Construction Genius Eric Anderton

Every entrepreneur recognizes the challenges involved when starting a business—funding, workforce, looking for the right niche, and many more! This is why getting a business running requires that leap of faith, patience, and a whole lot of support.
It usually takes several years to build a business from the ground up and construction startups may find it especially difficult to be competitive since most of their competition in the industry are already deeply rooted in the community. However, by choosing the right people to work with, the right niche, and proper financing, you can bump up your company's growth. In this week's Construction Genius episode, we have Walt Stahl, company president of The Stahl Companies, to inspire us with his entrepreneurial journey from being a State employee to being a president of a prestigious company.
Tune in to this episode. 
What's Discussed in This Episode:
Why Walt Stahl decided to leave a secure job with the State of California and how he started his own business [02:54] The challenges in starting a business [05:30] Transitioning from a secure state government job to an independent consultancy [08:22] Why you should treat your employees right [11:03] The challenges in project management [12:39] The importance of support and investing in people [14:57] How to pick the right niche, and the benefits and effect of niche focus [16:22] Why hunger, being smart, and humility are essential attributes for your team [19:36] How to look for hunger and the importance of the hiring process [21:34] The relationship between culture and hunger [22:18] Why humility is an essential asset in construction [23:35] What is ‘being smart’ and why is it important in a construction setting? [26:46] How construction consultants bridge the gap between owners and general contractors [29:41] Choose the right clients and walk away from bad ones [34:53] Things that Walt would have done differently [36:20] Three useful advice for construction startups [38:46] About the Guest:
Walt Stahl is a leader in the construction management business. Starting as a Chief Compliance Officer for California's Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD), he is now the president of The Stahl Companies, one of the leading construction and project management companies for the healthcare industry in Sacramento, California. With 20 years of being in business, Walt Stahl has mastered the ins and outs of the construction management business.
Resources: 
The Ideal Team Player: How to Recognize and Cultivate The Three Essential Virtues (https://amzn.to/2T5Zyll)  Connect with me on LinkedIn. For more podcast episodes, you may also visit my website. Tune in and subscribe to the Construction Genius: A Leadership Master-Class Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher.
Thank you for tuning in! 

An ideal strategic plan can help scale your business and take you to where you want it to be in the coming years. But without clear priorities set into it, it may take longer than anticipated to achieve sustained business success.
This week’s podcast episode is the fourth and last part of the Triangle One-Page Planning Process series. Today, we’ll examine how to create an efficient system in building your construction business by identifying your priorities as we cover:
What is a priority and what makes it important, How to identify and clarify your priorities, and How to build a priority structure Be smart about dealing with every aspect of your business by listening to this episode now!
What’s Discussed in This Episode:
Overview of today’s topic [02:19] The 30-60-90 day rule [04:06] What makes prioritization important [04:44] Don’t multitask; Focus on what’s important [05:24] Focusing on a specific outcome provides a sense of accomplishment and momentum [07:07] What is a priority and why is it important? [03:25] Three main areas of the construction business [08:13] How to identify and clarify your priorities [07:59] The three parts of an action plan [09:56] A rally-cry gives clarity, focus, and motivation [10:07] Everybody has to take off their hats when figuring out your top priority is [12:49] How to make a priority structure [09:08] 3 to 5 fierce focus are required to achieve the rally-cry [14:52] The areas of fierce focus [14:20] Leading indicators allow you to be proactive; Lagging indicators, reactive [17:09] Beware that you don’t overburden your heroes [18:43] Identify your critical numbers [16:27] Prioritization may come as a challenge for business owners [20:16] Leaders can’t agree on what’s important [21:05] Make sure to design a simple plan around identifying your priorities [22:12] Steps you can take to design and move forward with your one-page plan [24:06] Resources:
Construction Niche Analysis (https://www.ericanderton.com/sweetspot) Triangle One Page Plan Template (https://www.ericanderton.com/triangleplan/) Construction Genius Podcast Episode 77 (https://www.ericanderton.com/podcast/go-deeper-how-to-define-purpose-and-spark-your-business-success-ep-77/) Construction Genius Podcast Episode 79 (https://www.ericanderton.com/podcast/how-to-discover-and-leverage-your-companys-unique-personality/) Construction Genius Podcast Episode 81 (https://www.ericanderton.com/podcast/sustain-success-how-to-build-a-unique-strategic-plan-ep-81/) Triangle One Page Plan Template: https://www.ericanderton.com/triangleplan/ Contact Eric: www.ericanderton.com/contact Connect with me on LinkedIn. For more podcast episodes, you may also visit my website. Tune in and subscribe to the Construction Genius: A Leadership Master-Class Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher.
Thank you for tuning in! 

