The Competitive Contractor

Episode 20 coincides with the end of 2020 and for the benefit of the listeners, I thought to go over episodes that generated discussions and conversations. As the Competitive Contractor podcast grows and adds on episodes, it is still important to remind ourselves of the gems contained in the earlier episodes. 

I take the opportunity to thank all guests and everyone who supports this initiative. 

The Competitive Contractor Podcast is brought to you by Shivendra & Co - www.shivendra.com

In this episode, I cover how construction business owners and leaders can maintain momentum. Challenges that crop up in business daily are often distractions, diverting time, energy and focus away from strategic initiatives. While overcoming challenges help with the short term and are important, the importance of strategic goals and initiatives should be underrated. I share an approach I use for my own business as well as what I advise my clients. I found this method is simple, it keeps you accountable and takes a positive approach. 

The Competitive Contractor Podcast is brought to you by Shivendra & Co - www.shivendra.com

In this episode, I respond to a question on productivity posed during our Building Successful Construction Companies webinar. A topic not usually talked about but it is a significant contributor to two of the pressing issues facing the construction industry - labour shortage and project overruns. Industries such as manufacturing, mining and healthcare have seen vast improvements over the past decade and more with a sustained focus on productivity. This has seen these industries catch up to the times and for businesses to remain viable. In this episode, I share areas construction companies can focus first to turn the dial on productivity. 

The Competitive Contractor Podcast is brought to you by Shivendra & Co - www.shivendra.com

In this episode, I respond to a question on the outlook for the industry. While 2020 has proven all predictions incorrect, it still helps to plan and forecast what lies ahead. In this podcast, I review a few sources of data which paints quite a promising future for the construction industry. A lot of is driven by initiatives of the government but indications are that private sector projects will pick up. I also share sources where such information can be easily accessed. 

The Competitive Contractor Podcast is brought to you by Shivendra & Co - www.shivendra.com

In this episode, I respond to a question on how forums and industry events such as conferences and webinars help young professionals. I discuss how such forums are a win-win for professionals and their employers. Imagine playing tennis where every good shot reflects on the scoreboard. In this forum, business owners and leaders will gain tips to perfect the shots ensuring their business scoreboard gets taken care of. The reality is when you focus too much on the scoreboard, you start missing the balls.

Point to note - the people who make Apple, Tesla and the other big names successful, are just like us :-) 

The Competitive Contractor Podcast is brought to you by Shivendra & Co - www.shivendra.com 

In this episode, we look at how you can set and attain your business goals. 

The Competitive Contractor podcast is brought to you by Shivendra & Co. 

In Episode 14, I discuss a topic that is very close to and probably the favourite part of Shivendra & Co's service offering. Key Performance Indicators (KPI's) are an essential part of construction businesses (or any business). It helps trigger behaviour and actions that drive a business towards its goals and aspirations. But while it is easy to understand the concept, many businesses in our industry fail to realise the importance of developing, implementing and utilising KPI's. And of those who try, a handful end up giving up due to frustration. Frustration caused by not getting the fundamentals right. 

In this topic, I scratch the surface when it comes to KPI's but I address the fundamentals. It starts with making KPI review a part of the business and not a separate reporting activity, ensuring KPI's are easily understood, visible, reliable and easily implementable. Furthermore, KPI's in growth-oriented businesses need to stretch the team and effective KPI's always trigger action. 

There is much more than what I discuss involved than I can cover in this podcast. Contact us at Shivendra & Co if you would like to discuss this further. 

This podcast is brought to you by Shivendra & Co who work with construction companies and contractors to grow their business, improve profitability and operate smoothly. 

In Episode 13, I discuss daily huddles. This is a mixed bag when it comes to implementation as there are businesses who live by this, whereas there are others who just don’t have the time to apply this.

Daily Huddles is like sugar – you know what it tastes like after you’ve implemented it.

And here’s what we know from successful construction businesses – they actively take time out to have these daily conversations at multiple levels of their business.

These are thoughts that have helped my clients sprint off the mark and minimize the impact of COVID-19. I am sharing this with you, as it is my mission to see local contractors grow and become more profitable.

The next few episodes of the Competitive Contractor is focused on helping owners, directors, general managers, and leaders of construction companies and contractors prepare for 2021.

In Episode 12, I discuss planning and budgeting. A topic that many businesses think of doing but don’t get around, causing them lost opportunity and potential.

From promptly investing in areas of growth, diverting resources to emerging opportunities early enough and stopping $ leakage in a timely manner, planning and budgeting allow you the opportunity to look ahead.

And here’s what we know from successful construction businesses – they actively take time out to look ahead.

These are thoughts that have helped my clients sprint off the mark and minimize the impact of COVID-19. I am sharing this with you, as it is my mission to see local contractors grow and become more profitable.

The next few episodes of the Competitive Contractor is focused on helping owners, directors, general managers, and leaders of construction companies and contractors prepare for 2021.

The next 10 episodes of the Competitive Contractor is focused on helping owners, directors, general managers and leaders of construction companies and contractors prepare for 2021.

In Episode 11, I discuss steps you can take today, without any investments, to win more work and start building a strong pipeline for 2021.

Winning new work is a major worry for construction business owners, general managers and leaders of small to medium-sized construction companies.

In this episode, we will discuss:

These are ideas that have helped my clients sprint off the mark and minimize the impact of COVID-19. Sharing this with you as it is my mission to see local and family-owned contractors grow and become more profitable.

The Competitive Contractor Podcast is brought to you by Shivendra & Co. To discuss how you also can win more work, grow your business and become profitable, contact us today via www.shivendra.com or [email protected].

#construction #infrastructure #contractors #business #projects #strategy #bidding #winning