2023 Q3 Newsletter

We’re excited to announce that our summer was filled with design festivals, volunteer work, new contracts, and new, amazing additions to the Pathway Team. 

Before we dive headfirst into Autumn, here’s a look at some of our third-quarter highlights:

Pathway Was a Partner for the Seattle Design Festival

Every year, the Seattle Design Festival brings together designers, business leaders, city officials, and the community as a whole to celebrate and explore how design can improve our quality of life.Our accessibility team joined the festival this year and served as a partner alongside:

• Age Friendly Seattle
• Jensen Hughes
• Washington Assistive Technology Program
• Northwest Universal Design Council 

We helped kick off the festival on August 19 by teaming up with Carli Hoki, NCIDQ, Accessibility Specialist at C. Hoki Design on a booth featuring a universal bathroom design. It served as an example of how design can make our homes more livable and navigable for people of all abilities. Whether living with a disability, wrangling toddlers, or simply hauling around groceries and pets, universal design can substantially elevate your daily life.

Elements of universal design include things like using lever handles instead of doorknobs, doorways wide enough for walkers and wheelchairs, consistent floor height throughout your door, and grab bars in bathrooms. 

The festival was held at Lake Union Park and went on for six days, from August 19-24, and had over 10,000 attendees — not including those who attended virtually!

Also, we want to thank Steven for managing the overall booth construction. We couldn’t have done it without you! 

Pathway Volunteered at Rampathon

Since 1993, the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties (MBAKS) has built free wheelchair access ramps for those in need. Aptly called “Rampathon,” this annual event has provided more than 600 wheelchair ramps for individuals and families struggling to safely get in and out of their homes. 

This summer, our small but mighty team rolled up sleeves and built our new friend, David Ross, a beautiful ramp, helping him enjoy the independence he deserves. Before Rampathon, David hadn’t been able to leave his house in more than seven months. 

It was an incredible experience and an excellent way for our team to bond while doing something good — and we can’t wait to do it again next year!  

Mark, thank you so much for leading production and being one of our most trusted designers, and a special shoutout to Carli Hoki for joining in on the fun. 

If you or someone you know needs a wheelchair access ramp, applications for Rampathon open again in January 2024. 

Jim Stanaway and Marcus McIntyre Joined Our Team

We expanded our team with not one but two hires in August! 

Jim Stanaway joined Pathway on August 2 as our Client Services Specialist. Jim’s distinctive background combines construction management and third-party logistics, giving him a very valuable set of skills. He’s a team player with a talent to lead while engaging others to be invested in the process. He’s also excellent in customer interactions, having the much-needed skill of effectively communicating and coordinating the successful steps of a job while managing change and expectations. Jim is also tech-savvy, curious, and has a willingness to take risks and learn from his experiences. 

Marcus McIntyre joined Pathway three weeks later, on August 24, as a laborer. Marcus initially became interested in this field when he began helping Paul with household tasks and enjoys working on houses in Seattle and taking in the views. As a recent Kentwood graduate, Marcus brings a fresh perspective to our team. When he’s not building homes with us, he enjoys working on his car, running his web design agency, skating, and playing basketball. 

Several New Contracts and Ongoing Work

Whether it’s a kitchen remodel or a total home transformation, our team is always up to something. Last quarter, we added a kitchen remodel, a basement kitchen remodel, and four more small jobs to our to-do list. *Before photo of our upcoming kitchen remodel project

We’re also still designing and constructing several other homes, including a high-end remodel project and an entire home water restoration.

Pathway’s Book Club Continues

Last but not least, our book club is in full swing! 

Last quarter, we got together to begin reading Contract to Close by Jeff Shore. Contract to Close follows the story of two homebuyers who bought their homes from two different builders at the same time. The book teaches you some amazing lessons relevant to people both in and out of the residential construction industry, including how to communicate effectively and the importance of planning and being agile.

We discussed our takeaways from chapters 3-12 during our in-person meeting. We were inspired by many of the tips the author suggested for simple ways to improve a customer journey, whether leaving a basket of soaps in the bathroom or blessing the house by having the team sign a beam.

We also discussed how best to manage a project during the final stretch to ensure customer satisfaction and shared some of our strangest and funniest experiences during the many projects we’ve worked on. 

Afterward, we discussed ways to improve our processes and roles we may be looking for in the future! 

Pathway’s Next Steps

Honestly, we can’t believe we’re already in the final quarter of 

2023. Even after discussing our Q3highlights, we can’t help but wonder where all the time went, but we’re excited to keep designing homes and building relationships. 

That said, thank you for being a part of the Pathway family. We love getting this opportunity to share our successes and celebrate yours! *After photo of a recent bathroom remodel project