Once, in college, I commented to one of my classmates that I was getting quite an education in restoration because it was more difficult than many other businesses.

Creating a successful company is usually rooted in planning your success and then working to implement that plan. Creating your business plan is the obvious first step.

During the past dozen years I have studied organizational development, and I have learned much during that time. There are many characteristics that help create successful organizations, but it is essential for long-term success that there is a strategic plan guiding the process.

We are nine months or more into the latest economic crisis. It is interesting to be a spectator to the unfolding drama and learn lessons from the process. I think the first thing that I am very aware of is that I feel very fortunate not to be experiencing the effects of this first hand, and I have great empathy for anyone that has been affected.

Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to create a winning and successful organization. In this organization your employees will have clear and understandable objectives which, when accomplished in accordance with the corporate mission, will result in the realization of the corporate vision and the achievement of the corporate goals.

Our national economy is in distress; the real estate market has radically changed; major banks have become insolvent; cash and lending is not readily available and it appears as though we are about to enter a prolonged recession. This scenario sounds rather bleak, so what is the best way for a restoration contractor to respond?

The Chinese proverb in the title of this article expresses the reality that we currently may be experiencing in the restoration industry. We feel our industry is immune to business cycles and the economy in general, yet we are finding that today’s economic troubles are having a real impact. 

People change for many reasons, sometimes from a desire to be something different, more often due to discomfort. Companies are no different than individuals. It has been said you must “Change or die.” Thank goodness this is more relevant in business situations than in real life.