Bob Shallenberger, 37, and John Cavanagh, 38
Highland Homes, St. Louis
Projected 2007 Sales: $22 million-plus
Description: Green residential builder
Open House: Bob Shallenberger and John Cavanagh enjoy having company over. Both live in homes built by their company, Highland Homes, and both use them as models to show potential customers what they can do. The two fraternity brothers from St. Louis University used "creative financing" and credit cards to launch their vision in 2003. "We did everything except rob banks," says Shallenberger.
It's a Green Thing: Highland Homes isn't your typical builder. Each new home comes with a plasma TV and the option of special packages like "Elvis Live," which includes a stereo, karaoke machine, CD player and iPod Nano. Those are fun extras, but the real difference comes down to Highland's environmentally friendly building methods: sustainably grown wood, rooftop decks, underground parking, lots of parklike green space and high-efficiency heating and cooling systems. Says Cavanagh about green building, "It's difficult and it's expensive to learn. It's challenging, and there's some risk in it. We see it as a big growth segment of the market." Their next move? "Being recognized as the top green residential builder in the country is the goal for us," he says.
Hip Homes: There's a definite spark to Shallenberger and Cavanagh when they discuss Highland Homes and the future of the business. "When we design a building, we live and breathe it," says Shallenberger. They have no shortage of projects lined up and no shortage of future homeowners looking to buy into their affordable and hip green urban developments. "We've got a bunch of cool people working for us," Shallenberger continues. "The people that we sell to are all really cool, too."
Follow Their Lead: Surround yourself with entrepreneurial-minded employees and you'll gain a creative, dedicated work force and a constant infusion of innovative ideas. --Amanda C. Kooser
译文:
四十岁前成功创业的百万富翁们[七]
鲍勃.席伦伯格（Bob Shallenberger），37岁；约翰.卡范那（John Cavanagh），28岁
海兰建筑公司（Highland Homes），圣路易斯
2007年预计销售额：超过2200万美元
企业简介：绿色环保住宅建筑商
样板屋：鲍勃和约翰很享受整个创业过程。他们所住的房子都是由‘海兰建筑公司’负责建造的，平时就当作样板屋，向潜在客户展示绿色住宅的所有功能。2003年，毕业于圣路易斯大学的两个好兄弟终于美梦成真，成立了自己的公司，资金来源只是“创造性融资”和信用卡贷款而已。鲍勃笑曰，“除了抢银行以外我们什么招数都使出来了。”
绿色环保：‘海兰建筑公司’可不是你平时常见的那种建筑商。每个新建住宅都配有一台等离子电视和可供选择的特殊礼包，比如包括立体声、卡拉OK机、CD播放器和iPod Nano Mp3播放器的‘现代猫王’礼包。这些赠品都很有趣，但‘海兰’真正与众不同的地方当属其所用的环保建筑法：可持续生长的木材、屋顶挡板、地下车库、大量花园式绿色空间、以及高效的供暖和冷气系统。约翰谈到绿色住宅时说，“做起来很难，学起来又贵。这行充满挑战性，而且有一定风险。但我们认为这是市场中一个很有发展前景的业务空间。”他们下一步的计划呢？“我们的目标是成为国内最好的绿色环保建筑商，”他说。
住宅时尚：约翰和鲍勃谈起‘海兰建筑公司’和企业未来时总是神采奕奕。鲍勃说，“设计一幢房子时，我们会亲自体验它，感受它的气息。”他们现在不缺委托，未来也不会，很多购房者都会想要这种经济又时尚的绿色环保城市住宅。“我们现在有一大批很酷的员工，”鲍勃继续说，“还有一大批很酷的买家。”
成功秘诀：让你身边到处都是拥有企业家精神的员工，你就有了一支充满热诚又富有创造力的员工队伍，就会有源源不断的好创意送到你面前。
--- Amanda C. Kooser