Construction Equipment
Ag Equipment
Roadbuilding
Dealers
Business
Technology
Tag: contractor advice
Business
Building the future of your construction company: Matching tech-savvy, young employees in a mentorship with seasoned crew members
When I listen to contractors tell me how they first became involved in construction—usually a tale of early exposure and family tradition—it has hit me that what this industry needs is a corporate adoption program. But as the chances of our own Orphan Train Movement are slim, the best option we’ve got is growing the […]
July 18, 2014
Business
How to develop a custom safety program at your construction company
There are many small contractors out there looking for safety training information on a daily basis, which leads one to believe their company safety programs might not be as up-to-date as they would like. If you’re using an inadequate or outdated program, it’s time to step up and develop your own—one that’s specific to your […]
May 5, 2014
Business
The 6 habits of highly successful construction company owners
In our recent special report, “The Future of Your Construction Company”, we focused so much on contractors retiring or transitioning out of the business that it almost begs a question. What does it take to succeed in the construction business? I’ve been in the fortunate position of interviewing at length dozens of our Contractor of […]
March 28, 2014
Success Stories
How a loyalty to your employees can result in big growth for your construction business
“I’ve stayed with Larman Construction so long because of this guy right here,” said Fred Barhydt, pointing a finger at company owner Vernnen Larman. Barhydt, a Larman employee for 30 years, was just one of the employees I met expressing this sentiment during my visit to the Garland, Texas-based Equipment World Contractor of the Year […]
February 12, 2014
Home
3: Be Fair
Treating everyone fairly and treating everyone equally isn’t the same thing. If you treat everyone exactly the same, they’ll think you don’t care about them. Have an individualized approach to your employees, and clearly explain decisions you make that affect them. They’ll respect you for it.  < STEP 2      […]
November 12, 2013
Home
2: Be Open and Honest
Although it’s your company, you should want your employees to be interested and invested in the well-being of the firm. They’re never going to be able to do that unless you tell them what’s going on. Instituting transparency is a direct path to gaining the loyalty and trust of your people. If they feel they […]
November 12, 2013
Home
1: Have the “Right” People
Attracting and retaining people isn’t enough. You have to hire and keep people who are a good fit for the type of company you want to have. No matter how skilled the employees, sometimes their demeanor or attitude simply derails what you’re trying to accomplish. < INTRO         […]
November 12, 2013
Business
3 culture-changing steps contractors can take to combat the skilled worker shortage
There’s been no shortage of attention lately to the skilled worker shortage. Although industry advocates like Mike Rowe have been beating the drum for a while, now everyone is catching on—analyzing what happened and trying to find ways to attract new workers to the trade. Some contractors have even created their own courses to train […]
November 12, 2013
Business
3 smart strategies to try in your construction business from a successful landscaper
We’ve all heard stories of unconventional entrepreneurs taking the path less traveled to success. The challenge lies in finding practical ways to apply alternative strategies to your own business. Terry Sims of the Garden Artist in Boise, Idaho, has taken her landscape design firm to the top of her field using smart strategies. And though […]
October 29, 2013
Home
74 tips for reducing equipment costs (11-20)
In my first post covering equipment cost-cutting tips 1-10, I addressed several equipment cost cutting basics, including the impact of faithfully using a computerized maintenance management system. Here are cost-cutting strategies 11-20:  11: Eliminate “buddy jobs” I have seen unnecessary use of two-man jobs many times while analyzing maintenance operations.  If they aren’t really […]
August 5, 2013
Business
Three reasons every contractor should have taken a summer vacation
In Alabama, we’ve just had our tax-free weekend for parents to buy all the back-to-school stuff their kids need. Every year, it’s the signal the summer is, for all practical purposes, over. So, where did you take your vacation this year? Did you even take one? If you didn’t, you should have. If you can, […]
August 5, 2013
Business
Want your construction business to be more successful? Diversify your personnel.
In interviewing contractors across the country for our Contractor of the Year program, Equipment World editors get a pretty good sense of what works—and what doesn’t—across a range of business practices. Because turnover in the construction industry is such a problem, I’m always interested to see what strategies contractors use to recruit and retain. However, […]
June 28, 2013
Page 1 of 1
