#36: Stop Playing Small with Your Business

Read time: 5 minutes

Welcome to the 36th issue of the Punchline Memo, specifically tailored for leaders in construction and the built environment!

I recently had a revealing conversation with a construction business owner.

He was proudly talking about his "stable" £250K/month operation. How he feels "comfortable" with where things are. How he doesn't want to "rock the boat."

But I could hear it in his voice - he wasn't truly proud. He was scared, playing defense.

Scared of what might happen if he actually tried to grow. Scared of hiring. Scared of raising prices. Scared of losing what he has.

Here’s the hard truth: Your construction sector business is capable of achieving 10x more than what you're doing right now.

I know because I see it every day:

Firms in the Construction industry hesitant to charge more than £50K per project suddenly landing £500K contracts, and solo builders terrified of hiring their first crew member now running teams of 10

"Comfortable" business owners doubling revenue in 6 months once they get out of their own way

The difference? They decided to try.

Not try like "I'll put an ad in the paper and see what happens."

Really try.

Here's what that looks like:

Set a revenue target that scares you

Raise your prices to match that target

Build systems that support scale (and that support your team’s potential)

Hire before you're "ready"

Stop doing small, low-margin projects or favours for friends and family

Invest in your own marketing just as you would for a top client

Say no to projects that don't fit your new model

Is it uncomfortable? Absolutely. Will you lose some clients? Probably. Might you fail at first? Almost certainly.

But here's what's actually uncomfortable:

Watching other firms pass you by

Making less than your workers could make at competing firms

Never knowing what you’re actually capable of

Looking back in 5 years at the same revenue figures

You don't need:

Another course

Another mastermind

Another strategy session

Another excuse

You just need to try. Really try.

Start today, right now perhaps…

Raise your prices on your next three tenders/proposals

Let go of your smallest, least profitable client

Hire that person you've been hesitant to bring on board

Implement that marketing strategy you've been delaying

Say no to projects beneath your new minimum threshold

Your business could be 2-3x bigger by May/June 2025.

But only if you try.

Hope you have a productive day.

Emre

Whenever you're ready, there are 3 ways I can help you:

1. Promote Your Business: Promote your brand to over 8,000+ industry professionals by sponsoring the next issue of Punchline Memo.

2. Property Build Collective (Free Online Community): a dedicated community for Property & Construction Professionals, focused on growing your business through effective scaling, operational independence, and optimised team structures. Scale with Confidence

3. Partner with us at Gurler Mae to adopt proven growth strategies tailored to your requirements, aiming for exceptional results.

Stay tuned for more insights, updates, and a dash of humour in our upcoming issues. Until then, keep noticing, keep learning, and keep building!