For the past 18 months I have been able to step outside the system. I sold my company ó Traditional Concepts, a high-end design/build firm on Chicago's North Shore óand have remained working as a sales consultant.
Two years ago in August, Ted Brown (Big50 1991) sold his design/build company, Traditional Concepts, after 20 years in business. “I was ready to do something else,” Brown says. As of this writing Brown is acting as a consultant for his former company and is engaged to consult with a large national insurance restoration firm.
Sticker shock is universal, and clients each respond differently. It's up to you to manage expectations and present cost issues in a way that clients understand and feel comfortable with.
On most projects, we collect a down payment of roughly 5% to 10% of the total contract. That could mean we send invoices as close as a week apart, depending on when invoices come in to us.
