Don’t Fear the Unknown: Innovate to Lift Your Company
“Business has only two functions—marketing and innovation.” Peter Drucker Marketing is about creating and retaining customers. And innovation creates new levels of performance in one of three areas: people, product, and processes. But because innovation is challenging, requires change, and doesn’t always lead to success, it’s commonly resisted, especially in the construction industry. I was […]
Read moreHow to Build Effective Plans
“‘ They have IED buried in the yard, and bunkered machine gun positions in the house,’ said our intelligence officer, with a grave look of concern. It was a hostage rescue mission. The ultimate high-stakes operation. Not only bad guys to kill, but an innocent victim to save. We had trained for missions like this, […]
Read moreLead by Serving: How to Drive Your Construction Company to the Top
I recently sat down for the second time with Jeff Hoopes, Chairman and CEO of Swinerton Builders. We discussed his approach to leading a multi-billion dollar ESOP company, why the structure of his executive team encourages healthy conflict, and how Jeff is striving to leave a legacy of teaching his employees how to make money, […]
Read moreHow to Navigate the Challenges and Opportunities of a Family Construction Business
Four Ghilottis Companies Compete As Mike Ghilotti puts it, the history of his family is one of the most unique stories in Northern California construction. For a sense of what the Ghilotti name means to the region, you only need to flash back about three years. On that day, four separate companies were bidding on […]
Read moreHow to Use a “Partnering” Approach to Reduce Conflict and Increase Profit
This article is taken from the text of a recent interview I did with Mike Ghilotti. A New Approach to Partnering Ghilotti Brothers, led by Mike Ghillotti, is a general engineering firm, responsible for most features of horizontal construction: paving, grading, underground, and concrete. “We’re a nonconventional construction company,” Mike says. “So many companies like […]
Read moreA “Prodigal Son’s” Non-Traditional Approach to Construction Success
The Prodigal Son Returns I recently sat down with Mark Bley, the President and CEO of Dome Construction, a leading general contractor in the San Francisco Bay area. To listen to the full interview, click this link, and check out the Construction Genius podcast episode. He took an indirect path to that impressive position, however, […]
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