Before going through this process, I felt like a lot of my time was spent constantly reacting to problems instead of truly leading and planning for growth. Like many family businesses, we wore a lot of hats every day, and it became easy to stay stuck in survival mode instead of stepping back to look at the bigger picture. 

This engagement helped me look at the business differently. It gave me a better understanding of the financial side of operations, how important structure and communication really are, and where we were leaving opportunities on the table. We worked through everything from pricing structure, budgeting, and cash flow management to technician utilization, management structure, strategic planning, and business development. 

One of the biggest things I took away was learning how to operate more intentionally instead of just putting out fires every day. We focused heavily on creating better systems, improving accountability, and making smarter decisions for long-term growth instead of short-term fixes. 

It also helped me personally as an owner. Running a business can consume your life, especially in a family-owned company where you care deeply about your employees, customers, and reputation. Improving communication, structure, and planning has helped reduce some of the daily chaos and created a better overall quality of life both inside and outside of work. 

Overall, this process gave me more clarity, confidence, and direction for where I want to take the business in the future. It helped turn a lot of ideas and frustrations into actionable plans that I believe will continue to benefit our company for years to come. 

Eric Crane
President/Owner
Crane’s L&M Appliance, Mattress & Furniture