Sunny Pinhero – The Humble Leader

If you have not yet heard of Sunny Pinhero of Pinhero Construction, Inc, you will want to check out this podcast to learn a thing or two about Sunny’s take on growth and leadership! Sunny has led his team to rank No. 145 on the Inc 5000 Regionals: California 2021 list. He knows how to successfully build, both literally and metaphorically, and is honest about the difficulties he has overcome during his time in the construction industry. With his leadership, the team at Pinhero Construction is able to take the uncertainty out of the building process for its clients, and focuses its efforts on transparency and communication. Sunny has built a mission-based organization that exemplifies the core values that are listed on the company’s website, such as Taking Initiative, Doing the Right Thing, and Encouraging Collaboration. After all, these values are his team’s marching order! 

I was referred to Sunny through a mutual friend after describing the type of guests I was seeking. Almost immediately, my friend excitedly told me, “You have to talk to Sunny Pinhero!” I reached out to Sunny, and he responded timely and graciously. Even better was that he was exactly as described – someone who seeks out leadership, gives back to the industry, and has a strong desire to mentor others in their journey down construction’s bumpy roads.  This was quickly reinforced during our podcast conversation, as I was struck by his purposeful intention to continue to learn how to become a stronger leader, entrepreneur, and father. I am always drawn to those who think of themselves as a work in progress, an unfinished painting, or an incomplete version of who they want to become – you know, humble! During our conversation, Sunny explained, “I haven’t been good at leadership for most of my life. I don’t know where to get that. I don’t know where to find that necessarily. I mean, you can read books, right? But being an entrepreneur or a contractor, it’s kind of lonely at the top.” So, instead of Sunny staying lonely at the top, he is surrounding himself with great leaders, participating in exclusive leadership groups, reading countless books, listening to motivating podcasts, and is willing to share what he has learned with others – most recently with us on the US Construction Zone platform. 

Sunny reminded me to stay on the path of growth, positivity, and helpfulness, and strengthened my belief that US Construction Zone will be a place where these traits can be shared. In his quest as a lifelong learner, Sunny says, “I want to learn what other people do and how they navigate these things. And the only place to find that is getting yourself in front of someone, right? And so you do that through US Construction Zone. You know, it’s a structured way to get peers and mentorship.”

It is through his encouragement of his team, and others in the industry, that Sunny reminds us that leadership is not always being the loudest in the room, but rather the one who understands the importance of listening and collaborating with others. He shares the sentiment, “There’s a lot of power in collective wisdom and if you can share that, I think there’s a lot of value there for everyone.” Thank you Sunny for modeling what it looks like to be a humble leader in the construction industry. We are honored to work alongside you in leaving this industry better than we found it! 

Listen to the Podcast Episode