By Dan Monk, P.Eng., Red Seal Carpenter and Owner of MONK Renovations A s a small business owner who employs eleven people full time, I am very familiar with the pressure and responsibility that every small business owner faces, which is to make sure that their business can ensure their skilled and valued staff are working and able to receive a full pay cheque to care for their families. When operating a small business, we, the owners, typically know each employee, subtrade, supplier, service provider, and client on a personal level. They are important to us and often become friends. Therefore, we feel a personal responsibility to each person, which often drives us to go above and beyond. As the old saying goes, “You are the Chief, Cook & Bottle Washer” which means as the owner, we do or have done it all, from picking up the trash at the end of a project to
attending the flashy awards dinners. We are not afraid to get dirty and we are willing to complete the tasks that nobody wants to do. No job is too big or too small for entrepreneurs and every job must be done. Everyday, we must demonstrate to our staff and clients that we will do whatever it takes to get the job done and done right. Small business owners have a “can do” attitude or “if it is to be, it is up to me” type of personality. Because small business owners are so emotionally invested in their company; growth can be a major challenge, mainly because we only have so much time and we often feel we need to do or direct everything personally, thus limiting our growth based on our personal time. When a company has success and grows, it becomes more difficult for owners to keep their finger on the pulse of every person and project. It is critical for owners to delegate responsibilities and implement processes to handle different
Ocean Contractors Limited PO Box 604 Dartmouth, Nova Scotia B2Y 3Y9 Phone: 902.435.1291
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SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE • OCTOBER 2018
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