Today we’d like to introduce you to Victor Lebegue.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Sure. But to really understand how I got here, you’ll need to know where I started.
I was born in Illinois, lived on a family farm for a short time, then bounced between states—Minnesota, Texas, North Carolina, Arkansas—wherever life took us. My parents were deep into drugs and illegal businesses, and the house I grew up in was chaotic at best. Fights, violence, partying. The kind of stuff no kid should be around.
When I was around four, the feds raided our house. Both of my parents went to prison. I ended up back in Minnesota with my grandparents and brother, and it wasn’t exactly a safe haven. I went through a lot of emotional, physical, and sexual abuse growing up. Most days were about survival, not stability.
Amid the chaos, working gave me clarity and purpose. Work became both my escape and the foundation for building the life I wanted. I started early—raking lawns at the age of nine, going door-to-door with business cards, doing whatever I could to earn money. When my dad was out of jail, I helped him with framing, siding, and window installations. By the end of middle school, summers meant roofing. In high school, I was framing apartment buildings and building pole barns. I didn’t have a traditional path, but I learned how to work hard and figure things out fast.
After graduating, I decided to work in the auto industry. Starting as an auto mechanic, eventually becoming a service advisor, and then going to work for General Motors as an independent contractor, landing a job as a Warranty Manager. Shortly after buying my first house at the age of 21, I got laid off from General Motors. At the time, I had no savings, no backup plan, and was just starting a remodel that was going to cost thousands of dollars to complete. I remember sitting there, overwhelmed by fear but also a sudden clarity—I never wanted anyone else to have control over my destiny again. That’s when I started VL Builders. It wasn’t some polished startup story—it was born out of necessity for survival and a belief in myself. Eventually, I realized that I wanted to build something better than what I’d seen growing up. A business that was stable, respectful and honest. One that helped my clients and the people working with me.
During those startup years, I recognized how bad of a rap contractors get. And the horror stories are very real. Construction companies are hard to run, and are one of the highest failure rate businesses. There’s a shortage of skilled labor, and many contractors get into the field because they love the craft, but it turns out that they are terrible business owners. Eventually, my passion for building something stable also turned into a drive to prove that there was a way it could be done differently—to make the process as beautiful as the result.
The early days were brutal. I wore every hat, made every mistake, and worked more hours than I care to admit. But what has kept me going is the belief that this could be more than just a remodeling company. It could be a vehicle for impact—for clients, yes, but also for the people on my team.
Over the years, we grew. We systematized. We focused on culture and craftsmanship. And we started attracting the kind of clients who valued quality, trust, and doing things the right way, even when it’s hard. Today, VL Builders is a full-service design-build firm that specializes in high-end remodels, but what we really build is clarity and confidence for homeowners during one of the most emotional projects they’ll ever take on. Our team is united by a shared purpose: to elevate our clients’ everyday living experience. We’re also driven by long-term goals, working toward a 10-year vision of launching a nonprofit foundation and a trade education program.
That drive to build something better doesn’t stop with VL Builders. I’ve also partnered with my close colleague, Alex Weeks, to create The Trade Table, a mastermind group for contractors like us who are committed to improving the industry and our communities.
There have been and still are seasons where I’ve questioned everything—when cash was tight, when projects went sideways, when leadership felt lonely. But I’ve learned that growth is meant to be uncomfortable. It stretches you. And when you lean into the discomfort instead of running from it, that’s where the magic happens. I’ve had to unlearn a lot of what I grew up with. I’ve had to lead while still healing. But this business isn’t just about remodeling homes—it’s about proving to myself and others that we don’t have to become what we came from.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
No, it hasn’t been smooth at all. And I think more business owners need to be honest about that.
Starting the business was hard, but growing it has been a different kind of hard. There have been moments when I’ve had to choose between paying myself or paying the team. Times when I’ve questioned whether I’m cut out for this, or if I’d built something too heavy to carry. I’ve lost sleep over cash flow, team dynamics, client issues, delays, and the pressure of having it all rest on my shoulders.
When you’re the one responsible for people’s paychecks—for their families’ stability—it changes how you carry stress. I’ve had to lead when I felt completely empty. I’ve shown up for others while quietly drowning in my own overwhelm. And sometimes, that came at the expense of my own well-being or my personal relationships.
What’s hardest isn’t the job—it’s everything the job brings up. It forces you to confront every part of yourself you haven’t dealt with yet. For me, that’s meant facing patterns from my past, learning how to communicate better, how to build healthy boundaries, and how to stop trying to control everything out of fear. I think most of us as business owners need to learn how to step back and get out of our own way because the saying “if you want it done right you better do it yourself” isn’t true. It’s how you set other people up for success that matters. If you don’t arm people with the tools and knowledge to do something well, then of course it’s not going to get done well. That means letting go of the reins a bit and allowing people to make mistakes where it’s needed.
