Albert Beyda has always appreciated a good game of basketball but never paid much attention to the court on which it was played. That changed in 2017 when he became the proud owner of AC Beyda, a premier athletic court construction company.

The company was started three generations ago, by Beyda’s wife’s grandfather, Moish Molcho, who came to America from Israel with $100 in his pocket and a will to succeed. He took a job as a garbage man to earn money, and from there he got into construction. While building his business, Moish sacrificed years away from his family, even missing the birth of his youngest daughter. He succeeded in establishing a successful company which he managed for many years, and when it came time to sell, he hoped it would remain in his family.

Fortunately, Moish’s great-nephew bought the business and ran it for about a decade before deciding to move to Israel. Beyda was interested in buying the company but lacked the necessary funds, so he borrowed money and took a leap of faith, a decision he said has thankfully paid off.

Prior to purchasing the company, Beyda, who described himself as “the least handy person out there,” spent a decade in a suit and tie selling media billboards. “I used to travel the country visiting prospective clients in professional settings,” he said. “I never so much as picked up a wrench.”

New to the trade, Beyda understood that to be the best he needed to be completely involved in all aspects of the job. “They literally threw me in the trenches,” he said. He endured years of intense training, teaching him all there is to know about asphalt, painting, concrete and so on. He even interned at some of the companies that currently work for him so that he could get an insider’s understanding of the business and the people.

Over the last four years sales have quadrupled, said Beyda, who is proud of how much the company has grown, and prides himself on continuing the business model Moish implemented generations before. Honesty, integrity and excellent customer service were essential to his grandfather and are equally important to him. “It’s not unusual for me to speak to a customer on a Saturday night or early Sunday morning,” said Beyda. “I am always accessible and aim to satisfy my clients.”

While the company’s main focus is outdoor courts, they have ventured into indoor design as well. Beyda shared a unique experience that for him only confirmed what he already believes: honesty pays off. While building an indoor basketball court, he encountered an issue with the floor. “The ball wasn’t bouncing correctly,” he said, “and we needed to fix it.” Beyda called in a company to help him resolve the issue, which cost him $20,000. For Beyda, this was simply a situation where he had to do whatever necessary to make it right for the client. It was a lot of money, he said, but ultimately the problem was corrected and the customer was satisfied.

Sometime after, Ellen Degeneres, along with Michelle Obama, announced plans to donate a state-of-the-art basketball court to Randle Highlands Elementary School in Washington, DC. The Ellen Show was looking for a company to develop the project. Coincidentally, the company who Beyda hired to help him fix that indoor court happened to work with the show’s private construction group and suggested AC Beyda for the job.

AC Beyda built a massive court that was widely publicized in the media, an opportunity Beyda said was both lucrative and meaningful. Sixty-five percent of the students at the school are homeless or in foster care, and for them, the dedication was significant. Beyda was overjoyed to be part of such an enormous act of kindness and believes his participation was a gift from God. “I looked up to the sky and thought to myself, I made a $20,000 mistake and look where it landed me.”

Beyda builds courts for all sports, most commonly basketball, volleyball, tennis and pickleball, one of the fastest-growing racquet sports in the country today. Though less popular, he has also created shuffleboard and bocci ball courts.

Beyda works with a talented team of experts who understand the topography of the land, an element that weighs heavily in where and how a court should be designed. “We come in, render plans and propose a court that meets all or most of a client’s expectations,” he said. They also deal with zoning boards to secure the necessary permits to complete the job in accordance with local regulations.

Beyda has built courts throughout Deal, Lakewood and Brooklyn and is expanding the business to northern New Jersey. His company is meticulous and punctual and known for excellent craftsmanship. “We source only the best paint, hoops and overall materials to ensure our customers are getting the premium product they expect,” he said, and added that it’s not only about the product. “We make sure the experience is seamless and worry free,” he said.

For more information, please visit www.acbeyda.com  or @acbeyda on Instagram, or call 732-692-7440.