JLC: Why, at a time when other companies
are looking for ways to tighten
their belts, is your company growing?
Hale: I started my business in 1971
when I got my contractor's license.
Back then it was just me and my first
employee, Mike Desouza, doing small
remodeling and repairs — anything
we could get our hands on. We grew
pretty steadily from a volume of
maybe $100,000 that first year up to
about $650,000 four years ago, where
we leveled out.
We were happy with the business.
We would typically do anywhere
from two to four good-sized jobs per
year, with smaller jobs filling the gaps.
I had a good crew, five including
myself, and I didn't