Sisu Builders, LLC was formed in 2011 by Josh Jipson upon his return to Lakeside, Wisconsin, the place of his upbringing. Previously to returning Josh accumulated ten years of residential and commercial construction experience in Minneapolis, Grand Marais (where Josh owned and ran Arrowhead Construction Company), and McMurdo Station, Antarctica. Sisu is a Finnish word with no exact English equivalent. Generally it translates thus: strength of will, spirit, and courage and endurance in the face of adversity. The formation of the company coincided with the death of Helen (Waara) Thornton, Josh's 100-percent Finnish grandmother, and the company name is a tribute to her sisu as well as a reminder of some of the characteristics Josh wants embodied in the company.