The Weight of Concrete and Character

When John Rodriguez wakes up at the crack of dawn, he chooses to focus on grit, positivity, and perseverance, with a clear goal in mind.

He doesn't just lace up a pair of boots. He steps into responsibility. At 28 years old, John has already walked a path paved with both struggle and fortitude, and today, he carries the weight of Oklahoma’s infrastructure and its future on his shoulders.

He’s a husband to Talon and “dad” to their daughter, Westyn. He enjoys the outdoors, going to the lake, riding side-by-sides, sports, and overall making the most out of life.

Raised by his grandfather after moving from San Diego to the small town of Cleveland, Oklahoma, John learned early that hard work wasn’t just a value; it was the currency of respect.

“There’s a generation gap when your grandpa raises you,” he says, “but with that comes a deeper expectation of how you carry your name and your work.” Those expectations molded him into the kind of man who shakes your hand firmly, looks you in the eye, and means what he says.

He started at the very bottom of the barrel, literally. As a laborer at Dolese Bros. Co., one of the oldest companies in Oklahoma and a cornerstone of the ready-mix concrete industry, John shoveled, mixed, and learned.

Then he climbed first into a quality control role, then into management, operations, and sales. He didn’t climb because someone handed him a ladder. He climbed because he showed up early, worked late, and treated every jobsite like it had his name on it.

Now, when he drives through Oklahoma towns like Stillwater, Chandler, Enid, or Cushing, or along the Oklahoma turnpike, he can point out landmarks, schools, dams, stadiums, and say, “We helped build that.” It’s not just concrete to him. It’s pride poured into the foundation of his state.

But the journey hasn’t always been smooth. As a young leader, John had to prove himself to men twice his age.

“One week, I was their peer. The next Monday, I was their boss,” he recalls. “It wasn’t easy. You have to earn that respect, and you can’t do it overnight.”

Through long hours and tough conversations, he gained their trust and now leads with the same integrity his grandfather taught him years ago.

For John, leadership also means being the first to pick up the phone, whether it’s 9 p.m. or 3 a.m. “If my guys are working, I’m working. That’s just how it is,” he says.

In the ready-mix world, weather delays, customer issues, or unexpected concrete pours don’t wait for office hours.

He wears his boots through it all, not just for the job, but for the lifestyle. As a Type 1 diabetic, comfort and foot protection are non-negotiables. “I want a boot I don’t dread putting on. One I can wear on the job and still throw on for the weekend because they just feel that good,” he says.

That’s why the Justin Homeland Collection matters. It’s made for guys like John, those who don’t have time to break things in, who need durability that lasts and comfort that keeps up with 15-hour days.

And when the dust settles, John’s American dream isn’t flashy. It’s honest. He dreams of retiring young, not to rest, but to build something of his own. “Maybe something with power sports or agriculture,” he says, “but more than that, I want my kids to be part of it. I want to pass down our hobbies, our values… our time together.”

It’s a full-circle dream from the boy who needed guidance to the man determined to give it.

John Rodriguez’s story is the story of the Homeland Collection. It's not just about boots. It’s about the people who wear them. The ones who pour concrete into the earth so others can build dreams on top of it. The ones who work with their hands, lead with their hearts, and never forget where they came from.

These are the hands of the homeland.