If there is a life lesson Tim Odom has taken from playing sports, especially in a powerhouse program such as his alma mater, Ohio State University, it is to “leave it all on the field.”

“I look at myself in the mirror every night and ask the hard questions. I want to make sure that I am never holding anything back and that I give it my all daily,” said Odom, who owns Milford, Ohio-based Odom Industries, a custom fabricator for the steel mill, mining, construction and petrochemical industries.

Odom is no stranger to facing the hard questions, and the turning point in his career revolved around one such situation. Armed with a master’s degree, he was coaching four sports and serving as dean of students and a full-time teacher, making less than $35,000 per year. It was important to both him and his wife, Rita, that she be able to be a stay-at-home mother while their three children were young.

“I had to face the reality that pursuing a rewarding vocation as a successful coach and teacher was not paying the bills,” Odom said. “In hindsight, it was the best decision I have ever made.”

Odom switched gears in 1996 and began working as an estimator for RK Fabricating, where he eventually became general manager before leaving the company in 2000. From there he joined J-Weld Inc. as vice president of marketing and sales. Both companies, Odom said, were committed to a small niche market that was shrinking, a strategy he disagreed with.

“With a young family and as the only income producer in the family, I had a responsibility of ensuring a long-term income,” he said. “Neither owner of these corporations made me confident that they had that long-term vision.

“Plus, I felt in my heart that if the ownership of these companies could be small business owners, then so could I.”

In June 2001, Odom founded Odom Industries and from the get-go has been strongly committed to diversifying the company’s capabilities. 

“I believe it’s necessary for a small business to possess the ability to deliver in a niche market, yet I believe it is equally necessary for that business to develop the diversification in skills and capabilities that are essential to performing quality work in several different niche markets,” Odom said.

Both RK Fabricating and J-Weld liquidated by spring 2004 “as their markets dried up,” and Odom Industries was able to purchase their respective business assets and recruit their key employees to join Odom within days of closing their doors.

The role of “quarterback” for the company has been one that involves a learning curve.

“Being the one responsible for executing the plan to develop the systems and personnel necessary to be a quality player under Odom’s diversified business model has proved to be my biggest challenge,” he said.

Odom has pinpointed another challenge — he’s a people-pleaser.

“By nature, I want to make people happy, oftentimes at my own expense,” he said. “I’m in the process of learning that when I try to make someone else happy, say a difficult customer, at the expense of my company, it has a damaging effect on all of my employees and their ability to provide for their families, and my primary responsibility is to protect the interests of my employees and my family.”

After six years, Odom Industries is approaching the summit of an uphill climb to truly be able to make a powerful statement in heavy-plate custom fabrication, custom cold-rolling/forming of various nonferrous and ferrous plate, and manufacturing large heavy-pressure vessels/heat exchangers/tanks from all types of nonferrous and ferrous metals. 

“Not only have we developed these niche markets, but we also are developing a foothold in several markets that are new to us, such as the chemical and power generation industries, as well as the new role of direct supplier to the world’s largest oil refiners,” Odom said. “I feel like I am finally forming the company to be able to carry out my vision and crest the peak that will allow us the sustainability that I desire.”

Odom and his wife, who have been married for 19 years, have two sons, Jacob, 17, and Beau, 14, and a daughter, Scout, 13. Before he became a business owner and actually had spare time, Odom liked to exercise, hunt and fish. Now, watching his kids play sports is a more realistic pastime, he said.

“After my kids are grown, I plan to spend any extra time I have volunteering my talents to help others bear fruit with their lives,” Odom said.

To learn more, call (513) 248-0287 or visit www.odomindustries.com.