Last week, I took a course called Practical Construction Law presented by Smith, Hancock and Currie. It was a great course for contractors, designers and owners alike, and highly I recommend it. They teach it several it times a year. I believe what made the course unique was the passion of delivery. These guys really …
I’ve heard it a million times: “Actions speak louder than words.” In a country like the U.S., where we vote with our dollars, that becomes even more true. We make a demand and the supplier who meets it wins the sale. Sometimes the government—the officials we elected to regulate policy—can give a push to make …
Next week Birmingham will host the Green Building Focus Conference and Expo. Experts in the field will be here—Karan Grover from India, Llewellyn Van Wyk from South Africa and Dr. Charles Kibert to name a few. It’s a gathering of like-minded individuals who are interested in sustainable designs and construction, conservation, recycling and reuse. Each …
We were asked recently to help one of our customers with a damaged concrete sidewalk. Sounds simple enough, but it wasn’t just any sidewalk. This one was elevated and it was absolutely necessary for this office facility that the sidewalk remain navigable for the tenants through out the repair process. In years past, if someone …
When I met with a commercial real estate professional this week, we opened our conversation with the standard “Well, how is your business?” He said his problem is missing opportunities between connects. The rule in their company is to make contact with their prospects every 6 months. The problem? If a prospect has an opportunity …
In these economic times, the fledging days of our business come to mind often. I learned a lot from my experiences. Hopefully, the account I share here can save you some time and trouble… In 1984, our very first customer had just raised $30 million dollars through an IPO and we were going to build …
I cannot imagine these times without the partners who work alongside us. Our folks really need to be multiple places at the same time looking for opportunities. (Since there are fewer opportunities right now.) We cannot do it alone. These partners keep their radar up for us and we gladly reciprocate. To me, this is …
This morning we resolved a disagreement involving a large piling and timber wall we constructed in Ohio. How? We finally got everyone together in one room and we talked. It got me thinking about how we used to resolve disputes. It was similar to a boxing match, when the two sides would spar for a while …
Many of today’s great U.S. companies were founded at the height of the Great Depression. Charles and Joseph Revlon introduced a new opaque nail polish. College classmates Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard started an electronics firm that became technology giant HP. Texas Instruments, Tyson Foods, Ethan Allen and Polaroid all began in the 30s as …
Our company likes a good bargain, and we are not alone. Entire organizations have been built using business models around the simple premise of selling products for less. With the economy continuing to lag, there remains considerable downward pressure on pricing. I sometimes struggle with the notion that “cheaper is better.” We all know that’s …
This week, I received an interesting Fast Company article about the details of Van Halen’s contract with concert promoters. There is a clause that the band should always be provided with M&M’s backstage and that none should be brown. At first glance it seems picky and eccentric, but if you think about it, the …
In this economy, there are advantages to being moderate in size. Our company is not one of the 50 largest construction companies in the country. We do not have the same resources that our larger competitors maintain. But we are nimble. Being “right sized” in any field can be a real plus. It’s easier for …