Photography by Caleb Shane
‘Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness’ – these powerful words are uniquely and undeniably American. This American Dreams series features ordinary people with extraordinary stories of success and advice for making the most of your dreams. It reiterates the importance of shop local + share local, a part of our culture that makes Central Arkansas unique.
Bill Parkinson, owner of Parkinson Building Group, values creating unique solutions for his clients. He calls it the “‘Yes We Can’ approach.”
“In a business where too many people are told that what they want is not an option, we work hard to say yes to our clients as often as possible.”
PBG builds custom homes for residents in the Greater Little Rock area in the upper-mid to high-end price range. Neighborhoods in which you can find Parkinson’s work on display include Valley Falls, Chenal, Waterview and Woodlands Edge, just to name a few. The company’s homes have also been featured in home and lifestyle magazines such as Tuscan Style, Country French and At Home in Arkansas. Established in 1999, PBG has grown from a one-man operation to a strong network of subcontractors and in-house team members.
“Being a small business owner is about problem solving and working with people to get a job done to the best of its potential,” Bill says.
The process of building a home with PBG starts with a casual consultation where customers talk about their design wish list and get acquainted with the team. Next, PBG works with their clients to set a budget and pick a site for the custom home. Then, the work begins! Team members are on-site every day, available to answer clients’ questions and provide updates. The company prides itself on its “personalized approach and open communication.”
“There is always cost to consider, but our builds are very fluid and give our clients maximum flexibility when it comes to decisions along the way,” Bill says. “Most people cannot envision it until they see it, and we are ready to help them work through the reality that unfolds throughout the build.”
Bill notes that word-of-mouth is the primary source of new business for PBG. “We are almost 100 percent referral based and have built our business on doing what is right and trying to go the extra mile for our clients.”
Bill places a heavy emphasis on reputation and letting his team’s work speak for itself. “Little Rock is a small town, and your name is everything,” he says. “If you do what is right and stand behind your work, people can see your intentions and know that you are on their side and working in their best interest. I get to support our clients first, our subcontractors and vendors as well as our company daily, and try to ‘do right’ for all parties involved. If you are willing to work for and with others, it is easy to create win/win scenarios more times than not.”
Best Business Advice: work hard, do right, stand behind your product
Must-Have Business Tool: phone
Self-Described: perseverance
