In this live edition of the Rocket Roof Show, Andy takes your questions on the fly!
WATCH EPISODE ON YOUTUBE
https://youtu.be/ruE_ZjlSmhU
SUBSCRIBE VIA YOUR FAVORITE PODCAST DIRECTORY
http://www.buzzsprout.com/755294
This candid, educational and interactive show was put together to answer your questions about investing in your crew, how to decide your financial risks, setting priorities and more.
Scale seems to be a buzzword these days, but is it really that important? From Andy’s perspective, no. Other more important criteria than just growth and money should determine your business decisions. But income is important so the first thing you might consider is, where can you make the most profit with the least amount of time and energy expended?
The answer for Andy was clearly commercial jobs. His enthusiasm and energy expanded once he moved into commercial, He had fewer headaches but a bigger payout and was more excited to start work on Monday mornings. Win, win, win! That may or may not be true for you, so weighing your own situation and goals is important.
Know your limits on how much risk you want to take on. Grow appropriately and take risks accordingly. Only you know what you can handle and the market around you. Like investing in anything else, don’t wing it. Consider what you can gain AND what you can lose.
With only leadership experience of overseeing an apple picking crew on the family farm and four years in residential roofing, Andy started his business in 1998. Driving past big commercial jobs he would think, “that’s outside of my lane, that’s for guys whose dad’s have been in business for many years”, etc. It was easy to come up with excuses not to step out in faith. But eventually, he stumbled into commercial roofing by helping a former employee with roof coatings. After a few years helping, Andy purchased the equipment and started his commercial business in earnest.
Believing education only matters if others understand what you are teaching, Andy keeps good relationships with the guys he has trained who made the decision to go out on their own or take on other work. His investment in the team is personal; “When my dad retired, I thought, here is this man with decades of experience who needs to pass it on to others”. Andy made the decision then to share his knowledge and help others.
Telling your team what to do isn’t always the best way, it is important to let them gain confidence by figuring things out and thinking for themselves. On the job, when asked questions Andy in return asks, “how would you do it?” Encourage team members to start with the fundamentals, but follow up with why would you do it that way, what happens if you do it like this or that instead? Give your crew the ability to come up with problem-solving skills, this method helps them develop as craftsmen and gain a deeper understanding of the process.
In 5 to 10 years Andy wants to step away from his business so he has developed an exit strategy and a plan was made for his son-in-law Brandon to be part owner in 5 years. Always against partnerships in the past, this opportunity felt right and a five-year plan allows time to mentor and train Brandon to take over, so he will not start from ground zero. Andy will continue on for a few years after the transition to make sure business is going strong, and then happily move on to other valuable pursuits.
A passionate follower of Jesus Christ, Andy wants to participate in mission trips and feels called to do so. He sees himself possibly starting an agency or training center for missions. His goal has never been to be a multi-millionaire. Living life to the fullest includes living out his faith by helping others and caring for his family properly. We all need money for survival and provision, but it is not the only need.
Do you have the gumption and fortitude it takes to focus on scaling and growing? If you do choose to focus on growth and more offices, make sure to hire good managers and know how to delegate. Let others take over tasks and have everyone in position to use their best skills. Ultimately, though, business cannot be your end goal and sole focus. If it is, you may need a realignment.
SPONSOR APPRECIATION
Special thanks to our sponsor Top Roof Marketing. As the first marketing company specializing in commercial roofing, the team behind this company has unparalleled experience on what works. Today, they service 200+ roofing companies throughout the United States. Learn more about them at Top Roof Marketing.com.
JOIN US LIVE TWICE A MONTH
To be part of the real-time discussion with our live audience, like us on Facebook and tune in every 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month at 7pm ET: www.facebook.com/RocketRoofShow.