a great demand for both new home builds and renovations, often with a design sensibility that respects older homes and traditional aesthetics. Accordingly, Emco Stratford has tailored their showroom to cater more to homeowners and homebuilders, and to showcase more traditional products than some of the showrooms in other locations. “We’ve aligned what we do and what we offer to meet the specific needs of the market around here,” Joshua says. “Our ability to do that is a big part of what makes Emco special.” Prior to joining Emco, Joshua worked for five years as an elementary school teacher before completing an MBA. He was drawn to Emco by the company’s decentralized, entrepreneurial model, as well as their heavy emphasis on leadership development. After coming aboard, he entered an accelerated management program designed to give high-potential candidates handson experience across all facets of the business. Upon graduating from that program, he assumed leadership of the Stratford PC. When he took over, one of Joshua’s first priorities was revitalizing the culture. The location had previously been underperforming and the level of collaboration wasn’t to the standard that the company expects. Joshua reset expectations, re-established accountability, and engaged in structured conversations with the team members – first as a group, then one-on-one – to ensure that everyone felt like a “genuine partner” in the business. FEBRUARY 2026
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