Let’s face it, We all love the remodeling business. It is likely that there is not a more difficult business to enter and remain successful in than ours. But as the old adage suggests, there is nothing worthwhile that doesn’t involve effort. How many remodelers do you know that have, for example, left the business for a period of time, only to return to the remodeling industry again. Why? What drives our passion and fuels our persistence to prevail in such a tough business? For me, there are some key elements that drive me and they are not necessarily in order:

 

1. Creativity. Remodelers must above all be creative people. We have to be able to envision projects, produce marketing campaigns, excite clients with our ideas and be able to make things happen. We also have to be able to communicate our ideas, which many times are complex, to clients that may not be able to visualize what we are communicating. Being creative problem solvers is a must have to survive in remodeling, which leads to number two...  

 

2. Problem solving. Solving problems is something remodelers do on a daily basis. Problems often include unplanned changes on job sites, managing schedules and people, and dealing with environmental aspects of the business, be it permits, weather or even daily traffic. I often describe remodelers as “quarterbacks” who must be adept at “reading the defense” and calling “audibles“. Many remodelers also have to solve the larger scale problems of business growth, diversification, new revenue streams and branding, especially in the most recent economic situation.

 

3. Relationships. Forming relationships of trust and mutual respect with clients, suppliers, fellow team members, our networks and our professional advisors is the foundation of success in remodeling. I don’t think I’ve ever felt better than when I walked into a client’s home for the umpteenth time to discuss a project. As I enter the house I remember that I also remodeled two of their previous homes, watched their children grow up and above all helped them solve problems they had in their home including remodeling the houses for their special needs son. The satisfaction and warmth of these relationships is truly rewarding.

 

4. Developing our people and teams. Again, the Quarterback analogy is appropriate. As I reflect on my experience thus far, one of the aspects of the business that I really enjoy is helping members of my team grow and become more successful. Like a good team with a good quarterback, it’s fun to watch what happens when they take the field. I’ve spoken with many remodelers who have had the experience of working on a job site with great team mates and being able to work without even talking. The feeling that the work is progressing in an almost Zen-like manner. With some of my team mates in the past we could finish each other’s sentences. For those of us who have employees, the satisfaction of seeing a developing team member “step-up” and seek responsibility and move into a new role is also very satisfying.

  

5. Being able to see the results. We have heard many times of the benefits to our health of being able to see the results of our hard work and creativity. I believe that this is a truism. There is a feeling we get when we celebrate the completion of a project with a client and our team members that we can look at and feel great satisfaction, especially because we know what we started with. The results of our work are tangible, which is the key. And isn’t it also a great feeling when neighbors and friends become clients because they are fond of the work you’ve done for others?