Tyler Shveyda is the co-owner of Twisted Steel Fabrication in Midland, Texas. He was born in Oklahoma but moved to Texas when he was young and lived in North Texas and East Texas while growing up.
Tyler learned about the fabrication industry by working as a welder for 10 years prior to starting his own company. His clients are mainly oil field companies. Being located in Texas has provided many opportunities for growth, but of course the business has been affected by COVID-19.
In the last few years, what lifestyle, habit, or behavior change has had the biggest positive impact on your life?
Before starting Twisted Steel Fabrication, I worked as a welder all over the country. I was constantly working out of town in Oklahoma, North Dakota, Ohio, Louisiana, and Arkansas. Now, I am glad to be able to plant some roots somewhere and put my efforts into my own company. I’ve been in Midland for about two years now. I really like it, and I am glad to have a place to settle.
When you feel unfocused, what do you do?
When I feel unfocused, I put more of my energy into work. I admit to being a bit of a workaholic. I work all the time. When I get home, if I am not working on the phone or on my computer, then I will be working on my house. I like to clean and fix things. I really prefer to be busy, and I am always looking for ways to make things better.
What advice would you give a smart and ambitious recent college graduate? What advice should they ignore?
Ask a lot of questions and learn as much as possible. When I was learning about fabrication, I asked a lot of questions and that helped to prepare me for managing my own company now. A lot of people hesitate to ask questions because it can make them feel naive, but I asked everything I could because I wanted to know. If I did not know, I would ask. I had to know. I was always eager to learn something new.
Also, don’t get in a hurry. A lot of young people want to be so successful so fast that they don’t pay attention or listen. They want to hurry up and make the quick money. But it’s not about having a lot of money when you are young. It is about having goals and accomplishing them. When you are older, you will have something to look back on.
I do wish I had gotten started in business sooner. I still know a lot of guys that are 50 to 60 years old that just live paycheck to paycheck. I would hate to live like that because I set bigger goals for myself.
I have worked with guys who will try to advise me on “living in the moment” because they have been “living in the moment” all their lives. Now, they are older and have no money and they are still living day to day. They may have some good memories out on the lake, but they have nothing else to show for it. I think you should be able to live your life, but you don’t have to spend your whole paycheck to live it. You still need to save some money and have a goal for yourself. If you want to have a good time, have a good time, but still maintain your goal.
What is one lifestyle trend that excites you?
I started working out and weightlifting a few years ago, and I have been into it ever since. Working out and eating healthy has really made me feel a lot better. I am getting older, and I want to stay strong. A body in motion stays in motion. I want to keep moving and stay busy. I just feel better this way. I’ve enjoyed the people I’ve met along the way by having this interest.
Who has been the biggest influence in your life and why?
My brother has been an important influence in my life. He started a family when he was young. He has been an amazing husband and a great father. I look up to him a lot for accomplishing those things. He has not been as successful financially because he needed to hold down a regular job for the past 12 years, but he has been a hard worker and his family never goes without something they need. He is just a good guy.
What’s one of the biggest life lessons you’ve learned?
When I was growing up, I was always told to watch who you hang out with and spend time with. That advice really makes a lot more sense now that I am older. Make sure you watch the crowd you run with and who you surround yourself with because negative people will definitely bring you down or can put you in situations you just don’t need to be in. It can make life a lot harder. But people who succeed want to see you succeed as well. Be careful of the crowd you run with.
What do you think it is that makes you/someone successful?
I think like most successful people either come from money or come from nothing. The people that I know that have really succeeded have done so because they come from money, are used to having it, and they cannot imagine a lifestyle without having all the things they have had, or they grew up without money, had a really rough upbringing, and don’t want those same hardships for their kids. They will work as hard as possible so that their family never has to go through that.
How do you stay motivated?
My mom was a single mother, and she worked a lot when my brother and I were growing up. I think a lot of her personality has rubbed off on me. She worked a lot of hours as a nurse. When she was not at work, she was at home working. She worked with us a lot, helping us with schoolwork and trying to help us to get ahead. Whenever she is around people, she always wants to help someone. She will make sure everyone else is taken care of before she does things for herself. She will work her fingers to the bone to try to help someone. I just want to be the best I can be to help people and to be like her.
What legacy do you hope to leave behind?
I always wanted my kids and grandkids to be proud of their name because it is a very unique name, and there are not a lot of us out there. I just wanted to stand out. I wanted the name to mean something. I wanted people to know my name.
But now when I think about it, I am not worried so much about people remembering my name. It’s not so important for me to be successful or for people to know about me. I just want to be successful by never having to go without and having something to pass on to my kids and grandkids. I am thankful for what I have and to live a humble life. I want to start my family off right by having a happy and secure life.