Building a business beyond the jobsite

By The Coffee Shops®.

A decade of lessons that transformed a skilled tradesperson into a successful business owner.

Starting a company often begins with having confidence in your skill set and a deep understanding of the trade. Sustaining that company, however, requires an entirely different set of skills.

n a recent MetalCast™ episode, Karen Edwards sat down with Clinton Benn, owner of CMB Erectors in Brantford, Ontario, to discuss the company's 10-year anniversary and the journey from metal building erector to business leader.

Clinton said the idea for launching CMB Erectors emerged after he returned to Ontario from Alberta in 2016 and recognized an opportunity in the market. While larger erector firms had continued to grow, he saw a gap for customers looking for the services traditionally offered by midsized contractors.

Getting started, however, proved to be about more than assembling crews and finding projects. "The real turning point comes from recognizing everything that was happening behind the scenes that was keeping those companies alive that you were working for," Clinton explained. He pointed to branding, business development, insurance, certifications, training and cash flow as critical responsibilities that many skilled tradespeople underestimate.

That realization led to one of his biggest lessons as a business owner: understanding which opportunities to pursue and which to decline. "Being able to say no became essential," Clinton said, noting that identifying work and customers that align with a company's long-term direction is just as important as securing new projects.

He also reflected on the pricing challenges many contractors face in their early years. Looking back, Clinton believes contractors often focus too heavily on competing through lower prices rather than communicating value. "In hindsight," he said, "I should have been trying to increase my pricing and sell my value rather than, you know, trying to sell a cheaper price."

For Clinton, the first decade of CMB Erectors highlights a reality familiar to many contractors: technical expertise may open the door, but long-term growth comes from learning how to run a business.

CMB Erectors' journey demonstrates that successful growth often depends on embracing responsibilities that extend well beyond the jobsite.

Listen to the full podcast or watch the recording to learn more about building a successful metal building erection business.