Uncovering foundations for sustainable growth at AB Heritage

Two areas of the course stood out to Andy: organisational structure and processes and procedures. 

The course prompted Andy to rethink how decisions moved through the business. Previously, questions could quickly work their way upwards towards him, even when they related to technical work he was no longer directly involved in. 

“I needed a way of working that had me sitting outside the technical team and this conveyed clearly to the team.” 

The company also turned years of informal knowledge into formal processes, creating a digital library covering areas including costing, invoicing, report writing and report reviews. 

“We’ve now done that and put it into a digital library. If somebody wants to know, ‘How do we cost a project?’ there’s a rule set. ‘How do we invoice a project?’ There’s a rule set.” 

For Andy, the benefit was straightforward: giving people the information they needed to solve problems themselves. 

“If you formalise a procedure and give people something they can refer to, it becomes much quicker and easier for them to find answers themselves.” 

The changes have also altered how Andy and his senior colleague respond when employees have questions. 

Rather than immediately providing an answer, they now ask: “What do you think?”, “What do you recommend?” and “What options have you considered?” 

“By putting the question back to them, we help them develop the confidence to trust their own judgement and do the job they already know they can do.” 

The approach has reduced the number of routine decisions reaching senior management, giving Andy more time to focus on strategic priorities including marketing, Google Ads, financial planning and workforce capacity. 

The change has also freed Andy and his senior colleague from what he describes as acting as an internal help desk. 

“Formalising standards, procedures and quality processes that had existed in an ad hoc way for a decade has been a massive gain for us.

The additional capacity has helped AB Heritage focus more closely on business development. 

Andy says monthly qualified leads have increased from around 30–36 to approximately 60–70. Quarterly turnover has risen from roughly £120,000 to £170,000, a growth of over 40%, while overheads have not increased at the same rate. 

The business has also increased its technical full-time-equivalent workforce from around 6.5 to 8.7, while maintaining profitability. 

While several factors have contributed to these results, Andy says the course has helped him plan growth more effectively. 

“Now I’m able to look properly at what we actually need in terms of resourcing.” 

Since the course, he has introduced a detailed view of staffing costs, overheads and capacity, allowing the business to make more informed decisions about when and how to recruit. 

“We’ve achieved a combination of increased turnover and maintained profitability, which is superb news from our side.” 

The course’s mentoring element was another important part of the experience. Andy’s mentor helped him distinguish between his responsibilities as an employee, director and owner, and clarify what his role as Managing Director should be. 

The mentoring helped Andy recognise that leadership meant stepping back from delivery and focusing on the direction of the business. 

“As an owner-Managing Director, my responsibilities are to set the route we want to take, establish the aims and make sure we get there profitably and safely. 

“If I’m doing that, I can’t also do everything else.” 

Andy says the mentoring helped him apply the course learning directly to the challenges facing AB Heritage. 

“I think it’s one of the best additions to the course because it allows you to frame what you’re learning in real time.” 

For Andy, the biggest change is not simply that AB Heritage is growing. It is that the growth feels controlled. 

“The growth we’re pursuing now is different from those early years. We will reach a point where the company is the right size for us, and this time I’m confident we’ll have the structure and systems needed to sustain it.” 

The business is continuing to strengthen its systems, training and processes so employees have the tools they need to work confidently and independently. 

Andy’s ambition is to create a business that is professional, secure and enjoyable to work in, rather than one that is constantly reacting to the latest project or problem. 

Ultimately, Andy wants the foundations being put in place to create a smoother and more resilient business. 

“You can never guarantee that a company will last. But the course gives us added assurance that we’ve done everything we possibly can to give AB Heritage the best chance of survival.” 

Find out more about the Help to Grow: Management Course here.