Glen Lexa, shown here on a staircase at the Idaho State Capitol Building, believes starting a business is a leap of faith that starts with a single step. (Photo by Cy Gilbert)
By Gaye Bunderson
When a business falters and closes its doors, it’s not only the business owner who suffers. His or her employees take a hit as well, in loss of pay, benefits and sometimes even self-esteem.
Glen Lexa, owner of Markit Builders, sees his primary role as helping businesses get on top and stay there, as he feels marketing is more than advertising.
“Business growth is the number one focus,” Lexa said.
That is accomplished, according to Lexa, through helping businesses get what they need most: customers, either walking through the door or shopping online.
“Starting a business is the biggest leap of faith,” he said.
He cites a Martin Luther King, Jr. quote: “Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.”
“Faith takes us away from our comfort zone. We don’t know where that first step is going to lead,” said Lexa, who originally started a business coaching and consulting company in 1995 called Lexa Consulting. “I started with nothing, but wanted to use my talents to help businesses with marketing and consulting. As our faith teaches us, with helping other people, we help ourselves. It’s been 19 years now and over 300 different businesses.”
He became a Christian about 15 years ago when a pastor client gave him a church business card and invited him to services. Now, he is a co-leader in Celebrate Recovery, a Christ-centered 12-step program. He stresses that Celebrate Recovery is not just about overcoming ad-dictions but, as the organization promotes on its website at celebraterecovery.com, is designed to help people over-come “hurts, hang-ups and habits.”
At age 15, Lexa left his hometown of Casper, Wyo., and for two months rode a lengthy portion of the Oregon Trail on horseback with his father. The boy and his dad battled a hailstorm, lack of water, and other trials of riding a route that was originally carved through the country in the early 1800s.
They ended up – and stayed in – Sun Valley, where Lexa attended Wood River High School.
“I was a cowboy in a prep school,” he said.
When it came time to choose a career path, Lexa feels marketing chose him, not the other way around.
“Marketing is about relationships,” he said. “I give businesses the tools to build those relationships.”
He opened Markit Builders a year ago. He made the change from Lexa Consulting to “transition and slim down.”
“Changing myself is hardest,” he conceded.
Though discussing faith is definitely not a requirement for any client — and his run the gamut from believer to atheist — Lexa said that, for the most part, everyone knows where he’s coming from in both his personal and professional dealings.
“People know my base comes from God,” he said.
Lexa stated that most entrepreneurs, and especially startup entrepreneurs, think they’re all alone. But there are many general and faith-based resources out there to help people who are in business for themselves.
The Idaho Small Business Development Center at Boise State is one.
“There are support groups for businesses that are Christian,” he said, offering My Team (myteamidaho.com) as an example. “There are small groups where people help each other. They can seek out advice from fellow businessmen and Christians.”
Lexa values the relationships he builds with clients but feels there is one relationship in particular that has been pivotal to his success.
“The more I let God in my business, the more the business grows,” he said.
For more information, contact Lexa at 208-947-4041, glen@markitbuilders.com or visit markitbuilders.com.
