Last week, in our Corridor Nine Chamber of Commerce Referral Group meeting, two contractor coaching clients described their recent success using the power of positive thinking and goal setting. In their coaching sessions they are studying the concepts of "Think and Grow Rich" written by Napoleon Hill. The Contractor Coaching Partnership contractor course teaches clients how to use this powerful study guide to develop the right thinking habits and the power of setting goals.

I was looking at the dates between today's post and the last one and noticed that it has been almost two weeks since my last post. (promised myself that I would post at least twice a week) I could use some lame excuse why I fell short of writing twice a week but I have no one to blame but myself. Yes, I have been busy coaching contractors and networking and like many people, could justify the lack of results I agreed I would hold myself to. Instead of allowing the excuses, I re-read my goals and definite chief aim and followed my coaching checklist to get my head back in the game.

2008 was a challenging year for contractors in the residential remodeling industry. With declining home values, tightened credit, lack luster new home construction, smaller remodeling projects and erosion of consumer confidence many contractors are facing uncertain futures. The time and need for change has never been more apparent than now. We need to analyze our businesses and make sure that we are able to deliver outstanding products and services to the Next Level Consumer.

Recently members of my Linkedin network formed new business networking groups. The quality of the individuals and companies represented are stellar. Members of the groups include architechs, designers, kitchen and bath contractors, general contractors, remodelers, manufacturers', and other professionals with ties to the residential construction industry.

Over the past week many in the northeast have been walloped by the Ice Storm of 2008 leaving many without power and the basic necessities. On top of the recent economic downturn, foreclosures, declining real estate construction activity and financial troubles it is not suprising that people's attitudes are affected. We are easily reminded of all the recent and current challenges on the news, in the paper, the radio, the internet, work and the coffee shop. It is very easy to get caught up in the misery and before you know it you are not feeling very positive and your attitude towards things turns negative.

Last Thursday evening I went out for dinner with my wife and came home around 10:00PM with a lite rain falling. Just after 12:00 midnight we lost power. Little did we know that a few hours later our yard would look like a tornado had ripped the trees in the yard to shreds. For three hours we heard huge thuds from snapped branches and tree tops that battered our property and the side of the house.

Today's residential homeowner construction market has tightened and leads for contracting services are scarce. Leads are more precious than ever. Many remodeling companies were founded by carpenters and tradesman with little or no formal training in sales. You are very good at building things, you are an expert at crafting and your miter joints are perfect. You started out working for someone else only to find you were treated poorly, paid less than what you are worth with no benefits and blamed for the mistakes of the owner. You said the heck with this crap and you started your own remodeling business. After all you can do better and you won't treat your people that way.

Many small business owners become trapped thinking that they have to do everything themselves. At times they think that because no one can do it as well as them that it is more effective to do it themselves. If you are a small business owner and don't want to grow this may work ok. However, if you want to grow, the odds are stacked against you if you are a CEO owner wearing most of the hats. We are seeing many contractors who say they want to grow, stubbornly resisting giving up control of tasks that can and should be done by someone other than the CEO. Contractors are not the only profession exhibiting this behavior. It is prevalent in many different types of businesses. In contracting, it is not uncommon to see the CEO running the company, handling the sales, running production, driving nails, making collection calls, and anything else they think that only they can do. This feeling of invincibility that they can do it all is not without grave dangers to the health of the business and the owner. It contributes to poor health, burnout, marital issues, questionable judgment, employee issues, money problems and sometimes heart attacks.

Recently someone said to me I was crazy to spend so much time networking. So it got me thinking was he right? Well some may think I'm crazy (and he may be right) so I reviewed my results from the past two years and here is what I found.

As 2008 comes to a close are you working on your business plan for 2009? Have you assessed the results of 2008?