Growing Pains

[ksmith846]

So here goes.......I have been running my own Contracting Business now for 5 years. I have been blessed with great employees and have sold our work and abilities to enough GCs now that I am somewhat overwhelmed with work and bid opportunities. I am currently running 8 men on construction jobs and one 2 man crew on service. My wife takes care of the books. I however wear many hats.....estimating,billing,project management,safety coordinator etc.etc.
I enjoy the challange and this has led to our success. I know I am going to have to delegate the work load if I want to continue to grow.

So I guess what I am asking here of you more seasoned Contractors is "when do you take the next step?" get an office,hire office help and so on? Doesn't that somewhat hinder what made you sucessful to begin with? Which is all of your own hard work and time you invested to make it all work?

 

[ceb58]

So here goes.......I have been running my own Contracting Business now for 5 years. I have been blessed with great employees and have sold our work and abilities to enough GCs now that I am somewhat overwhelmed with work and bid opportunities. I am currently running 8 men on construction jobs and one 2 man crew on service. My wife takes care of the books. I however wear many hats.....estimating,billing,project management,safety coordinator etc.etc.
I enjoy the challange and this has led to our success. I know I am going to have to delegate the work load if I want to continue to grow.

So I guess what I am asking here of you more seasoned Contractors is "when do you take the next step?" get an office,hire office help and so on? Doesn't that somewhat hinder what made you sucessful to begin with? Which is all of your own hard work and time you invested to make it all work?

I would say that not doing something to help take some of the load off would be the hindrance. As much as you would hate to admit it, you cannot do every thing and do them well. Something will slip through the cracks. Think about hiring some one through a temp. agency to handle the phone, doing the paper work and such. That will free you up to check on the jobs and do estimating.

 

[iMuse97]

You take the next step sooner, rather than later, provided the work picture allows for it.

You cannot do all those things. I've seen first-hand (former boss) a good business go down because of lack of delegation and not allowing people to work to their strengths, and not hiring staff to meet the needs of the company. They never grew beyond a certain plateau, and eventually several of the best employees left. Now they are much smaller, and in their case, it is not primarily because of the economy. A larger company can get economies of scale and can take jobs that can offset the new reality that you cannot invest yourself in every part of the company to the degree that you once did.

That said, management is a learned skill. Find some mentors; join a community-based, or university-based small business coaching group; get good advise and consulting on this.

Growing in this way also gives you the freedom to play to your strengths and to allow others to specialize also.