Results, in numbers and in their words.
Advice is easy to give. What matters is what happens next. Here's a look at results from a few companies I've led and owned, and what the people who worked alongside me have to say.
Led a founder-led company into its next chapter
After its founder's passing, a respected homebuilding franchisor still ran much the way it had under him. I was promoted to COO to succeed the company's longtime CEO, and much of the transition happened during the pandemic, with the team working remotely.
As COO, I led the rebrand to AR Homes and brought in a VP of Sales Training to strengthen our sales process. As CEO, I rebuilt the executive and mid-level teams, hiring a new CTO and VP of Marketing and promoting a VP to COO. I led the development of the company's first vision, mission, and guiding principles; put performance management, annual planning off-sites, and a regular leadership rhythm in place; moved our proprietary systems and data from in-house servers to the cloud; and launched the Catalyst program to develop future leaders.
Over three years, systemwide sales grew from $318 million to $774 million, and EBIT margin rose from 12% to 32%. During the Great Resignation, turnover stayed under 10%, with an employee Net Promoter Score of 66.
Turned around an owner-operated homebuilder
A homebuilder in a national partnership network was losing money and at risk of discontinuing operations.
Worked alongside the owner-operator to set a new strategic direction, and stayed with the work until it took hold.
The company went from losing money to one of the most profitable in the network, a $5.8 million swing in profitability in one year. Its strong performance has continued since.
Proved a Florida brand could win in the Carolinas
Without Jim's investment and guidance, Paragon would not have launched. More than 15 years later, Paragon is still thriving, and I'm grateful to Jim for helping me get it started.
In 2008, Arthur Rutenberg Homes was a well-established Florida homebuilding franchise company. Its founder, Art Rutenberg, wanted to take the brand beyond Florida, just as the housing market collapsed.
Relocated to Charlotte as the region's first employee. To prove the model could work outside Florida, I proposed starting a franchise and building a model home, then put up my own capital to co-found Paragon Homes of Charlotte with an experienced operating partner, Mitch Genda. I also led the development of new homes designed for the local market. With Paragon as a showcase for prospective franchisees, the business took off, and we opened an office and the company's first design studio outside Florida.
Paragon reached $14 million in sales in its first year after the model opened. Regional sales grew from zero to more than $75 million in three years, with 11 franchise builders, and the design studio became the most successful in the system. The region grew into a six-state group doing more than $200 million a year, and Art presented me with the 2012 Chairman's Award. In 2014, I sold my shares in Paragon to Mitch, and the company is still thriving today.
Turned a vacant site into a $7 million profit
A vacant 10-acre site, already approved for 95 townhomes. It was the first project I led as an owner.
Convinced the former owner of Weitzer Homebuilders to back the venture, forming a new partnership with him as the silent partner and me as the active one. I worked from a trailer on site with a construction manager, hired a leading architect to design the product, and built an effective sales team once the models opened. We also relocated mature oak trees on-site to the front entry, giving the community an established look from the street.
We sold and built out the community quickly. The project netted more than $7 million in two years.
In their words.
More than once, I watched Jim back a business or an operator when the easier call would have been to walk away. He saw potential others might have missed, built a clear plan around it, and was proven right.
Your next chapter starts with a conversation.
If your company is facing something like these, let's talk. The introductory call is free.