As some of you know, Nina and I had our future home in Ashland, Ore., remodeled by an earnest young contractor named Michael Hodgin, whose company is Coleman Creek Construction.

When you go to the company’s website, check out “The Process.” It is remarkable how much Michael has made his own from what Nina and I showed him as we worked together in 2008. When Michael decided to work with us he did so with the intent of learning as much as possible from us.

Recently, an article about Michael and his business was published locally. Before it was published, Michael emailed me to say that as he listened to himself while he was being interviewed, he realized so much of what he now regards as second nature came from his experience working with Nina and I. That made me feel great! (By the way: By the way, the three people in the pictures are Michael, myself and Nina. Neat!)

As our remodel was planned and done, we were showing Michael The Winans Way, the collection and processes and systems and attitudes that we had developed while we ran our company. When we were running our company, I would give the occasional presentation at out [National Association of the Remodeling Industry] chapter, highlighting some system or process that was part of The Winans Way. I figured that sharing this info with our competitors would raise the bar for our industry.

What is your “Way,” your “Process?” Write it down; better yet, teach it to others. By taking the time to do that, you become even better at helping your employees bring it to life while working with your company’s clients. And who knows? You might help someone else be a bit more successful in this tough business! —Paul Winans, a veteran remodeler, is a facilitator for Remodelers Advantage and a consultant to remodeling business owners.