You don’t need to be a huge company with hundreds of employees to be a successful one in this industry. We’ve profiled many mom-and-pop companies in Dig Different with two, three or four employees at the most.
Just like Saskatchewan’s Subterra Horizontal Directional Drilling, profiled in this issue, those small companies have two items in common that make them successful — dedicated employees and a commitment to the fundamentals.
Without those two pieces of the puzzle, a company will have trouble growing and being successful. Subterra owner Brit Chevrier knows this, which is why she’s take a slow approach to growth in order to make sure it is done correctly.
How do these two items help a company though? Let’s take a quick look.
A DEDICATED TEAM
It’s easy to be dedicated to a company when it’s just a small operation. The employees truly feel like they are part of a team and what they do matters. Employees who are dedicated tend to enjoy their work and feel committed to what they do.
Those employees who are dedicated will usually show motivation too, like the willingness to set goals for themselves and the company they work for. This dedication and motivation should start at the very top level with the owners of the company.
It’s easier for smaller companies to have dedicated employees because most of the time at this mom-and-pop business, the employees are likely other family members or friends of the owners that have known each other for years. They want to do good because it’s helping their family or friends be successful.
For any company — especially smaller ones — it’s important for the owners or management team to be dedicated and committed to the company. That, in turn, shows that you are also committed to your team working for you — or alongside you.
Employees that are dedicated to the company show that when they meet with customers and the general public, and it shines a favorable light on your company that potentially could draw in more business.
STICKING TO FUNDAMENTALS
What does this mean exactly? Well, it’s the basics to put it another way. It’s not always the most exciting thing to do or learn, but they are usually the most important.
Any successful job starts with the basics. Making sure the job is done correctly from the first step all the way to the last — ensuring the equipment and crews are where they are supposed to be and doing what needs to be done.
If those first steps aren’t completed correctly, it could spell disaster for the rest of the job the company is on and you run the risk of losing a customer.
You and your employees should start with what they know, and then build upon that. As you build upon the fundamentals, it is bound to get tougher. If you start running into hiccups, you can always go back to the fundamentals and figure out what went wrong along the way.
WHAT’S HELPED YOU?
What has helped your little company be successful? Email me at editor@digdifferent.com and let me know. I’d love to hear from you.
Enjoy this issue!
