The 20-person engineering, planning and landscape design firm was the leader in their mid-sized town with impeccable reputation for quality and as the provider for several large builders and developers. But the four founders felt uneasy. Why weren't they making the money they wanted? Why were they progressively working harder and enjoying it less? Why was it such a challenge to keep talented staff?
They were also worrying what would happen if a bigger regional or national firm opened an office in their city and offered some serious competition?
We helped them to see that the problem with such eager response was that this team was reacting to the market, not being proactive. They were willing to do anything and everything a client wanted. So, they were working harder and harder for less and less money and losing their best people in the process.
These excited, young professionals didn't mind long hours, but they wanted to spend their time on quality projects, not the mundane, boring work that had become a bigger part of their business. In their initial planning session they discovered that they were afraid of change. They were afraid to make a commitment and pursue it with passion. They aligned on a new vision and healthier paradigm: We design our future by planning for success!
Soon every employee could repeat the new vision effortlessly. In their first year using Best Year Yet, this small business increased revenues by over 40%. Better still, their profit margin doubled. They hired some significant talent and easily held onto their most valuable employees. They came back for their second Best Year Yet and in the first quarter produced their highest profits ever.