Dustin Dowdy is the CEO of Southeastern Tank, a manufacturer and distributor of water storage tanks and related installation systems. He is also the President of Custom Pump & Controls, which distributes and repairs pump stations and equipment for storm and wastewater applications. As a 20-year water and wastewater industry veteran, Dustin has experience in water storage and distribution, water quality management, and waste and stormwater collection and treatment.

Most entrepreneurs don’t start a business knowing how to lead a team. This is especially true for multi-generational business owners who are accustomed to working with family members rather than outside employees. What can you learn from a family business owner who honed his leadership style to leave a lasting legacy?

Industrial-grade entrepreneur Dustin Dowdy never envisioned taking over his father’s business. Yet after his father fell ill, he was forced to take the reins and steer the business in a new direction, including hiring employees outside his family unit. Initially, Dustin limited his team by confining them to tasks based on their skill sets. He learned that effective leadership requires investing in your team and allowing them to apply their skills to other disciplines. Leaders must also coach, mentor, and develop individual relationships with each team member based on their unique learning styles, paving a path for them to achieve their career goals.

In today’s episode of Industry Edge, Danielle Neely chats with Dustin Dowdy, the CEO of Southeastern Tank and President of Custom Pump & Controls, about cultivating a leadership legacy. Dustin shares stories of investing in employees, his companies’ lasting legacies, and how he retains his team for the long term.