Hahn Builders Inc., there is a spirit of collaboration. I often quote “ Teamwork makes the Dreamwork” in my conversations and social media posts. I truly believe this is fundamental. WHY? because it can change the world.
We can’t do it alone, and we are better for it when we pool our abilities and help out in our community.
The glue that guides
Part of the Hahn Builders What We Do series
Building is continuous motion, with beams swinging into place, floors rising. Unseen but evident in all aspects of the operation is the planning and communications. It is the glue that connects the vision with the practical progress of a successful project.
Mobile communications is a big part of it, says Hahn Builders President Aaron Hahn, who has a smart phone permanently fastened to his hip. But he is the first to admit that the instant ability to send a text doesn’t substitute for good planning that starts the day with everyone knowing their responsibilities.
It might be a text that precisely times the delivery of materials at a critical stage, but more often it is the collaboration of discussions online with project management software that connects customers, the decisions and milestones in a project’s journey from architectural drawing to completed structure.
“It’s this spirit of collaboration that connects every decision on a Hahn Builders site,” Aaron Hahn said. “This is the magnetic centre of operations, the hub that guides every move.”
Aaron likes to think about his role as bike mechanic, tightening the spokes of a wheel. The image comes naturally to Hahn, who was a competitive motocross racer before launching Hahn Builders Inc.
Looking over his racing bike before a circuit event, checking cables, listening to the sound of the engine, the familiar click into gear – these are the actions that put the race into focus.
A similar routine precedes every step of a Hahn building project. Visualization of the next stage ahead, connection with project participants, and building communication with each lap.