SELF-ASSESSMENT: FIND YOUR STARTING STAGE

See My Recommended Starting Stage

Weight

Weight

Business Model and Focus

Company Organization and Roles

No defined model; chasing any job that appears. No ideal client or clear value proposition.

Unclear roles; tasks depend on who’s available. Constant bottlenecks.

Some patterns, but offerings are broad and reactive; weak differentiation and uneven margins.

Basic roles exist but overlap/conflict often; accountability inconsistent.

Defined primary service and rough ideal client; starting to say 'no' to off-model work.

Org chart drafted; major seats assigned; handoffs improving.

Clear, documented model with niche focus; consistent margins and packaged offers.

Documented roles, Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), and backup coverage; regular one-on-ones and reviews; hiring processes need work.

Validated model; data-driven focus with strong positioning and pricing power.

Right people in the right seats; cross-training, succession, and capacity planning in place.

Model is proven; we’re planning growth or exit.

Team runs without me most days; I focus on strategy.

Company Systems and Standard Operating Procedures

Estimating and Pricing

Processes live in people’s heads; work varies by person/day.

Ad-hoc estimates; little job costing; prices driven by fear of losing bids.

Some repeatable steps, little documentation; quality varies.

Templates exist but inconsistent; change orders poorly controlled.

Key workflows mapped; draft Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) used by some staff.

Structured takeoffs; cost codes used; change order process improving.

Core Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) documented, trained, versioned; Quality Assurance (QA) checks live.

Estimating margins based on production capacity and overhead resources; target margins enforced.

System-first culture; continuous improvement with metrics and audits.

Estimating fully integrated with profitability and forecasting; win-loss and slippage tracked.

Systems are integrated; we’re optimizing and preparing to scale or exit.

Company Sales and Marketing

Company Branding

Leads are inconsistent; we rely on word‑of‑mouth.

No consistent brand; mismatched logo, site, and messaging; market does not know we exist.

Some campaigns exist; no clear funnel metrics.

Basic logo/site; brand voice unclear; materials feel generic.

Defined sales process; improving close rates.

Consistent visuals; clear message; we know our market niche; we are positioning the company in the market.

Strong pipeline and sales playbook; quality clients; metrics tracked; proposals standardized and fast.

Company is positioned in the market; we are building market penetration.

Scalable lead engine with unit economics tracked; Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) known; high close rates with tight cycles.

We are the leader in our market niche; brand drives premium demand and referrals.

Client Management

Subcontractor Management

Client signs contract and project begins; expectations unclear; scope creep common; communication ad-hoc.

We rely on the subcontractors to check their own work; variable quality and availability.

Client is informed of changes; templates exist; updates inconsistent; issues escalate late.

Job sites are visited regularly by Supervisors; subcontractor work is reviewed; communication is reactive.

Onboarding process documented; weekly update rhythm; Change Order (CO) protocol in place.

Quality of subcontractor work is monitored; supervisors are experienced; Terms and Conditions, Scopes of Work (SOW), insurance tracking; preconstruction walk-throughs conducted.

Client portal; milestone reviews using the Notice of Acceptance (NOA); satisfaction checks at each project milestone.

Subcontractor Scopes of Work are comprehensive; inspection reports are filed; Partnership level subs; shared forecasts, training, and continuous improvement.

Company Financial Clarity

Project Profitability

Books are messy; Chart of Accounts and Cost Codes not set up; commingled accounts; cash surprises frequent.

No formal review of job profitability; rely on estimator to build in profit; profit unknown until year-end.

Basic job costing; irregular closes; limited reporting. Work In Progress, Cash Flow unclear.

Change Orders created for variations from estimate; try to build in profit; basic budget vs actuals; profit leaks not traced.

Chart of Accounts and Cost Codes in place; Monthly closes; construction Chart of Accounts (COA); Cost Code analytics; Work In Progress (WIP) and Customer Deposits (CD) tracked..

Budget-to-Actual reports are created for each project each month; Monthly job Profit & Loss (P&L); slippage noted; actions sometimes taken.

Reliable monthly rhythm; KPIs drive decisions; Cash flow forecast; Key Performance Indicators (KPIs); timely closes with controls.

Each project is reviewed for profitability; variances noted; remediation implemented.

Live dashboards with forecasting and scenario planning; strong cash reserves.

Leadership and Team

Strategy and Long‑Term Planning

I’m the bottleneck; little delegation; top-down firefighting; morale fragile; turnover high.

We’re focused on immediate jobs; no long‑term plan yet.

Beginning to delegate; meetings are irregular; inconsistent feedback; limited growth paths.

Loose goals; priorities shift often; limited metrics.

Weekly rhythm exists; values defined; regular meetings; training starting.

1‑year vision with targets; quarterly priorities tracked.

Strong culture and accountability; managers own outcomes; visible career ladders.

3-year picture; annual/quarterly Objectives and Key Results (OKRs); review rhythm in place; building transferable value.

Company runs without me most days; employees exhibit ownership mindset; I coach and steer.