Family Business Destroyed Overnight – Here's How He Came Back | Billy Britt III | Cutting Edge Install Ep 19
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Welcome back to the Cutting Edge Install Podcast — brought to you by Omni Cubed, where innovation meets installation and everything in between.
In this episode, host Merv Campbell sits down with Billy Britt III, third-generation owner of Britt & Tilson Glass in Asheville, North Carolina, to share a powerful story of devastation, faith, leadership, and rebuilding after a hurricane destroyed their 60+ year-old family business
From running through the shop as a kid to leading his team through one of the darkest seasons imaginable, Billy opens up about what it means to carry a family legacy — and what happens when that legacy is suddenly wiped away overnight. With no power, no building, and no guarantees, Billy and his team faced an impossible question: rebuild or walk away?
What followed was a daily commitment to show up, support one another, and lean fully into faith — one 24-hour period at a time.
In this episode, you’ll hear them dive into:
• What it’s like to lose a multi-generation glass business to a natural disaster
• Leadership under pressure — and the power of team loyalty
• Why “daily bread” became the operating strategy for survival
• How faith brought peace in the middle of chaos
• The importance of humility and not “being the smartest guy in the room”
• Mentorship, coaching, and investing in the next generation of glaziers
• Elevating respect for the glass trade in the broader construction industry
• Finding renewed purpose through branding, community impact, and giving back
Billy shares how peace replaced panic, how purpose replaced long-term planning, and how the company was not only rebuilt — but strengthened through relationships, character, and conviction.
Raw, grounded, and deeply inspiring, this episode is a must-listen for business owners, tradespeople, leaders, and anyone navigating adversity while holding onto faith and purpose.
Learn more about Omni Cubed: https://omnicubed.com/
Learn more about Britt & Tilson Glass: https://www.brittandtilson.com/
Chapters
- (00:00:02) - Cutting Edge Install Podcast
- (00:00:43) - Billy Tilson Glass on Podcast
- (00:03:38) - Teachers on the Trades Industry
- (00:06:02) - Glass Business Legends: What Keeps You Going?
- (00:08:45) - Hurricane Florence impacted Asheville Businesses
- (00:14:27) - The Journey of a Glass Business
- (00:18:55) - The Real Life of Being a Loner
- (00:20:04) - HMI Glass Recovers from the Recession
- (00:24:03) - How Did Your Faith Get You Through Those Hard Days?
- (00:27:50) - Mervyn Jones on His Peace After The Business
- (00:30:07) - Stained Glass Glass Artist on the Industry's Changes
- (00:36:33) - Many misconceptions about the glass industry
- (00:38:37) - Seniors in the Glass Trade
- (00:44:29) - What's Made Your Business So Long?
- (00:47:49) - Mentoring and Setting Up People
- (00:51:07) - Have You Had a Plan for Your Life?
- (00:57:23) - Scotch Irish Ancestor on Facebook
- (00:59:42) - Cutting Edge Install
