Professional Builder Profile Interview: Drew DeWolf of DeWolf Excavation in Montana
We’ve now moved into full-on bike park mode in the Northern Hemisphere. However, there are still quite a few bike parks blanketed under snow. This is the time of year we all long for. More sun, warmer temperatures, and the ability to spend more time on our bikes. It’s also a reminder that whenever we go out on the trail, someone created, shaped, and then maintains them. That usually means it was either built by a professional trail crew, a group of volunteers, or a combination of both. This is a perfect time to continue our Professional Builder Profile interview series.
My guest today is Drew DeWolf of DeWolf Excavation LLC, located in Montana. When Drew first sent in his responses to my question, it was still cold and wintry, especially in Montana. Let’s jump into this interview.
Sean: What are you currently doing?
Drew: Currently, I am coaching for the winter with The Big Sky Freeride Team at Big Sky Resort. Between coaching days, I am building a trail schedule for the 2023 summer and preforming general maintenance on machinery and vehicles.
Sean: What prompted you to take the plunge in launching out and starting your own trail-building company?
Drew: I decided to launch my own trail/excavation company after close to a decade of working for Terraflow Trail Systems as an Equipment Operator/Supervisor. I thoroughly enjoy being outside in unique places and working with machinery. I saw starting my own company as a necessary next step in advancing my career as a trail builder.
Sean: What’s been the craziest story or a-ha moment so far?
Drew: Dealing with bears eating fuel cans and tearing up camp. Routinely pushing tw200s to their limits, building in insanely steep terrain and places with rockfall hazards.
Sean: What was the biggest obstacle you faced when starting?
Drew: My biggest obstacle when starting my own company was sorting through the legalities such as insurance, tax structures, and state and federal certificates. Also, like anyone who has started a business, the financial aspect of start-up and initial operation costs can be tricky to navigate successfully.
Sean: What is one thing you wish you knew when you started?
Drew: One thing I wish I had known when I started would be how personally time-consuming operating a business is. As an owner, there are always more tasks to accomplish, which becomes very time-consuming. It's important for me to remember to take time away from the company.
Sean: What advice would you give to someone thinking of venturing out to start their own trail-building company?
Drew: My best advice would be to network as much as possible and be open to taking on all kinds of trail projects or general dirt work.
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That concludes our interview. If you have a story to tell, click the button below and drop me an email.
Interview by: Sean Benesh Photos: Supplied by Drew DeWolf
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sean Benesh
Sean is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Trail Builder Mag. He is also the Communications Director for the Northwest Trail Alliance in Portland, Oregon. While in grad school, he worked as a mountain biking guide in Southern Arizona. Sean also spends time in the classroom as a digital media instructor at Warner Pacific University.
