When you hear the name Yorktown, Virginia, it usually evokes images of the birth of our nation. Yorktown is the site where the end of the American Revolutionary War began with British General Charles Cornwallis surrendering to American General George Washington.
It is also home to Worley’s Home Services, an HVAC, plumbing, and electrical contracting firm born from struggle and revolution.
For Chuck Worley, the journey to success has been fraught with challenges, setbacks, and bad luck that might have derailed any entrepreneur looking to put a stake in the ground and build something they can be proud of.
He says that if it wasn’t for the strong work ethic taught him by his parents, his willingness to out-work everyone around him, and his strong faith, he might not be where he is today.
Setting the Stage
Worley will tell you that he was born into the construction trades. His father was a Navy Seabee who brought his work home, literally. By the time Chuck was 14, he had worked with his father to rebuild the family home to double its size.
Helping his dad install ductwork, running power wires throughout the house, and other projects became second nature for the young man.
Unfortunately, when it was time for Chuck to go to college, his parents didn’t have the money to send him. Chuck’s high school athleticism put him in line for recruitment to some schools, but his poor grades and low SAT scores limited his opportunities.
Ultimately, he ended up at Norfolk State University. But school wasn’t his thing and he failed out.
They say when one door closes, another opens up. For Chuck Worley, that was getting recruited to wrestle at an apprentice school at the Newport News Shipyard.
“This changed my life,” Worley says. “Many people don’t know that the Newport News Shipyard has a Division II / Division III college. That is how I got into the trades. My training was in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning.
I began working in the maintenance department at the shipyard and was there six years. During that time, I got married and had a couple of kids. When I graduated, the economy was tanking, and layoffs were rising. So, I started looking for other opportunities.
Dressing for Success
Worley began interviewing HVAC contracting companies for a service job.
“I went to those interviews wearing a tie and jacket,” he explains. “How many guys walk into your office wearing ties and jackets? My mother taught me to dress for success.
“The contractor asked me if I planned to fix heat pumps dressed like that.” I said, “No, sir. I was going to take my tie off first.”
“The interviewer told me I missed my calling and need to be in sales.”
This contractor talked Worley into going into sales, and he says that was the second opportunity that changed his life. Eventually, he joined another HVAC company that had five salespeople. By the end of four months, Chuck was the company’s top salesman.
“I found my niche,” Worley continues. Unfortunately, I found the team’s integrity at this company to be wanting and says that is something I wouldn’t tolerate.”
Integrity is Everything
“I kept running into that situation,” Worley explains. I successfully sold state-of-the-art HVAC equipment in 1997. In fact, I was one of the first people to ever sell $1 million in one year. I was thriving. The problem was others in the company didn’t have as high a bar as I did regarding character, integrity, and doing the right thing.
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