Despite facing a challenging first year as an owner, contractor Wade Helms maintains a positive outlook down in southern Florida. “They say the first year you buy the business is the toughest. It’s never the same when you’re the captain of the boat,” he said.
In June 2010, Helms bought out his brother’s business and became president of Edd Helms Air Conditioning & Electric (Miami). But since he took over, he has tried to continue thinking like a manager — not an investor. According to Helms, this approach has differentiated his company as being driven by customer relationships instead of quarterly financial reports. Plus, his long-term perspective allows him to look forward to a bright future.