Marshall S Gobuty Of Pearl Homes: Second Chapters; How I Reinvented Myself In The Second Chapter Of My Life
An Interview With Jake Frankel
Patience is key: Sustainable development requires time and patience, from planning to execution. This is not as easy as “if you build it, they will come,” as there’s a lot of education we needed to do along the way, and we still do.
Many successful people reinvented themselves in a later period in their lives. Jeff Bezos worked on Wall Street before he reinvented himself and started Amazon. Sara Blakely sold office supplies before she started Spanx. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson was a WWE wrestler before he became a successful actor and filmmaker. Arnold Schwarzenegger went from a bodybuilder, to an actor to a Governor. McDonald’s founder Ray Kroc was a milkshake-device salesman before starting the McDonalds franchise in his 50s.
How does one reinvent themselves? What hurdles have to be overcome to take life in a new direction? How do you overcome those challenges? How do you ignore the naysayers? How do you push through the paralyzing fear?
In this series called “Second Chapters; How I Reinvented Myself In The Second Chapter Of My Life “ we are interviewing successful people who reinvented themselves in a second chapter in life, to share their story and help empower others.
As a part of this interview series, I had the pleasure of interviewing Marshall S. Gobuty.
Mr. Gobuty is nationally recognized as a pioneer in the green building industry, and the Founder and President of Pearl Homes. In 2015, he broke the sustainability barrier with Mirabella, an active adult community of 160 sustainable homes located in Bradenton, Florida. The community is one of the first to achieve LEED Platinum certification — the U.S. Green Building Council’s highest mark of sustainability — on a production scale. The USGBC named Mr. Gobuty “Power Builder of the Year” for four years in a row from 2016 to 2019, and was awarded the 2019 “LEED Visionary of the Year,” in recognition of his award-winning, eco-friendly design and construction. Gobuty is an experienced entrepreneur with past ventures in fashion design and in the garment industry.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we start, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your childhood backstory?
I grew up in Canada, in Winnipeg Manitoba and my father was in the apparel business making high-quality leather products. Along the way he ended up being an owner of the Winnipeg Jets in the WHA and I ended up in school in Arizona where I went to college. Of course, I fell back into the apparel world and then somehow ended up building environmentally friendly homes.”
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
One of my favorite life lesson quotes is ‘Be the change you wish to see in the world’ by Mahatma Gandhi. This quote has been particularly relevant in my journey because it embodies the philosophy behind every project I undertake. My transition from the garment industry to sustainable home building reflects this belief. I realized the importance of creating a positive impact on the environment and the community, which led me to focus on developing sustainable, eco-friendly homes that don’t sacrifice luxury.
You have been blessed with much success. In your opinion, what are the top three qualities that you possess that have helped you accomplish so much?
1. Vision: My ability to envision a better future has been crucial. For example, creating Hunters Point as a sustainable luxury community was a result of seeing the potential for a development that harmonizes with the environment while offering unparalleled living experiences.
2. Persistence: Transitioning industries was challenging, but my persistence paid off. I faced skepticism when proposing eco-friendly luxury homes, yet, through determination, Hunters Point became a reality, proving sustainable luxury is not only possible but desirable.
3. Innovation: Embracing new technologies and methodologies in home building, like integrating smart home technologies and solar energy solutions, has set our projects apart. Our work at Pearl Homes demonstrates innovation by achieving net-zero energy homes.
Let’s now shift to the main part of our discussion about ‘Second Chapters’. Can you tell our readers about your career experience before your Second Chapter?
Before embarking on my second chapter in sustainable home building, I was deeply involved in the garment industry. My experience there taught me invaluable lessons about business, innovation, and the importance of sustainability. This background laid a solid foundation for my transition into real estate and construction, where I sought to apply these principles on a larger scale.
And how did you “reinvent yourself” in your Second Chapter?
Reinventing myself involved embracing the challenges of sustainable development and green building. I educated myself on environmental issues, renewable energy, and sustainable construction practices. This journey led me to pioneer net-zero energy homes, blending luxury with sustainability.
