This is the introduction to a 5-part series of articles presenting a primer concerning the basic steps you’ll want to take to scale your construction contracting business.
I hope you noticed, I’m not trying to snow you by saying scaling your construction contracting business will be easy. It will take effort, planning, and perseverance. It will take more than a desire to grow. It will take time. It will be hard. Yet, if you’re up to the task – it will be worth it.
Over the next five weeks we’ll look at five basic steps you can take to aid in scaling your construction contracting business. But before we get started with the steps, let’s get out on the golf course. Yeah, I’m that kind of gal – always looking for the fun first.
Getting really good at playing golf
Suppose you’ve been playing golf for a few years, and you’re pretty good at it. But, the time has come – you want to up the ante. You want to be better than “pretty good,” you want to be “really good” at playing golf. So, what is the first step you’ll have to take?
Getting rid of old habits
While you’ve been playing golf for a few years, the reason you’re only “pretty good” at the game is that you’ve likely slipped into a few habits that are OK for just messing around on the golf course, but aren’t the good habits you need in order to play a great game of golf.
So, you decide to hire a pro to take you to the next level in your game. You need someone to coach you into being a better player. A perceptive coach will not just build on the bad habits you have, or paper over the cracks of your weaknesses. First, he’s going to need to deconstruct your game, taking away the bad habits, getting rid of the ingrained postures and plays you have built into your game that are limiting it.
Your bad habits hinder you from taking your game to the next level. It would be foolish to bring them with you. You must jettison them. And this will take time.
But, it’s only getting worse
The first result of working with your pro, unsurprisingly, but to your initial dismay, is that for a while your game seems to get worse, not better. At this point you will likely be tempted to throw in the towel. But give it time. Slowly, imperceptibly, your game will improve. The fun will come back, and your new game will leave your old game in the dust.
And, you’re going to have to be brave. You must trust the process. You have to constantly turn your back on the old and refuse to cobble a game together with your old habits taking control.
It takes commitment
Start by committing to grow, deciding now is the time to scale your business. You need to want your construction contracting business to grow. You’ll need to create realistic growth targets and develop plans and concrete actions of how growth will be achieved.
Start building your building business
Over the next five weeks we’ll look at these important steps you can begin working on to build your building business.
1 Build collaborations – Find and establish key relationships and networks
2 Build a bigger business – Think big; act bold
3 Build a foundation for financing options – Think expansion
4 Build a broad management skillset – Work on your business, not in it
5 Build standardized processes – Prepare now for the future
So, what do you think? Should we put down these golf clubs, we’ve got some building to do.