SoBo Homes didn’t arrive fully formed. It was built—slowly, deliberately, and with a kind of quiet sincerity that still defines the company today. The story begins more than twenty years ago with Mike D’Onofrio and Eric Youngren, hired on the same day into the same small, mom-and-pop general contracting operation. Two carpenters. Same job. Similar sensibilities. They became friends fast,eating lunch together, talking about the work, and noticing the same thing again and again: something about residential building was missing the mark.

Residential work is intimate. As an onsite carpenter you become part of the family. You know what people eat for breakfast. You become friends with their dogs. You see their kids’ rooms and their primary closets in their natural states. As Mike puts it, you’re invited into an inner sanctum. That kind of access deserves respect. It’s humbling, invigorating, and deeply rewarding. It’s what draws many building professionals into the residential remodeling world.

This intimacy also carries responsibility. Homeowners know their spaces better than anyone, yet Mike and Eric kept hearing the same refrain after projects wrapped: ‘this isn’t quite what I imagined.’ ‘It’s a bit smaller than I wanted.’ ‘It’s much taller than I envisioned’. Over and over again people weren’t getting exactly what they wanted. Somewhere between the vision and the finished product, the signal was getting lost.

In 2003, they decided to eliminate that gap. They started SoBo Homes with a single house. They did most of the work themselves, subcontracted only when necessary, and moved slowly. They weren’t getting rich, but they weren’t losing money either. They were, in effect, buying their own jobs—and learning. They were also building a reputation. Their houses were stylish but not over-designed. They usually incorporated generous outdoor covered living spaces. The HVAC systems, lighting, and layouts were smart and effective. By 2008, during the market crash, they made a huge defining shift in their business. Instead of doing one speculative remodel at a time, they transitioned to only working for clients. They stopped building speculative homes and focused instead on providing their remodeling sensibilities to clients who needed help improving their homes. Their goal was to help build homes that felt both personal and enduring.

A pivotal evolution followed: separating the clients from the architecture and design had been part of the problem. SoBo moved into a true design-build model. The magic sauce that was missing was to include the homeowners in the design process with the same familiarity and intimacy Mike and Eric developed as onsite carpenters. This meant digging deeper into how people lived. Mike and Eric believe people ultimately know what they want their house to feel like. When homeowners became true collaborators in the design itself, the work clicked.

SoBo’s growth is grounded not in scale, but in trust. They don’t want to be the biggest company in Boulder, they want to build deep relationships with the people they work with. This means clients as well as coworkers. SoBo wants to be the coolest place to work in the industry. The kind of company where people ask, sincerely, how they can be part of it.

When asked what he wants Boulder to know, Mike almost hesitates—he doesn’t want to sound forced. But the truth comes out cleanly. He cares deeply about people and their homes. Every project is a puzzle. Every house is collaborative. Each time he begins the design journey with a new homeowner, he feels both humbled and thrilled.

That, too, has been twenty-three years in the making. Take a look below. These guys are fun to work with!

Mike and I met playing ultimate frisbee. Here he is at my favorite beach tournament in Santa Monica last month.

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Curious about the thoughtful homes Mike and Eric create? Explore the work and philosophy behind SoBo Homes and their design-build approach to remodeling in Boulder.

Want to understand the collaborative model that helped SoBo close the gap between vision and finished home? Learn more about the design-build process and how it brings homeowners into the design journey from the start.

If leadership under pressure interests you, take the Work-Stress Insight Quiz and see the pattern shaping how you operate at work.

You might also enjoy another Boulder leadership story about martial artist Abel Villacorta and how Aikido philosophy shapes leadership and community in this About Boulder article.

Kate Galt Primal Leadership Business Coaching

Kate Galt coaches and challenges leaders at all levels— from entrepreneurs to seasoned executives— to sharpen their vision, articulate key messages so they connect and inspire, and make decisive, strategic moves that drive real business growth. Based in Boulder, Colorado, she works with individuals and teams to strengthen leadership, improve team dynamics, and achieve measurable results.

Her coaching is rooted in Primal Leadership—because the strongest leaders move with instinct, command presence without force, and create unshakable trust through raw, real connection.

Like any driven person, Kate is always figuring out how to do it all—running a business, raising two kids with her equally involved husband, and still making time for the adventure that brought her to Colorado in 1998. Whether it’s snowboarding, mountain biking, or chasing an ultimate frisbee, she knows the best leadership isn’t just learned—it’s lived.

The bottom line? Kate makes good leaders great.

Curious about what makes her coaching style so impactful? Book a call and experience it for yourself at CoachTheLeaders.com.