Note: This article is part 2 of a 3 part series. Click here to read part 1. We each come to the home inspection business from different backgrounds, different thoughts and different ideals, but we all share one common goal: becoming a successful small business owner. It’s hard to start a successful small business in today’s dog-eat-dog environment. It seems …
6 Tactics to Increase Success
While we all come into the inspection business with different goals (making more money, becoming our own boss, having more control over our schedule, etc.), the overriding goal of everyone is to be successful. Success in the home inspection industry is dependent on many factors. Some of these elements, like the quality of the homes in our area, are (for …
Working on Your People Skills
Think about the last time you spent an evening at a restaurant with some good friends. Was it an enjoyable experience? Can you remember all the details? How nicely was the food presented? How professional was the service? How clean and comfortable was the restaurant? Was the noise level acceptable, enhancing the meal? Overall, did you have a pleasant experience, and will you …
6 Common Mistakes of New Business Owners
Starting a new small business is often the most difficult thing most people will do in their lifetime. Short of a major tragedy in your life, nothing else will cause you the pain and suffering of creating a new business from scratch. While a handful are successful, the majority of new businesses fail; some dying out like embers in the …
The Dreaded Question
I am a Professional Home Inspector, which is a pretty cool job. I get to help people for a living. So, I do my best to make sure that my clients’ needs are met. This typically involves answering questions about the house they’re considering buying, as well as the occasional question about the home-buying process. While inspectors typically answer the same …
Right Place, Wrong Customers
Customers. They’re the lifeblood of any successful business. Without them, we’re just standing around, thinking about how great our business ideas are. Without them, we’re soon on the way to the unemployment line. No business can survive without cash flow, and that means customers. Unfortunately, customers can also be the worst part of our business, often causing untold grief and pain. I’m …
The Power of Trust
“The toughest thing about the power of trust is that it’s very difficult to build and very easy to destroy. The essence of trust building is to emphasize the similarities between you and the customer.” This quote is from Thomas J. Watson, an American businessman and Chairman and CEO of IBM for over 44 years. This quote can be used to summarize …
Its as easy as 1-2-3. Managing our focus.
One problem facing start-ups is how to become proficient in your chosen industry. This is certainly a problem for new home inspectors. In business, as with many things in our lives, we typically strive to create a perfect product before we put it out for public consumption. Unfortunately, the reality is that nothing in this world is ever perfect. So, if we are …
All the World’s a Stage!
I hope that this post finds everyone happy and healthy. I would like to open today with a well-known saying: “All the world’s a stage.” Depending on how old you are (and your musical interests), you may believe that this saying originated in a song by the rock band Rush. It’s actually a phrase that begins a monologue from William Shakespeare’s play …
Everyone Loves a Field Trip
Like many of you, I am blessed with the job of being a parent. Like most jobs, its got its ups and downs, Sometimes it’s the best thing in the world, and other times I can’t imagine why anyone would choose to subject themselves to such torture! (Sounds just like a real job, doesn’t it!) Lately, one of the rougher …