I pulled off the trail to contemplate my progress, enjoy the view, and marvel at how far I’ve come. I realized that the group Blood, Sweat & Tears’ name is what I have invested, and their song “Hi-De-Ho” is an appropriate anthem for me. I have been overwhelmingly fortunate to make lightning strike twice in my life, with two successful businesses to my credit.

Adjusting the Compass

As I move along, I am constantly readjusting the compass. A degree off if you are taking a short trip is no big deal, but over the long haul, that could end you up on a different continent.

Reflecting and reassessing is the dirty work that must be done to end up where you want to be. It could be a slight crosswind, or it could be any number of shiny things that I had to learn to say no to. It could be the wrong people in the wrong seats on the bus. It could be something stupid we were doing, or not doing, that was throwing off our calculations. Trust me I have experienced it all.

A difficult client can throw me into a funk for ages. You can’t fire me, I quit! At times it felt like when spinning out in an autocross course with orange cones all around me, completely disoriented, with the clock ticking.

Working for a grateful client makes me burst with pride. I go all out to achieve that feeling, and it is what motivates me to arrive at work before the sunrise and keep going right into the weekends.

Tools in the Toolbox of this Remodeling Business Owner

Very few folks that start off framing are going to ever learn to enjoy this work. It is a rare breed that ever gets to this level of complexity or understanding of the remodeling business. I am proud to be in that elite group. Acting presidential is something my good friend Mark Hofstee suggested. To that end, I am marveling at my newly minted feelings of accomplishment and satisfaction. These are a few of the things that have become second nature to me.

1. Accurate estimating
2. Job progress reports weekly
3. Job autopsy upon completion
4. Understanding Regular Financial Statements of all kinds
5. Setting budgets for everything and checking progress regularly
   
6. Comparing where we are in relationship to what we budgeted
7. Employing a team of dedicated professionals and skilled craftsman that learn, adapt, and produce consistent and beautiful results.
8. Working on the biggest problem at the moment then moving right to the next one.
9. Reading books and attending conferences to keep up to date on the industry
10. Making friends with industry leaders to share wisdom

I’m Their Leader, Which Way Did They Go?

There is a feeling that comes over me when a series of things goes my way that is indescribable. There is no trophy or Ta-Da moment. There is just a joy that wells up that causes me to want to do more creative writing and tell stories. Like the one about my Remodelers Advantage brothers Rick Baker and Chuck Ott, who consoled me and chastised me for being the runt of the litter because I was not taking care of the most important thing in the recipe, myself.

It is reminiscing about pulling myself out of a rut again, swearing I would never do that stupid thing again, only to fall into another one. Shaking off discouragement is something I am good at. Enough already, I get it!

There is also a sense of an inner desire to reflect, teach and share what I have learned the hard way: to be grateful, and to fortify my systems and processes even better, because like my dad, I’ll likely never perfect it. Owning a remodeling company is best described as working on your car while it’s going down the road; at least I feel like I am in the driver’s seat rather than under it for the moment.

The pendulum has definitely swung; Now it is up to me to celebrate, and then get back to the hard work of maintaining the course. Sadly, as the crow flies is not one of the choices I get.

What Would Make It All Worth It?

Creating a repeatedly excellent remodeling ride that folks want to take again and share with their neighbors, family, and friends is what makes it worth every minute. To my supporting cast I say, “let’s rock and roll!” This is what I have been working toward for the past 13 years.

Making clients happy with their homes again is the best reward for my hard work. It is no accident that I feel that we are headed the right way. I’m their leader, follow me!

“Success is waking up in the morning and bounding out of bed because there’s something out there that you love to do, that you believe in, that you’re good at – something that’s bigger than you are and you can hardly wait to get at it again.” – Whit Hobbs

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If you or someone you know is considering remodeling or just wants to speak to a trustworthy remodeling contractor, please contact me. You’ll be glad you did.

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