Building Your Team

Everyone knows the success of your business is directly related to the quality of your team. And every good team consists of players with a variety of skills. At NiteHawk, we’re fortunate to have incredible assemblers and welders in our production facility, skilled technicians in customer support, and tenacious salespeople out on the road. But in business, there is more to every team than the regular full-time employees.

As we work with our customers on fleet management, new market growth, and operational efficiency, we have found a pattern among the most successful companies. All the best conversations start something like this: “I spoke to my accountant and she recommended…”

Owners of the most profitable companies do not meet with their finance professionals on April 14th, hand them a stack of receipts, and ask “How much did I make?” Instead, they include these individuals in their monthly closeouts, quarterly budget discussions, and annual strategic planning. They speak regularly about the company’s progress, and they are constantly looking for ways to improve. Successful owners also meet with their insurance agents regularly to receive recommendations on policy improvement, reducing premiums, and decreasing risk exposure. They have relationships with bankers that understand their business’s capital requirements. They have trusted people both in and out of the industry with whom they brainstorm; sometimes these are friends, sometimes they’re colleagues, but all of them share an interest in your success. It takes real relationship-building to find the best

people with whom you can consult. To expand your successes and in time, the effort and money spent will team and meet new challenges, you need to assess pay off. your current areas of weakness. Focus on finding that If you’re in the sweeper industry and you’re thinking accountant, insurance broker, banker, or trustworthy to yourself, “Wow I really don’t have anyone like that friend that has a passion for I can trust…” Guess what? your small business. Require You’re wrong. At NiteHawk that they get involved and To expand your team we want to see every small become creative, like you, and meet new challenges, business succeed, and we’re to look proactively at the happy to share our experience future. As entrepreneurs, we you need to assess to help you tackle those tough are accustomed to figuring your current areas challenges. things out on our own, so In the words of legendary it may take a bit of humility of weakness. scientist Claude Bernard: to ask for help. But as you “It is what we know already develop relationships with that often prevents us from qualified people, and you let them get as excited about learning.” Know what you don’t know and find someone your business as you are, you will grow your network to help. Then you’ll have an unbeatable team. and increase profitability. Let others share in your