He received no new business when he "invested" in revenue operations, but this mindset cost him.
While my grandfather was well-liked with a great sense of humor and an inventive mind, he didn't have a finesse for business development or operations. He opted to work long hours instead of investing in systems and processes to move tasks to others within the company. This business miscalculation became fatal due to his serious health complications later in life.
His business faltered when word-of-mouth referrals and loyal customers slimmed over the years. Then, as if a lack of pipeline wasn't enough, he could not keep up the work on the books as health problems set in. Without any operational plan, his business permanently closed while he fought for his health. I watched the rise and fall of his company, and when I was 20 years old, he passed away.
Fast forward to a 30-year-old me. I was crushing my career in the building industry. Still, between an economic downturn and a male-dominated work environment, I didn't receive the respect, responsibilities, or acknowledgment I deserved for the results created.
I felt like I had checked all of life's boxes. I had a high-profile career, house, and master's degree. I'd always been able to visualize what I wanted, but was this it? I felt stuck and unhappy. Working for someone else, I wasn't being true to my roots.
I pondered how my grandfather mustered up the courage to do what he did. How did he start his own company? I wanted to do the same, but I sat on the idea for three years. He quit his job on the spot.
Above all, I wanted to help honest, hardworking entrepreneurs like my grandfather align the systems and processes that allow their businesses to thrive. I wanted to help companies succeed through what I knew how to do best, revenue operations.
