Secrets to Growing, Improving Your Company Revealed at IBS

Even in a down market, there are opportunities for growth and business improvement, according to Bob Whitten, a former building company executive and now a partner in SMA Consulting, which provides financial and operational management consulting for the building industry.

Trying to grow too fast may not be one of them.

“There is a world of difference in building 20 homes per year and moving into the 50-150-per-year range,” said Whitten, who will be presenting “The 10 Secrets to Growing Your Company and Improving Profitability Even in a Down Market” business management session at the upcoming International Builders’ Show in Orlando.

In this popular education session, Whitten explains why builders should not move their companies blindly toward building an ever-increasing volume of new homes.

“The 10 Secrets to Growing Your Company and Improving Profitability Even in a Down Market” will be held from 1:30-2:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 7, in room West 320 in the Orange County Convention Center.

Other popular business management sessions include:

• "Schedule Management for Profits"
  8:30-10:00 a.m.
  Wednesday, Feb. 7
  Orange County Convention Center, West 314
  
  MM (Mike) Weiss, CGR, CAPS, GMB, of WeissRCMI, will de-mystify scheduling as a management tool with a practical template presentation that will be useful for making everyone buy into using the schedule the same way you use plans and specs.
  
  
• “Risk Management: The New Role of Construction Superintendents”
  11:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
  Wednesday, Feb. 7
  Orange County Convention Center, West 311 E-H
  
  Stan Luhr, of Quality Built, and Steve McGee, of Associated Builder Solutions, LLC, will discuss the top risks your company faces and how to train your superintendents to recognize and alleviate them.
  
  
• “How to Implement a Purchase Order System”
  11:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
  Friday, Feb. 9
  Orange County Convention Center, West 311 E-H
  
  Russel Neumann, of SMA Consulting, Inc., will discuss the necessary pre-implementation systems and step-by-step deployment of purchase orders systems. He will explain the steps involved and provide typical timelines.
  
  
• “Essential Contract Elements to Keep You Out of Court and in the Black”
  1:30-3:00 p.m.
  Thursday, Feb. 8
  Orange County Convention Center, West 304 A-D
  
  Too many building professionals minimize the contract’s importance until disputes or discrepancies arise. Custom builder Dennis Dixon will explain the key contract elements that will help builders stop or avoid contract conflicts before they start.
  
  
• "Business Planning Basics for Today's Builder"
  11:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
  Thursday, Feb. 8
  Orange County Convention Center, West 304 E-H
  
  Learn the real purpose behind writing a business plan, what it provides and the common business plan mistakes to avoid.

There also will be sessions featuring experts on cost-cutting, processing your business, the proper way to handle change orders, customer service, trade partnerships and other issues important to your business.

To Register

To register for these and other educational sessions that will help you improve your business, select “organization and business management” and  “nextBuild/technology” tracks of educational seminars on the International Builders' Show Web site, www.buildersshow.com. Use the "My Show Planner" tool to register for specific courses.

NAHB Biztools™ Has Nearly 300 Resources to Help You Run Your Business More Profitably

Go to NAHB's Business Management Tools Web pages (available to members only) for instant access to nearly 300 timesaving, moneymaking and cost-cutting business resources to help you run your business more profitably. Get guidance on accounting and financial management, business strategy, computers and information technology, customer service, human resources and more.

Resources are added weekly, so bookmark www.nahb.org/biztools to go directly to these vital business management resources.

Local and state home builders associations can link directly to www.nahb.org/biztools from their Web site and give their members instant access to these resources. It will make your HBA's Web site the place to go for the information and guidance that members need to succeed.

NAHB Kit Gives Builders Back-to-Basics Tips in Cooling Market

With the current cooling of the nation’s housing market expected to persist into the middle of next year, NAHB has developed a comprehensive online toolkit geared to providing association members with information that will help them prosper in today’s changing business environment.

With the current cooling of the nation’s housing market expected to persist into the middle of next year, NAHB has developed a comprehensive geared to providing association members with information that will help them prosper in today’s changing business environment.

To access the “Back to Basics” toolkit, you must be an NAHB member and have a login to www.nahb.org. To create a login, go to www.nahb.org/login or click on the log-in button on the main menu bar.

For assistance, call the NAHB Member Service Center at 800-368-5242.

You’ll find practical advice, tricks of the trade and sound business guidance — all delivered monthly, straight to your desktop, in a quick and easy-to-read format. Business of Building e/Source is available free to NAHB members and their employees.

To subscribe, click here on the Members Only side of the NAHB Web site.

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