A healthy business grows just like a healthy child. The most important and defining characteristic – the personality of the business – is developed early and never really changes, while its outward appearance can seem to change overnight. The occasional identity crisis is inevitable, and can produce many sleepless nights for an owner. However, when the business knows itself well and can balance its opportunities with its roots, that growth is organic. The balance depends on setting long-term goals and planning accordingly. Are we growing to become a ballerina or a neurosurgeon? Though both require above-average skill, tenacious ambition and sheer willpower to outperform the competition – a certain personality – the path to success is still vastly different. Understanding the desired outcome is just as essential to development of a business as it is to an individual.
Division 9 began in late 2002 in Seattle in my partner Chuck’s fourth bedroom, with a desk made out of an old door and what computer parts and supplies we could scrape together. I was a consultant then, helping to establish the business and train staff. Chuck’s sales focus was service-oriented tenant improvement (TI) work for “boutique” general contractors and property managers. He was thoroughly successful in building his brand. A year later, Chuck’s uncle Mike became a partner. Mike promoted a similar brand of service to the GC community that helped to expand sales. By the end of year three, I had also joined the firm as a partner. Now, we were two-and-a-half times the size, had a staff of eight and our very own forklift and box van.