You can start your construction business today and be like the rest of the businesses in the market. But with careful and refined planning, you can set yourself apart from the competition.
This week’s episode marks Part 3 of the four-part series on the Triangle One-Page Planning Process. Today, we’ll focus on how to build sustained success in the construction industry. I will cover:
How to identify your niche How to serve your niche How to grow your business Be unique! Craft your strategic plan and grow your business exponentially by listening to this podcast episode now!
What’s Discussed in This Episode:
The example of Southwest Airlines [00:03] Sustained success is not an accident [01:05] Success in construction defined [04:26] Nail your niche [07:49] Your niche can be whatever you want [08:56] Identify your niche [05:05] It’s now what you do but how you do it that sets your company apart [12:09] Techniques to drive up your revenue and drive down your costs [12:37] Customer service is a massive way to drive up your revenue [13:47] Ask how you can serve your niche [09:59] Maintain a commitment to discipline [18:13] Focus on internal growth [18:45] Analyze your competition [20:29] Growth is essential to construction companies [17:15] Resources:
Construction Niche Analysis ( https://www.ericanderton.com/sweetspot) Triangle One Page Plan Template (https://www.ericanderton.com/triangleplan/) Construction Genius Podcast Episode 77 (https://www.ericanderton.com/podcast/go-deeper-how-to-define-purpose-and-spark-your-business-success-ep-77/) Construction Genius Podcast Episode 79 (https://www.ericanderton.com/podcast/how-to-discover-and-leverage-your-companys-unique-personality/) Connect with me on LinkedIn. For more podcast episodes, you may also visit my website. Tune in and subscribe to the Construction Genius: A Leadership Master-Class Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher.
Thank you for tuning in!

Most leaders set career goals, whether it’s becoming a senior partner or a company executive. But the journey towards achieving those goals is the biggest challenge that we actually face. 
In this week’s podcast episode, I have a great discussion with Eric Jones, President, and CEO of Foushée. We talked about his journey from the Naval academy to construction, and how he went in headstrong and gathered experience along the way as he traveled the leadership path towards eventual partnership in his company. We explore the importance of letting go of your ego in making important decisions and how he steered the company towards success when he became CEO. We also discuss how Eric’s journey has prepared him to help the next generation of Foushée leaders travel a similar route with the goal of being the third generation of Foushée partners. 
Tune in to this episode and learn how to remain unfazed and steadfast in your goal and ultimately build the path towards success.
What’s Discussed in This Episode:
Eric’s journey from the Naval academy to construction [03:09] How he underwent a reflective process at a young age [05:01] How his youth affected his decision [05:56] Eric as a son and a father [08:35] The essence of having field experience [10:44] Eric’s advice to aspiring partners [19:02] His entrance to Foushée [13:54] The value of forging quality relationships with clients [19:41] How he took his company to greater heights by exploring new opportunities [20:44] Project managers should focus on mentoring project engineers [22:43] Taking Eric’s story as an example for aspiring leaders [24:42] Why not being slated for the leadership role didn’t affect Eric at all [28:21] Laying down the path towards leadership [29:13] Transitioning to the partnership role [25:27] Letting go of your ego is a big part in decision making [30:31] How the owners removed themselves from the company [33:35] Creating a dry run for the ownership transition [35:14] Becoming the president and CEO of Foushée [32:35] Lesson learned: You can’t plan for things you don’t know [36:43] The essence of forging a bond and having daily fear of the unknown [39:49] Passion: A key ingredient in overcoming challenges [40:55] Navigating the company through the dot-com bubble burst [38:10] Drawing experience from previous leaders [45:47] Always prepare for a downturn [46:35] Maintaining relationships with laid-off employees [48:28] Using the dot-com bubble experience in today’s crisis [42:49] Three pieces of advice for other leaders [51:45] Eric’s favorite restaurant [54:33] About the Guest: Eric Jones is the president and CEO of Foushée, a commercial and general contractor based in the greater Seattle area that focuses on pre-construction and construction management for offices, automobile dealerships, parking garages, and athletic clubs.
Resources: 
Eric Jones’s restaurant recommendation when in Seattle (https://thaiginger.com/)  Connect with me on LinkedIn. For more podcast episodes, you may also visit my website. Tune in and subscribe to the Construction Genius: A Leadership Master-Class Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher.
Thank you for tuning in!

