Building a 100-year business

By Dani Sheehan. 

True leadership is about service, vision and a commitment to building something that will last for generations. 

Kerrick Willis, Army veteran, second-generation roofer and owner of GeoSpatial Integrations (GSI), believes that strong, service-oriented leadership is the key to running a successful business. You won’t want to miss his presentation at ServiceCon 2025 this March 12-14, 2025, in Houston, Texas, where he’ll demonstrate drone technology and just how accessible it can be. We recently sat down with him to discuss the strengths of a good business owner and hear about his own philosophy running a company. 

With his experience in the Army, Kerrick has seen firsthand what works – and what doesn’t – when it comes to leading teams. He firmly believes that taking care of employees creates a ripple effect that leads to satisfied customers and a thriving business. “If we take care of the people, and our estimates are good, and our numbers are right, our business is not going to have a problem,” he shares. “Take care of the people, and they’re going to take care of your customers. The company will be profitable. Shareholders will be happy. Everyone in between will be happy.” 

This philosophy aligns with modern leadership approaches that emphasize employee well-being and retention over rigid, top-down management styles. Kerrick points to companies like Costco, which invest in their employees, as an example of how strategic leadership can yield long-term success. 

For Kerrick, true leadership is about building a business that lasts for generations. He says, “I don’t think building an expensive company is the hardest part. I think if you can last for multiple generations, through multiple owners, that’s what’s impressive.” 

To achieve this, he stresses the importance of hiring and developing the right people rather than cutting costs by hiring cheap labor. But it doesn’t end there. Once they’re hired, you have to lead them and make sure they fit into the culture. He advocates for building a capable team that can operate independently: “It’s so much better to have less stress and capable people over trying to manage it and do it all yourself,” he says. 

Leaders similarly need to love what they do, or they’ll struggle to inspire others. Kerrick believes leadership is about motivation and morale: “The more engaged and valued employees feel, the better they perform. It’s really as simple as that.” 

Hear more from Kerrick about his approach to business growth and how he uses drone technology at ServiceCon 2025. Register today!