In this episode, we talk to Michael Howell, P.E., SE, president and owner of Arrow Engineering. Mike is a licensed structural engineer who has experience as both a contractor and a designer. He specializes in providing engineering services for design-build projects and has experience in several different types of projects. We talk to Michael about starting your own engineering company. Engineering Quotes: Here Are Some of the Questions We Ask Michael: When and why did you decide to go into business? What would you say are the most important attributes of a successful engineering business? How do you remain people-focused and prioritize the needs of your employees? What are some of the most rewarding and least rewarding aspects of starting your own engineering company? What would you say is the difference between self-employment and growing a business? What effects did the COVID-19 pandemic have on small startup businesses? What advice do you have for our listeners who are maybe thinking of starting an engineering company, especially in these tough times we are living in? Here Are Some of the Key Points Discussed About Starting Your Own Engineering Company: If you feel as though you do not fit well into other firms’ systems, maybe starting your own engineering company is the right path to take. You might find things in the company you work for that do not make sense or need updating. Look at the business side of things and see if you have a passion for it. If you do, then start looking for opportunities where you can start your own engineering company. Getting an MBA (or other advanced degree) may help you in getting to know the business side of an engineering company. Combining it with your past engineering experience will be an advantage for you and your engineering company. When starting your own engineering company, success will look a lot different to you than to a company that has been around for 50 years. Be an expert, be passionate, and be a servant. To be an expert, you and your team must strive to be well-educated and continually be engaged in the concept of life-long learning. If you are going to be successful at anything, you must be passionate about it. You became an engineer to serve. If your engineering company does not embody the servant attitude, then it will not be very successful. Engineers are well-equipped to be independent and to be professionals. We strive to be experts in our fields and businesses. If you employ high-caliber engineers in your own engineering company, then it is your company's purpose to allow those engineers to be the best that they can be. Know what their goals are, where they want their careers to be, what type of projects they want to work on, what their philosophy is, and why they chose to do this profession. It will help you understand what they feel successful about and what makes them motivated. If you are thinking of starting your own engineering company, you must be prepared to work twice as hard and longer hours than what you are currently doing. The best part of having your own engineering company is having employees. Having a team that you can help to grow and be successful is very rewarding. Even the hard days, the late nights, the long hours, and the weekend work have been rewarding. The most difficult part of starting your own engineering company is not having any rulebooks or guidelines that you can follow. You are the one who makes the decisions, and that can cause you to feel self-doubt and insecurity because you are responsible for your lifestyle and income. To leave the company you work for and become self-employed is a commendable decision to make. There is, however, a big difference between being self-employed and trying to grow a business.