What is the biggest misconception about the industry?
Two-fold...
People see vendors as just "salespeople". In many cases that is true, but there are people like me that have over a decade of construction experience. That experience can be used to help companies troubleshoot and pre-plan for difficult or rare situations that many other people, including contractors, may not have the knowledge to address properly. Vendors with practical experience can be used as a resource to supplement in-house team experience.
Secondly...
Safety is generally seen as additional, expensive, and cumbersome. To the contrary. When done well, safety can improve schedule, reduce costs, and make workers more efficient with their task. Many mechanical trades have figured this out with their adoption of pre-fabrication. Pre-fabrication removes a significant amount of tedious or hazardous work from the field. It brings that work into a controlled environment where workers can work safer and more efficiently. This reduces cost, accelerates the speed of production, and improves safety.
The industry has such a wide variety of products on the market to improve safety, there is almost no scenario that you can't use a manufactured product to complete your scope in a safer manner. Scabbing old 2x4s together for railing, working on a roof without adequate fall protection, or entering confined space without gas meters can all be done with cutting edge equipment that won't compromise your budget.
What is your biggest current challenge at work?
Educating companies on the benefit of thinking ahead and utilizing credible experts in their field. It can save you significant money in the long run and can also open your company up to new clients and opportunities you wouldn't have otherwise.
What keeps you up at night?
The number of companies that underestimate the importance of well-trained employees with the right equipment. It only takes one incident to destroy years of hard work. In construction, your biggest asset is your employees. By allowing inadequate training and equipment, you risk compromising the future of your employees and future on your company. It doesn't take much to make a big impact, for the better.
What project is your company most proud of?
Not a single project, really a situation that comes up weekly.
When clients call, out of ideas, looking for options. We utilize that time to provide at least one feasible option and educate them on ways to account for it in the future.
In those cases, we are able to provide a solution for the immediate need, but also ensure the next time, there won't be a delay, unplanned cost, or employee exposed to a hazard.
Making a positive impact one day at a time.
How does your ABC membership help your company?
Hands down the ability to meeting people face-to-face is the biggest benefit of an ABC membership. For my company, the Safety Peer group is a great step. Allowing a monthly exchange of ideas and experiences. There is always someone that has been in a similar situation, why not use their experience to help you in yours. You also leave the meetings with real contacts. You can call/text/e-mail them anytime to bounce ideas. Within the safety world there really isn't a competitive feel. Everyone is struggling with the same problems every day, but all trying to accomplish the same goal.
Social meetings are also great to expand on your network of connections. I have come to use many contacts for the business development side of my role. You can only limit yourself with the benefits of a network like ABC.
What did you want to be when you grew up?
Never really had one consistent goal in mind, but I always wanted to something cool.
As time went on it always involved the act of protecting or keeping people safe.
What do you look forward to each day?
Making progress.
Every day I want to do better, do more, or do something new.
What are you like to work for?
Everyone thinks they are great, right? You'd have to ask people that have worked for me.
If I'm being honest, I may be difficult for some. I have high expectations for myself and that transfers to my employees. I do also believe strongly in balance. Everyone has their own level of balance between personal and professional lives. I want to be there to see my kids and family events, so I don't expect anything different for my employees. There is a time for work and a time for family.
What do you do for fun?
Spend time with family and friends. Time is limited, so I try to maximize that time with the people that matter the most.
What business/career advice do you wish you had when you began?
Those are always tough. You can get the best advice every day, but until you are in a position to really appreciate it, it's just words.
What I had heard, but never really appreciated... "if you actually apply yourself." My mom used to say that to me all the time, but only over that last few years have I really embraced it.
I would also say it to someone else as "you are only limited by yourself." Once I started approaching a lot of challenges as "why can't I" or "why can't it be done", it really changed my mind set and my path in life.