The New Reality

—John Friswell, CCI Renovations, North Vancouver, B.C., Canada, No. 237

We have taken over key personnel from four different companies that were put out of business because of the economic climate.

—Craig Ceccarelli, HomeSpec Advanced Basement, Ypsilanti, Mich., No. 406

Q: How is your business different than it was several years ago?

I like to focus on the fact that we are operating at a much more manageable pace in the office and the field. While there is the constant stress of not having the six- to nine-month backlog that we were used to, there is the benefit that we aren’t running at 110 mph trying to meet all the client needs associated with multiple high-end projects. Although we have a larger number of jobs with smaller selling prices, we have fewer details in need of attention. We sell a process, a service and our expertise. The scopes of the projects have changed, but how we approach each project and the care we extend in carrying out the production of each project have not. We still love what we do!

—Janeen S. Welsh, Welsh Construction Inc., Lexington, Va., No. 364