Breck’s Journey Toward a Bigger, Smarter Operation

Getting a Smooth Takeoff – to Using Paving Company Software

Whether your business has some software or none, 2023 can be the year you make the investment that pays off. Hear how one company went from trying to buying to flying with software.

When Mike Bryant decided to buy Breck’s Paving, he brought a lifetime of asphalt experience—but very little software experience. He knew he could master the client work. But how to master the back-end business? He wasn’t sure.

That’s when he found OneCrew Software, a next generation software platform built specifically for paving companies. OneCrew had simple yet powerful tools and data-driven answers to ensure Breck’s would maximize their profitability going into one of their busiest summers yet.

Having this technology will allow us to grow bigger than a mom-and-pop shop,” Bryant says.

Breck’s is now well on its way to that goal, with a predicted $13 million revenue from a mix of commercial, residential and municipal work.

Paving company software like OneCrew can help businesses solve this and other big challenges they’re facing today. Here’s how.

Freeing Up Time to Pursue Growth Opportunities

Bryant’s goal to grow Breck’s to three times its current size in the first 10 years has one primary nemesis: Tedious administrative duties. When he purchased Breck’s, Bryant found “archaic” software and manual data management. It was beyond frustrating.

Solving for that complaint is why OneCrew exists. Ari Bleemer, CEO and co-founder Max Kostow felt the paving industry, especially businesses in transition, was “historically underserved” by tech companies.

Employee Flexibility in a Tough Labor Market

That’s not to say that print is dead. While OneCrew makes work orders and change orders easy to pull up and send to a customer immediately from a mobile device, it’s not the only way. Breck’s, as with any business, has plenty of “old school guys” who want a hard copy. They can get it from OneCrew. That’s important in attracting experienced workers.

Bryant says eventually he’d like everyone to go fully digital, since it’s so easy. But that’s not the goal when a tough labor market is his No. 1 challenge.

“Guys are not as loyal as they once were,” he laments. “We have to make all our money in this industry in 140 days, and it’s tough. We’re trying to find ways to make sure we stand out as a company.”

Today Breck’s has 28 employees. For up-and-coming young talent, a chance to use next gen tech and have everything they need on a smartphone is a selling point.

Accurate Estimates, Bids in Economic Uncertainty

As a new owner of an almost 70-year old company, Bryant feels the weight of both a legacy business and the employees who rely on him. He likens it to “having a large family.” Accurate estimates and prompt bids are the key to protecting that past and future, for “family” and family, Bryantand Wigginton agree.

“When you’re talking about going into economic uncertainty, one little slip-up on a million-dollar bid could cost you $100,000,” Wigginton says. “And when you’re bonded for these projects as an owner, your house is on the line.”

That’s especially important today. Competition is fierce. National chains are moving in on markets formerly considered too small and small-and medium-sized local operators are finding software like OneCrew to be the great equalizer for big jobs.

“I’ve seen more people at bid openings than I ever have,” Wigginton says.

Simplicity for Lean Management Teams

What makes a key performance indicator for one paving company may not be important to another. Bleemer says that‘s why OneCrew is so versatile.

“Ari and the group at OneCrew hear us and what we need,” Wigginton says. “OneCrew is set up for our business.”

Bleemer agrees, saying whatever your business prioritizes, simplicity should be at its core. “By having an all-in-one platform, you’re capturing all of that data in one place,” he says, “so you can really start to dig into it and get valuable, interesting metrics out of it.”

Those analytics are the secret sauce behind the new Breck’s. Bryant and Wigginton are optimistic for this busy season and beyond.

“My goal is to make sure I take care of employees and investors and to add benefit to our community and all of the employees’ families,” Bryant says. “We want to become one of the major players in central Ohio.”

And OneCrew is pivotal to that success– as Wigginton says: “I consider them a partner.”