Elias Null’s career path winds through dairy farms, grocery stores, maintenance crews, and equipment dealerships before landing him in one of the most fulfilling roles of his career. Today, Null works at the intersection of innovation and education in the hardscaping industry, helping contractors extend their careers and transform their businesses through better tools and techniques. But his story starts with just being a kid who really loved being outside.
Building a Work Ethic
Growing up, Null watched his father work as a technician servicing farm equipment, particularly milking systems for dairy farms. He would join him for those trips to local farms, the seeds of an enduring love for outdoor work.
“I hate being inside to this day,” he said.
At just 10 years old, Null started milking cows for a neighbor who needed an extra hand. It was hard, but it taught him the value of hard work. From that point forward, he was rarely without multiple jobs.
When his father purchased a local grocery store after 20 years as a technician, Null joined him part-time, eventually running the meat and cheese department while also managing a seasonal greenhouse. But he didn’t stop there. He was simultaneously mowing lawns with a friend and working on construction remodeling crews. Each experience was building skills he’d eventually draw on throughout his career.
The Turning Point
Then came the day that changed everything.
At 16, while climbing into his father’s pickup truck, Null suffered a major seizure out of nowhere.
“That’s the last thing I remember,” he said.
He was diagnosed with epilepsy. He wasn’t able to hold a driver’s license for at least two years.
For most teenagers, losing your license at 16 would feel devastating. For Null, it became something else entirely.
“It made me re-evaluate my life and realize that, whatever happens, there’s a reason behind it,” Null said.
The medical condition meant certain career paths were closed to him. Even after being fully treated, commercial driver’s licenses remained out of reach for a decade. Jobs requiring him to drive large equipment or semi-trucks—roles he’d once found appealing—simply weren’t options.
Rather than dwelling on what he couldn’t do, Null focused on finding where he could thrive.
Finding His Place in Hardscaping
After meeting his future wife at his father’s store (she was already working there when his dad purchased it), Null eventually moved to her hometown. There, he joined a landscape maintenance company where his brother-in-law worked, and the two ran a maintenance crew together.
Null’s maintenance crew serviced 90 to 95 properties weekly, leaving little time for hardscape work. But on rainy days or when they finished early, he’d jump in to help the hardscape crews with paver patios and retaining walls.
After three seasons with the company, Null’s love of mechanics and the relationships he’d built led to an offer from a local equipment dealer.
The Sales Journey Begins
Starting in general sales, Null soon found his specialty when the dealership brought on a line of construction equipment. After two years, they transitioned him into a hybrid role that perfectly matched his diverse skill set by demonstrating construction equipment and serving as marketing director.
“It’s kind of a cool hybrid job,” he said. “Outside sales, doing demonstrations, and operating equipment, and marketing. And that’s still one of my passions. I love marketing, the science behind it, and all that.”
It was at one of these customer demonstration events, Pave Tool’s Outdoor Living Mastery event, that Null’s career took its next turn. After attending his second or third event as an equipment sponsor, he had a conversation with Michelle Bahler, wife of Pave Tool founder Phil Bahler.
“She sat me down one day and she was like, ‘If you ever want to switch jobs, come talk to us. We’ve got some options,’” Null said.
Making the Move
The conversation got Null thinking, though he didn’t immediately act on it. He shelved the idea for a couple of months.
Then, about six months later, changes at his dealership meant it was time for him to move on. He thought back to that earlier conversation with Bahler and joined Pave Tool.
Today, his role is as multifaceted as his background. His main focus involves working closely with Optimus, a German company that manufactures advanced equipment for mechanical paver installation, everything from mechanical clamps that can install entire layers of pavers to paver-laying machines operators can sit in and drive, to large suction equipment.
“Really, a day in my life is spent a lot with customer care, customer education,” Null said. “Helping them utilize tools and equipment to the fullest.”
His second major responsibility involves working directly with paver manufacturers. Key to mechanical installation lies in how pavers are arranged on the pallet, so Null helps manufacturers understand optimal palletization methods that allow pavers to be grabbed and laid mechanically, straight from the factory.
