Qualified Remodeler Magazine

JUL 2017

Qualified Remodeler helps independent remodeling firms to survive, become more professional and more profitable by providing must-have business information, namely best business practices, new product information and timely design ideas.

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QR: Who started your company? SB: Myself with unlimited support from my wife, Carol. QR: How did you choose this career? SB: I grew up on and around construction projects, learned carpentry skills as a teenager, and used them to work my way through college and beyond. My father and grandfather were both civil engineers/construction managers, and I followed suit. I was a framer for a year or so after college, and I always was building stuff—even built my own 5,000-square-foot home "on the weekends" back when I was younger and before I started this business. In 2010, I had a corporate career that was, in a nutshell, not working for me on a person - al or professional level. I looked into several different career options and because of my background and skill set I decided to take the riskier self-employment route. I had about three months of accumulated vacation pay and some savings, and on my 40th birthday, I resigned and started working on my business plan. In a month, I had a Class A Contractor license, an LLC, a pickup, insurance and a couple of projects under contract. QR: How has the remodeling profession changed since you've been involved? SB: I think the technology we use on a day-to- day basis has really changed the way we work with our clients and deliver our customized solutions. For example, we can export a 3-D model from Chief Architect and send it to a client who might be vacationing in another country. We use cloud-based project manage - ment software that manages schedule, bud- get, change orders, selections, etc., and allows our client to stay completely in the loop as necessary. ese technologies are changing the industry and the client experience in profound ways and have only just begun to emerge. QR: Are you hiring, and how are you finding the right people for your company? SB: We have been looking for a lead carpenter for a while now with no success, and I am going to admit our recruiting process needs to be revisited. Almost all our hires are referrals from within our community networks. We have a couple young production workers who have the potential to be leads so we are trying to encourage their development, but it takes time so we are doing what we can with what we have in place or have access to. QR: Additional career accomplishments? SB: I have been fortunate in my career to travel, see and do a lot of different things. I have even been patented. I will say this experience of starting my own business, be- coming more involved in my larger builder/ remodeler community and a business owner in my local community has been the most rewarding. | Read the complete interview at QualifiedRemodeler.com/NAHBR. QR: What motivates you every day? SB: I think most of us in this industry like to build things, but I think few of us are good at building a business. In the last few years since joining my NAHB 20 Club, I have really found motivation in building the business into some- thing sustainable and permanent that will be pro- viding this professional service to our community for future generations. It has taken me out of my comfort zone of being on-site and working with my hands into profit and loss reports, job cost reports and balance sheets. It is a totally different perspective, but being able to think and plan one, three, five, 10 years down the road and to see opportunities for myself (to retire someday, for example), my employees and possibly my children to be involved as future owners of this business is very motivating and exciting. QR: What does NAHB mean to you? SB: We are in a very small market and don't have a local Remodelers' Council, so this is a way for us to stay involved. I feel this is a com- petitive advantage for us; there may only be a couple of remodeling firms who are members. QR: Is your focus currently on more growth or steady revenue at greater profitability? SB: Being involved in our NAHB 20 Club (Remodeler Club R9, "e Mavericks") has been invaluable for us in learning how to build a business based on sound financials rather than just revenue growth. We have seen too many companies get in trouble chasing big revenues without properly marking up their work and losing control of their job costs and expenses. We are growing revenue, adding expenses and production staff; however, we are carefully tracking our job costs, gross profit and overhead expenses, making sure we are growing the bottom line appropriately to justify the added work and risk. Build a Business Beliveau applies knowledge learned to construct his company and sustain it with sound financials. Interviewed by Kacey Larsen SEAN BELIVEAU, CGP, CAPS Slate Creek Builders, LLC Blacksburg, Va. scbhomes.com TITLE: Owner/builder YEAR FOUNDED: 2010 NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES: 9 Technology has changed how Slate Creek Builders works with clients, including design. Photo: Sean Shannon Photography PROFITS: NAHB Remodeler of the Month 18 July 2017 QR QualifiedRemodeler.com

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