#429: How to Engineer Business Value: Scaling Smart, Hiring Right, and Creating Freedom with Rens Hayes

Most business owners go through a pivotal moment—their first real look behind the curtain at how buyers value companies. For Rens Hayes, that moment came when he went through a sale and due diligence process for his father’s structural steel business. What he learned from that experience completely changed how he approached building and scaling his own company, H&O Structural Engineering.

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In this episode of Independence by Design™, Rens and I break down how he engineered his business for value creation, using Ken Sanginario’s Engineer’s Value Opportunity Profile (VOP) as his roadmap. Instead of scaling haphazardly, Rens built his company by systematically improving the eight functional areas that drive business valuation—the same areas buyers care about most.  

Rens and his partner have taken a deliberate approach to aligning cash flow, valuation timelines, and growth goals, ensuring that every dollar reinvested moves them closer to financial independence. Whether you are preparing for an eventual exit or simply want to build a business that works for you instead of the other way around, this conversation is packed with insights that will change the way you think about scaling, hiring executives, and managing risk.

Rens Hayes is a structural engineer and entrepreneur who transformed H&O Structural Engineering by applying enterprise value principles to modernize the traditional engineering industry. After experiencing due diligence firsthand, he shifted from operator to owner mindset, implementing Ken Sanginario's Value Opportunity Profile to align business growth with long-term value creation. Hayes helps real estate developers maximize returns through strategic design and cost-efficient engineering, while sharing insights on scaling, capital allocation, and executive hiring—expertise valuable for business owners seeking to build wealth-generating enterprises rather than just larger companies.

Chapters:  

• (00:00) Ryan and Rens reconnect after several years and discuss their shared experience in Ken Sanginario's CVGA training program 

• (02:16) Rens’ journey with H&O Structural Engineering and his decision to not take over his family's steel business 

• (04:07) The importance of organized financial data and M&A understanding 

• (07:10) Ken's eight business functions framework and how small business owners often excel in only a few areas 

• (11:24) Risk assessment and the strategic approach to capital deployment in business growth 

• (15:19) Personal drive, potential, and the relationship between noble goals and motivation 

• (21:47) Rens' relationship with co-founder Jeremiah 

• (34:23) Marketing strategy in professional services, development of compelling offers 

• (43:13) Data-driven decision-making in marketing and sales efforts 

• (49:51) Transitioning from founder-led to executive team leadership 

• (56:47) Open book management and team-wide bonus structures tied to company performance 

• (1:31:47) Developing a predictable revenue engine as a foundation for strategic executive hiring 
  
  
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