Consider the 1980s industry-leading companies like Blockbuster, Atari, Pan American Airways, Nokia, MCI Communications, Compaq, Eastern Airlines, TWA, E.F. Hutton, Woolworth’s, and Radio Shack. What do they all have in common?

They no longer exist.

Each company had unique reasons for its decline. However, a unifying thread is evident: leadership became too comfortable, didn’t adapt to changes, or lost focus on their core strengths.

Take MCI Communications, for instance. From 1981 to 1994, I worked with MCI as a successful talent attraction consultant. In 1993, my goal was to recruit a minimum of 120 IT professionals, from senior management positions to programmers, to Cedar Rapids, IA – a town with only two other IBM mainframe companies, meaning that we would need to relocate the vast majority of candidates to Cedar Rapids. I created and executed my strategy. On December 31, 1993, we counted people in chairs – 133! In 1995, their strategy pivoted to “fiber to the home” – a costly plan to lay fiber-optic cable directly to residences (dubbed “The Last Mile”). This approach sidelined MCI’s core asset: thousands of microwave towers across the U.S. and abroad. Instead of leveraging this strength and entering the booming cellular market, they pursued a high-cost strategy and went bankrupt. Ultimately, Verizon acquired MCI’s valuable towers and business.

How Does This Relate to Your Business?

Thousands of small businesses fall into a similar trap. Founders become overwhelmed with tasks, struggling to delegate or hire experienced employees to manage the workload. Without energy or time to plan effectively, growth falters, and potential fades.

We’re entering 2025. So, what are your company’s plans? As I recently discussed with Jim Baty, the construction industry is positioned for tremendous growth over the next five years due to pent-up demand from the pandemic, inflation, and high interest rates. Is your concrete business prepared to seize these opportunities?

Are you leveraging the expertise of industry leaders within the Concrete Foundations Association? Or are you simply “too busy” to engage? Attending conferences and calls is an investment in your concrete company’s future.

Setting Goals: Beyond a Numbers Game

Effective goal setting is the bedrock of planning. Take this as an example of what not to do: “I plan to grow my business by 10% this year.” The intention is there, but where’s the plan?

In 2010, while writing my first book, I developed the SCAMPS framework to structure goal setting. SCAMPS stands for Specific, Challenging, Attainable, Measurable, Public, and Specific End Date. Let’s break down how each component can make goal setting transformational for your business.

1. Specific – A goal needs to be specific with a defined strategy. For example, if your goal is 10% growth, what is the exact revenue increase? What specific strategy will drive this growth? How many sales calls or client meetings are required each day? Who needs to join your team—an office assistant, field workers, or specialists?
2. Challenging – The goal must push boundaries and spark action. The more challenging, the greater your drive.
3. Attainable – Your brain knows if a goal lacks a clear path. Without a plan, it will dismiss it as wishful thinking. In 1969, I set an attainable yet challenging goal to hitchhike 2,650 miles from Washington, D.C., to Los Angeles in five days with my friend. I knew Greyhound made the journey at that time, so it became my benchmark. Having proof someone could do it made my goal achievable and motivating.
4. Measurable – Create benchmarks to monitor progress. In our hitchhiking journey, for example, we aimed to reach Kansas City by night two. If your goal involves business development calls, track each one meticulously. Record company names, decision-makers, outcomes, and follow-ups. This tracking ensures you stay on course.
5. Public – Share your goal with supportive individuals. Colleagues, family, or mentors who encourage your success will hold you accountable. They’ll keep you focused, and their enthusiasm reinforces your motivation.
6. Specific End Date – Define your deadline. An end date is essential for keeping momentum and guiding activities toward goal completion.

To give a real-life example, I achieved one of my business goals this year: speaking on “The Power of Proper Goal Setting” on a third continent—Europe. This goal was built on previous talks across Africa and North America. And while on a Viking River Cruise from Budapest to Amsterdam, I set a smaller goal: to share proper goal setting with fellow passengers. I reached that milestone on the Viking Ship Magni as we sailed through Germany. The photo for this article is from my presentation on board the Viking Ship Magni.

Over 15,000 miles of hitchhiking during two of my college years taught me valuable lessons about goal setting that I have used professionally. If SCAMPS can guide hitchhiking journeys and business achievements alike, imagine the impact it can have on your concrete business.

EXPECT SUCCESS!

Bill Humbert, www.RecruiterGuy.com,

*Cell 435-714-4425,

Bill@RecruiterGuy.com