Case Study: Building a Business That Can Outlast Its Founder
Asher, Tova, and Brian. Image courtesy Steveworks
Steveworks
Introduction
For more than a decade, Steveworks has been navigating a significant business transition: evolving from a family-owned construction company into a worker-owned cooperative.
For Asher and the Steveworks team, the goal wasn't simply to transfer ownership. It was to build a stronger, more resilient company where leadership, responsibility, and decision-making could be shared while preserving the values and craftsmanship the company was built on.
HELM has worked alongside Steveworks throughout that evolution, providing construction-specific business guidance as the company's needs have changed.
The Challenge
Changing who owned the company was only one piece of the transition.
Processes that had lived in family conversations needed to be documented. Decisions that relied on experience and intuition needed more structure. Leadership responsibilities needed to extend beyond the family.
At the same time, Steveworks was navigating family succession, a new ownership model, a developing management team, and the systems needed to support all of it.
Asher reflects:
“The transition happens over a very long period of time because of how many things actually change.”
The team learned that transitioning a business isn't a single event. It's an ongoing process of changing how the business operates, how people lead, and how decisions get made.
Why HELM
HELM became an ongoing business advisor for Steveworks, bringing construction-specific expertise to the business side of the transition.
The work has included budgeting and financial reviews, job descriptions, management practices, leadership coaching, accountability, and business systems.
Asher describes HELM as providing:
“Construction business guideposts along the journey.”
One of the most valuable parts of that relationship has been having an outside perspective during difficult decisions.
“The biggest benefit to us is having somebody outside of our family weigh in on decisions that were pretty ingrained in how we were dealing with them.”
That perspective helped keep conversations focused on what was best for the business while creating more space for non-family leaders to participate in decisions and leadership.
The Impact
Today, Steveworks has more structure around how the business operates and how decisions get made.
The company has strengthened:
Leadership and management structure
Budgeting and business review processes
Accountability and decision-making
Leadership development beyond ownership
Business systems and processes
Just as importantly, the team has changed how it thinks about business development and outside support.
Asher once expected the transition to eventually be “done.” Instead, he has come to see change as an ongoing part of running a construction company.
“Young me thought this transition would happen and then everything would plateau... I'm realizing there are ongoing peaks and troughs.”
HELM continues to provide perspective and support as Steveworks navigates those changes.
Advice to Other Builders
For other construction business owners, one of Asher's biggest lessons is to recognize that meaningful transition takes time, and to build structure before you desperately need it.
“Anybody who's been doing everything by the seat of their pants for a couple of years and wants more stability should work with HELM.”
Whether a company is growing, developing new leaders, or preparing for an ownership transition, having an outside advisor who understands construction can provide accountability, perspective, and practical support along the way.
Looking Ahead
Steveworks' transition is still evolving, and so is the business.
The work isn't about reaching a point where everything is finished. It's about continuing to build the leadership, systems, and business practices that allow the company to adapt and thrive over time.
