Lacey Glass has been providing quality skylight, storefront, curtain wall, sunroom, and window installations since 1980. Their primary focus over the last 35 years has been on Natural Daylighting and slope glazing systems. They offer more options for tested, high quality sloped glazing and translucent glazing systems than anyone in the Pacific Northwest does, serving general contractors and many of the architects up and down the I-5 corridor from the Canadian border to southern Oregon.
We recently had the opportunity to meet with Phil Zeutenhorst, president, and we are grateful to him for answering a few questions!
Thurston EDC: What inspired you to start Lacey Glass?
Phil: A combination of wanting to start a business and the failure of a glass company I was working for. The timing was right.
Thurston EDC: What inspires your work and sets you apart from the competition?
Phil: We have a passion for daylighting and our company is comprised of a great group of people that work together to come up with solutions and solve problems. We have the reputation of taking on very complex projects and figuring a way to get them done.
Thurston EDC: What has been your biggest challenge to date?
Phil: Our biggest challenge was weathering two recessions, and buying and rebranding a skylight manufacturing company just before the 2008 recession.
Thurston EDC: What does your typical workday look like?
Phil: I typically work nonstop from 7:00 am into evenings and on weekends.
Thurston EDC: What is your best advice for someone for an aspiring entrepreneur?
Phil: Get a good grasp of business ahead of jumping into something because you think it would be fun. Learn as much as you can from friends and colleagues. Network as much as you can.
Thurston EDC: Do you have a business or personal mantra or inspirational quote you’d like to share?
Phil: Find something you feel good about and be ready for a lot of work. Success does not always come quickly.
Thurston EDC: Is there a common misconception about your business within Thurston County that you would like to address here?
Phil: The name Lacey Glass does not capture the scale of some of the work that we do. We are in the top five installers for several national daylighting products manufacturers.