Growing Pains: Managing Rapid Growth in Your Asphalt Paving Business
- Kevin Gray
- May 7
- 2 min read
Kevin and Phil discuss how to navigate intense business growth while maintaining quality customer experiences
Introduction
In this candid Sunday livestream conversation, Kevin Gray shares how Pave It Forward has experienced exponential growth in just its second season, already matching nearly 90% of last year's total production in just the first few weeks of spring. Phil and Kevin dive deep into the challenges of scaling operations, maintaining quality, and making strategic decisions about expansion while preserving work-life balance.
Key Topics Covered
Managing Explosive Growth
Pave It Forward has already produced 75-80% of last year's total volume by early May
The sales pipeline remains consistently full, with 30-45 jobs under contract at all times
Systems that worked for a smaller operation are being strained by increased demand
Quick response time (within 48 hours) to new leads is becoming more challenging
Equipment Assessment Approaches- Financial tracking systems and KPIs
Consider dealership evaluations for comprehensive diagnostics
Understand when in-house maintenance is sufficient versus professional service
Clean equipment thoroughly before evaluation to save on service costs
Develop detailed checklists for different types of equipment
Strategic Business Expansion
Evaluating when to split into specialized crews (paving, prep, seal coating)
Maintaining relationships with trusted subcontractors for milling, concrete, and striping
Calculating the economics of bringing specialized services in-house versus subcontracting
Balancing immediate operational needs with long-term business development
The Customer Experience
Maintaining consistent, high-quality customer interactions despite rapid growth
Leveraging small maintenance jobs to build relationships that lead to larger projects
Delivering the same level of quality regardless of project size
"You can't keep doing the right things and get the wrong results"
Implementing Growth Strategies:
To successfully manage rapid growth in your paving business:
Focus on customer experience first: Maintain responsive communication even as demand increases
Identify potential bottlenecks: Look for systems that worked at a smaller scale but are now breaking down
Develop leadership in your team: Find and nurture employees who can take ownership of quality control
Plan strategically, not reactively: Anticipate further growth rather than scrambling to keep up
Balance work and personal life: Create sustainable systems that don't require 100+ hour work weeks
Episode Length: 48 minutes of practical paving business wisdom
Resources Mentioned:
Connect with Kevin:
on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kevgray
thru email: kevin@paveitforwardllc.com
Connect with Phil:
on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-metzger/
thru email: phil@mirrormvp.com
