How a Dyslexic Kid Became One of the Country’s Most Powerful and Innovative Builders with John Fish, Chairman and CEO of Suffolk Construction

CEO SECRETS

They say the path to success is never a straight line. The road to get there has many ups and downs and is riddled with challenges along the way. And for those who were born with a disadvantage, the journey becomes even more difficult.
John Fish grew up with dyslexia and struggled with reading and writing. In spite of having a learning disability, his football coach saw his potential and took him under his wing. This helped John realize that being dyslexic is not necessarily a barrier to success and that he can actually use it to his advantage.
Today, John Fish is chairman and CEO of Suffolk Construction, one of the most successful privately-owned construction management companies in the United States. He is also a philanthropist whose mission is to give back to those who can’t help themselves.
Let us hear from John, as he shares how having dyslexia led him to discover his characteristics that catapulted him to a high level of success, how his company is using data and technology to disrupt the construction industry, and why he thinks supporting the underprivileged is extremely important.
Top Takeaways
14:38 Hacks for people with dyslexia to help absorb things they’re reading
16:33 Why running a company is like playing in a football game
21:20 The most essential thing about any business
25:56 The biggest accelerator of Suffolk’s growth
31:35 What Vision 2025 is all about
36:15 How to find the most productive workers
36:58 The best way to get ahead in life
40:10 The downside of having equity partners
41:11 Why John believes in giving back
41:50 What are the uses of A.I. and tech in the construction management world?
45:40 What is the ultimate goal in the construction industry?
47:14 What does “winning is not normal” mean?
Contact John Fish
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnffish/
www.suffolk.com

About the guest
John Fish was born and raised in a fourth generation construction family. When he was young, he always struggled in school and realized he was dyslexic. His condition worsened as he went through high school and he only learned to read while he was in ninth grade.
When John went to prep school, he met a coach who took him under his wing. He introduced John to a tutor that taught him how to read and write. This allowed John to confront his weaknesses and use them to his advantage.
John knew that he wouldn’t achieve the level of success that he had if not for the people who helped him. John realized that it’s now his turn to give back, so when he turned 28, he started getting involved in boards in different nonprofits.
In 1982, John’s father lent him some money to start Suffolk. The company began to grow pretty quickly as an organization. They eventually worked in the northeast part of the country, grew to the southeast, and then the southwest. And before the year 2000, Suffolk became almost a 2.5 billion dollar business.
By 2017, Suffolk had grown to be one of the country’s top construction companies, responsible for several high-profile projects such as Boston's Millennium Tower, Encore Boston Harbor, and The Guitar Hotel in Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood.
John’s awards include, Boston magazine’s #1 most powerful person in Boston in 2012 and 2015, and was #8 on that list in 2020. In addition, he was named the 6th most influential person in Boston philanthropy in 2013. The Boston Globe named him Bostonian of the Year in 2015 and 2018. And Boston Business Journal's also included him in the "POWER 50" list.