Inspiring Business Stories from the Heart of Berks County
Want to explore additional Navigating Change + Uncertainty Stories from Reading, PA.? Visit the GRCA’s dedicated webpage.
Interested in learning more about a GRCA membership and a chance to be featured in an upcoming feature story?
INNOVATION ON THE HORIZON
Irish Creek Enterprises, Inc.'s story reads like a masterclass in entrepreneurship while illustrating a fundamental truth about successful family businesses: evolution and tradition can coexist when both generations remain committed to serving something larger than themselves. As Irish Creek Enterprises, Inc. continues growing–from that 1993 credit card start-up to a multi-division operation–its commitment to community service, customer relationships and employee development remain constant. In an industry often focused on the bottom line, it has proven that genuine care for people creates sustainable competitive advantages that can span generations.
Preparing for Tomorrow - Teaching What Can't Be Taught
This commitment extends to how it prepares its workforce for an evolving industry. Rather than limiting employees to single specialties, Irish Creek Enterprises, Inc. cross-trains everyone across multiple disciplines. "We've taken our site work people and thrown them into general construction and thrown them into things they've never done before," Sarah explains. And if someone uttered, "But I never did this before," the standard response became: "Everything you've ever done, you did at some point the first time."
By focusing on adaptability, continuous learning and inclusive leadership, Irish Creek Enterprises, Inc. demonstrates that preparing for tomorrow means more than just training technical skills–it requires creating environments where diverse talents can thrive and contribute to the industry's evolution.
As Irish Creek Enterprises, Inc. positions itself for the future, Sarah and David are not just thinking about the next project–they're considering the next generation of workers and leaders who will inherit the construction industry. This forward-thinking approach extends from internal succession planning to broader industry leadership.
Sarah's perspective on preparing tomorrow's workforce comes partly from her own experience as a woman entering a male-dominated field. "You have to have the right kind of mindset," she explains. "I was coming into the guys' world. So I needed to fit their world. They didn't need to make it fit me." This experience taught her valuable lessons about adaptation and persistence that now inform how Irish Creek Enterprises, Inc. approaches employee development.
Recognition of these challenges led to Irish Creek Enterprises, Inc.'s decision to become a federally certified, women-owned small business in 2023, with Sarah and her mother owning the majority of the company's stock. "Promoting women in small business is really important to me," Sarah notes, actively participating in Berks Women2Women, a special program of the Greater Reading Chamber Alliance, and serving on panels about women in male-dominated fields.
Implementing Next-Generation Innovation
Irish Creek Enterprises, Inc.'s technology adoption illustrates this dynamic perfectly. David now works with two computer screens (though he admits he can't see half of one most of the time!) and recently discovered the convenience of digital forms after seven years of using paper versions. The implementation of ProCore enables both Irish Creek Enterprises, Inc. and its clients to collaborate on plans and blueprints in real-time.
"She drags me into the 21st century, most of the time kicking and screaming," he says with characteristic humor.
Meanwhile, Sarah has learned to appreciate the wisdom embedded in practices developed over 30 years. "Second gen leaders need to be cognizant that it's not easy for their parents," she observes, describing the patience required to bridge generational approaches.
This combination has produced remarkable results. Irish Creek Enterprises, Inc. made the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies twice, with Sarah confident they'll make it again. More importantly, they've maintained the customer relationships that span decades while expanding capabilities that position them for continued growth.
The biggest challenge facing Irish Creek Enterprises, Inc. wasn't economic uncertainty or market competition–it was figuring out how to merge two different approaches to construction while preserving the relationships and values that built the company.
"The biggest change was converting from a site work/excavation company to a general construction company," David explains. "Sarah's all about general construction. I'm all about site work and excavation. We have to combine those two to move our company forward."
This evolution required more than just expanding services–it demanded a fundamental shift in how the company operates. Sarah brought fresh perspectives on technology, systematic approaches and growth strategies that sometimes made David uncomfortable. "I've had some of the same vendors for 25 years... and now we're going to change all that?" he recalls thinking during one particularly challenging transition.
