Most of us got into the kitchen and bath remodeling business by starting out small, either designing or performing remodeling projects. We often did this as a “one person show” or with a single helper, often our spouse.

In those early days, we did everything: design the project, sign the contract (if you actually had one), order the materials and install it on the job. We would get the bills, look them over and write the checks to our vendors. At some point we may have acquired an employee or two and had to start dealing with payroll issues, likely using an outside accounting service to help with basic accounting requirements.

As time went by and the business grew, more employees were hired and more than one job would be in progress at the same time. About this time, you probably found that you had to rely on others to handle some of the day-to-day details of your business. This marked the beginning of delegation.

This month, we will look at the challenges that face us when our business grows to the point where we have to start to let go of much of the direct involvement with our vendors, employees and customers.

Decision to Grow

The first, and basic, decision that must be made is whether you want to see your business grow to the point where you are not longer involved at the detail level. Here is a list of questions you should start with:

• What are the things I most enjoy doing?
  
• Can I get satisfaction from “big picture” accomplishments without actually doing the hands-on part of the business?
  
• Can I tolerate, financially and emotionally, serious mistakes made by others?
  
• Do I enjoy supervising and motivating others?
  
• Am I a risk taker?

Not everyone is comfortable stepping back from the hands-on involvement with what our business’ actual work is. Many of us get a great deal of satisfaction and fulfillment from actually creating the designs or performing the construction that goes into the execution of these designs for our clients.

When a business grows to a point where one person can no longer control all of the details, the decision to allow this growth to continue comes with a number of changes. Expect the stress level to increase as things get done differently than you might have done them. You will have to determine how to monitor those to whom things are delegated without stifling them.

There are many successful remodelers with no desire to see their businesses grow into large organizations. Such limited operations are capable of providing a very comfortable living for their owners; never-ending growth is not a requirement in our business.