Today we’d like to introduce you to Colin Lasch.
Hi Colin, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My introduction to the construction industry was anything but conventional. In 2006, at a moment when much of the world was watching the conflict in Iraq unfold on the nightly news, Colin was on the ground — participating directly in the reconstruction effort that followed. Operating in an environment where the stakes of every decision extended well beyond budget and schedule, I learned the foundational disciplines of the industry under conditions that demanded precision, adaptability, and steady leadership. Working alongside military and civilian reconstruction teams, I gained hands-on exposure to large-scale infrastructure repair and rebuilding. The projects I supported ranged from civic facilities to essential utilities — the kind of work that restores not just physical structures, but community function and human dignity. It was in Iraq that I developed the unshakeable professional instincts that would define my career: the ability to assess a situation quickly, identify the critical path forward, and execute without hesitation. I earned my bachelor of arts degree while on active duty, majoring in Emergency and Disaster Management.
Following my service in Iraq, I transitioned into the role of owner’s representative, a position that placed me at the nexus of government policy, project finance, and field execution. Over the years that followed, I represented the interests of two of the most demanding clients in the construction industry: the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the United States Department of Defense (DoD). I attended graduate school for the first time, pursuing a Master’s of Public Administration from Troy University.
With a résumé that already spanned international reconstruction and federal project management, I set my sights on commercial construction — specifically the demanding and detail-intensive worlds of multifamily residential and hospitality development. These sectors, known for their compressed schedules, high-finish expectations, and complex coordination requirements, offered a new set of challenges that I pursued with intensity. I leveraged the GI Bill a second time in my life to obtain a Master’s Degree from the Georgia Institute of Technology, majoring in Construction and Facilities Management with a concentration in Integrated Project Delivery.
In recognition of both the depth of my field experience and my continuing intellectual curiosity, I graciously received an offer from the University of Florida’s Rinker School of Construction Management to pursue a Doctor of Philosophy degree. It has been during my time while completing my degree that I finally sat for my general contractor’s license and started my own construction company, Sustainable Genius, LLC.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It has not always been a smooth road. I’ve managed to weather international conflict, government bureaucracies and impossible delivery schedules throughout my career. There have been times that I have wanted to quit, but I am a builder by nature and I want to grow my business. I try and focus on the things that help center me when times get tough. I try to remember that everyone, including my customers and clients, are likely going through something these days. That said, I have found that by focusing my energy on meeting my clients needs and dealing with people in a manner that is honest and with integrity, that times tend to be more smooth than rough for me and my business.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
I am a fully licensed and insured general contractor, mold assessor and mold remediator in the State of Florida. My business, Sustainable Genius, LLC, focuses on the core value of honesty, integrity and expertise. We specialize in collaborative project delivery environments and are capable of taking on both large and small-scale residential and commercial renovation projects. What makes us different is our transparent pricing structure, which is set on a cost-plus basis of reimbursement. We have saved our customers and clients thousands of dollar through transparent contracting methods. We also specialized in difficult projects that other general contractors may be too scared, tired, or busy to take on. We love concepts like adaptive reuse and deconstruction and try to implement these principles in our every day work ethic. We believe sustainability means being a viable part of our community and our genius comes from our constant thirst to learn more when it comes to our profession.
So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
Honesty and integrity matter most to me because construction is a risky business and much of what we do is try and help our clients and customers mitigate that risk, whether through financial or other means. We believe in open and honest conversations about the sharing of both risks and rewards when it comes to building construction. We strive to be transparent with our clients and not hide contingency, fee, general conditions or other cost items in our price proposal. What we spend is what our clients spend. We perform a service for an honest fee. It’s a simple formula.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://sustainablegeniusllc.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sustainablegenius/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556679325797
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/colin-lasch-1bba103b/