But their approach to navigating these differences sets Irish Creek Enterprises, Inc. apart. "We have some spirited discussions," Sarah acknowledges. "We've had discussions in here where the administrative professionals came and closed the door, but we don't fight and we don't get mad." Their method focuses on understanding rather than winning: when one person feels uncomfortable with a proposed change, the other asks questions to understand why, then works to modify the approach rather than push through.
Construction Management
Irish Creek's Construction Management division specializes in identifying potential challenges and providing solutions before construction begins. Their approach centers on early involvement—the earlier they join your team, the more value they can provide. Recent work includes healthcare facilities, commercial office spaces, and multi-phase developments throughout Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware.
EXCAVATION
AND BEYOND
Building the Foundation - Values That Span Generations
"Having a strong mom like that, who ran the farm while dad was starting the Irish Creek company, she actually won national young farmer awards," Sarah explains. "Community service was always a big part of it."
This commitment to service creates the foundation for how Irish Creek Enterprises, Inc. operates. Today's version of community service includes Sarah's board positions with Safe Berks and the Yocum Institute, plus David's continued work with the Berks County Farmland Preservation Program. But it also extends to how they treat employees–recognizing that many are breadwinners whose families depend on Irish Creek Enterprises, Inc.'s success.
"It's really important to us who we employ," Sarah emphasizes. "They're often the breadwinners of their family, so taking care of our people and being able to employ that many people is really important to us."
This philosophy creates a work environment where "not my job" isn't a phrase anyone uses, where employees are cross-trained across multiple disciplines, and where the annual company picnic happens at David's house - because that's just how families operate.
The Phillips family approach to business isn't learned from textbooks–it's inherited through decades of community service and family farming.
"Community service was easier back then because communities were closer," David reflects, describing a childhood where everyone knew everyone. His father's generation ran ambulances, served on fire companies and held local political positions because that's simply what you did. David carried this forward, spending over 40 years on the Planning Commission, 15 to 18 years on the Sewer Authority and founding a land protection program in 2002 that now preserves approximately 6,000 acres in Centre Township.
Sarah's upbringing reinforced these values through different experiences. "Growing up on a farm, we were always doing farm tours for school kids or taking kids with special needs on pony rides," she remembers. One particularly vivid memory involves her mother helping a wheelchair-bound child reach up and touch tree leaves for the first time while riding a horse.
Today, Irish Creek Enterprises, Inc. operates two complementary divisions: Construction Management, General Construction and its original Excavating division. With approximately 20 employees and recognition on the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies, it has proven that hometown values can still drive substantial business growth.
In 1993, David Phillips started an excavation company with no employees and no equipment, financing the venture entirely with $5,000 borrowed on a credit card. His strategy was unconventional but effective–rather than competing directly with established contractors, he assembled teams of smaller operators for larger projects, taking all the risk while paying them on a time and material basis.
"Back in '93, there were a lot of smaller excavating companies that really did have good guys with good equipment," David explains. "They just didn't have the expertise to bid on the bigger jobs and do the infrastructure work." His solution filled a crucial gap in the market while building relationships that would serve the company for decades.
A turning point came in 1997 when one of his longtime subcontractors, tired of dealing with employees and insurance, finally put an offer on paper to sell his operation–after hinting at wanting to sell every couple of months for several years prior. That acquisition brought seven employees, some with over 20 years of experience, all of whom David welcomed with full seniority recognition.
Sarah's journey into the business began during high school summers as a laborer, digging ditches and fitting into storm sewer junction boxes that were too small for anyone else. After completing a construction management degree and working for another general contractor for seven years, she returned to Irish Creek Enterprises, Inc. in 2017 with ambitious plans to expand its general construction capabilities.
In 1993, armed with nothing more than a borrowed $5,000 from a credit card and an unshakeable belief in community service, David Phillips founded Irish Creek Excavating from a converted farmhouse office. What began as a one-man operation in Berks County has evolved into Irish Creek Enterprises, Inc., a multi-division construction company that serves residential and commercial properties throughout Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware. When his daughter Sarah returned to the company in 2017 after working for other general contractors, she brought fresh perspectives that transformed Irish Creek Enterprises, Inc. from primarily excavation work into comprehensive construction services. Together, this father-daughter team navigates the delicate balance of honoring decades of proven practices while embracing new technologies and methods. This is their story.
