You know what’s scarier than pouring concrete? Pouring money into your business before you see the return. I want to tell you about one of my favorite clients, let’s call him The Brave Builder. He runs a construction company, not a huge one. When we first met, he was hustling with small projects, a tiny admin crew, and a head full of dreams scribbled on napkins (I’m kidding! Sort of).

Now, if you’ve ever owned a business, you know the comfort zone is a powerful drug. It’s cozy. It’s predictable. You’ve got your usual crew, your usual jobs, and your usual headaches. Growth? Sure, someday. When you “have more time”. When you “close that next big job”. When the planets align and your cousin’s brother’s neighbor finally pays that old invoice.

But The Brave Builder did something most owners say they’ll do but rarely follow through on, he admitted he needed help and asked for it.

His first brave step? He brought me in, not just as a fractional CFO to watch his numbers, not just as a CEO Compass to push his ideas and decisions forward, but really as his Chief Value Officer. Because when you blend strategy and finance, hold the owner accountable, and focus every move on making the business worth more, that’s when you get real, lasting growth. That’s when all the big talk turns into action.

And then, with the right accountability, he made tough but smart calls. He let go of an employee who just wasn’t the right fit anymore. Not dramatic, not mean, just necessary to make space for the people who were.

Instead of pocketing every extra dollar like a scared squirrel hoarding nuts for winter, he invested. He added two new admin team members to get his back office in order, the invisible but critical side of construction most owners ignore until it’s too late. Then he added a new project engineer to help him tackle bigger, more profitable jobs, leveling up his operations and his team’s confidence in what they can handle.

And something that makes me extra proud is that the project engineer he hired came from a big-name construction company. After just a few days on board, you know what that new hire told him? “Wow! You have processes and structure here that even the big guys don’t. I love how you run this place”.

Imagine that! Going from flying by the seat of his pants to onboarding talent who actually admire his systems. Every time someone new says that he beams with pride, and so do I. We even built a solid onboarding process together, because when you’re serious about growth, you make sure new people don’t walk in blind.

Today, he’s doubled his revenue. He’s hiring his third admin team member, this time, an accountant, because when you level up, your books better level up too. Otherwise, all you’re doing is creating bigger chaos with more zeros.

I’m so proud of him, and the team he’s building. And honestly? I feel blessed to be part of it. Nothing beats watching a good owner grow into a great leader.

Cafecito Takeaway

Staying stuck feels cheap, but it’s the most expensive decision you’ll ever make. Be brave like my client. Fire what needs to go, invest in what needs to grow, and hire that fractional CFO, or better yet, get yourself a Chief Value Officer. Find an accountability partner who’ll help you build something worth bragging about and worth more when you’re ready to take the next step.

Growth doesn’t happen because you hope it will, it happens when you spend real money, on real people, who make you better and your business stronger. You don’t need to know everything, you just need to know when to ask for help, and who you trust enough to tell you the truth when you’d rather hide from it.

And when the new people show up, and the better jobs come in, and your systems finally run smoother than they ever did, you’ll sit back like my Brave Builder does now, proud when someone new says, “Wow! You run this place right!”

Do it scared. Spend wisely. And enjoy the moment when you realize staying small was never really cheaper, just quieter, and far more expensive in the end.