August 31, 2000

With a little help from his friends

It takes more than a hammer and some nails to be successful in the construction business. Ask Randy Bosley, general contractor and owner of Sovereign Enterprises, Inc., and he'll say the tools include confidence, wisdom and good resources.

Randy Bosley, owner of Sovereign Enterprises, says the mentoring program at the Contractors Resource Center gave him practical advice and valuable business relationships. Photo by Lisa Lannigan

"I never knew I'd venture into construction as my No. 1 livelihood," Bosley says. He began in property management, which meant he also had to know something about repairs and renovations. "I always found myself doing rehabing," he says.

About 15 years ago, Bosley's brother persuaded him to try construction, starting out with three houses. "I got a little better with each one," he says. "I guess you'd call that a confidence builder."

But starting out on his own, Bosley soon found there were a lot of things about the business of building that he didn't understand. "I didn't really have a concept or direction. I didn't understand about software or bid packages," he says. "I had no true business experience relationships."

That is when Bosley found another tool for his toolbox: The Contractors Resource Center.

Sponsored by King County, the city of Seattle, and the Port of Seattle, the CRC also receives support from the Associated Builders and Contractors, Associated General Contractors and W.G. Clark Construction, as well as other area construction firms.

While skilled at their trade, small contractors often struggle with the business side of the industry, such as labor management or dealing with contracts and legal issues. The CRC offers training in areas such as financial management, bidding law and accident prevention.

"It's a place you can go for direction, information and resources," Bosley says.

The CRC is also where Bosley made much-needed industry contacts. "That is where I became aware of such organizations as ABC (Associated Builders and Contractors) and AGC (Associated General Contractors)," he says.

As a minority-owned business, Bosley was able to benefit from the center's mentoring program. Pat Oda of Shinstine Associates and Wally Ralkowski of Ledcor Industries offered him the advice and business contacts he needed to move his company forward. "They are still my mentors," Bosley says.

The advice was especially helpful when Bosley landed one of his first -- and biggest -- commercial jobs. Bosley was hired to construct a 65,000-square-foot addition to the 100,000-square-foot Church of God on Martin Luther King Jr. Way in Seattle.

"There were some new areas for me," he says. Oda and Ralkowski helped evaluate his strengths and weaknesses. "I could ask them any question and they would inform me, direct me and support me."

Bosley remembers one particular challenge that stood before him like a brick wall -- a 36-inch-thick brick wall to be exact.

"I looked at that wall forever," he says. Somehow, he had go through the wall without it collapsing. "I couldn't have the building fall down. I couldn't have anyone get hurt. I had to know what I was doing."

Bosley says that his mentors were able to find the engineering expertise and steel work he needed. "I was able to get steel engineers... the whole nine yards," he says. "Everything about it had to be engineered, specially constructed."

Once he found the resources he needed, Bosley says finishing the church addition wasn't that hard. "It really built me more than I built it," he says, wiser for the experience.

While he began with residential projects, now his work is mostly commercial. With the information he received from his mentors and the CRC, Bosley says he feels more equipped to handle bigger jobs. "I appreciate these organizations. If you don't have any experience, it's really intimidating."

Bosley says he recognizes that he wouldn't be where he is today without the help of his mentors and the CRC. "I have an opportunity to do real business," he says. "I just wouldn't have that kind of awareness."

Sovereign Enterprises is one of only 192 construction businesses in the state owned by African Americans, according to a 1992 survey by the U.S. Census Bureau. Sovereign Enterprises is registered as a Minority Business Enterprise, but Bosley says he's never relied on his MBE status to find work. "I never banked on... programs," he says. "I went after the certification -- anything that would enhance or promote by business... I think it looks good sometimes."

Bosley says he can remember times when the MBE status was an advantage -- such as a bank offering a lower loan rate or a project that preferred MBE certification. "It's got to be more of a plus than a minus," he says. Still, "There's so much opportunity out there, you don't have to hold on to that."

Today, Bosley says he's excited for the future. "I know I'm in this expansion period," he says. With a full-time staff of five and about 12 subcontractors working on a regular basis, Sovereign Enterprises expects to bring in about $600,000 this year. Recent and on-going projects include subcontracting jobs at the University of Washington and at Puget Sound Community College in Olympia; subcontracting under Ledcor on the Buffalo Building at 1124 Eastlake Ave. E.; a turnkey project in the Mount Baker district; and construction of a custom home.

Even the Sovereign office space will see some new construction. Bosley says he plans to tear down his office building -- a renovated former gas station on 15th Avenue South -- to construct a new building with more office space and about 18 residential units. "It's zoned mixed-use," he says. "You can see why we'd want to do that."

At the same time, Bosley says he doesn't plan to grow beyond his means. "I don't try to build bridges. I don't even mess with steel. You have to have the wisdom to know what skills you're messing with," he says. "I'm just going to stay composed."

While Sovereign Enterprises probably won't attempt to build a skyscraper anytime soon, the future may hold more subcontracting opportunities with the firms that do. "It's fashionable for the large companies to work with the smaller companies," Bosley says. "They are so in demand, their manpower is maxed out."

For example, companies like Turner Construction offer classes and maintain lists of firms they've trained for future subcontracting opportunities. "Everybody is busy," Bosley says.

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