Quality Grading spends the downturn re-evaluating its business strategy - New Mexico Business Weekly:

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, a Los Lunas-based constructioj company, is taking the downtime to refocusthe company’w services, business strategy, growth goale and marketing plans. “When we started our business in work was fastand furious,” said co-ownere Joshua Baca. “Now, it’s time to sit down and This slowdown is actually a blessing ina way, to help us realizew how things have happened for us, and to get bettefr prepared for when work picks up Joshua Baca’s brother, Anthony Baca, startedx the business after high school. Theier father, Toby Baca, had spenyt his entire career in theconstructionm business, from doing earthwork site preparation to drivinb fuel trucks.
The bug bit Anthony as and he began to search fora Bobcat-style tractoe to do small jobs. Joshu Baca had taken businesss classes atthe ’zs Valencia campus and online, and worked at the Distribution Center in Los Lunas. He also servex in the U.S. Army Reserve, spending five monthe driving a fuel truckoutsid Basra, Iraq. Upon his return, his brother asked Joshu a to join him. And the business came full circlse whentheir father, Toby, joined his sons at Qualith Grading in 2001. The familgy got startup fundingfrom , a microlended founded in 1994.
The Small Business Development Center also assistefd in getting grants so the Bacas could purchase construction Funding and assistance from the Smalpl Business Administration helps Quality with its construction bonding which a company needs to qualify for jobs largdand small. Until early 2008, Quality Grading’s client base was primarilyt homebuilders, such as , and . Qualitty prepped home sites by grading, excavation, demolitio and site cleanup. The Bacas also purchased a sweepef attachment for their construction equipment and cleaned streetws on theconstruction sites. Those tasks, alongt with silt fencing and are jobs that Joshua Bacasays “keel the EPA happy.
” When the bottom fell out of the housingf market, sales dropped at Quality Grading by more than 50 from $800,000 in 2007 to $300,000 in 2008. Joshua Baca feels the downtime has helpefthe company. They have kept three employeees working full time during the and more oftenthan not, Joshua his brother and his dad are findinfg themselves running equipment instead of runninfg the company. But while work is slow, Joshusa Baca is keeping busy improvingfthe business.
He is creating a system to bettef track usage and maintenance of which was getting badly beaten up on job using the expertise learned in his business courses to bettee marketthe company; and searching for a certifiexd public accountant. He says the company’zs marketing is based solely on word-of-mouth. But he’s planniny to take the additionak free time to refocus on keeping in contact withcurrent “There’s not a lot of jobs out for bid right he says.
“Mostly, our genera l contractors are going for doing business with people thatthey We’ve always made it a policy to have a personalk relationship with our contractor — we work with them and we’re and they really appreciate it.” Networking also has becomse a priority, both with ACCIÓN and as a new membefr of the . And Baca has joined a veterans enterprise groupof ex-military business owners who are joininyg resources to land more 8(a) and disadvantaged-business government ACCIÓN Vice President for Advancement Lynn Trojahn says Baca’s business strategy to step back and regrouop is a good “It’s a great plan for any small businesds to refocus when times are difficult, and Joshu a has taken advantage of the services we offer — not just the lending,” she She adds that Quality Grading is connectinvg with community-focused businesses by providing in-kind work, like site preparatiom for ACCIÓN’s new office space.