YOUR BUSINESS AUTHORITY
Springfield, MO
YOUR BUSINESS AUTHORITY
Springfield, MO
SBJ: What has been key to your recent growth?
Drake Hughes: We hired a lot more salespeople in 2024, and we started an actual training team. We hired a sales trainer and got a lot more intentional about that process of our business, with a more robust onboarding process for salespeople. We just kind of increased accountability and insight into metrics for them and provided managers with more data to measure success and see where the gaps are with people so we can specifically coach them on things we can actually see. We added to the tech team as well and gave them access to better information.
SBJ: What does your planned move into a new headquarters on Park Central Square mean to your business?
Hughes: We’re starting by moving into the bottom floor of that building, and we’ll end up in the second and third floor. We move in July, but we probably won’t be in place on the second and third floors until the end of the year. We can fit 280 in that new building; we’re at 110 today, so we’re pretty full right now. We signed a five-year lease, but we have the option to get out in three years. Over the next five years, I wouldn’t be surprised if we had to move again.
SBJ: What are your top issues when it comes to managing growth?
Hughes: Bottlenecks – developing our leaders fast enough to keep up with the size. I’m not the person I need to be to run a company three times the size of this one. I have to keep growing to be that person, and that’s true for all of our managers and leadership team. We’re trying to invest enough that our leadership team keeps pace to run a good company that has a good culture. Culture matters. It’s a big part of the success that we have. People like to come to work, and they believe in what we’re doing. They’re excited for growth, and that feeds on itself. If our culture changed, that would be a risk.
SBJ: Is there such a thing as growing too fast?
Hughes: I’d be silly to say no. We’ve got a good foundation to scale because of investments we’ve made and being intentional about leadership development. We try to be thoughtful about five-year planning and consider succession. We look for risks and build contingencies to be prepared for them. We’re in a good spot to continue to grow.
SBJ: Have your goals changed as business has taken off?
Hughes: Five years ago, we had a 2025 goal of getting to $50 million. We hit that last year. That was a big deal to us; we didn’t know if we could grow that fast. Every year, we get surprised by the amount of opportunity there is, and we know a lot more than we used to know. We’re starting to work on a five-year plan for 2030, and we’re asking ourselves if we’re thinking big enough.
SBJ: What is the worst business advice you’ve received?
Hughes: That people won’t care as much as you do. None of the owners were super stoked about selling refrigerator parts, but the fun part about it is making something fun together in a really ordinary trade industry.
Grooms Office Environments moved, Cast Iron Print Works LLC opened and The Kennedy debuted above Bruno’s Italian Restaurant.
