Why building a business is like building a house…

My parents built and remodeled several houses. Not to make money, but to build a better life. And, I suspect, because they thoroughly enjoyed doing it. When one  project was done, it was usually time to start another.

Often, my brother and I were pressed into involuntary servitude. We pounded nails. We poured concrete. We tore down a barn. We  put on a roof. We learned how to plumb and wire and plaster. And much more.

Looking back, I now realize what great lessons we learned at a tender age. You see, my brother and I now each have our own small business. THANKS, Mom and Dad!

Thirty+ years ago, my business partner and I started building a consulting firm. We were a couple of young engineers with a dream of going off on our own. Incidentally, my business partner’s father was a carpenter. Hmmm…

It was nine years from the start until the day we “moved in” and became full time consultants. We could have done it in less, but we took our time. We plotted and planned, we marketed and built a customer base, and we stashed away as much money as we could. We pounded a lot of nails.

When “moving day” finally arrived (October 1987), the stock market crashed. That was almost  like having a fire. But we survived, and the business did not burn down. Better yet, we now had our own place to do business — in our own way, too.

Building a business is a lot like building a house. You start with a vision. You draw up some plans. You gather materials. Then the real work begins — you dig the hole, lay the foundation, frame the walls, and much more.

It all takes time. Eventually you get there, but not overnight. There are days when all you do is pound nails or cut wood. But you persist. After the walls go up, you add the roof, and finally the doors and windows. You finish the outside, and seal the place up.

Even then, you are still not ready to move in. Now you have all the inside to do — insulation, wiring, plumbing, painting, trim, and more. You wonder, will it ever end? Is all this effort really worth it?

By the way, this is where many fledgling business owners quit.  Frustrated. Out of energy and/or out of money. Sadly, they walk away with the house only partly built.

But hang in there — you are just about there. With a final bit of persistence, “moving day” finally arrives. And then you wake up one morning, and realize that you really ARE there. You have customers and cash flow. Congratulations — you’ve built a business!

A closing comment. I’m once again building a new place with this blog. A little retirement cabin, perhaps. A place where I can sit on the porch, sip lemonade, and share the lessons I’ve learned. I hope you find them useful.

In the meantime, as long as you’re here — can you hand me that hammer?

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