The Value of Recognition
Welcome to autumn. This is perhaps my favorite time of the year for the concrete industry. We have made it through the heat of summer and there is a hurried sense of activity in preparation for winter. Like the typical CFA member, your company is quite probably as busy as you’ve been all 2015 and that is certainly […]
What You Miss When Time Can’t Be Made
Here we are amid the torrid pace of autumn. To most of us it is the 3rd quarter of a very busy year, perhaps the best year even for some. At the CFA, it is the 1st quarter of what our staff and our Board of Directors sees as presenting another opportunity for continued growth and a dramatic […]
Tearing Down the WALL: The 4 Keys to Building Rapport
Emily, a sales manager in a large organization, was having significant challenges with her team. Communication with team members was inconsistent, and she continually struggled to motivate them. Her team was regularly missing their monthly objectives, and failed to provide meaningful status updates. The core issue Emily faced is all too common. Anytime you are […]
TOTAL COST OF RISK: The Five Fundamentals of Insurance
HAVE YOU EVER CALCULATED THE UNEXPECTED HIDDEN SOFT COSTS THAT BECOME A PART OF YOUR TRUE INSURANCE EXPENSES? By Christopher J. Mowery, ARM CRIS Client Service Supervisor Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Everyone knows that premium, losses, and exposures contribute, but the true nitty-gritty of how a company could meaningfully impact their Total Cost of […]
Five Critical Mistakes That Blunt Leadership Effectiveness
SINCE 2000, ACCORDING TO NUMEROUS NATIONAL SURVEYS, LESS THAN ONE-THIRD OF WORKERS IN THE UNITED STATES ARE ENGAGED IN THEIR WORK AS MEASURED BY THEIR INVOLVEMENT, ENTHUSIASM, AND COMMITMENT TO THEIR WORK. IF YOU SIMPLY REFLECT ON YOUR MOST RECENT ENCOUNTER AS A CONSUMER AT YOUR LOCAL RETAIL STORE, RESTAURANT OR GOVERNMENT AGENCY, YOUR OWN […]
MARKETING SPOTLIGHT: E-Marketing To Your Market
AN INTERVIEW WITH JASON ELLS ABOUT CUSTOM CONCRETE’S “THE CONCRETE POST” By James Baty CFA Executive Director Perhaps one of the biggest challenges today is finding the right combination of message and vehicles to reach your customers and elevate your company above the competition. There is no doubt you’ve thought of Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, […]
A Year In The Life Of A Concrete Contractor
What is perhaps the most unique part of your company, your business, your professional life? While this question begs you to think of the accomplishments you have made or the challenges you have faced, what I believe it to really be is the isolation you have as a company. The practice of concrete construction at […]
You Have A Very Important Decision To Make!
I’m composing this letter in my head during a recent relaxation trip to South Dakota. While in the midst of the great setting and the many casts mixed with the every attempt to stay out of business, I did find my mind fixated on CFA Convention 2015. You’ll read a lot about this event in […]
RISK MANAGEMENT: Cyber Crime: An Evolving Threat
NOW IS THE TIME TO REVISIT THE TOPIC OF CYBERCRIME AS CRIMINALS HAVE ELEVATED THEIR GAME AND CONTINUE TO CARRY OUT MALICIOUS ATTACKS ON AMERICAN BUSINESSES AND INDIVIDUALS By Kristen Long, Senior Vice President, Arthur J. Gallagher In September 2014 I wrote an article titled “The Threat Posed by Cyber Criminals.” In the article, I […]
The Salesperson’s Handbook: FIVE COMMON OBSTACLES AND HOW TO OVERCOME THEM
Lucy was a brand new salesperson who wanted to make a big impression. She did everything she could think of to establish relationships with prospects and wow them with her proposals. While she was not failing as a salesperson, Lucy was certainly not leading her team in sales either. After nine months of below average […]
