One thing I have learned from the contractors we profile in Cleaner every month is that you need to have a vision for where you’re headed. At first it may seem unnecessary to have a mission statement as a drain cleaning company. It’s pretty straightforward work and customers should know what to expect from you. But a mission statement is more than just explaining the work you do.
Of course you have goals for your business; but “growth” or “better profit margins” is not a mission statement. The mission is how you will achieve your goals. And how you will treat your customers as you do that.
If you don’t have a stated purpose, at some point your business may stall or falter.
Opportunities will be presented to you that don’t align with your goals. Maybe someone will approach you to partner with you or work for you but you sense that person doesn’t meet your standards or have the same values as you. Knowing what you stand for will help you make decisions for the future of your business.
You never know how a new endeavor will work out, but you can probably sense the ones that are wrong for you if you take some time to consider the possibilities.
Sometimes it takes a lot of poor decisions to realize you need to start doing things differently. Mark Ellefson turned his life around after making some personal changes, took a plumbing course, and eventually started his own business, Prodigy Plumbing. “I went through a rock-bottom thing and personal development was the only way out of it. I changed my belief system and mindset to create a different life for myself … and I figure if I could do that for myself, I can do it for my employees, too. I want to share that wisdom and power.”
Ellefson infuses his work with his own personal spiritual philosophy, and while he knows that’s not for everyone, he’s created a supportive, positive work environment where employees and customers are most important.
“It’s all about intention — intention is everything in life,” he says. “I have to repeat it over and over, explain why we do things. … You have to connect the ‘whys’ with the big picture.”
Other times, the change is forced upon you. When founder Mike Aiello passed away, PSI Pumping Solutions acting CEO and Vice President Dara Myers stepped up to steer the business forward. “The people here at PSI have weathered quite a storm,” says Myers. “Since January, I have been interacting especially closely with the team. They are exceptional and talented. We’ve been together for years and they do what they do well.”
As both companies have found, having good people to serve alongside you is key to achieving your company’s mission. “We have been very open about the company being founded for the purpose of investing in people,” says Meyers.
Invest in people who will help you uphold your vision and your company is almost guaranteed to succeed.
I hope you enjoy this month’s issue.
