Working for OBM, free of charge, during the last two years of High School, after school hours, Stoutt had the chance to learn important things about the architecture business first hand.

Twenty years later, Stoutt is now the managing director of STO Enterprise Ltd., a full-service architecture and design firm and he also holds the post of the president of the Contractors Association of the Virgin Islands.

“I always loved building stuff and seeing stuff being erected, just knowing how things work,” Stoutt said.

Today the 34-year-old manager takes on a new task everyday, mostly on the administrative side.

“There isn’t any typical days. Where I’m at in my career, most my day is caught up in a lot of meetings, which is the boring side. I’d rather be designing or being outside doing things,” Stoutt said.

Stoutt graduated from Texas Tech University in the year 2000 with a master’s degree in architecture and business. After University, he returned home to the BVI where he was fortunate to land a job as a project manager for a local Construction Company on the airport runway extension project.

In the nine years that Stoutt has run his business, he’s been involved with a number of projects that he feels proud of including the previously proposed high school at Paraquita Bay and numerous residential homes and commercial developments. On July 1, the company plans to launch its new website where everyone can experience some of the homes and projects that Stoutt and STO are most proud of.

The Long Bay native says that 90 percent of the work his company does is brought to him by referral, and he strives to keep the high quality of work up.

“My ultimate goal is to build a local firm that can rival any international firm, one that is built on the talent of local persons in the design and management fields,” Stoutt said. “I want to make sure we’re here to stay.”

Running a business is no easy task, and Stoutt advises young people who want to follow in his shoes to find someone that can help them find their way.

“I would advise anyone to get good mentorship, keep a good group of people around you. It doesn’t have to be persons in the same field, but experienced business people who can advise you best, or teach you tough lessons” Stoutt said.

For Stoutt, the late Cyril Romney was a great mentor and helped shaped the way he thinks about business.

“He was probably one of the greatest minds I’ve ever been in contact with and someone I’ll always remember,” Stoutt said.

Adapting to each challenge and situation is a very important skill, Stoutt says, and is something he does on a daily basis..

“Every day there is something new that I deal with and I will have to draw inspiration to conquer.  My inspiration does not come from any one specific thing, whether it is a conversation with someone, music I listen to, or just the success of someone else.  Something motivates you, it just depends on what you’re going through at the time,” he said.

In addition to running STO, Stoutt is a proud member of the Rotary Club of Tortola, an investment group, and remains active in many local sports.