Episode 008: Creating a Thriving Culture with Phil Cohen

Today’s interview is with Phil Cohen of Cohen Architectural Woodworking in St. James Missouri. Phil’s story is a true rags to riches story. He started out making porch swings and kids trucks but shortly grew his business into a multi-million dollar business building cabinets for hospitals, hotels and retail. In fact is likely you have seen Phil and his team’s work in person and never realized it. Phil provided value in today’s episode that only 40 years of experience and continuous learning can provide.

Today’s Guest

Phil Cohen

Phil has won many accolades over his lifetime, but there is only one that really matters to him and that is “Christ Follower.” He attributes the company’s success to what he calls the “Jesus Experiment” and using God’s word to determine the path and culture for growing Cohen. He believes the main products we produce aren’t the physical things we create, rather it’s the people whose lives we help build. He started the company in a neighbor’s ten-by-ten pigpen with a few rickety tools. Now Cohen operates in a 53,000 square foot state-of-the-art facility and has worked on projects in every state in the US. The company has more than seventy employees. Phil has been married to Gina, his wife of 43 years, and says she is the closest thing he’s found to heaven. Together they have nine children and fifteen grandchildren.