PEOPLE of Construction

Business Tips for First-Time Business Owners

(Fourth in a series of Five)

This is the fourth blog in a series of five and I have decided to stay on the outskirts of the plans and specifications and the many terms and conditions of engagement and talk about three more intangible business points that I feel are important and will help you get a seat at the table and maybe the next table. 

The three points we will discuss in this blog are very close cousins to the prior blogs on visibility, respect, and communication.  We will talk about what it means to participate, the importance of promoting your company and a more comprehensive topic that takes in a little of everything we have discussed to date, that of engagement.  I feel like this is three points rolled into one as each point has just a bit of different meaning. 

Now would be a good time to take a short break and read or re-read the first three blogs.  You will find them on my website at PEOPLEofConstruction.org or shoot me an email at PEOPLEofConstruction@gmaill.com and I will send you a complete set.

As mentioned before, all points discussed go side by side with each other; they are all in same family.  Each owner and each GC or CM look for different traits of a business and the business owner, but all will say that the various points discussed in these blogs are not only important to a successful project, but they are also essential.

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POINT NUMBER ONE, TWO AND THREE—ROLLED INTO ONE: PARTICIPATE.  PROMOTE. ENGAGEMENT.

I have worked with a lot of business owners that when coming to my TabeTop discussions will sit at the far end of the table, or maybe even sit in a chair in the corners of the room.  These are the same people that probably sit in the last row at church on Sunday and made it through high school with their hands at their side, content to let others carry the ball and the conversation.

They are good people and they mean well and they want to learn; they would just prefer to sit in silence and participate in silence.  I start off each of my PEOPLE meetings with self-introductions with the intent of making everyone have a say in the discussions.  Some business owners will go on forever about their company and their accomplishments and some will state name, rank and serial number, and quickly sit down, perfectly content to sit still and listen to others.  For those owners, I tend to want to question them a bit and pull more information out of them.  Part of my intent is to get them to open up a bit and feel more comfortable with others in the room and part is simply to get more knowledge directly from them.

When I was in a position where I attended jobsite walk-throughs or any sort of pre-introduction meeting to a project, I always made a point of being in the front row and asking at least one question and typically several questions.  I would ask these questions even if knew the answers as I wanted the crowd to know I was in the room, I would be bidding on this project and I would need subcontractor help.  Certainly, my name and contact information would be on the sign-in sheet but I wanted everyone in the room to see my face and hear my voice and get a feel for my welcoming personality.  I also wanted the architect and the owner to know I was in the room, and I was there to understand their desires and concerns with this project and ultimately to win this project with a successful bid.  I wanted to come across as interested and engaged.

If your firm is working as a trade contractor on a commercial project and you are asked to attend a jobsite meeting, get there early, grab a chair close to the key presenters, take good notes of all discussions, and speak up on matters that even remotely concern you.  This is your opportunity to accomplish several things: let everyone know you are in the room and what company and trade you represent; show the GC and the owner, and the architect, that you are an active participant in this project and you care about the details and you are there to do your part and do your part well; relieve the concerns of the GC if they are not familiar with your work or work habits.  The more you speak up and the more you mention your name and company name, the less likely you are to fall down when the time comes to perform.  No one likes to disappoint their industry friends and with every time you speak up, you are making new friends.

If you are never heard, meeting after meeting, never interacting with the group, never attending jobsite lunches or work-out sessions; never attending safety meetings; never grabbing on to the opportunity of making your voice heard and your company known; this can easily come across as being disinterested in the project, or totally disengaged from the firms that will come before you or after you.  This may not be your intention; but this will likely be the result of non-participation.

Any sort of meeting that has a large and varied audience also gives you the opportunity to promote your company.  When you give your name and your company name, have a quick fifteen to thirty-second pitch that describes what your company is all about.  Think about this in advance and be ready to rattle it off when the time comes.  You should also have a minute to two-minute pitch ready for those times when people want to know more and you are allotted enough time to say more.  This is referred to as an elevator pitch, meaning you have only a floor or two to say your piece before your audience reaches their destination and the elevator door opens.

Promoting your company in a clean and concise way can be a very powerful way of getting your company known in the marketplace.  I always like to know a few details such as union or non-union, residential or commercial, small projects or large projects, how many employees, how many years in business, what trades are self-performed, which ones are contracted.  If there is a very quick way of setting your company apart from your competition, such as third generation owned family business or perhaps mentioning some well known past or present clients or any business trait that you feels sets you apart from others, try to work that into your pitch.

The more relationships you can gather in a day’s time, the closer you will be to the road to success.  We all need friends to help us get to the top of the mountain, so make a friend or two every time you enter a room.  The more you can tell others about yourself and your company, the more chance you have of making a friend.  Some may want to know more, and some may not, but they hear your name and the next time someone asks them if they know a small, non-union concrete contractor, they will have an answer.

In turn, listen to the names and work history of others in the room.  Take notes and make an effort to talk later with those that may have a connection to your work in any way.  One never knows where their next client comes from.

Participation comes in many forms, and it knows no bounds.  Take advantage of every opportunity to speak to the employees of other trades; say hello to the superintendent; nod to the owner every chance you get and get yourself in the middle of every job-site activity.  You will find yourself sitting with others and being recognized as a team player and a key participant in the project, regardless of the magnitude of your scope of work.

This business trait will do wonders towards putting your name on the right lists with the right GCs and owners.  You don’t have to be the life of the party, just be at the party and partake of the food and drink and conversation.  I realize this is somewhat out of context for many, but you are now the owner of a business that needs to interact with the general public.  You may not enjoy this part of your daily responsibilities but try your best to embrace it and get better with each interaction with others.  You will eventually get there, and you will be respected for it.  I have worked with business owners that were very shy in the beginning and now other business owners come to them at meetings, knowing that they are good at sharing their success stories.

Susan from RG Ross Construction Company, a major boutique player in our marketplace says what she wants out of a business relationship more than anything is a business owner that “asks, listens, and shares.”  That is what I would refer to as engagement in the process.

I can assure you that other GCs feel the same.  They are coming to you looking for help and the more you can show you are engaged and responsive to their needs, the more you will be asked to participate in future projects.

Participate in the industry; participate in the process of bidding, proposing, and securing work; participate in all jobsite activities including safety meetings, daily and/or weekly meetings; whenever there is a gathering, be in the mix. 

While participating, promote your company every opportunity that arises.  Just a mention of your company name may win you a project down the line.  When the project is over, make sure all trades you work with know your company name and how to get in touch with you.

Participating and promoting equate to engagement.  Be engaged, not only in project activity but in our industry.  Be active and part of the solution.  We need new voices and new ideas.  You do not have to be a rebel rouser, just be interested and engaged.

This is the fourth in a series of blogs on tips on how to start and manage a successful business in the design and construction industry.  In future blogs, we will take on other important ingredients to a successful business, always at three points at a time.

These blogs will be posted on my website at www.PEOPLEofConstruction.org and they are available via email by request to PEOPLEofConstruction@gmail.com