I’ve had to learn that growth doesn’t just mean bigger revenue or more projects—it means becoming the kind of person who can actually carry it all without losing who you are in the process.
It’s been messy. It’s been heavy. But it’s also been worth it. Because every hard season forces me to level up—not just as a business owner, but as a human.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about VL Builders?
VL Builders is a luxury design-build remodeling firm based in Lakewood, Colorado. We specialize in tailored kitchens, bathrooms, and whole-home renovations—projects that demand thoughtful design, precise execution, and a deep respect for the people who trust us with their homes.
What I feel sets us apart isn’t just the end product—it’s the experience we provide. We’re known for being clear, communicative, and highly organized. Remodeling can and will be stressful, especially for families living in their “forever home.” Our goal is to eliminate that chaos and reduce the stress as best we can by providing a structured plan, a collaborative process, and a team that truly shows up and does what they say they will.
We aren’t trend chasers or corner cutters. Every scope is defined before we ever break ground. Every schedule is milestone-based. And every design is rooted in the real-life needs of our clients and their families—not just aesthetics. We believe great remodeling solves problems and elevates the way you live, but looks damn good while doing it.
What I’m most proud of is the trust we’ve earned—not just from clients, but from our team and our community. We’re not here to be a volume-based contractor. We’re intentional about who we serve and how we serve them. Most of our clients equally value quality, communication, and craftsmanship. And we deliver that by committing to a culture built on our core values: Dedication, Honesty, Humility, Quality, Respect, and Integrity.
All of us here at VL Builders also believe that success means more when you give back. Every quarter, our team volunteers with local organizations like Food Bank of the Rockies, Project Angel Heart, and Ronald McDonald House. We also organize holiday drives for assisted living communities. This year, we’re working to launch a new initiative called Build It Forward, where a portion of our profits will be reinvested into volunteer efforts and local causes we believe in.
Internally, we try to invest just as heavily in our team as we do in our projects. We’re not just here to tell time—we’re here to build the clock. Our focus is on creating a business designed to last. Our staff receives competitive compensation, unlimited PTO, paid holidays (including a company-wide shutdown from Christmas through New Year’s), 401(k) matching, health and supplemental benefits, and even company vehicles for key roles. We prioritize keeping our team connected through regular communication and team-building events that strengthen collaboration and morale. We may be a small team, but we lead with heart and we take care of our people.
Our ideal clients are working professionals, often between 35–65, who plan to stay in their homes long-term and are looking for a smarter, smoother remodeling experience. We help them understand the value of investing in quality, and the long-term return that comes from doing things right the first time. But at the end of the day, we always bring the focus back to what matters most: how their home feels when they live in it every day.
Beyond our core services, we are looking at developing a faster-turnaround bathroom remodel division as well as a VL Express division geared toward smaller projects to better serve families looking for streamlined upgrades or a solid fix & repair person without sacrificing quality. We’ve also worked to build an internal training platform to develop our team from within, ensuring we grow with intention and consistency.
I didn’t build VL Builders just to run remodel jobs. I built it to create something better for clients, for our team, and for our community. Remodeling can be overwhelming. But we believe it doesn’t have to be. And every day, we set out to prove it.
How do you define success?
To me, success isn’t just about growth, crushing your goals, or putting up good numbers—it’s about building something stable, excellent, and meaningful, while enjoying the trials and tribulations of the journey because gosh, this life is not easy and it’s certainly not for the faint of heart.
I came from a childhood that was anything but stable, so a big part of how I define success is by creating the kind of life, company, and relationships I never had growing up. Sometimes I fail at this, but I do my best to fail forward. That means creating and leading a business that respects people—their homes, their time, and their trust. It means giving my team structure, opportunity, challenge, and leadership they can count on. And it means showing up with integrity, even when it’s hard.
Success also means sharing what you build with everyone around you. It’s not worth much if you’re the only one who benefits. So I try to reinvest what we earn whether that’s through how we pay and support our employees, how we give back to local nonprofits, or how we show up for each other on hard days.
I certainly don’t always live up to this picture of success perfectly. I make mistakes daily. But I think real success includes being self-aware enough to keep growing, trying, and course-correcting when I slip off track.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.vlbuilders.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vlbuilders.co/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vlbuilders.co/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vl-builders
- Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/@vlbuilders
