Ed O’Connell
Contributing Writer
Service Roundtable Consultant
ShuBee® welcomes Ed O’Connell as a contributor to The Buzz. We are confident his experience will be helpful to you and your growing business. Take some time to get to know Ed. We look forward to his future contributions!
My apologies to those who may have read these articles before. I’m simply attempting to spread this special knowledge around and about through any medium that comes my way.
Introduction: Name’s Ed O’Connell. So, why should you pay attention to anything I say? After all, I’m an ex-alcoholic, lived on the streets as a homeless bum during most of the 1970’s, and pretty much led one of those lives most folks would take pity on at best … until. And therein begins the source of my expertise — “until”. Until the power of community came along and changed everything.
So, my message is, and will be, if you’re looking for success in almost any venture then align yourself with a successful community. Arguably, I’d say 90{938cd9e8dae860e800efc538277d4f7684e6f6981618ba70d1c34357a53c2e1f} of all prosperous entrepreneurs have done so; and think about this … if someone from my background could do it, so can you.
Examples from my own experiences?: The in-patient and out-patient communities of the Veteran’s Administration got me off the streets; different communities of AA have kept me off the streets for over 35 years; a relationship community enhanced my marriage; more recently, a weight loss community aided in an 80 lb. weight loss; and, finally, a business community helped me change, grow, and profitably sell my own plumbing outfit so I could chase some unfulfilled life passions.
Get this — the right business community is one that does not detract from your singleness of purpose, your individuality, nor your freedoms in any way, while providing the systems that enhance growth, profitability, and security.
I tried it alone, establishing a construction plumbing company that grew to about 10 trucks with 10 to 12 rag-tag employees … and was going broke. Plumber , HVAC, electrician, roofer, etc. – it doesn’t matter what trade. What matters is we technicians must understand the business end of business. Once I accomplished that by aligning myself with a like-minded business community I prospered, and stayed prosperous throughout some of the worst recessions this great country of ours has experienced.
Quickly, as a prelude to more substantial topics, let’s review the ‘ol argument of flat-rate vs. the time-and-material way of operating. Fact: 99-9/10’s of t & m sub-contractors will either go broke, burn out, or enter into a kind of mediocre stupor characterized by long hours, little pay, constant problems, false hope, emotional dullness, and family betrayal. Yeah, with the skills and expertise you possess, if you’re doing t & m and showing little or no profit then you are economically betraying your family.
The argument for flat-rate has been won; however, the expensive and complicated problem of switching from one to the other has remained … until now. Many consultants and/or consultant-type companies want you to change all-at-once, completely give up your established ways, and invest everything you have – even go far into debt – to pay for their way of operating. This is not freedom, this is not individuality, this is not why you became an entrepreneur. What I propose in future articles is to share my experiences, to show easier, inexpensive, step-by-step ways to enter or grow within the flat-rate culture that should lead to a business that is profitable & ethically compatible with your standards.
Hopefully, this first article has piqued some interest. Admittedly, it’s aimed at what I hope is a size-able segment of readers who are small shops (1-10?). However, future articles will address other issues all companies, regardless of size, should find interesting — especially the correlation between personal health and profitable business. More later, but I can almost guarantee a better life if you elect to take some “baby-steps” towards the ultimate goal of Flat-Rate economic freedom.
Ed O’Connell
An Affordable Business *Coach* for the Smaller Shops
Service Rountable Consultant
Founder (Retired), O’Connell Plumbing, Inc.
Hm-Off: 415/453-2291