thank you for replying to my posts, first and foremost. Although I'll consider advice from anyone, I was particularly pleased to receive replies from two people whose postings I always view as being constructive and helpful.
My turnover year one was just over £150k, with business split 60/40 between builders cleans and offices/commercial premises.
I employ supervisors at all sites, and take advantage of the ESF to get free training in Heath & Safety. Net effect of that is that they are then viewed, in theory if not always in practice, to carry out their own risk assessments and site inductions and reducing the amount of visits I need to make to sites.
I have one manager for the building cleans, but I am still required, as the CIS6 holder, to present myself at new building contracts and to 'book in' works completed and my time is being stretched between site visits, management and sales (we all know how time consuming tender documents are) with new sales being the usual loser.
My current thinking, perhaps affected by post holiday blues (my first full week off since I started; nothing like self pity to help decision making
) and an appointment with a solicitor next week to extract money from a builder who really doesnt want to pay me, is that someone with a vested interest in the business will always be more cost aware than someone on salary and bonus, and that if you have someone with a stake, you can devolve rather than delegate to that person.
I think that, in partnership with someone competent, turnover and profit is always going to be better than doing it yourself. The more experienced among you might be able to tell me otherwise.
Anyway, thanks for the advice thus far.
Callum