Tuesday Tuneup- #72
Why Nothing Grows Without a Foundation
Happy Tuesday everyone!
I was having a conversation with my son (Almost 16) last week about a business he wants to start and my advise was simple…… “Just start. It’s significantly easier to build something when you are building on top of something else”
I then told him an anology about coral and how they artificially start coral reefs, which I thought was an interesting story to share with you all today.
You see, they sink ships on purpose.
Not because they’re junk… but because coral reefs need a place to start. They need structure.
Old Navy vessels, subway cars, and cargo ships get towed out and dropped to the ocean floor. And when they do? The reef comes alive.
Fish move in. Coral attaches. The ecosystem grows.
But none of it happens without a base.
Business works the same way.
It’s easy to think success is all about momentum, talent, or vision. But more often than not… it comes down to having something solid to build on.
Without structure, growth doesn’t stick.
You might get traction, sure. But it slips. Leads leak. Decisions stall. People rely on you for everything.
That’s not failure. It’s just foundational friction.
So how do you fix it?
You don’t need to reinvent your business overnight. You just need to give your team and your systems something to anchor to.
Here are four simple ways to start laying that foundation—whether you're a one-person shop or leading a growing crew:
1. Write the Process for the Thing That Breaks the Most
What’s the one thing that keeps falling apart?
Late jobs, poor communication, wrong pricing, unpaid invoices?
Write the steps. Turn it into a checklist. Even if it’s messy.
Then stick it somewhere visible.
You just created your first SOP.
2. Start a Weekly Check-In (Even If It’s Just You)
Every Monday, answer 3 questions:
What’s working?
What’s not?
What needs to happen this week?
This simple rhythm forces clarity. Over time, it turns into a leadership habit.
3. Track Just 3 Numbers
Don’t get lost in dashboards.
Pick 3 numbers that matter most to your business (like revenue, jobs completed, or leads generated).
Update them weekly. Use them to make decisions.
Even a handwritten whiteboard beats flying blind.
4. Create a 1-Page Overview of What You Offer
If you’re constantly explaining what you do or how you price, create a one-pager.
Use it to:
Train your team
Send to prospects
Stay consistent across the board
The more repeatable you make your message, the faster everything else moves.
These are your shipwrecks.
The anchor points.
They’re not flashy. But they give your business something to grow around.
And just like a reef… once the base is in place, the rest takes care of itself.
If you're looking for help building those foundational systemsand turning them into a business that’s Built to Be Bought, we’ve got some resources and templates over at billiondollarcontractor.com in the community section. We are adding several new foundations each week.
Not a pitch. Just a place to start if you’re ready.
– Steve
PS: I just opened up the application process for our program “Built to be bought”. Application deadline is August 22nd and I’m looking for just 12 contractors who want to go through the systematic process of getting their business organized, streamlined and efficient so they can sell it for a bunch of money OR just get out of having to babysit it each day.
There’s no sales pitch, no discovery call, ect. The offer is completly outlined in a Google doc, then an application to see if you’re a good fit.
Details at www.BillionDollarContractor.com