Eric Waller owns Total Roof Systems, LLC.
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Shortly after the pandemic began, I left my role as CEO of an oil company and started the first of several businesses I currently run: a roofing company that began serving the metropolitan area of Dallas-Fort Worth, and now also operates in the western slope of Colorado. When the pandemic broke out, it became clear that outdoor pursuits were the way to go, so I started my next project, an agribusiness: a seasonal pumpkin patch/wedding and event venue/restaurant that is part of the burgeoning North Texas ecotourism scene. And at the same time, my wife and I also run a small farm together, which is now our main activity.
It was not my intention to run multiple companies. When I left the oil industry, I rather wanted to escape the bureaucratic corporate culture: I wanted to work in a way that involved fewer tedious meetings and more direct ownership of the products and services I provided. I then seized opportunities as they arose, resulting in me holding controlling stocks in several companies with little overlap (apart from the fact that it’s all mostly out-of-home work). But while my businesses are different, I’ve learned something about managing multiple businesses at the same time with every business I’ve built.
1. Invest in the people and talent.
Part of the reason my businesses are all successful is that I chose to bet on people who are great at what they do. For example, when I started my roofing business, I went to the person who is now my partner and asked, “How would you like to have your own roofing business?” The same thing happened with the pumpkin patch/wedding venue: the owner was smart and had a great business plan, which I invested in. (I also fell in love with the farm industry and with the owner of the pumpkin patch. now my wife. I married her at our location.)
Throughout my career, I have systematically bet on individuals who run operationally sound businesses that, for whatever reason, are undervalued or undervalued by their current ownership. I invest in them and offer them stock to start and run that company for me.
2. Use visual management systems.
I use visual tools to keep me organized and to make sure I’m not dropping the ball on something I should be doing for my business. There are plenty of software systems out there with powerful visual management tools, but I rely a lot on old-fashioned sticky notes and a whiteboard. (Laugh if you will, but these are tried and true methods!)
Visual management tools are essential in giving me a snapshot of what’s happening in a company at any given time, what’s sticking out and what’s lurking. Keeping visual management up to date helps me know when to intervene and when to step back and let the gears turn on their own.
3. Design respectful work environments.
Work is not accidental; it is designed. To design respectful work, we need to meet the people who do the work and understand who does what in our company.
Most organizations see customers as outside their walls. In each of my businesses, the other owners and I view our employees as “internal customers.” We empower them to be the ones who get to decide what “good” looks like, regardless of title, hierarchy, or org chart. We have also created and maintained a 1:1 supplier-customer relationship within our organization, regardless of hierarchy. Thanks to the seamless links in the system, the work flows in the right order.
Artisans and knowledge workers do not want to be micromanaged; they don’t appreciate much interference in the way they do their jobs. So, we step back. Our people are encouraged to ask for what they need, but their preferred work process and design are respected. And by respecting those processes, I can confidently delegate, knowing that the best people produce the best product.
4. Avoid red tape.
In the same vein, many of our employees come from corporate America, seeking to escape certain constraints and demands on their time that unfortunately characterize many large office environments. In each of my companies, we strategically minimize the number of meetings. We’re not wasting anyone’s time. And if employees feel like their time is being wasted, let them tell us why a particular job doesn’t matter.
There are certainly times when it matters, when we have to say, “You have to do these things.” But by keeping those times as short as possible, we create a respectful environment.
Coming from the large companies where I have worked in the past, I am particularly sensitive to all kinds of bureaucratic red tape. And ultimately, the time savings from eliminating non-essential tasks and meetings not only leads to retaining top talent, it’s part of what allows me to run multiple businesses at once.
5. Stabilize before optimizing.
When building your own business from the ground up, sometimes you need to quickly develop your systems, processes and organization without any framework. It can be scary to wait to see if what you’ve set in motion will work. Often I see entrepreneurs run one schedule, then stop at the first sign of trouble, change it, then run another iteration and change it again.
Sometimes you just have to stop and let everything work. I tend to think that sports analogies are overused, but in this case: you have to lead the play. You need to run the design a few times to make sure it’s stable and understand how everything works before you’re sure it’s successful and can support further development.
6. Get comfortable with getting uncomfortable.
When I was an executive, I had a full staff of talented people who were organized, professional and able to deliver great services and technology at a moment’s notice. When I started my own business, I didn’t have those people. I had to learn to do it all myself. So now I’m learning how to use AI; I build workflows; I make web pages; I make advertisement texts and write articles. I’m doing all the things I’ve never done before.
As an entrepreneur, if you’re not willing to wake up and learn something radically new on a regular basis, then you should consider staying where you are. You have to be prepared to get uncomfortable.
One last thought
Whenever you do something new or unusual, there will be a thousand “no” voices telling you that you are wrong or that what you are doing is a bad idea. They never stop – and if you fall, it’s extra painful because they all told you not to in the first place.
Ultimately, you must have the conviction to make something worth making, and to deliver it the way it should be delivered. I don’t start these businesses because I want them to succeed – although I do want them to make money, of course – but because I want them to survive. Period of time. I want this work to add joy and purpose to my life and the lives of those around me.
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