Each year, we make a pilgrimage to South Dakota, west of the Missouri River, near the Black Hills, to spend a few days with our friends at Lame Johnny Ranch. We spend our days chasing pheasants wherever the dogs’ noses lead us. This was my 30th year to make the trip, and I’ve watched as …
If there is one constant in life, it’s change. When it comes to habits, things swing one way, then another, before finding the equilibrium for a while. Then the cycle starts over. We’re starting to see that trend in retail. For years, we’ve heard “brick and mortar retail is doomed,” but it seems the pendulum …
A Greek poet by the name of Archilochus famously said, “The fox knows many things, but the hedgehog knows one big thing.” In this conflict, a fox would seem to be an obvious winner, “but not so fast,” as Lee Corso might say. Foxes are sleek, quick and sneaky, spending their time devising strategies to be …
I think it’s safe to say that all the lighting and HVAC systems on our projects these days are high-efficiency and have some kind of “smart” element, from lighting controls to building automation systems. We’ve recently been working more with PoE (Power over Ethernet) systems. Oversimplified, the network not only controls the lighting and comfort but powers …
For some, the idea of “sales” is a little too comfortable, and they push products and services before it’s appropriate. For others, making a pitch is uncomfortable. I would argue both sides are approaching things wrong. This week, I had lunch with a friend, a prospect and customer relationship in the making, whose son plays Division 1 …
My FMI buddies always say that culture eats strategy for breakfast. I recently attended a workshop where the topic of corporate culture was addressed and compared to corporate climate, a subject that is perhaps equally important. Here’s the short version on both, a mash up of what was said that day and what I have learned …
In any kind of buy and sell, the customer experience is the differentiator. It’s where repeat business is earned or lost. This sounds simple, but we all know it’s hard to execute. In four decades of construction, I’ve yet to see a project that was delivered without any problems. Some are small, some large, but …
Natural light “sells.” Whether in an office or education environment, people will always perform better in the presence of natural light. We’re also seeing natural light play a bigger role in our projects, from both a productivity and an energy savings perspective. “Daylight harvesting” is the idea of using natural light to offset energy consumption. …
Since the first of the year, there has been lots of buzz about Opportunity Zones. Many know the program as part of the Tax Overhaul Act of 2017, developed to encourage private investment in economically distressed communities in exchange for a break in capital gains tax obligations. In this program, investors may fund a variety of …
The construction calendar is predictable: Rain or snow delays in the winter. Heat concerns in the summer. We’re building a job outside Dallas right now that has dealt with both. We had what seemed like monsoons for weeks and have finally gotten 2-3 weeks of good (but hot) weather. When the temperature of fresh-mixed concrete …
Next month, we will be starting another conversion, this time transforming a vintage Greyhound bus station into cool office space, maintaining classic bus station features. Our customer is having fun with the project and has purchased two vintage buses to park outside, as if ready to load passengers. They might be used as conference rooms …
Today marked the conclusion of the 24th World Scout Jamboree, where 45,000 Scouts from 167 countries came together at the Summit Bechtel Reserve. For 2 weeks, the Scouts participated in skill challenges, learning a bit more about each other’s countries, enjoying diverse food and more importantly, learning to respect each other’s differences in religion and …