Fire-Fighting as a Business Owner

How many things in your week have you added to your list of things to STOP doing?

It’s always easy to add more things to your plate without giving them a second thought because… well you're the business owner and that’s just what happens. But what can you edit out of your schedule and delegate to others?

It takes courage to let go of control - but it is the only way for business owners to get out of the weeds and start making different decisions around prioritization.

We all start our businesses with a spark—a vision of how we’re going to do things better, smarter, more efficiently. We look at the competition or the boss we used to work for and think, "I can do this better." But here's the thing: In order to do better- we have to think bigger.

So, we dive in with big dreams, but over time, the reality of running a business—especially in building—starts to wear us down. The endless administrative tasks, the constant demands on your attention, the grind. After 5, 15, 20 years, many builders find themselves stuck on the same hamster wheel. They've hit a glass ceiling, running themselves ragged without breaking through, and it’s honestly heartbreaking. We've all seen those owners who, after years of the same old routine, become bitter. They’re convinced there’s no better way, no matter what you tell them.

To be frank, this is why we have seen a huge difference in results for clients based on the age of the builders we work with. Younger owners, under 25, tend to crush it. They see massive, rapid results because they have no baggage. They don't have that voice in their heads telling them, "This won’t work." They’re all in—fresh energy, open minds, and they just *do*.

Then you’ve got the 25 to 35-year-olds. These folks have been around long enough to take some hits, but they still hold onto that big-picture dream. They *believe* it can be done, but they’re cautious. They’ve been burned, so they don’t dive in headfirst. They get results, but it takes them a bit longer to fully commit.

Now, the older crowd—guys 55 and up—they’re a whole different story. If they’ve been grinding it out the hard way for decades, they’re often the toughest to reach. They look at new solutions and think, “Yeah, right. I’ve seen it all before.” They’ll explore ideas but rarely implement them, and that’s where it gets disappointing.

But here’s the silver lining: It’s never too late. We’ve had father-son teams where the dad is burnt out and ready to quit, while the son steps in with fresh ideas and energy, pushing the business forward. The dad might say, “It doesn't get any better than this,” but the younger generation knows better and *proves* it.

Take one of our clients as an example. He’s a young builder who started early and quickly became a master of implementation. His business is thriving now. In fact, a builder in the same city—someone who’s been in the game for over 30 years—came to him for help. Wild, right? This young guy is guiding someone who, on paper, should have it all figured out. But the difference? He got help early on and implemented the right things at the right time, which made all the difference.

Inevitably when this topic comes up, a key issue that builders discuss is the feeling of not having enough time. This for many can be a huge hurdle to overcome. Often though, the problem isn’t time itself….. but rather a lack of both the focus and discipline to stick to a real plan.

Many builders operate without a clear strategy, and what this does is set them adrift in a sea of tiny fires that then take up their entire day.

Now, there are a lot of contractors out there who think, "No one does it as well as I do," or "I might as well do it myself"—that's not just a trap, it's a dead end. If you don’t change, you’ll stay stuck exactly where you are, while everything else keeps moving forward without you. These are the same people typically who are grinding through 60-70 hours a week, and treating it like a badge of honor… the ones who think they can juggle it all.

But the truth is….

Working yourself to the bone isn’t a mark of success; it’s a recipe for disaster. It might feel like you’re moving forward, but putting in 90-hour weeks isn’t progress—it’s slow-motion burnout. You’re not running a race, you’re crawling with a weight on your back. It’s like trying to drive full speed with the handbrake on. You’re moving, sure—but nowhere near as fast, and you’re wrecking the engine in the process.

The sooner you delegate- and bring in help- the faster things will change. Be honest with yourself—what are you terrible at? What do you absolutely dread doing?

Guess what? They’re probably the same things. Offload those, and it’s not just about freeing up time. You’re freeing up yourself. You’ll rediscover that fire, because now you get to focus on the parts of the job you love instead of slogging through the things you hate. That’s when real progress kicks in—when you’re working smarter, not just harder.

When it comes to improving efficiency and profitability, focusing your attention on high-value tasks is key. There's an old Chinese proverb that perfectly illustrates this: "The man who chases two rabbits goes home hungry."

In other words, if you try to tackle too many things at once, you actually end up achieving less.

If we keep drowning in low-value tasks we’ll never have enough left for what really matters. The key is to focus on our strengths, pinpoint where we excel, and bring in the right people to fill the gaps where we don’t.

One practical approach is to create a "stop doing" list. (We call ours the The Debris List) This is an opportunity to clear the clutter - and you should be editing your schedule frequently & ruthlessly - it is your life we are talking about here after all….

If you find yourself getting sidetracked by tasks that don’t contribute to your long-term goals, it’s time to reevaluate. Look at the big picture and ask yourself if your current activities are leading you toward your long-term vision. Start by identifying the areas causing the most trouble and focus on fixing those before moving on to other issues. From there you can build a solid plan which acts as a blueprint, guiding your next steps and keeping your focus sharp.

Just as a house needs a blueprint to take shape, your business needs a plan to grow. With a blueprint, you can stay focused and know exactly what to tackle next.