Our Story

My name is Drew, and this is Hillside's story. My love for fine homes stems from my parents' appreciation for quality craftsmanship and things being done the right way. Around the age of nine, my dad built a shop behind our home in order to run his and my mom's oil and gas business. Before construction began, my dad had drawn a rough floor plan on graph paper; when I saw the plan, I was instantly captured with intrigue.

In the years that followed, I would draw floor plans of houses; my mom can recall doors to bedrooms opening from kitchens...hey we all have to start somewhere... My mom was always encouraging and had wonderful taste which helped to nurture my growing passion for homes.

Flash forward to the college years, I meandered back and forth from architecture courses to similar career classes and ultimately never graduated with any design credentials. Starting with engineering, I changed my concentration to architecture and came alive. However through various circumstances and a growth in my faith, I ended up with a degree in Bible & Theology.

Next major marker was meeting my now wife; my greatest challenger and encourager. After graduating college, I came back to work for my dad, but still felt the need to explore architecture. This led me to apply to the Texas A&M Master of Architecture program. I was accepted, engaged, sold my home, and moved, all with in a two month period. My wife, fiancé at the time, looking at our future and desiring to start a family, challenged me to look for a job in the construction industry in the DFW area to see if we could bypass four years of school and jumpstart our family. As it turns out, this was God's plan all along!

Over the next seven years, I worked for a couple of home builders in the east Dallas area and gained a wealth of knowledge. I am forever grateful for these experiences and relationships; however, the entrepreneurship seed was starting to sprout and starting my own company became my most ambitious driving force for the future. In seven years, I had gotten married, had two children, moved twice, and gained a dog. It was a wonderful whirlwind.

In late May of 2022 I felt a nudging that it was now or never if I was going to start this business I'd always dreamed. We were expecting our third child in two months, I met my wife for lunch and told her it was now or never; poor girl was overwhelmed and stressed with our baby on the way-she's tough though, and a trooper!

Here I am now a little over two years later; I've learned far more about owning a business than I ever could have imagined. I've learned that it is not easy, but it is rewarding. It can create ways to spend more time with your family or it can create ways to take you from them. But more than anything the joy of doing what I love each day, far outweighs the negatives.

If you've read this far, thank you. Its been a ride, and I can't wait to see where the Lord takes us!

In Closing

As I move forward with this blog, I'll be sharing design tips, insights into construction, and other things not construction related that are interesting to me. So buckle up, for a not so wild ride, and hit that subscribe button to come along for the journey!