By:  Ron Unterreiner, PEOPLE of Construction When diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging were the talk of the industry, I recall many conversations where leaders in our industry, including the major owners and general contractors, would publicly say that diversity was an important ingredient to the success of a project.  A diverse workforce and inclusion of minority and women-owned firms was a positive and needed step in the right direction, regardless of the requirements placed on a project to meet certain…

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PEOPLE of Construction Business Tips for First-Time Business Owners (Third in a series of Five) (Note: This blog is posted out of sequence in error so please click on previous posts for the entire five-part series) This is the third in a series of blogs intended to guide new business owners in the design and construction industry to the path of success.  In the first blog, we talked about the importance of visibility, administrative/office organization, and accurate and timely accounting…

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Summary of Thoughts Being a business owner, operating as a trade subcontractor, in the design and construction industry is not for the faint of heart.  The competition is fierce; the terms and conditions that one has to follow are many and often times complex; the estimating process is laced with risk and uncertainty; the manpower requirements are impossible to schedule and manage; the margins are razor thin; and getting paid for your work on a timely basis can be a…

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PEOPLE of Construction Business Tips for First-Time Business Owners (Fifth in a series of Five) This is the fifth and final of a series of five blogs intended to guide new business owners to the road of success within the design and construction industry. In this blog, I will discuss three business points that are important, if not essential, in achieving long-term sustainable success with your company.  Those three points are the importance of choosing a lane and staying within…

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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…

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PEOPLE of Construction Business Tips for First-Time Business Owners (Second in a series of Five) This is the second of a series of five blogs discussing essential ingredients of a successful firm competing in the design and construction industry.  In the first blog, we discussed three business points that simply had to happen if a business owner was to find long-term sustainable success.  Those three points were visibility, administrative/office organization, and accurate and timely accounting records. If you have not…

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PEOPLE of Construction Business Tips for First-Time Business Owners As participants of my TableTop Discussions and readers of my “Guide to Better Business” books are aware, I like to present my business ideas by way of TOP TEN lists.  I can easily find ten points that are important, if not essential, for new or existing business owners to keep high on their priority list if they are planning to achieve long-term sustainable success in this competitive industry. For this series…

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“No one can build you the bridge on which you must cross the river of life, no one but yourself.”  Nietsche “When a woman learns to stand alone, she doesn’t just survive–she transforms.  The strength she finds in silence becomes the light that guides her forward.”  Avneesh Perada “There is a world out there.  Open a window and it is there.”  Robin Williams Last week I had the opportunity to visit first hand the new BJC/WashU Campus Renewal project that has been…

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“If you light a light for someone, it will also brighten your own path.  The kindness you give away is often the same light that leads you home.”  Joseph Bassey “There will be days when life feels unbearably heavy and every step feels like a burden.  And there will be moments filled with such joy that you will wish for time to pause.  Neither of them shall last forever.  Embrace life in a way that every intense experience makes you wiser,…

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“In both business and life, waiting to get everything ‘just right’ is one of the most reliable ways to stall progress–and quietly miss your moment.  In business, momentum matters more than flawlessness.”   “A product launched today–even with rough edges–has something that waiting for perfection lacks:  feedback.  Customers react.  Markets respond.  Data accumulates.  Improvements happen in real time.  Each iteration builds on the last, and progress compounds.  Perfection compounds nothing. It keeps ideas in draft mode.  Strategies in meetings.  Products stuck in…

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