Each person has a unique personality. Companies are made up of people, and each company has a unique personality, or way of behaving. 
This week marks Part 2 of our four-part series explaining the Triangle One Page Planning Process. In this episode, we’ll focus on how to discover and leverage your company’s unique personality. I will cover:
The definition of personality, The distinction between personality and values, How to discover and clarify your company’s unique personality, How to use your personality as a competitive advantage, and How it works with purpose to provide a solid foundation for your company. Start leveraging your company’s unique personality to your advantage and stand out from the rest of the competition by listening to today’s podcast episode.
What’s Discussed in This Episode:
The four fundamental personality types [00:09]  Values defined [04:39] Personality is a reflection of the company [05:34] What is personality and how does it differ from values? [03:56] Personality and purpose should be aligned [06:35] The benefit of discovering your company’s personality [07:49] Being technically and/or ethically sound doesn’t equate to being a good fit [08:56] How personality affects the success of your company [09:55] How to discover and clarify your unique personality [07:13] The importance of personality compatibility to your company’s success [12:30] Always drive towards hiring people who are personality-fit [13:20] Using personality as a competitive advantage [11:16] Purpose and personality are the bedrock of a successful company [15:46] Why purpose and personality drives your business [16:26] Vance Lancaster, VP of Lancaster-Burns on purpose and personality [18:46] How personality works together with purpose for your business to succeed [14:43] Set aside a meeting to define personality [20:30] Communicate your personality with the rest of the company members [21:07] Three steps you can take to find purpose and personality [19:59] Resources:
Do you need help clarifying your company’s unique personality? You could benefit from engaging an expert meeting facilitator that knows construction. 
Here’s what Vance Lancaster, Vice President of Lancaster-Burns says about working with Eric on the Triangle One Page Plan process: 
You helped us understand what our Purpose, Personality, Plan, and Priority is. We probably had an opportunity to do this 10 years ago, but we didn’t take it. I can’t imagine how much further along we’d be if we had.
It’s now a tool we use in every personnel review, conversation, quarterly meeting, and interview. It’s a foundation of what this organization is about, and we use it to help everybody understand that.
Clients come in and we use this triangle to help them understand what type of contractor we are. 
To chat with Eric about if and how he can help go to his website: www.ericanderton.com/contact
Books mentioned in this episode:
Patrick Lencioni’s The Advantage (https://www.amazon.com/Advantage-Organizational-Everything-Business-Lencioni-ebook/dp/B006ORWT3Y)  Connect with me on LinkedIn. For more podcast episodes, you may also visit my website. Tune in and subscribe to the Construction Genius: A Leadership Master-Class Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher.
Thank you for tuning in! 

In the construction industry there are many strategies to generate and increase profits, including safety. However, with some construction companies, instead of creating a balance, we see a pendulum that swings between productivity and safety, undermining the truth that a safe company is a profitable company. 
In this week’s podcast episode, I have a great conversation with Larry Markham, co-owner and founder of SAFE (Safety Associates For Employers, LLC). He stresses the importance of prioritizing safety in the workplace and how it affects profitability, how the safety culture starts at the top and how CEOs can demonstrate this culture personally to their employees. We also talk about making the right financial investments when it comes to safety, and what the safety culture will look like in 5-10 years from now. 
Tune in to this episode and gain valuable insights regarding the need for a safety culture in the construction industry. 
What’s Discussed in This Episode: 
Larry talks about how his passion for safety was developed [1:49] Balancing boosting performance, profitability, and adherence to safety standards [3:17] How to balance production and safety [4:06] What sets apart the top 20 percent of contractors who adhere to safety [5:33] Practical examples of the practice of safety [6:33] Safety culture starts at the top and is sustained by those in the bottom [7:26] The importance of coaching [8:42] The safety coach (who to hire) [9:28] Balancing the letter of the law and the spirit of the law in terms of safety [10:34] Advice for companies trying to balance regulations and execution [11:44] Successful vs failed safety initiatives [12:40] Running an effective tailgate meeting in terms of safety [13:55] Actionable steps to gear towards a safety culture [17:33] Safety leadership and safety management [19:22] Making the financial investments towards achieving safety goals [22:05] Three immediate actions to perform safety at a high level [25:11] How construction CEO's should spearhead a culture of safety [27:05] The safety culture in the next 5-10 years [29:50] About the Guest: 
Larry’s health and safety experiences began in 1978 operating his own businesses. He values quality health and safety compliance and training for employees and subcontractors to better control liability and workers compensation insurance costs affecting bottom-line profit.
In 2011, Larry began training employees and sub-contractors in body mechanics, lifting and stretching warm-up exercises to reduce injuries. He understands challenges employers face with constantly changing regulations to running a profitable business. He assists companies of all sizes in private, public, government, military and mining projects. No job is too big or small.
With a passion for health and safety, Larry, and his wife Cathy, formed SAFE- Safety Associates For Employers, LLC to provide Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety Compliance, Education, Staffing and Training. They offer services to Construction, General Industry and Mining combined with diverse backgrounds and experiences.
Working for business owners and decision-makers, Larry and Cathy deliver results that enhance and improve employee attitudes, efficiency, leadership, performance, profitability, and quality by promoting the value of workplace safety.
Resources:

Visit the SAFE website (https://safety4employers.com/)  Learn more about SAFE trainings (https://safety4employers.com/training/)  Contact Larry through... Phone (775-843-8318) Email (1larrymarkham@gmail.com)  Where to stay and eat in Reno:
The Atlantis Hotel (https://atlantiscasino.com/)  The Oyster Bar at the Atlantis (https://atlantiscasino.com/dining/fine-dining/sky-terrace-oyster-bar)  Connect with me on LinkedIn. For more podcast episodes, you may also visit my website. Tune in and subscribe to the C