Inside Palmetto Corp's remarkable growth story with CEO Shawn Godwin  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

The Edge Podcast - Building Palmetto: Shawn Godwin's Journey from 25 to 1,000

Your essential guide to dominating the construction bidding and building world with the latest tech, market trends, and wisdom.

Shawn Godwin: Building a Legacy in Asphalt Paving

I'm thrilled to share the second episode of "The Edge" featuring Shawn Godwin, CEO of Palmetto Corporation - a story that perfectly captures the intersection of visionary leadership and staying true to your roots.

From a 25-person family paving business to a powerhouse with over 1,000 employees across South Carolina, Shawn's journey is a masterclass in strategic growth and authentic leadership. What makes this conversation special isn't just the remarkable expansion story (though growing from one asphalt plant to six is impressive!) - it's Shawn's candid insights about the human side of scaling a construction business.

I've had the privilege of working closely with the stellar team at Palmetto - from their sharp estimating department to their innovative operations and administrative leaders. The depth of talent Shawn has assembled across every division is a testament to his ability to attract and develop great people.

One of my favorite quotes from Shawn captures his philosophy on retention:

"We don't have a problem finding people. We have a problem keeping them... If we keep all those individuals who come to the door and start with us and we get them to where they don't ever want to leave, we'll have plenty of people."

I appreciate how Shawn and his team have maintained the soul of a family business despite massive growth. Their approach to leadership development is unique - their safety director runs a "Leaders Lead" program bringing together foremen and superintendents from all divisions, fostering connection while building stronger leaders.

We also dive into:

• The evolution from a small patching business following phone companies to a major infrastructure player
• Why finding people isn't the real challenge - but keeping them is
• Family business challenges and opportunities
• How a 5:30 AM workout group in his home gym has built community for 16 years
• His perspective on using AI to transform construction (including some practical applications you can start using today)

The conversation highlights something I believe: the best leaders in our industry combine ambitious vision with genuine care for their people and a commitment to continuous improvement.

Palmetto Core Values

At Edgevanta, we believe highway construction is the backbone of American prosperity, yet its stories often go untold. Through our podcast, we're shining a light on the exceptional leaders and companies building our nation's future. It's part of our broader mission to elevate this vital industry and help construction companies thrive.

Whether you're running a family business, thinking about expansion, or just interested in leadership insights from one of the sharpest minds in paving, you'll want to catch this episode.

Check it out on YouTube for the full video conversation or find it on Spotify using the links below:

Shawn Godwin: Building a Legacy in Asphalt Paving

Growth, Leadership, and Innovation with Shawn Godwin by The Edge with Tristan Wilson

Shawn Godwin, CEO of Palmetto Corporation, shares his journey from a family business to leading a thousand-employee construction powerhouse in South Carolina. Dive into lessons on strategic growth, building strong company culture, leadership development, and embracing technological innovation in the construction industry.  👉 Enjoy the episode? Follow us and share it with your network!

creators.spotify.com/pod/show/tristan-wilson81/episodes/Growth--Leadership--and-Innovation-with-Shawn-Godwin-e2tjtop

Would love to hear your thoughts on the episode! What resonated most with you? Leave us a rating and comment below.