Entrepreneurship is an interesting journey that brings with it many risks and rewards. I have to say, my personal experience with entrepreneurship so far has certainly been insightful.
Throughout my career, there have been multiple moments that have taught me something new about owning a business and making tactful decisions.
However, I wasn’t always a confident and self-assured business owner. The beginning of my journey was rather trying, and I’ve definitely had my fair share of highs and lows throughout my tenure.
However, despite the rocky road I travelled to get to where I am today, I wouldn’t change a thing about my journey.
This is the story of how I expanded my construction business and took it to new heights by introducing towable welfare units for hire. With this pivotal move, I was able to diversify our services while also making us a go-to solution for every construction project’s on-site welfare needs.
My Humble Beginning
I was just 25 years old when I started my own construction business in Yorkshire. I’d been interning at my uncle’s construction company as a contractor for about two years, so I felt that the transition to launching my own company would be relatively easy. I couldn’t have been more wrong.
Despite having a decent amount of experience in the industry, I still had a lot to learn. From learning to choose the right projects, finding reliable suppliers, and maintaining morale in the workspace, there were so many things I’d never thought to worry about.
The first few months were definitely a struggle, and I even had to reach out to my uncle for advice to get out of some tricky situations. I’d have to say that it was only after a couple of months of running my business that things started to take a turn for the better.
It all began when I was looking for an aggregate supplier. I’d like to believe that it was fate when I ran into an employee from one of the leading aggregate suppliers in Norfolk. We hit it off quite well, and before I knew it, I was shaking his hand and pocketing a company business card.
After a conversation with my uncle and some previous clients of theirs, conducting research of my own and examining their aggregate material samples, I approached them for their services. I was especially impressed with the quality and consistency of their materials; they never let me down.
Soon after, my business began to take off, and our company started to pick up a significant number of new projects. Throughout many of these projects, my aggregate supplier played an integral role in supplying us with high-quality materials and sturdy machinery and equipment.
A Journey of Growth
Five years after I launched my construction business, I’d become fairly knowledgeable regarding the industry and how it works. As someone who got their start in the industry as a contractor and gradually shifted to a leadership role, I felt that I had a firm grip on how the business operates.
However, while my business was performing well at the time, I felt that we could be doing more. Soon after, I looked into related services within the construction industry.
My research led me to learn more about worker welfare and welfare units, a necessity on any construction site. These facilities were ideal for ensuring worker comfort, safety, and compliance with health regulations.
Until then, I’d been outsourcing these units, but with some thorough planning, I was able to purchase towable welfare units for business use while also hiring them out to other construction companies when we didn’t need them.
With the reputation I’d built for myself and my business over the last few years and some networking, I was able to quickly secure some clients. After completing a couple of projects successfully, business was booming and we were receiving regular enquiries from construction companies in the area looking to hire affordable and fully equipped welfare units. With this expansion, I was able to boost our revenue as well as solidify our reputation within Yorkshire.
However, I still believed there were various other growth opportunities present in the industry; I just had to look for them.
I’d heard that site accommodation in Yorkshire was posing a problem for many local businesses, so I decided to ensure our business wouldn’t struggle with the same issue.
This was when I decided to take more of a hands-on approach to the business, often overseeing projects myself and training my lead contractors and project developers. I ensured that all the workers were happy and healthy within their on-site accommodation while still meeting key deadlines and KPIs.
This proactive approach truly made me feel more in control of my business and that we were making progress towards where I felt the company needed to go.
Discovering New Passions
Fast forward a couple of years; it’d been just over eight years since I’d started the business, and everything was still going well. Our profits were rising, our clients were satisfied, and our reputation was growing stronger with each successful project.
Nonetheless, I still felt unfulfilled.
While the business was at its peak, I felt that I had too much time on my hands. To occupy my busy mind, I’d taken up several new hobbies in an attempt to fill the void within my life.
I started with paddle boating. A strange and very obscure change from my usual pace for sure, but I found paddle boating to be an extremely relaxing activity that I was all too happy to indulge in over the weekends.
Next was carpentry. I’d always been around various construction materials but never had the time to get my hands dirty and build something all on my own. This hobby helped me place myself in the shoes of my workers and proved quite insightful.
However, I still didn’t exactly find the fulfilment I was looking for.
It was soon after I’d tried my fourth or fifth hobby of the year that I disclosed my feelings of restlessness to fellow business owners, only for many of them to suggest the same thing – mentoring.
I was unsure when I first received the suggestion but decided to think it over. After all, I’d only ever had experience being a mentee (to my uncle) and never quite had an opportunity to mentor others.
While it was popularly regarded as one of the best work from home side jobs, mentoring was something I never imagined myself doing.
I don’t know if the idea of taking on mentees intimidated me or just the actual act of mentoring itself. However, I had never been one to shy away from new things, especially when they sounded so promising.
Before I knew it, I’d signed up to be a mentor online and never looked back. I was finally able to share my experience and knowledge with others the way my uncle had with me.
It’s funny how life can sometimes come full circle, isn’t it?
Planning for the Future
It’s been just over twelve years since I started my business. Since then, I’ve married the love of my life, had two kids, and still loved my job just as much as I did when I first started.
I’d finally obtained the level of personal fulfilment I had been searching for. However, satisfied with the present, this was when I began to think about the future, and just how uncertain it could truly be.
I had a wife and kids to care for and their futures also rested upon my shoulders. Additionally, with my parents growing older, they’d also become more reliant on my wife and me.
After a lot of thought, I decided it was time to get my legal affairs in order. I began with creating a will. I’d worked so hard to build up my business and I wanted to ensure that my wife and kids would be able to make the best of it.
I also had a rather difficult conversation with my parents regarding setting up their powers of attorney. At first, they vehemently refused, claiming they were in peak health. While I didn’t disagree, I explained to them my worries and how I felt that setting up a power of attorney would be in their best interest and assure them that they would receive the help they needed when they needed it.
After weeks of convincing, I was finally able to convince them to set up their power of attorney online. I also looked into setting up a trust for my kids to ensure that they have access to adequate resources if they ever need it, appointing one of my closest friends as the trustee.
Preparing legal documents is definitely not easy. Frankly, I felt it quite difficult to process myself, but the streamlined online process really helped. Regardless of the effort, I believe that creating these documents is a practical and necessary choice to ensure your loved ones are well cared for.
To Wrap Up
It’s been twenty years since I started my construction business, and it’s still going strong. I can confidently say that I’ve learnt a lot when it comes to entrepreneurship, myself, and life as a whole.
My business is far further along than I could’ve ever imagined at the young age of 25, and I have to say I’m quite proud of what I’ve managed to accomplish.
I hope to continue to grow my business, take on new challenges, and grow as a person as I navigate the world and the ever-present uncertainty of life.
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