For many of us the usual winter weather has generated scheduling problems, loss of work volume, and many unproductive days.

On the brighter side, we have all been blessed with the ability to be profitable by the plentiful volume of work during the nicer seasons of the year, I call this “inside the box work” because it is easy to get.

Now is a great time to venture into “outside of the box” work. Historically, work outside of the box has far less competition. The competitors for this work understand the importance of investment in necessary equipment and the expertise required to complete this work very profitably. In some cases, the investment in new equipment can be recovered on that specific job. The other option, of course, is to rent necessary equipment short-term that may be easier to recover costs specific to the job. Add in some in-house expertise and you have broadened your profit center.

“If you are willing to do more than you are paid to do, eventually you will be paid to do more than you do.”

(anonymous)

We all need to keep in mind that times are not always going to be good. The profitable work will become marginal and the very profitable work will become profitable. Outside-of-the-box work is normally still available when times get tough. Always remember, there are many CFA members willing to provide assistance or guidance in pursuing this type of work.

On another note, I wanted to thank all of our members (contractors and associates) for their support at the winter meeting and at the show in Las Vegas last month. I felt the World of Concrete was a great event this year, as was the CFA winter meeting and social event at the Hard Rock Café. I was able to speak with many new members as well as potential new members.

Next up is the summer meeting in Utah. This year’s summer meeting is shaping up to be one of the best events ever. We have a spectacular line up of speakers whose information will be valuable in increasing your bottom line. The list of participating vendors is also growing, providing our members with more product information in one place. In addition to attending a great educational event, the Zermatt resort will be a great place to bring your family, with a wide variety of activities for all ages.

We hope to see everyone there.

Dennis Purinton
Purinton Builders Inc.
purintonbuilders@yahoo.com