Solution Building

If not, why do so many do it? This is the million-dollar question. And it actually may be. The amount of dollars lost by procrastinating is costing money and a lot of it. Decisions have consequences. Every decision we make every day comes with consequences. Some of those consequences may be good, some may not.

That’s a question that’s going to take some research! Have you ever noticed how stubborn people in construction are? From my experience, they are some of the most headstrong and obstinate people you’ll ever meet. It’s like they are so bullheaded that they’re not willing to make any changes. Why is that? We get into this in detail in this week's podcast!

Trying to spin too many plates at the same time can make you dizzy. The number of things we’re trying to get done just increases around the Holidays. I know the last couple of weeks I’ve have felt like I had a lot of plates spinning. Most construction companies operate this way, they’re trying to do too many things at a time. Just like the performer who keeps putting more and more spinning plates...

Dreams don’t magically build themselves. This includes a dream business. I had a wake up call through  my accident  in 2012. That was when it became clear to me that my business and life had been on autopilot without much intentionality. There was so much more that I wanted to accomplish. I had been going through the motions of living without acting on the plan.

And there’s more to the right tool than you might think.  There is a tool out there for every job, usually more than one. As cool as they all are,  they’re worthless if you don’t have them and don’t use them . The biggest “tool” problem is…the lack of “business BUILDing tools”.  Don't miss the Holiday Special on our Business BUILDing Toolbox beginning on Black Friday, Nov. 24th, when the toolbox w...

It’s like opening the perfect Christmas gift. Make your construction project like opening that gift on Christmas morning that you’ve always wanted. It doesn’t have to be a stocking full of coal. Finding the right builder is like doing a construction project, in that it’s not as scary as it seems if you know what questions to ask and have someone you trust guiding you.

And I don’t mean getting a stocking full of coal! It’s a little like a home construction project. Different people have had different construction experiences…some good and some not so much. The problem with construction is that there are more bad experiences than good, and it shouldn’t be this way. A home construction project should be like Christmas.

You would think so, but construction companies do it all the time. The reason most construction businesses are stuck here is fear. They are afraid that trying something different might not work. They choose the discomfort of the known over the unknown. It doesn’t have to be this way!

Do you think the construction business of your dreams is worth it? One of the biggest issues in construction is that most people in this industry are willing to do the hard physical work of building a building but will work even harder to avoid the work of building the business. Building the business of your dreams is a choice. If you would like some information about tools to help you build the c...

It’s really not that hard…it just requires a change of perspective. There are countless reasons that businesses fail, but just because other businesses fail, doesn’t mean yours will too. Being aware of and understanding these statistics increases your chance of survival. You can’t succeed if you don’t try. If you would like to learn more about BUILDing a successful construction business, you can s...

Because your company is too important to just roll the dice Why is it that people operating construction companies are willing to gamble with their business? This random hit and miss business model is an all-too-common practice in the construction industry. Somewhere along the way as we grow into the routine of life and business, we stop asking questions. UNDERSTANDING starts with asking questions...

It would be so much easier if there was only one problem to deal with. As complicated and overwhelming as the physical on-site construction portion is, the business part is equally daunting. Listen to this week's podcast to learn more about the top problems in the construction industry and some solutions that can help!

How to know what your number is and what you should do with it.  A construction company's bid-hit ratio is vital to the health of their business. This statistic provides a clear look at the type/price/size/etc. of projects that are most valuable to the company. 

Written communication is really the only way to avoid this problem. Whether it’s subcontractors or customers, the  communication responsibility lies with the general contractor . Verbal communication leaves too many things open to interpretation.

Wielding a power tool gives us a sense of control and respect. The feeling of that power in our hands is amazing. We are in control, but the machine can never be tamed. We have to respect it, or we will regret it. We pretend to be in charge of the “power tool beast”, but we know better.

Change can be scary; it might not work. We know our routines, and we like them. “We’ve always done it this way”, isn’t a very good plan for building a better business. Too many construction companies find themselves in a rut, and “rut thinking” doesn’t allow for building your dream business. So how do you get out of that rut and build the business you always dreamed of?

Knowing this could be the difference of life and death for your business. There are so many things trying to get on the “to do” list and each one is competing for the top position. Deciding which one should get that spot is tough. It’s easy to say that we have limited time but hard to actually spend it that way.

The best way is to have a Home Maintenance Plan! It’s easy for the busy activities of everyday life to consume us, and home maintenance gets overlooked. This is why I prepared a  Home Maintenance Plan and Check List . It’s available for free at our  Solution Building  website. Just follow the links and download it for free.

How can I sort through all of them and get them in the right order? Over the past several weeks we’ve discussed the importance of having a plan when it comes to building anything successfully. Part of that discussion was focused on having a clear and implementable business operating plan. It became pretty evident that designing, building, and implementing an SOP is a pretty big project. It’s a lot...

How an operating system can help your construction company navigate the business fog. It takes thousands of pieces to construct a building. If these pieces aren’t put together in the right place and in the right order, the end project is not what was expected. It might even lead to the building collapsing. This can be avoided with a clear plan and good communication. The same is true for a busines...

Like everything else in your business, the answer to that question is up to you. This week we'll be taking a closer look at SOPs and discussing the specifics of what you could choose to include in your company's standard operating procedures.

Why building a successful construction business requires having a plan. Over the past few weeks, we’ve discussed how building your business is critical to the success of your business and the importance of keeping your business in balance . After more than forty years of construction experience, I tend to view most things from a “building perspective". Today we’re going to compare once again build...

So, if it’s worth it…why is it not done? You probably guessed it already; this week’s topic is COMMUNICATION and the all-too-common lack of it. Because poor communication is such a big issue, I’ve written about it a lot. In a production meeting with a customer yesterday I was once again reminded of the importance of clear communication and…the lack of it.

It’s amazing how things become clear with a limited amount of time. What is  productivity ? Now there’s a question for you to answer. We have a limited amount of time in a day, a year, or a life. Productivity generally refers to the ability of an individual, team, or organization to work efficiently within that time in order to maximize output.

It’s hard to keep your business in balance without a plan. Most of us who are self-employed spend way too much time feeling like our businesses are out of control. We started our businesses with grand ideas and dreams. Then one day we woke up and wondered what in the world we were thinking. I recently finished reading the  E-Myth Revisited  by  Michael Gerber . As I read through the book I was rem...