A Cup of Coffee and a Good Conversation Should Be on the List
Being self-employed in the construction business is overwhelming and time-consuming. I know because I’ve been there for over forty-five years. I’ve been through the ups and downs, the good times and the bad. Some of the toughest times have been trying to figure out how to run a good business. One that is successful and serves its customers well.
Looking back, one of the most beneficial things was getting business advice from other successful builders. This came in many different ways, including online training, reading and studying, and simple suggestions from guys who had been there and done that.
Sometimes it was as simple as a conversation over a cup of coffee.
I shared examples of this in some previous posts. Have you ever had second thoughts about being in business? Wouldn’t it be nice to know how to build a better business? Building a better business isn’t easy, but it’s worth it. And DIY business building isn’t a good plan.
These posts were about conversations over a cup of coffee. They eventually led to starting BUILDers Coffee, a weekly virtual conversation over a cup of coffee, just like the ones in those examples.
The initial interest began to fade, and for good reasons. Building a business takes a lot of time.
Over the past few weeks, no one except me has shown up. I start the meeting and work on other things while waiting for someone to join me and talk business.
Then, a couple of weeks ago, it happened to me. I missed the meeting.
I had gotten caught up in other things and forgot to start the meeting. After beating myself up over missing it, I stopped dwelling on the past mistake and began looking at how I could do things better going forward. Even after all my years of experience and knowing what I know, I still can learn more.
Builders are bullheaded. They don’t think they have time to learn new things. Most are aware that something isn’t quite right with their business. Some understand what the problems are, but few will take action to change things. It comes down to being intentional and taking action.
I get it. I was one of those stubborn, independent builders who thought I could figure it all out on my own.
I spent years being stuck, trudging back and forth in my rut, thinking I had it all figured out. It wasn’t until I opened myself up to conversations with other builders that I began to see my own bullheadedness.
Slowing down with a cup of coffee is a good time to have one of those conversations.
You’re welcome to join us on Wednesday mornings at 10:00 AM CT for a virtual cup of coffee and a conversation about whatever you’d like to discuss. These kinds of conversations can be critical to your business. They could make the difference between finding a way to succeed or closing the doors.
