2017 Remodeling 550 Profile
Impact Remodeling and Construction
Washington, D.C.
2017 Rank: 29 (Full Service)
In 2007, Justin Sullivan left the consulting firm he worked for to begin his own remodeling company. The first four months of his business were normal. Then the Great Recession hit.
“It was a horrible coincidence,” Sullivan says. To help build his business, he relied on referrals from contacts he made while in graduate school. He also invested in a local referral service to help generate leads. “There’s always enough work for a small business,” he adds.
Since demand was sluggish, Sullivan was able to take things slow so that his company would be prepared for the upturn. One benefit of the timing, he says, was that he never had to lay off an employee. Instead, he steadily added workers as he needed them.
“It started with me and then I added a carpenter,” Sullivan explains. “Then I got a second carpenter. Now, they have turned into our project managers.”
He says that hiring the right people is paramount, regardless of the economy. “Hire [based] on character traits, ” he advises. “If you find someone with the character traits that reflect your company’s mission, there’s a good chance they’ll stick with you.”
His final lesson? Make sure you understand your company’s purpose. “It’s important to work on and develop the mission of your company. … If you’re able to develop that during the first year or two and you bring on more employees, you’re better able to explain and demonstrate [your] value.”
