Short-term thinking gets us to tomorrow. A well-executed strategy illuminates the future and builds the bridge to get there. Without a well-executed strategy, the future most of us want will always seem one step ahead and out of reach. But despite all of the complex stuff keeping you up at night and thwarting your [...]
With few exceptions, business owners in our industry aren’t known for disciplined strategic planning when it comes to profit. Instead, we’re known for being busy. That’s not a critique; just a fact. But profit is much more than just a good idea or an afterthought. Now, busy in the sense of having a lot of projects [...]
Every business owner dreams of having a company that runs without them; to sit back and enjoy the fruit of their labor without the pressure and stress of the daily grind. In the crazy world of the construction industry especially, the emotional wear and tear can be unbearable. So why don’t we do that? Is [...]
Demand! The one thing we all want and need is to be in demand – to be needed, wanted and possess the assurance that our business is relevant in the marketplace. But the ever-changing world of the construction business has a way of creating its share of ongoing uncertainty and apprehension, especially as witnessed [...]
It goes without saying; these are unique and unprecedented times like none of us has lived through before. The economic crisis of 2008-09 did massive damage for a large segment of the population, but the COVID-19 crisis exempts no one. We are all in it and all being impacted in some way. It has [...]
Of the many responsibilities we are called to every day in the construction business, one stands out as underserved and neglected – inspiration. At its core, leadership is inspiration. It’s taking people somewhere on purpose; moving them to act of their own volition, to follow, support and devote themselves to the mission at [...]
Author Jim Collins has elegantly noted that in business, “Good is the enemy of Great”[1]. In his fascinating study of “Great”[2] companies compared to “Good” companies, those defined as “Good” found it too easy to settle for mediocrity and failed to produce consistent profit. “Great” companies however, stood out from good by virtue [...]
The building industry is loaded with opportunity unlike any we’ve seen since pre-2008. That translates into a terrific season to grow your building business and capture blazing profits. Taking away two nearly insurmountable obstacles of the past; lack of customers in the marketplace and lack of available financing, builders are left with an open door [...]
No one goes into business with the intention of losing money. Yet a preoccupation with busyness often short circuits our decision making ability and prevents us from capturing small opportunities that can make a big difference on the bottom line. The inclination to stay busy is natural, but adopting the daily discipline to seek only the most productive activities is wisdom; the [...]
I received an encouraging phone call from a client this morning who had been struggling for most of his business life with a challenge that plagues many (if not most) small business owners. Though his product is excellent, and there is clearly a demand for it in the marketplace, his success ratio for capturing more [...]
