Paul Simon

Owner

Michael F. Simon Builders

Waunakee, Wisc.

Projected 2023 Revenue: $10 million

Business innovation: In an effort not to forget the lessons learned over the company’s 130-year history, a few years ago I started focusing on documenting the different systems and processes to ensure consistency project after project. But what happens when [an employee] leaves? How do we get all that tribal knowledge back out of [their] head to the next person? We have all the processes, exactly where we get certain products, who we talk to, templated emails. Instead of a two month onboarding, it’s more like a week and a half. It helped us be able to not show hiccups to our clients. 

On team appreciation: People always share the negative when something goes wrong, but they don’t share when things go right. We try to go over and above, both internally and externally. I have an annual budget of, “Here is what I’m going to do this year to give back to the team.” I don’t always know how I’m going to do it. One of our carpenters moved from one house to another, and he was doing so good for us. He asked if he could take a week off to do the move. And I said, “John, how would you feel if we paid for a professional moving company to come move you across town, then you don’t have to take time off of work, and you don’t have to be without a paycheck?” If you do it consistently, that’s expected. If you do it randomly, then it’s just a nice gesture that people appreciate more.

Book recommendation: Getting to Yes

Unveiling the Forty Under 40 Class of 2023