Brian Forth: SiteCrafting

Brian Forth started his company SiteCrafting.com while he was still an elementary school teacher. For the first few years, he worked both his "day job" and his nascent side job. He didn't give up when the financial returns didn't immediately happen. Instead, he took a long view, knowing that the delayed gratification would be worth it.

Forth's background in teaching comes through in an unexpected way: that of compassion. He said that the hardest time he had to fire someone was the first one -- and that the last one was just as bad. I think that is atypical of most managers, but it aligns with his Three Cs: core, company, and community.  Employees are at his business' core. Not only recruiting and retaining them, but taking care of them once they are hired. Or, in some cases, once they are fired. That he would take the time to help an employee he let go find a new position speaks volumes.

His second pillar is company. He looks to the health of his company, always. It goes right along with making sure his employees are suited to their jobs and happy in them, but it goes even further. What makes his company strong, and what can make it stronger?  Forth gave the example of a recent crisis with a manager after the company started implementing JIRA, a time management and project tracking tool. Although it seemed like a good idea in theory, in practice it overwhelmed the team and left them feeling micro-managed. The blame game followed, and Forth's carefully constructed sense of company cohesion suffered a cultural collapse. One of those dreaded firings followed, but it was necessary for the health of the company.

For the financial health, Forth talked about how he's found that separate billing structures worked for different projects. For some, an hourly rate made sense, while for others he charges by the project. It's quantity of time vs. quality of project, and each job is unique  It's not only about money, though. He shared how he had taken a subcontracted job for an airline contractor that had his back to the wall.  He probably could have pushed for a much larger payment, but instead chose to take a smaller piece of the pie and in exchange built goodwill and positive PR for future business. That attitude goes with his third pillar: community.

Forth shared that he has a sense of gratitude for his success: it's not taken for granted. He is aware that his past and his continued success depend upon more than his own strength. He is grateful for employees who feel more like family, and clients who get more than just a website.

Overall, my takeaway was that when people are treated well, the money follows. Both are important, but in the long run, if you take care of the first, the second will (likely) follow. The inverse is true as well. Neglect the first in favor of the second, and they may both disappear.