It’s often said that resilience is key for a successful leader or business owner. That’s certainly the case with Ryan Lehmann, owner of Backyard Works in Harbeson. Ryan has seen his life path altered a number of times, yet he has always found a way to overcome those challenges and land on his feet.
Growing up, Ryan enrolled at Spring Garden College in Philadelphia to pursue a degree in architecture. While going to school, Ryan worked for a small fence company to help pay for his education. Unfortunately, the college went bankrupt before he graduated, so Ryan transferred to Millersville University. He secured a job with a fence company in the area, working full time while also going to school. At one point, Ryan got sick and had to take a few days off. Upon returning to work, he asked his boss if there was any way he could consider paying him sick leave as he was supporting himself and paying for college. Rather than giving any consideration to Ryan’s request, his boss fired him immediately. Ryan told his boss that he would come to regret that decision, as Ryan intended to compete with him or ultimately buy the business from him.
True to his word, Ryan borrowed $3,500 to buy a used truck and tools, and started his own fence company in Lancaster. He successfully ran that business for 22 years, but he ultimately sold it, looking to do something that would provide more stability for his young family. Ryan took a position as vice president of sales for Country Estate Fence, the originators of vinyl fencing. Within four years, Ryan was able to help triple the sales of the business. His hard work was noticed, and he was lured away by an even larger business to run their branches in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Ryan’s former employer sued him to keep him from working there. Rather than fight it, Ryan moved to Youngstown, Ohio, where he worked for a start-up aluminum extrusion business. In just a year-and-a-half, Ryan was able to take sales from zero to $7 million, when the owner of the business unexpectedly died and the business closed.
Deciding that he would rather take the risk of running his own business than be at the mercy of other people and situations, Ryan saw potential growth opportunities in Sussex County and started Backyard Works in 2015. After three years, he purchased the current location in Harbeson. He started manufacturing his own products in 2019.
His workforce has grown from a single installation crew in 2015 to 10 crews today and 35 employees. Backyard Works installs fences and decks and manufactures extrusion products. His company’s reputation for quality work enabled Backyard Works to be the successful bidder to build the security fence around President Joe Biden’s home in Rehoboth Beach.
Like most businesses, COVID has had a major impact on Backyard Works. In addition to supply-chain challenges, Ryan has struggled to find employees to meet the demands of his customers. Adding to the difficulty of finding employees is the lack of affordable housing in Sussex County. With his business location in Harbeson, it means people moving to the area often must find housing on the western side of the county. So, while housing may be more affordable there, it also means a daily commute – a challenge with the increase in gas prices.
Ryan knows from his own life experiences that people can quickly be confronted with a challenging situation that lands them in a difficult spot. As a result, Ryan has looked to hire people who could benefit from that “hand up” that can help someone get back on their feet. In fact, Ryan allowed one of his own employees, who was homeless, to live in their offices until he could save enough money to find a place to live.
Recognizing the importance of culture in retaining and attracting employees, Ryan has created a family-like atmosphere at Backyard Works. He stresses the idea of excellence and high standards with the fundamentals in their business. His employees look out for each other and focus on meeting the needs of their customers.
Having dealt with the ups and downs of business, bouncing back to grow record sales for multiple companies and now running his own business, Ryan has a wealth of experiences to deal with whatever challenges might come his way. Ryan knows he can’t control everything that might impact his business, but he does recognize that creating a culture where the customer comes first can help create the resilience that will enable Backyard Works to continue to grow and create innovative solutions and products for homeowners and businesses in Sussex County.
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This column provides an opportunity for readers to connect with the personal side of business leaders in area communities. Many of our local business owners and CEOs are thought leaders in their community, and they can provide valuable insights and ideas on issues of common interest to all of us. Successful businesses are essential for a healthy and growing society, especially as people continue to move to this area looking for employment opportunities. This column will highlight leaders who are not only successful, but also making a difference in our communities.
Jeffrey Fried has been an executive in the healthcare industry for over 40 years, including serving as the president/CEO of Beebe Medical Center for 24 years. After leaving Beebe Healthcare, Jeff started his own consulting and executive coaching company, and has coached executives in a variety of industries. In addition, Jeff has partnered with a company called Vistage, the oldest executive coaching company in the country, where he serves as a local chair on the Delmarva Peninsula and leads/supports a group of medium-sized business owners and CEOs. Jeff and his wife Sherry reside outside Lewes and between the two of them have three children and five grandchildren. Last but not least, they are the parents of two rescue dogs.
