Turnkey is a people-centric company that is “Building a Better World. Faster.” I see that continuing to be a driving force as we move forward 5 to 10 years. Turnkey will be the most impactful company in the world, and we want to make the public part of our success story. Therefore, we will be taking Turnkey public or bringing on a partner that will help us make an even bigger impact on the world.
1. Tell us more about your company and your journey.
As the Founder and CEO of Turnkey Future Corporation, I created Turnkey Hospital™ in response to the hospital bed shortage caused by the global pandemic. Turnkey Hospital is a fully equipped, ready-to-use permanent hospital that can be up and running in under 90 days anywhere in the world. Under Bolivian President Jeanine Anez, Turnkey Hospital was selected for several regional hospitals. Turnkey Future then launched Turnkey Flat™ affordable housing and secured $4.6B in contracts to build 100,000 affordable housing units in Africa.
These complexes allow for clean energy and infrastructure-free drinking water while using locally manufactured materials and working with local contractors to bring affordable housing to the people. Going global, especially during a pandemic, requires taking risks and learning quickly from your mistakes. If your business is going global tap into local expertise and be aware that timeframes, processes, politics and cultural norms are going to be unique in every new market.
2. How did you rise to the highest echelons in your company?
I believe that hard work and unwavering dedication to my chosen field are the basis for what allowed me to rise to my current position. I also believe that anyone who focuses on their craft with that same level of dedication can become an expert in their field and find a measure of success.
I have always had a love for business and never shied away from hard work. I started my first business at 15 selling placemat ads in my hometown while still going to school and delivering newspapers. After graduation, I found my passion for construction. I worked my way up through the ranks taking on more responsibility with each step. While in the evenings I studied my craft.
Reading university course books on construction and taking night courses while studying the projects that I was actively working on. I worked long days, seven days a week for years to perfect my craft. This unwavering dedication allowed for rapid advancement. Before I was 30 my level of competency was such that I was being approached by land developers to manage multi-million-dollar projects through my organization. In the years that have followed the digital landscape has changed bringing everyone in the world closer. The global pandemic along with the creation of Turnkey Hospital and Turnkey Flat affordable housing has taken us global virtually overnight. Catapulting us into the global marketplace with billions of dollars in contracts and cementing my role as the CEO of Turnkey Future Corporation.
3. What does your typical day look like?
Here is what a typical day looks like for me when I am on my “A-Game”.
I wake up at 4:30 AM – with 5-1/2 hours of solid sleep behind me. Get ready for the day and have a light breakfast. Depending on how busy my schedule is I may also get a quick workout in, which is mostly cardio. Then much of my schedule is determined by who I am speaking to and where they are located. Early morning calls to India, Africa, UK, and South America.
Then East Coast calls mid-morning/early-afternoon, West Coast later in the day, and the Asia Pacific towards the end of my workday. Most of my days consist of phone calls, emails, computer work and networking with prospective clients. At the end of my workday, I like to go to the gym for a run or bike. Then I have dinner and afterwards, I will respond to emails once again. Then I try to relax for an hour before going to bed at 11 pm.
4. How do you see the company changing in 5 to 10 years, and how do you see yourself creating that change?
Turnkey is a people-centric company that is “Building a Better World. Faster.” I see that continuing to be a driving force as we move forward 5 to 10 years. Turnkey will be the most impactful company in the world, and we want to make the public part of our success story.
Therefore, we will be taking Turnkey public or bringing on a partner that will help us make an even bigger impact on the world. We will continue to expand the company into areas that have a significant social and environmental impact on people and their communities, with a focus on developing nations.
Turnkey seeks to have an impact on the availability of affordable housing, hospitals, student housing, schools, universities, clean energy, water and wastewater infrastructure, and internet access where it is needed most. In addition to providing local jobs, job skills training, and supporting local manufacturing wherever we build. I see myself helping to create this change by driving the vision for what Turnkey could be and working with highly skilled people who will help me to turn that vision into reality.
5. What has been your biggest challenge that you faced and how did you overcome that?
Like most young entrepreneurs when they are just starting, having limited resources is one of the biggest challenges you will face. However, being creative and proactive in my approach has always allowed me to overcome this challenge. At 15 I used my parent’s second phone line as my business line to help sell advertisements. I recruited friends from school to help me make phone calls to local businesses.
I even took the bus to pitch my ads in-person to local business owners. In later years I used my company’s equity to bring on advisors and key staff. This added a wealth of experience and knowledge in different areas that I could tap into with no up-front cost. For marketing, I partnered with companies for websites and promotional materials. Lacking a big budget for hiring staff I brought on commission-based salespeople who immediately expanded the reach of my company into new markets and brought in new clients. When I finally required office space, I negotiated leases so that there were no immediate payments.
By giving employees the flexibility to work from home I was able to further reduce our required office space and costs. Through contract negotiations, I was able to cover all the up-front costs of starting a project. When I needed equipment or materials, I found vendors that were flexible on payment terms or provided me with a line of credit. I also accepted multiple payment methods to give my clients flexibility. You must believe that a workable solution exists for every problem and that you are capable of finding that solution.
6. What are some of the most important factors for running a successful business?
In my experience, several critical functions will determine the success of your business in the early years, beyond just needing sales. It is critically important to have your accounting in order from the onset. This means having the right people and software in place. When your business gets to a certain size having a skilled Controller and ERP system makes all the difference.
Company culture might seem like an afterthought, but it should not be. Recruiting top talent is important but keeping them is just as important. That is where company culture comes in. Great company culture will help keep employees happy and wanting to come back to work every day.
Lastly, marketing/advertising is key. If nobody knows you exist it will be more difficult to stay afloat. Develop a brand strategy, build a website, get on social media, and spread the word about the amazing things that you are doing not only for your customers but for the world.
7. What are your tips for the first time and aspiring entrepreneurs?
Get comfortable with taking risks. If there is no risk, there is no reward. Know that you will face setbacks and failure along the way. You must learn from it, improve, and never quit. Do not listen to the nay-sayers. Not everyone will understand your journey. Do not let negativity from friends or family get you down. You must keep going and strive towards success as though it were destined to happen. Finally, learn to celebrate the small wins along the way.
- Morgan Reynolds (Founder & CEO)
Founder and CEO of Turnkey Future Corporation, Morgan Reynolds is a global innovator and social entrepreneur that is Building a Better World. Faster. Having received billions of dollars in contracts globally for affordable housing and healthcare in developing nations, Morgan has been featured on nationally syndicated TV and radio shows. He strongly believes in using your passion to make an impact and enjoys providing support to start-ups, scale-ups and high growth businesses. In addition to sharing his ideas and thoughts on the future of business, sustainability and growth opportunities in a changing world.
- Interviewed By Pratibha Sahani
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