Innovation

Innovation

Innovation Thomas C Schleifer, Ph.D. The construction industry has changed at its core. Most of the labor force that delivered construction services to the nation has retired and taken their unique level of expertise, productivity, and efficiency with them. Those of...
No Guesses – No Surprises, Number Two

No Guesses – No Surprises, Number Two

No Guesses – No Surprises, Number Two Dr Thomas C Schleifer Last week we looked at how a construction CFO crafts a cash flow plan, project by project. A cash flow plan is also an essential part of a construction company’s mid-term (six months to a year)...
Right Sizing

Right Sizing

Right Sizing Construction firms grow organically. The start-up contractor hires help as he or she goes along adding overhead as needed to handle the expanding workload.  In other words, they are “backfilling” after the work comes in. This is organic growth...
Planning IS Managing

Planning IS Managing

Planning IS Managing Managing a construction company is like steering a 1000-foot container ship. It takes a long time for adjustments at the helm to alter the direction of the bow. There is a lag between deciding to change course and the ship changing direction. It...
Stable Markets: Where All Profits Reside

Stable Markets: Where All Profits Reside

Stable Markets: Where All Profits Reside Two weeks ago, I ended the message by expounding Schleifer’s First Law: Contractors Thrive During Stable Markets Today, I begin with Schleifer’s Second Law of Market Dynamics: There is No Such Thing as a Stable...