Growing pains. Do you remember these as a kid? I sure do.
I was an avid softball player . . . back in the days when we actually played outside. I was awakened many a night with intense growing pain, primarily in my legs, but sometimes in my arms as well. I remember my mom taking me to the doctor after some pretty severe and successive rounds of these pains.
We had an old, very kind, country doctor out in West Texas and he asked me some questions about how my softball season was going and was I outside playing much. I remember saying to him, “Heck yeah! I don’t have to be on the porch ‘til the street lights go on.” (This pretty much sums up a typical West Texas summer for most kids. We woke up with the chickens, we did our chores, we drank tons of water from water hoses in random yards, and we never stopped to rest for very long. There was so much to do – too many games to play, too much mischief to be gotten into.) The old doc patted my leg and told my Mom and me that I was going through growing pains. Given that I was the shortest kid in my class, I felt inspired by this. He advised her to make sure I had a warm bath and two baby aspirins before bed on days that I was particularly active. He gave me a butterscotch candy, and sent us on our way.
Now that I am a small business owner, I find myself going through some growing pains of a different kind. The similarities to growing pains that I had as a kid are not so different to what AYUDA, LLC is going through these days. I still wake up in the night with many things on my mind, I still wake up early (too early), and I still have chores to do. I drink my water from 1.5 liter bottles, and I rarely stop to rest . . . too many things to do, too much mischief to address. Unfortunately, a warm bath and two baby aspirins do little to assuage my business aches and pains.
Let’s look at our growing pains from a small business perspective.
1. Recognizing Critical Mass
No, not the nuclear fission on but the term used to describe the “tipping point.” AYUDA reached critical mass about seven months ago. I saw it, I recognized it, I even knew what needed to be done. I kept telling myself that I was too busy with everyday fires to address the issue when in reality. I was sticking my head in the sand. I knew the resolution was going to be a long process; I would have to make hard decisions, and it would cost real money which would affect my cash flow.
2. When Critical Mass Hits You Between The Eyes
Over the last seven months, there has been a storm brewing here at AYUDA. I had staff issues that needed addressing. Not only did I need to begin the search for additional highly qualified Subject Matter Experts (SME’s), I needed to address attitude, attention to detail, and integrity issues that were boiling just below the surface with my staff. It was like the flu. Once one guy had it, he would pass it onto others. Leadership 101 teaches business owners/operators that issues can only be allowed, addressed, and resolved by YOU. No one else is to blame. I had allowed it to go on for too long, I was forced to address it. The resolution left me one trainer short.
Add to that that we were awarded a few good size jobs, including one international project in Peru, and I found myself neck high in work that took all of my resources, both in manpower and finances. This left me unable to meet the needs of our smaller, steady, and very important client base.
3. Restoring the Balance
AYUDA recently hired an additional SME, Mr. Sonny Poole. Sonny is ready to go; with his 35+ years of experience in the oil/gas industry he is well equipped to meet the Operator Qualification needs of any company. (P.S. He is also a welder!) Two more SME’s with 32+ and 30+ years of experience respectively will come on board in July. This will help AYUDA grow from 4 to 7 SME’s. This should keep us operating at an optimal level for quite a while.
4. Lessons Learned
- A warm bath and two baby aspirins do not cure all ills.
- If you can smell the burning fluids, taste the smoke, hear the shrill whistle, and feel the rumbling beneath your feet from the oncoming freight train, unless you are a cartoon character (meep meep), sticking your head in the sand will not work. Recognize the train is coming, plan to get your business off the tracks, and in a safe place, and then do it.
- In this case, damage control was moderate from my perspective. It could have been worse. I could have been forced out of business. However, I could have done better. I could have addressed the issues way before I did.
- One unknown thing hangs over AYUDA’s head: recovery. Did we do enough in time to salvage important client relationships? We were booked solid, with the resources we had, for six weeks on large projects leaving AYUDA unable to meet the needs of those clients who often depended on AYUDA for a quick response. Only time will tell if these relationships can be repaired.
Is your small business experiencing growing pains? Can you see that train coming down the track? If so, I would encourage you to stop what you are doing and make a plan. Identify YOUR train. Identify the resources you will need to assist you, identify your goals, and develop a timeline for getting off the tracks and moved into a safe place.
