Jake Stotter, the third generation of his family at Fenceworks "The Guy on 41," recently sat down with Jon Robertson, "the Contractor Growth Guy" and host of Growthscapez Presents: Contractor Truth. The show is made for contractors and people in the trades, so the conversation went beyond backyards. They talked about how a fence company founded in 1967 keeps growing, why value beats price, how a family business markets itself today, and the advice Jake would give anyone starting out.
Jon introduced Jake as someone who represents "that balance that I think many of us struggle with between legacy and innovation." Here are the highlights.
Where the Name "The Guy on 41" Came From
Fenceworks has always been Fenceworks. But for roughly five decades the shop sat on Route 41 in Highland Park, and that busy highway gave the business its nickname.
Jake shared the story behind it. Back in the '90s, the company put in a basketball hoop for Michael Jordan. Later, Jake's grandfather ran into him by chance at a hotel in California, and Jordan pointed him out: "Hey, that's the guy on 41." Between that moment and years of local families saying the same thing, the name stuck.
"If you grew up in this area in Chicago, you know us maybe as the Guy on 41. Others, Fenceworks," Jake said. "So interchangeable, but we go by both."
Since around 2018, our showroom has been in Northbrook at 3177 MacArthur Blvd. We're not on 41 anymore, but the name came with us.
From Fences to Hoops, Playsets, and Trampolines
Jake's grandfather was working for another local fence company when he decided he could do it better himself. "Just one of those guys that didn't want to work for someone else," Jake said.
In the early-to-mid '90s, he spotted a gap. There wasn't really a place in the Chicago area where families could see a quality playset, hoop, or trampoline in person instead of grabbing one off a shelf. It started with what he wanted for his own kids and grandkids, and it grew into a whole new side of the business.
Fencing is still the biggest part of what we do, followed by basketball hoops, playsets, and trampolines. "That's it, right? We stopped there," Jake said. "We're very specialized in those spaces."
Competing on Value, Not Price
Jon asked the obvious question. Big box stores and franchises now sell packaged hoops, playsets, and trampolines, often for less upfront. How does a family business compete?
Jake was candid: those companies have marketing budgets a family business will never match, so we have to be creative. What families get in return is something a few heavy boxes on the doorstep can't offer.
"Some people buy that upfront and then find out later they're having to buy it again, when they could have just started the first time getting something their kids can grow into," he said. "The short-term, lower-cost option ends up, most times, becoming a long-term headache."
Jon used that as a lesson for his audience of contractors, one he says he has preached for years: "When the value exceeds the price, you've made the sale." If price were the only thing that mattered, he added, "you would never sell a play set."
Families who want to compare options side by side can visit our Northbrook showroom, where products are set up indoors and can be tried out year-round.
Grandparents, Instagram, and Just Being Yourself
Jake described the two groups of people who most often find us. The first is young families moving to the suburbs who want something their kids will use for years. The second, funny enough, is grandparents.
"That age group grew up and remembered us on 41," Jake said. When their kids are ready for a playset, a hoop, or a new fence, "they'll go to their parents. And we're grateful that we've built up that reputation, that we may be that first person their parents bring up. Hey, you got to go visit the Guy on 41."
Younger families are more likely to find us online, and Instagram is Jake's main channel. When Jon asked what contractors get most wrong about marketing, Jake said it's the idea that you need to be loud and extroverted to do social media.
"People just want to see behind the scenes. They want to know who they're working with prior to working with them," he said. His advice for local service businesses: "Document your day-to-day. It may sound like an annoyance at first or an extra step, but share that journey."
It's paid off in a way he didn't expect. "I've had families come in here and they'll be like, 'Jake, I feel like I know you. I've been watching your videos.' And I'm like, we just met ten seconds ago, but I love you too."
Why We Don't Quote Fences Over the Phone
Jon asked about the fence side of the business, where Jake's grandfather, father, and uncle are most involved. Jake explained that people sometimes call with a measurement and ask for a price range on wood, vinyl, composite, or chain link.
"We don't give ranges over the phone," he said. "And it's not for any other reason than it's doing you and ourselves a disservice." Every yard is different. Terrain, trees, and property lines all change a project, and a number from an online fence calculator can leave homeowners frustrated once the real job looks different. (For a sense of what drives price, see our guide to fence installation cost on the North Shore.)
That approach also means it can take a little while for an estimator to come out during the spring rush. "We could hire more sales guys and people to go out and estimate, we could hire more crews," Jake said, "but there's a quality over quantity standpoint that we're going to stand behind."
The same goes for the phone itself. "We want to leverage technology, but we don't want to hire an AI bot to be at our office when you call," he said. "We want you to talk to a real person, whether it's my grandmother or someone else here."
Jon had a teachable moment for consumers here too: if a contractor can start on Monday in the busiest time of year, step back and ask why they're so available.
Jake's Advice for Contractors Starting Out
Jake didn't join the family business right away. He grew up working in the yards during summers, then started his career in consulting as a product manager on websites and apps before coming back to bring a digital side to Fenceworks. Looking back on his first years, here's what he told Jon's listeners:
- Stick to what you know. "When I first started, I wanted to make every sale," Jake said. "Get really good at the things you do and not try to be everything to everyone, because you'll drive yourself nuts."
- Under-promise and over-deliver. If someone needs a job done by a birthday and you can't make it, "it's better to be honest." Know your backlog and your team before the phone rings.
- Know your value. Be confident in pricing that reflects the work. As Jon put it, nobody asks a restaurant to knock ten dollars off a steak because they'll tell a friend about it.
- Be kind to yourself. "Early on, I took everything so personally," Jake said. "Pace yourself, be kind, and take it one day at a time."
Learning From Three Generations at Once
One thing Jake doesn't take for granted is that the first and second generations are still here. His grandfather still comes into the office every day, and his father and uncle are still in the business.
"I'm very lucky to still have them," Jake said. "I want to make sure while they're still here that I am absorbing as much knowledge as I can, and learn from their pitfalls and their wins. Not many people have that."
Jon pointed out that third-generation businesses are often where things fall apart, because later generations didn't see the early sacrifices. Jake's answer: "I don't take anything for granted. I'm grateful for what's been built in front of me, and it's really a goal to make sure that I honor them and carry that on."
Like any family business, keeping work and home separate takes effort. Jake calls it "church and state," and admits business still comes up over Sunday brunch. Outside the office, golf, barbecue, and time with family and friends are how he recharges. His last piece of advice was one Jon was quick to agree with: "Listen more than you talk."
Visit Fenceworks "The Guy on 41"
Whether you're planning a new fence or picking out your kids' first playset, hoop, or trampoline, you'll work directly with our family. Stop by the Northbrook showroom or schedule your free estimate today.
Listen to the full conversation with Jon Robertson on Growthscapez Presents: Contractor Truth on Spotify.
