John Tejada Decides to Open a Home Office

John Tejada Decides to Open a Home Office

John Tejada worked for Scales Construction and Development in Tucson for more than 20 years. He started as a helper on job sites during summers while he was in college. Robert Scales, the founder and President, was impressed with John and offered him a full-time job after John graduated with a B.A. in Architecture. Over the next 20 years, John worked as a job-site foreman, estimator, and project manager. Although Scales Construction focused on residential development, they also served as the general contractor on commercial projects such as strip malls, schools, and small office buildings.

John enjoyed the varied nature of the work, the ability to be outside an office during much of the work day, and the opportunities the Scales company gave him to expand his skills. Last week, Mr. Scales informed the staff that he had decided to retire and would be selling the business to The Corbett Group, a much larger development company. Corbett announced that they would not be keeping any of the staff from Scales.

John decided that it was time to go out on his own. He had good skills and knowledge of the construction and residential development businesses. He knew many people in the industry who he felt would be a good source of projects. To keep his costs low, at least while he was getting started and working on his own, John wanted to open a home office by converting his guest room. His wife was supportive of the plan and offered to help the business three or four hours a day, but she was concerned about how effective a work environment it would be given that they had a 12-year-old daughter and a 9-year-old son.

John needs to make a plan of very specific strategies to make his home-based business successful.

Case Questions:

1. What is the best way for his wife to contribute to the business ?
2. How can he make his business look established and professional to clients?
3. What technology , such as computers , telephones , beepers , and wireless Internet, could he use to make his business more efficient while improving service to clients?
4. Should he keep to a fixed work schedule, including being away from the house when his children come home from school?
5. How will he manage if additional people are required to work as estimators, architects, project managers, or bookkeepers?
6. Where will he hold client meetings?