They continue working 70-hour weeks because they believe nobody can do the job as well as they can. Eventually, they become overwhelmed and frustrated. The irony is that growth often requires hiring before everything feels comfortable. A salesperson, office manager, estimator, or crew leader may initially seem like an expense. In reality, the right hire can become one of the greatest investments a company makes. Great businesses are rarely built by one person. They’ re built by teams.
5. Stop Thinking Like an Operator and Start Thinking Like an Owner This is perhaps the biggest shift of all. Operators focus on today’ s work. Owners focus on building tomorrow’ s business. Operators ask:“ What do I need to get done today?” Owners ask:“ What needs to happen so this business is stronger one year from now?” Both perspectives matter. The challenge comes when contractors never make the transition from operator to owner. If the company cannot function without you being involved in every decision, you don’ t own a business, you own a job. The grind and the“ Building by Barely Getting By” years are ok in years 1-3 or maybe even 5 if you are young enough, but at some point, you have to turn the corner and start making money that improves your life and provides what you started this for in the first place. Final Thought. Not every contractor should scale. Some should. Some businesses are intentionally designed to remain small and highly profitable. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that, but if growth is your goal, recognize that bigger results usually require a different approach than what got you started.
More equipment won’ t solve every problem. Working longer hours won’ t solve every problem. Doing everything yourself certainly won’ t solve every problem. At some point, growth becomes less about working harder and more about
building systems, developing people, and creating a business that can succeed without depending on one person. That’ s the difference between creating a job for yourself and building a company that achieves your goals. As always, if you have any questions, insight or criticisms about this article or anything in it, please feel free to email me at marvinjoles @ gmail. com and of course, reach out to me using any form of social media(@ inthemixmj). Listen to the“ In The Mix with Marvin Joles” Podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Watch on YouTube. Visit www. inthemixmj. com to learn more. Asphalt is Opportunity.-Marvin
Marvin Joles is the owner of Wis-Coat Asphalt Maintenance. Visit his website at
https:// marvinjoles. com.
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[ 27 ] July 2026