Can you tell us about the specific trigger that made you decide that you were going to “take the plunge” and make your huge transition?
The specific trigger was recognizing the urgent need for sustainable living solutions amidst growing environmental concerns. Witnessing the impact of climate change firsthand motivated me to contribute to a solution by creating homes that would leave a positive footprint on the planet.
What did you do to discover that you had a new skillset inside of you that you haven’t been maximizing? How did you find that and how did you ultimately overcome the barriers to help manifest those powers?
I discovered my new skillset by immersing myself in the world of sustainable development, attending seminars, collaborating with experts in green building, and staying abreast of technological advancements. This continuous learning helped me overcome barriers and harness my passion for sustainability.
How are things going with this new initiative? We would love to hear some specific examples or stories.
Things are going exceptionally well with our new initiatives. Hunters Point, for example, has set a new benchmark for sustainable living as the first LEED Net-Zero housing community on the planet. The community’s success, including achieving that first LEED Zero Energy certification for a single-family home, exemplifies our vision coming to fruition. We can only hope that other, larger builders follow our lead and build homes the way we do.
Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?
I am immensely grateful to Mahesh Ramanujam, President & CEO of the U.S. Green Building Council, for his guidance and support. His belief in our mission at Pearl Homes helped us achieve significant milestones in sustainable building, making our vision a recognized reality.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started in this new direction?
Since starting in this new direction, one of the most interesting developments has been the overwhelming positive response from the community and industry. Our projects have not only received accolades and been recognized with numerous awards but it has also inspired others to consider sustainability as a cornerstone of development.
Did you ever struggle with believing in yourself? If so, how did you overcome that limiting belief about yourself? Can you share a story or example?
Certainly, there were moments of doubt, especially when facing industry skepticism. Overcoming this involved surrounding myself with a team that shared my vision and values, which reinforced my belief in our mission and the positive impact we could achieve.
In my own work I usually encourage my clients to ask for support before they embark on something new. How did you create your support system before you moved to your new chapter?
I created a support system by engaging with like-minded individuals and organizations committed to sustainability, such as the USGBC, and the Florida Solar Energy Center, and leveraging my network from the garment industry to build a foundation of support and collaboration for Pearl Homes.
Starting a new chapter usually means getting out of your comfort zone, how did you do that? Can you share a story or example of that?
Stepping out of my comfort zone involved taking significant financial risks to invest in sustainable technologies and practices that were not yet mainstream. The decision to build Hunters Point, despite uncertainties, exemplifies taking that leap into uncharted territory.
What are your “5 things I wish someone told me before I started” and why?
A. The importance of community engagement: Understanding community needs and preferences is crucial for the success of sustainable projects.
B. Patience is key: Sustainable development requires time and patience, from planning to execution. This is not as easy as “if you build it, they will come,” as there’s a lot of education we needed to do along the way, and we still do.
C. The value of partnerships: Collaborating with technology providers and environmental organizations can amplify impact.
D. Expect resistance: Not everyone will immediately see the value in sustainable development; persistence is essential.
E. Sustainability pays off: Both environmentally and financially, sustainable homes are a wise investment.
You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be?
If I could inspire a movement, it would be towards global sustainability in living spaces, making eco-friendly homes accessible to all, thereby contributing significantly to combating climate change.
We are very blessed that some very prominent names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them. 🙂
I would love to have a private breakfast with Elon Musk. His work in renewable energy and sustainable transportation aligns with our goals at Pearl Homes. A collaboration or exchange of ideas could lead to groundbreaking developments in sustainable living.
How can our readers further follow your work online?
Readers can follow our work at Pearl Homes and our sustainable initiatives through our website and social media channels, where we regularly update our projects, achievements, and contributions towards a sustainable future. We’re also thankful to the media, local, national and international, who have chosen to tell our story to the world.
https://www.instagram.com/pearl_homes_fl/
https://www.facebook.com/PearlHomesFL/
Thank you so much for sharing these important insights. We wish you continued success and good health!
Marshall S Gobuty Of Pearl Homes: Second Chapters; How I Reinvented Myself In The Second Chapter Of… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.