Three Generations, One Reputation
Patterson Construction has been putting roofs over Arizona homes since 1958, when Harold Benard Patterson founded the company on a simple premise: do the work right, every time. More than six decades later, that promise still holds — Patterson Construction has never had a single complaint filed against its contractor’s license in its entire history, and it has left thousands of customers satisfied along the way. Today, the business is run by Harold Benard’s grandsons, who carry the weight of that legacy seriously. But a reputation built over 60 years doesn’t automatically translate into a business built to keep growing for 60 more — and that’s where the real work began.
A Legacy Business Facing Modern Growing Pains
Despite its long track record, Patterson Construction was running into the same operational friction that catches up with almost every growing contracting business eventually. Workflows and processes around client and project management were disorganized, and the company’s growth strategies and marketing engines lacked the consistency needed to build stable, strategic working relationships with builders and partners. Internally, the organizational structure was vague enough that position descriptions and roles weren’t clearly defined, which led to overlapping responsibilities and friction among team members. And underneath it all was real uncertainty about the company’s financial trajectory — specifically, how much capital it would take to fund revenue growth and build the credit foundation a construction business needs to take on bigger work.
Rebuilding the Business Behind the Brand
Waters Business Consulting Group worked with Patterson Construction’s leadership to address those gaps systematically. That meant developing a financial model that gave ownership a true picture of margins and the revenue driven by each sale, building out a clear organizational structure that defined roles and responsibilities as the team grew, and mapping a workflow process that traced every job from first client contact through completion. Key performance indicators were introduced to create accountability across the organization, and the engagement also included a hard look at company investments — software, processes, and hiring — that could improve productivity. Just as importantly, the work helped leadership articulate a clear vision and culture for the business, something a 60-year-old company doesn’t always take the time to formalize on its own.
From Legacy to Leverage
The results gave the Patterson family a business that finally matched the strength of its reputation. Ownership now has a clear understanding of the company’s financial strengths and weaknesses, bringing real confidence and direction — and noticeably less day-to-day stress. Sales are projected to exceed $8 million with improving net profits, and the company has secured partnerships with major national and international builders on key projects, with additional bids in the pipeline. The team has added culturally aligned talent that supports growth while freeing ownership to focus on leadership rather than getting pulled into daily operations, and the organization now operates with greater purpose and independence. Perhaps most valuable for a family business planning its future, leadership now has real visibility into the key metrics that drive the pipeline, financial performance, and day-to-day operations — the kind of visibility that makes it possible to hand a healthy, well-run company to the next generation.
Building a Business That Outlasts You
Legacy businesses carry a unique kind of pressure: the obligation to honor what came before while still building for what’s ahead. Waters Business Consulting Group helps multi-generational companies like Patterson Construction put the structure, financial clarity, and accountability in place to grow confidently without losing what made them successful in the first place.
Contact Waters Business Consulting Group to schedule a free consultation.