Inspiring Business Stories from the Heart of Berks County
Want to explore additional Navigating Change + Uncertainty Stories from Reading, PA.? Visit the GRCA’s dedicated webpage.
Interested in learning more about a GRCA membership and a chance to be featured in an upcoming feature story?
INNOVATION ON THE HORIZON
Irish Creek Enterprises, Inc.'s story reads like a masterclass in entrepreneurship while illustrating a fundamental truth about successful family businesses: evolution and tradition can coexist when both generations remain committed to serving something larger than themselves. As Irish Creek Enterprises, Inc. continues growing–from that 1993 credit card start-up to a multi-division operation–its commitment to community service, customer relationships and employee development remain constant. In an industry often focused on the bottom line, it has proven that genuine care for people creates sustainable competitive advantages that can span generations.
This commitment extends to how it prepares its workforce for an evolving industry. Rather than limiting employees to single specialties, Irish Creek Enterprises, Inc. cross-trains everyone across multiple disciplines. "We've taken our site work people and thrown them into general construction and thrown them into things they've never done before," Sarah explains. And if someone uttered, "But I never did this before," the standard response became: "Everything you've ever done, you did at some point the first time."
By focusing on adaptability, continuous learning and inclusive leadership, Irish Creek Enterprises, Inc. demonstrates that preparing for tomorrow means more than just training technical skills–it requires creating environments where diverse talents can thrive and contribute to the industry's evolution.
As Irish Creek Enterprises, Inc. positions itself for the future, Sarah and David are not just thinking about the next project–they're considering the next generation of workers and leaders who will inherit the construction industry. This forward-thinking approach extends from internal succession planning to broader industry leadership.
Sarah's perspective on preparing tomorrow's workforce comes partly from her own experience as a woman entering a male-dominated field. "You have to have the right kind of mindset," she explains. "I was coming into the guys' world. So I needed to fit their world. They didn't need to make it fit me." This experience taught her valuable lessons about adaptation and persistence that now inform how Irish Creek Enterprises, Inc. approaches employee development.
Recognition of these challenges led to Irish Creek Enterprises, Inc.'s decision to become a federally certified, women-owned small business in 2023, with Sarah and her mother owning the majority of the company's stock. "Promoting women in small business is really important to me," Sarah notes, actively participating in Berks Women2Women, a special program of the Greater Reading Chamber Alliance, and serving on panels about women in male-dominated fields.
Preparing for Tomorrow - Teaching What Can't Be Taught
Irish Creek Enterprises, Inc.'s technology adoption illustrates this dynamic perfectly. David now works with two computer screens (though he admits he can't see half of one most of the time!) and recently discovered the convenience of digital forms after seven years of using paper versions. The implementation of ProCore enables both Irish Creek Enterprises, Inc. and its clients to collaborate on plans and blueprints in real-time.
"She drags me into the 21st century, most of the time kicking and screaming," he says with characteristic humor.
Meanwhile, Sarah has learned to appreciate the wisdom embedded in practices developed over 30 years. "Second gen leaders need to be cognizant that it's not easy for their parents," she observes, describing the patience required to bridge generational approaches.
This combination has produced remarkable results. Irish Creek Enterprises, Inc. made the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies twice, with Sarah confident they'll make it again. More importantly, they've maintained the customer relationships that span decades while expanding capabilities that position them for continued growth.
The biggest challenge facing Irish Creek Enterprises, Inc. wasn't economic uncertainty or market competition–it was figuring out how to merge two different approaches to construction while preserving the relationships and values that built the company.
"The biggest change was converting from a site work/excavation company to a general construction company," David explains. "Sarah's all about general construction. I'm all about site work and excavation. We have to combine those two to move our company forward."
This evolution required more than just expanding services–it demanded a fundamental shift in how the company operates. Sarah brought fresh perspectives on technology, systematic approaches and growth strategies that sometimes made David uncomfortable. "I've had some of the same vendors for 25 years... and now we're going to change all that?" he recalls thinking during one particularly challenging transition.
