Pick Up the Phone, Win the Client: How to Build a Client-First Company | Ep. 387

Daniel McCaulley left a cushy corporate engineering job to start Ultimus Engineering, a faith-based MEP, aquatics, and structural engineering firm in Texas. His bet? That clients would pay a premium for an engineer who actually picks up the phone. He was right.
On this episode of Construction Genius, Daniel and I dig into what it really takes to build a small engineering firm from scratch. We talk about his first hire that didn’t work out, why he moonlighted for two years before going full time, and how his faith shows up in the way he writes emails at 11 p.m. on a Tuesday.

Key Takeaways:

• – Remote work is a privilege, not a right. Small firms need people who understand that every hour is visible.
• – Daniel moonlighted for two years and saved a year of living expenses before going full time. Preparation beats hope.
• – Spending more time on engineering upfront saves money and headaches during construction. But you need the communication skills to sell that to clients.
• – Picking up the phone, turning around quotes in 24 hours, and being accessible are the simplest ways to separate yourself from the competition.
• – AI is a tool, not a personality replacement. If your emails sound like a robot and you sound like a human, you’ll lose trust faster than you think.

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Hiring Lessons from the Trenches

Daniel’s first full-time hire came from a larger company. The employee relocated for a remote role, and things went sideways within six months.

The issue wasn’t the job description. It was the gap between how a large company operates and how a small firm runs.

As Daniel put it: “If you have 2,000 billable hours, two hours is meaningless. If you have 20 billable hours, two extra hours is 10% of the project.” That visibility difference between a big org and a small one caught the new hire off guard.

The takeaway? When you’re hiring for a small firm, technical skill isn’t enough. You need people who understand that every hour and every deadline matters more when there’s nowhere to hide.

From Corporate Engineer to Business Owner

Daniel didn’t quit his job and hope for the best. He moonlighted for two years, saved a year’s worth of living expenses, and built a client base before going full time. Even then, it took eight months of that twelve-month runway before the company was paying for itself.

Why start at all? Daniel saw a gap in the market. Engineers who can communicate, who are relational, who treat client service like a first-class experience. That’s rare. And people will pay for it.

Why Spending More Engineering Time Upfront Pays Off

Daniel believes in doing the engineering work right before rushing to permitting. But not every client agrees. He shared a story about a sports bar project where the client and contractor pushed back on his grease trap recommendation. They wanted two smaller indoor units instead of the one larger outdoor unit Daniel suggested.

His response? He asked for written confirmation from the city. They said they’d checked. He proceeded.

He didn’t dig in and refuse. But he documented his recommendation and moved forward. That balance between standing your ground and staying collaborative is one of the hardest things to get right in engineering.

When to Fire a Client

Sometimes the best business decision is walking away. Daniel has declined work from repeat clients who consistently ignored recommendations, then blamed his team when things went wrong.

“Being willing to walk away often is more important than walking away itself,” I told Daniel. That willingness gives you grounding. It gives you authority. And it often brings clients back on better terms. Daniel agreed. He’s had clients leave over pricing, go with someone cheaper, and come back months later. His response? “My price is still my price.”

Faith, Emails, and the Human Side of Engineering

Daniel calls Ultimus a faith-based firm. What does that mean on a Tuesday night when a client is upset and a deadline is slipping? It means rewriting the email. Then rewriting it again. It means asking: if this were a face-to-face conversation, would I say it this way?

“We are charged to be providers of light,” Daniel said. “You can’t control the instant thoughts that come in your head, but you control what you do with those thoughts.”

AI, Client Retention, and the Power of Picking Up the Phone

Daniel uses AI to help draft difficult emails. He feeds it his pain points and asks it to help him write something factual and calm. That’s a smart use of the tool. But he’s also cautious. If your AI emails sound nothing like you in person, you lose credibility. Fast.

The real differentiator? Picking up the phone. Daniel says he hears it almost every week from clients. “Thank you for picking up the phone when I called you.” That’s all it takes. Be accessible. Be responsive. Turn around a quote in 24 hours. Those basics separate you from most of your competition.

If your client retention isn’t what you’d like, don’t just look at your technical work. Look at whether the human interaction is there. Ask yourself: when’s the last time a client thanked you for picking up the phone?

Resources

Connect with Daniel McCaulley:

Website: https://ultimus.engineering

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielmccaulley

Email: dmccaulley@ultimusengineering.com

Phone: 214-384-7762