Successful contractors know when to hang up the tool belt and concentrate on running a business. But when you turn over the hands-on work, you need to make sure your staff is motivated and productive. I started my company five years ago with $2,800 and $500 in hand tools. Today the company's hard assets exceed $100,000, and I no longer work in the field. My original investment has grown tremendously, and one of the most important reasons for that growth is the investment we make in our staff. I had worked in human services before getting back into my father's trade, and I thought that some of the things I had learned about managing and motivating people might