But their approach to navigating these differences sets Irish Creek Enterprises, Inc. apart. "We have some spirited discussions," Sarah acknowledges. "We've had discussions in here where the administrative professionals came and closed the door, but we don't fight and we don't get mad." Their method focuses on understanding rather than winning: when one person feels uncomfortable with a proposed change, the other asks questions to understand why, then works to modify the approach rather than push through.
Implementing Next-Generation Innovation
Construction Management
Irish Creek's Construction Management division specializes in identifying potential challenges and providing solutions before construction begins. Their approach centers on early involvement—the earlier they join your team, the more value they can provide. Recent work includes healthcare facilities, commercial office spaces, and multi-phase developments throughout Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware.
EXCAVATION
AND BEYOND
"Having a strong mom like that, who ran the farm while dad was starting the Irish Creek company, she actually won national young farmer awards," Sarah explains. "Community service was always a big part of it."
This commitment to service creates the foundation for how Irish Creek Enterprises, Inc. operates. Today's version of community service includes Sarah's board positions with Safe Berks and the Yocum Institute, plus David's continued work with the Berks County Farmland Preservation Program. But it also extends to how they treat employees–recognizing that many are breadwinners whose families depend on Irish Creek Enterprises, Inc.'s success.
"It's really important to us who we employ," Sarah emphasizes. "They're often the breadwinners of their family, so taking care of our people and being able to employ that many people is really important to us."
This philosophy creates a work environment where "not my job" isn't a phrase anyone uses, where employees are cross-trained across multiple disciplines, and where the annual company picnic happens at David's house - because that's just how families operate.
The Phillips family approach to business isn't learned from textbooks–it's inherited through decades of community service and family farming.
"Community service was easier back then because communities were closer," David reflects, describing a childhood where everyone knew everyone. His father's generation ran ambulances, served on fire companies and held local political positions because that's simply what you did. David carried this forward, spending over 40 years on the Planning Commission, 15 to 18 years on the Sewer Authority and founding a land protection program in 2002 that now preserves approximately 6,000 acres in Centre Township.
Sarah's upbringing reinforced these values through different experiences. "Growing up on a farm, we were always doing farm tours for school kids or taking kids with special needs on pony rides," she remembers. One particularly vivid memory involves her mother helping a wheelchair-bound child reach up and touch tree leaves for the first time while riding a horse.
Building the Foundation - Values That Span Generations
Today, Irish Creek Enterprises, Inc. operates two complementary divisions: Construction Management, General Construction and its original Excavating division. With approximately 20 employees and recognition on the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies, it has proven that hometown values can still drive substantial business growth.
In 1993, David Phillips started an excavation company with no employees and no equipment, financing the venture entirely with $5,000 borrowed on a credit card. His strategy was unconventional but effective–rather than competing directly with established contractors, he assembled teams of smaller operators for larger projects, taking all the risk while paying them on a time and material basis.
"Back in '93, there were a lot of smaller excavating companies that really did have good guys with good equipment," David explains. "They just didn't have the expertise to bid on the bigger jobs and do the infrastructure work." His solution filled a crucial gap in the market while building relationships that would serve the company for decades.
A turning point came in 1997 when one of his longtime subcontractors, tired of dealing with employees and insurance, finally put an offer on paper to sell his operation–after hinting at wanting to sell every couple of months for several years prior. That acquisition brought seven employees, some with over 20 years of experience, all of whom David welcomed with full seniority recognition.
Sarah's journey into the business began during high school summers as a laborer, digging ditches and fitting into storm sewer junction boxes that were too small for anyone else. After completing a construction management degree and working for another general contractor for seven years, she returned to Irish Creek Enterprises, Inc. in 2017 with ambitious plans to expand its general construction capabilities.
In 1993, armed with nothing more than a borrowed $5,000 from a credit card and an unshakeable belief in community service, David Phillips founded Irish Creek Excavating from a converted farmhouse office. What began as a one-man operation in Berks County has evolved into Irish Creek Enterprises, Inc., a multi-division construction company that serves residential and commercial properties throughout Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware. When his daughter Sarah returned to the company in 2017 after working for other general contractors, she brought fresh perspectives that transformed Irish Creek Enterprises, Inc. from primarily excavation work into comprehensive construction services. Together, this father-daughter team navigates the delicate balance of honoring decades of proven practices while embracing new technologies and methods. This is their story.
