After 20-plus years hosting the TV show This Old House, Kevin O’Connor has developed a skill most people take their whole lives to master: saying no. As a small business owner, it’s tempting to say yes to every opportunity, but after working with tradespeople for the past two decades, O’Connor warns against this habit, both professionally and personally.
“‘No’ is powerful,” he says. “Everyone wants you for something, and it’s up to you to prioritize. And ‘no’ is the way of sending that message — that’s not important enough for you or me. ‘Yes’ means it’s very important.”
The same applies to small business owners excited about their own new endeavors. It’s tempting to agree to every opportunity to ensure there’s work on the books and money coming in. However, O’Connor says a packed schedule isn’t always a productive one.
“Understanding the concept of opportunity cost is important because every job you take means that you’re filled for that period of time, and you can’t take another one,” he explains. “So now you’re in a position where if you take a lesser quality job, you’ve blocked an entire chunk of your calendar from taking a higher quality job.”
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He admits making that judgment call is tough. Knowing whether you made the right decision can be scary. However, O’Connor says when you have a robust business plan that can withstand those dry spells, you’ll be more successful than if you’d said yes to everything.
“[Small businesses should] be lean enough that they don’t have to lay people off when it gets slow but be big enough that they’re able to adjust and bring in revenue in various ways,” he says.
When small businesses agree to a job, O’Connor says the business plan, specifically three essential pieces — collaboration, specialization and productivity — will have made all the difference.
Home services businesses routinely depend on subcontractors or outside specialty firms. Although it might be tempting to see external services as supporting roles with your own business as the hero, the reality is everyone must work together to deliver the project. O’Connor says it’s not about winning because it’s not a competition. It’s about succeeding together.
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“Collaboration is essential,” he says. “To avoid it, to try to win or beat out those other people you rely on [is a mistake]. There are a lot of people who wash out of our industry, and that’s a big part of the reason why — because they do not know how to integrate those services. They’re trying to win as opposed to trying to succeed.”
O’Connor also stresses the importance of specialization, specifically letting those with the right expertise handle the jobs they’re trained for. It’s easy for a business owner to shoulder the burden of multiple roles, but this mentality isn’t productive or good for mental health.
“So many times the folks who run these small specialized trade companies think they’re going to be the finance person as well — that they’re going to do the invoicing, materials, pricing, collection, advertising — and it doesn’t make much sense,” O’Connor says. “They would never send the plumber in to trim out the kitchen. Why would you think you’ll be the person who does the finance?”
The final piece of the business plan is productivity, which O’Connor believes is the “secret sauce” for scaling.
“It’s the definition of doing more with less,” he says. “I have always seen that the successful companies that have grown from small to bigger, from two people to 70 people, are the ones who embrace specialization and productivity wholeheartedly. And they’re constantly chasing it. Everything they do: Is this making me more productive? Is this making my employees more productive? Is it making it easier for them, more efficient?“
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Embracing collaboration, specialization and productivity changes the game for businesses. But what exactly does it mean to build a brand in this industry? O’Connor says it’s all about authenticity. He recalled a general contractor, Zack Dettmore, who built a brand simply by being himself.
“He makes his story so authentic. He treats his people and customers so well that people start flocking to him,” O’Connor says. “Over 90% of his new employees find him via social media. They come to him and say, ‘I’d like to work for you.’ And the same thing goes with client acquisition.”
When it comes to this line of work, O’Connor advises business owners not to chase but to attract, not to win alone but to succeed together, and to build up the courage to say no.
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With more than two decades of experience, O’Connor has found the most successful businesses are the ones that follow these key principles:
- Don’t ignore critical feedback. Use it as an opportunity to grow and move forward.
- Attract young talent. Understand what young professionals care about, and be okay knowing it’s different from when you were their age. They’ll have a unique and valuable perspective to keep the business tuned into current trends.
- Minimize opportunity costs by saying no. Just because you’re filling the calendar with work doesn’t mean you’re maximizing revenue. Step back and create a business plan to harness the opportunities that will have the biggest positive impact on your business.
- Optimize productivity. Delegate work to specialists, collaborate with other businesses on complex projects and practice how to identify opportunities that serve your business goals.
- Be an authentic storyteller. Connect with your target audience in meaningful ways to build trust. To better understand what’s authentic to you, assess your values and what you want your business to represent.
Listen to the episode below to hear directly from Kevin O’Connor, and subscribe to Behind the Review for more from new business owners and reviewers every Thursday. Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Pandora.
Editorial contributions by Erin Palmero and Kristi Lindahl
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