Quit Doing Everything Yourself!

Most of my clients know that I was in the construction industry for 20 years before starting my online businesses. What you probably don't know is how close I came to folding my construction company and working for someone else after 5 years of struggling.

For young construction companies, finding clients is the difference between corporate life and death. While I manage to find many small jobs, most of these only lasted two or three days. I was running myself ragged trying to pay the bills. I was desperate to find larger jobs, which were more profitable and saved time moving in setting up equipment.

Finally, I started landing larger jobs and pretty soon, I had all the work that I and a helper could handle. Large jobs, small jobs and everything in between. Then, it began to dawn on me that I had maxed out. I could not physically do anymore work in a week than I was doing at the time. I could not take on any more work because there was only one of me (and a helper) to do the work.

Then, something occurred to me

I could not make anymore money than I was making at the time, because I could not physically produce any more work. There was only so much I could do. I had reached an earning plateau because of what I could physically produce in a given year. The problem was...I knew I could quit my construction company and go to work as a building superintendent for a large homebuilder in Houston. I could make about the same amount of money AND get free medical insurance, free dental insurance, a retirement plan and even go home at 6pm everyday.

I had none of these benefits being self-employed. So I had to make a decision. Continue to work 70 hours a week at a fixed income with no benefits...or make a change. Well, I made a change!

The Home Builders Association in San Antonio was offering courses for remodeling contractors. I booked a hotel room for three nights, and made the three-hour drive to San Antonio. The courses were wonderful, informative and entertaining. Even so, I learned more from the other participants. One of the participants, Don Boozer, gave me some valuable advice. He told me I needed to learn to delegate, to stop doing everything and get into general contracting.

"Don, that's crazy. I can't phone other people to do my work. Nobody will pay me for that!" I insisted.

"Ah, but they will pay you. And they'll pay you well," Don insisted. Much to my surprise, he was right.

The next year my income doubled (that superintendent job in Houston was no longer very attractive!) and the following year my income doubled again. After that, I never made less than six figures a year.

Why do I tell you that story?

Because, the only way to increase your income fast is to increase your business awareness fast. And the fastest way to do that is to start an ez web business or attend a conference that is specific to your industry. If you want to make money online, then go to a conference that is SPECIFIC to making money online and there you can map out a business plan for an online business!

About the Author

Stephen Beck shows 7 easy repeatable steps to beginning a Christian Home Based Business. For a free CD explaining these steps, visit Start Home Business right now. You can get a unique content version of this article.

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