Chris and Clif Poston run Traton Homes, a homebuilding company founded 54 years ago, that closes over 1,000 homes a year across metro Atlanta and Florida. But their path to success was anything but smooth.
The Poston brothers didn't just inherit the company their father and uncle founded in 1971. After executing a substantial buy-in during the mid-2000s, the Great Recession hit hard.
Chris: "We had executed a substantial buy-in of the company, and then the world started going down and down and down."
Clif: "We earned our way into the business. The world ended. We put all of our money collectively back into the business and we recapitalized and we're just kind of earning our way back to where we want to be."
They talk openly about the hard parts. Clif describes deals where they were writing checks for $30,000-$40,000 at every closing just to survive. But their father's wisdom kept them from making fatal mistakes during the boom years.
Chris: "Dad and Milburn telling us, 'Hey guys, pigs get fat, hogs get slaughtered.' That's great we can write 10 contracts. Let's only write five or let's only write six."
The brothers bring complementary skills. Clif handles land acquisition and development, scouting sites across metro Atlanta with help from their father and uncle, who they jokingly call "chief second-guessing officers." Chris runs operations, managing 25 active deals in various stages of permitting and entitlement.
Clif: "The one thing you can be certain of in this industry is that whatever you planned is definitely not going to happen. It's going to be some variation off of that."
When asked what advice he wishes he'd received earlier, Clif doesn't mention underwriting or construction techniques. He talks about relationships.
Clif: "This industry is so much about hard work, but it's about who you know and the relationships that you meet and leveraging those relationships. Get out and know as many people as you can, starting in college."
The conversation explores AI in homebuilding, their approach to company culture, and how they've maintained their reputation for integrity while scaling. But the most powerful moment comes when discussing what matters most.
Chris: "I used to think 'to whom much is given, much is expected' meant I need to write big checks to people. That's your time. It's probably the bigger thing that you can give."
Chris: "The company can fold tomorrow and we can go try and start a new thing. You don't get redos on the family stuff."
This episode covers scaling a homebuilding business while staying true to core values, navigating economic downturns, and understanding that success isn't just measured in homes built.
About Chris & Clif Poston:
Chris serves as Chief Operating Officer, overseeing company operations including land planning and development. Since joining Traton in 1997, he's led successful developments throughout metro Atlanta and Florida. He chairs the City of Marietta Construction Board of Adjustment and Appeals and the Marietta High School College and Career Academy.
Clif, Executive Vice President, handles strategic functions across product development, land acquisition, and construction finance. A University of Georgia graduate, he serves on the Board of the Marietta Schools Foundation and is President of the Marietta High School Governance Council.
Together, they've grown Traton Homes from its 1971 roots into one of the Southeast's most respected private homebuilders.
Connect with Traton Homes:
Website: https://www.tratonhomes.com