← The Compass Podcast

Season 1 · Episode 02

David Twite

Owner & President, MacDonald & Owen Lumber

How a 230-person global lumber business protects its principles while expanding.

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Episode summary

David Twite discusses the operating disciplines behind MacDonald & Owen Lumber's growth across four locations in Wisconsin, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, and China. The conversation examines his Five P's — Planning, Persistence, Passion, Principles, People — plus health-sharing ministries and the shift into value-added wood components.

Key highlights

  1. 01Principles are the constraint that makes expansion coherent.

  2. 02Value-added components changed the margin structure.

  3. 03Alliances substitute for capital in a commodity business.

  4. 04Persistence is an operating habit, not a personality trait.

Transcript

A full transcript for this conversation is being prepared. In the meantime, the episode summary and key highlights above capture the substance of the discussion.

Short clips