I've been in business since 1998. We work on renovation and landscaping projects and specialize in backfilling and grading property. Our most recent job was installing French drains at a local elementary school.
When I started out, I went to the bank to borrow money for a dump truck and a skid steer, having never either driven before. I had already quit my other job as a sales rep for a national grocery manufacturer. One day, I just threw away all my ties, and I've been doing this ever since.
I believe what has enabled me to survive in the current economy is keeping my company small and utilizing only essential equipment-for me, that's my Bobcat Skid Steer S250 and my dump truck. For big jobs, I rent the equipment I need and hire subcontractors.
The biggest challenge for my business right now is the lack of work. To get jobs, I call everyone I know and build relationships to get information. We used to work six days a week; now we might work only two days. Like the saying goes, it's feast or famine; however, I'm hopeful and will continue to operate because I enjoy this work. There's a great satisfaction in seeing the fruits of our labor when we finish a job.
Construction Business Owner, September 2010
