It’s 9:00 on a Saturday morning, and Gene is sitting in a booth at the local coffee shop having a cinnamon roll and a cup of coffee.

What should be enjoyable downtime isn’t. It’s hard for him to enjoy himself when all he can think about are all the problems over the past year. He can’t quit thinking about everything that he’s gone through, the projects that ran behind, the help that didn't show up, the truck breaking down at the worst possible time, and the massive tax bill.

There would certainly be fewer headaches if he were working for someone else. Instead, all of it rests squarely on him. Even now, sitting there with a warm cinnamon roll and coffee, the weight of the business pressed down on him and he wonders if the effort is worth it.

I can’t do everything myself.

That realization usually shows up right when momentum starts to build. There's more opportunities, more interest, which means more work.

If I’m going to help construction companies build their businesses and continue doing construction… I’m going to need some more help.

Delegating sounds simple, but hiring well is hard. Rushing to fill a role rarely ends well, yet staying stretched too thin isn’t a plan either.

Sometimes the next step forward isn’t doing more, it’s getting the right support in place so the business can grow without burning out the person running it.

"What should I do first?”
“There are so many things to choose from.”

Too often, days are spent fighting fires instead of making real progress. Firefighting feels productive, but it’s one of the worst ways to prioritize.

With a limited amount of time, knowing what’s urgent, what’s important, and what truly matters requires clarity, preparation, and intentional decisions.

Hot fires are a good way to get burned. The better prepared you are, the less intense the fire, and the faster it can be put out.