Q & A with Concrete Contracting Expert Rocky Geans:

1. How did you get started in the business? Where was the turning point?

I went to Marine Corps boot camp, and quickly realized it’s not all about me. I learned discipline, organization and esprit de corp, all of which helped me in running my own business.

At the end of our fiscal year in 1978, I was deep in the hole, and my accountant recommended I file for bankruptcy, but I didn’t want to do that. Instead, I took six years to pay back my debts and dig myself out of that hole.

After that, my wife and I were living humbly, and we had a baby. I decided the key to my success was going to require immersing myself in, and understanding all management aspects of, the business. Once I did that, I started doing better. I became a sponge for information, and I learned from other industries. I also learned how to treat people and control my emotions. Treating people with respect and dignity is essential to success in business.

I learned that if you give people expectations and training, they can either follow the path or not.  If they are not able to follow our goals and values, then they are making the decision to leave. I try to make letting someone go a positive experience and simply turn it into a choice the employee makes.

2. What is the biggest mistake you made? What did you learn?

Before I turned my business around (1978), I gave employees a chance to do operate their own way. I was letting them play with my money. At the end of that one of those years we had a terrible loss and those employees were able to simply walk away from the debt. I learned not to let people play with my money.  All employees buy into the companies goals and ways of operation or they are history.

3. What is the most important improvement you have made in your company?

I have greatly improved when it comes to working with people and dealing with people. I still have a ways to go. I have 25 employees, and very low turnover.

People don’t quit companies, they quit people. Now, 90 percent of our turnover is our decision. I know our company isn’t right for everybody, and there’s no animosity when I have to let someone go.

4. How did you get to this point in your business? You can take time to speak and teach other contractors how to be successful. What in your business allows you to do this?

This has been a work in progress for me for 30 years. When I finally understood the business side, it took four to five years to get the business to where it was able to run while I was away. It’s never going to run on auto pilot, though, but I’m comfortable leaving because I have systems in place as well as excellent people that share company goals and values.

I’ve learned to praise and train people toward the behavior the company needs, and we get that behavior.  Great employees are not hired, they are trained and taught.  You have to invest ample time and resources in training a person to become the employee the company needs.  This does not happen overnight and if you (as the business owner) aren’t willing to put in the effort they won’t either.

5. Now, you speak all over the county, and you have your own business school for concrete contractors. Why do you leave your business to teach other contractors?

It doesn’t matter where you teach, if the content is good people show up. I have contractors coming here to my office in Indiana for a one-day Q&A that’s more specific and one on one. I have a group in April, eight people, coming to learn and ask questions specific to their companies. It’s important to give contractors the tools to succeed, because when they succeed, the industry succeeds.

6. Why do you choose to be open and share your success tips?
I’ve felt pretty stupid many times in my life. I wasn’t the best student, but I worked hard. When I went out on my own I’d bid jobs and never ask any questions. As it turned out, the jobs ended up costing more than I was bidding.

So I started asking questions. Now I care what people think and how much money I’m making.  I also care about the success of my business and the employees I work with.  I’m not intimidated or afraid to ask questions.

I train other contractors because I know how it feels to want to get better but struggling with knowing how. I want to give others confidence. If I can help turn just one company around it helps the industry.
I also enjoy collaborating with people much more than working by myself. I prefer a team atmosphere.

7. Some people say you’re over the top with your systems. Why should contractors be more organized in their approach to running a concrete company?

There’s a method to my madness.  Taking care of what you have is part of the culture of your company. It has a grassroots effect. If you take care of your equipment, tools, employees, or yourself (your health, stress level, appearance, etc.) then your employees will also.

The systems in my business are not for me to brag about, they have a very real, and profitable, return on investment.  After losing so much money over the life of my business I needed to get a grip, get control, and create systems.

8. Lots of contractors say, “I’m already making a profit and I don’t need systems in my business, things work fine.” What would you say to these people?

You may be making money, but are you making a living or a profit? The goal is to be above and beyond your own paycheck. First, pay yourself a competitive rate for being the manager of your business. You should have profit on top of that. Just making your paycheck isn’t fine.
You need to ask yourself what you want out of your business. If you’re happy breaking even, fine.

9. What is the first area of a concrete company you would recommend contactors get really good at? What other areas are also important to profitability?

Most importantly, you have to learn how to work with people and how to treat people—this has far-reaching effects.

Then you need to think like a businessperson, think strategically, tactically, consider asset utilization, etc. you have to make the time for it. You also have to hire good employees so you can focus on the big picture.
Get a mentor. I have a part time CFO that comes in one and a half days a week. Bring in experts to help you realize your strengths and identify your weaknesses. Find people who are strong in the areas you are weak.

10. What is the biggest mistake concrete contractors make? How can this be prevented?
Complacency is the biggest threat to contractors. You have to collaborate and listen to others who have experience, and learn from their mistakes.
I recommend assembling a small board of advisors. If that’s too much, even joining the ASCC is a good place to start, where you can network with your peers.  Attend training events where you can meet other contractors that relate to you problems.  It’s also helpful to share success stories and bounce new ideas off of other contractors.

11. Looking back now after 30 years running your company, would you have done anything differently?
I would have followed the advice I’m giving now! I would have swallowed my pride and listened. But going through what I did helps me teach what not to do as well as what to do. I’ve lived it to the max.

12. You know so much about running a concrete company, where did all this information come from?
I studied, read books, collaborated with peers, learned from my own and others’ mistakes, talked to experts, etc.

It helps that I’m not afraid to walk up to anybody and ask anything.

13. How has your rock and roll career (in the band The Rivieras, hit song “California Sun”) helped your career and ability to train others?
We did gigs in front of audiences of 5,000, so I got comfortable being up in front of people. It helped with getting over intimidation, as well as public speaking. I learned people are just like me.

14. Anything else you’d care to add?
I learn from everyone—colleagues, employees, others. Success isn’t about just me--it’s about all of us learning from each other.