A Different Kind of Salesman
Coming from the field himself, Null brings a unique perspective to his sales role, one that he hopes can challenge the typical view of salespeople.
“In the hardscape industry, salesmen can have a bad reputation,” Null said. “…But there’s days I don’t even consider myself a sales guy. I’m here to help them. The contractors that I work a lot with, they reach out when they need help, or when they want to talk. It’s not a 9-to-5 job for us. It really is kind of our passion to help, and to be their go-to guys for help and assistance.”
He wants this philosophy to extend to everyone in customer service or sales in the hardscaping industry.
“We don’t need to be the used car salesman out there, annoying the installers, but instead, let’s just be the best helpers for them we can be,” Null said. “…Probably the number one reward I get is when I see a contractor’s life just change completely.”
He recently spoke with a customer in his 60s who’d purchased a piece of equipment. The man had been laying large pavers by hand for years—wearing out his back, pinching his fingers daily—and could now set them with a vacuum instead.
“It’s just a life changer for him and his installers. You know, their life is much more enjoyable. Even life after work, we say that a lot here at Pave Tools. We want you to enjoy your life after work, and that’s what tools can do for you,” Null said. “A pinched finger at work makes it something you have to deal with if you’re playing softball or doing something with your kids in the backyard. That pinched finger kind of irritates you long past your working hours.”
Advice for Aspiring Hardscapers
For aspiring hardscapers or young professionals in the industry, Null emphasizes education, both formal and hands-on, and the creation of effective systems.
“Educate yourself. Don’t be afraid of over-educating yourself,” he said. “Whether it’s mowing lawns, or doing hardscape installations, or milking cows, figure out the best practices and develop systems and processes to make it a safe job, an enjoyable job, as well as something that you can build a career out of.”
At Pave Tool, Null said there’s a saying the team uses constantly: “Batteries included.”
“Like a car without a battery, only time it’s ever going to do something is if someone pushes or pulls it,” he explained.
When hiring, they look for people who are self-driven and genuinely enjoy what they do, as well as having a customer service focus.
“Be driven, self-driven. The ‘batteries included’ mentality,” Null said. “But also, think about your customers. A successful hardscaper is doing it for his customer. If the customer’s not happy, it’s not a successful install.”
And not having those traits can sometimes be a sign that the position is not the right fit.
“If someone’s stuck in a role where they don’t feel that self-driven or that motivation, it’s time to re-evaluate and find something else you enjoy,” Null said.
For hardscapers, this might mean trying different specialties.
“If they just hate building walls, maybe try putting a pool in, or building some water features, or fireplaces, and just build your niche around that,” he said. “Pick something that lets you be the best version of yourself that you were designed and created to be.”
A Career of Purpose
Null credits the people he surrounds himself with as helping him keep that “batteries included” mentality.
“You become like who you network with and who you’re around,” he said. “I really think it comes down to who you spend your time with, and who you grow together with. The hardscaping industry is like a tide. We can rise together, but if we’re not careful, we can fall together too. Spend time with people who are passionate.”
One of Null’s favorite recent projects exemplifies everything he loves about the industry. Working with Techo-Bloc’s Hardscaper Showcase roadshow, he collaborated with C. Vargas Construction in Delaware to transform a backyard in just two weeks. The project included a small pool, heated yoga deck, spa, cold plunge, and a new driveway.
“Probably what stood out the most for me on the whole thing was just the teamwork, working together,” Null said.
That spirit of collaboration, rather than competition, defines the industry for Null.
“I don’t think hardscapers need to compete against each other, even if they live in the same town,” he said. “Some guys do a lot of walls, some guys do flat work, or waterscaping and ponds or pools. Develop your niche and just work together. It’s incredible.”
Looking Forward
Null’s career combines hands-on equipment knowledge with marketing expertise, technical education with genuine care for customers, and systems thinking with personal passion.
His journey shows that your career path doesn’t have to be direct to be meaningful. Sometimes the detours lead you exactly where you need to be. The key is staying true to your values, continuously learning, and always striving to be the best version of yourself.
“We only live once, right?” Null said. “We have to enjoy what we do.”
