"Run TO the Ball, Instead of Chasing the Ball"

Cavco Industries, Inc., headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, is a leading U.S. producer of factory-built homes, including manufactured and modular homes, park model RVs, vacation cabins and commercial buildings. With 33 manufacturing facilities and more than 99 retail locations nationwide, Cavco delivers innovative housing solutions that make homeownership more affordable.

Cavco serves homebuyers, developers and communities nationwide with quality craftsmanship, innovative designs and solutions backed by 60+ years of industry experience. Through its mortgage and insurance subsidiaries, the company also provides financing and insurance services that support customers throughout the homebuying journey.

Patrick Revere: Hi, I’m Patrick Revere from MHInsider magazine. Today, we’re joined by Cody Pearce, the president of Yes Communities. Cody, can you share with us something about your upbringing that really sticks with you today in terms of how you go about your relationships and building business?

Cody Pearce: Yeah. So I grew up in a very small farm town in very rural Idaho, and hard work equaled being able to do the things that we wanted to do. We did the things we didn’t enjoy so that we could afford doing things that we did enjoy. And I’ve kind of carried that into my adult life, into my career of understanding that, you know, hard work can create great opportunities.

Patrick Revere: Give us some insight on how you go about balancing out, using your gut instinct versus data-driven decision making.

Cody Pearce: You know, in my early, you know, entrepreneurial approach to the business, it seemed like it was all gut and no data. You know, I think that as an entrepreneur, that’s kind of how, you know, we all get started is, hey, this is what I’m good at, and I’m going to follow my gut and you have to be able to use your gut. But I certainly have learned to rely more heavily on the data, the analytics, where things are flowing to and then run to the ball instead of chasing the ball.

Patrick Revere: How do you go about balancing the long term vision versus the daily pressures of the marketplace?

Cody Pearce: There’s a lot of sprints. I find that we have to sprint and run a marathon at the same time. It’s a difficult thing to do. We’ve got to be quick here. We’ve got to get all of this done. But we also have to make sure we’re building it the right way.

Patrick Revere: Cody, if you were to come across somebody who’s just entering the industry, what type of advice would you give them in terms of, you know, finding a successful path?

Cody Pearce: I’ve got two sons; my oldest son is 25. He’s been in the industry for five years. My third son just started in the industry and they’re both in retail. What I tell them is, I don’t know of any other industry that has allowed people with a desire to work hard and to serve a purpose bigger than them by getting very deserving buyers of homes into these homes, that has created a better path for success than the manufactured housing industry. Anybody who gets into this industry, I would just say respect the industry. Respect the consumer. Respect the product. Learn the product. Learn the consumer, and treat them like you would expect to be treated.

Patrick Revere: Well, we appreciate all your efforts. You have made a huge impact on the industry. It’s appreciated.

Cody Pearce: Thank you.

Patrick Revere: Thanks for coming out to spend some time with us. I appreciate it.

Cody Pearce: My pleasure.

Patrick Revere: Thank you.

Cody Pearce: Thank you.

Yardi® develops industry-leading software for all types and sizes of real estate companies across the world. With more than 10,000 employees, Yardi is working with our clients to drive significant innovation in the real estate industry. For more information on Yardi’s manufactured housing solutions, visit yardi.com.