Case Study

AEM, Inc., Plumbing and Fire Systems Specialists

Larry appeared to be doing well as a specialized contractor grossing $700,000 a year but in reality his business was a mess.

Larry worked too many hours in the field, in the office, and trying to manage his crew. He lacked a structure to effectively manage his business, and was constantly pulled into operational tasks because “he was the only one” who could get the job done. He was an emotional wreck and knew he needed to do something different, but didn’t know what or how.

Larry couldn’t seem to get unstuck. His business would grow to about 7-8 field employees and $1,000,000 in revenue, but then things would fall apart and the revenue would fall back.

His real wakeup call came when he discovered that the business had lost $156,000 because he’d been neglecting the finances.

Process:

When Larry came to us, he knew he needed to make changes. He’d tried working with consultants and programs but nothing really helped him. He needed help implementing processes and structures into the business, but other programs had been “too theoretical or rigid,” not really helping him solve his day-to-day problems.

Our Needs Assessment revealed that Larry was a classic "owner operator." He was immersed in every aspect of his business and didn’t delegate effectively. He was constantly scrambling, always dealing with daily crises, and spending too much work in the field. This approach was limiting his business growth, personal earnings and quality of life.

Larry made a commitment to change. He made his number one priority to develop systems that would help him effectively delegate responsibilities to other people.

He started by creating a clear picture of where he wanted the business to go – personally as well as professionally. He then created a roadmap for his new business structure, hired people to run key functions, and improved his delegation skills and let go of his compulsion to control and micromanage. Currently, he is in the process of identifying key strategic indicators to better manage his business and ensure that key people stay on track.

Larry’s business has grown more than 400% and at the same time, his debt has dropped to zero and he’s working only 20 hours a week.

Results:

Although he’s completed the bulk of his standalone business, Larry continues working with us, fine-tuning his business and developing new business strategies.

Will you have the same results? Larry isn’t an isolated example but many things contribute to the magnitude of the improvement our programs produce. Here are a few:

How much effort will you invest? Do the work and the program will produce maximum results from your business.

Where are you now? Sounds a bit brutal, but the bigger the mess your business is now, the more dramatic the upside.

What’s your market like? If the overall market is declining by 30% and the program helps you stay even, that’s a big success, but it won’t be as impressive as a 200% increase.

What’s important to you? In Larry’s case, he measures success by Revenue, Workhours, and debt. His program was tailored to focus on those things. Your idea of success may be different, but the program can flex to maximize what ever you wish.

The answer is that Standalone Business Impact will make your business the best it can be for the effort you put in.