Tag: business development

Posted on

Who knew how controversial the world of A/E/C marketing could be?

Wowzers! That’s my general response to a controversy that has been brewing over the last several weeks among marketers responsible for promoting architecture, engineering and construction professional services.

It all started when Professional Services Management Journal (PSMJ) published a list-based article called, “8 Reasons You Shouldn’t Do A/E Marketing,” which started out as follows: Continue reading “Who knew how controversial the world of A/E/C marketing could be?”

Posted on

“Coffee is for Closers” – 6 Tips for Winning More Clients as a Consultant

Consulting is, in my opinion, one of the most noble professions that exists. Sadly, too many freelancers, subcontractors and outsourced laborers have diluted the meaning of the word “consultant.” For the purposes of this article, let’s agree that the true definition of a consultant is a professional who leverages many years of experience, knowledge, and training, often applying … Continue reading “Coffee is for Closers” – 6 Tips for Winning More Clients as a Consultant

Posted on

The future of commercial real estate development will be Agile

Back in 2001, several thought-leaders in the software development world got together and tried to reinvent the business processes behind turning code into something useful and marketable. The result is known as the Agile Manifesto and has spurred on a revolution in how software is made, with a pragmatic, market-driven and user-centric approach.

When AirBnB started eating into the profit margins of the established players in the lodging industry, the threat was not taken seriously at first. Savvy and agile investors quickly transformed small apartment buildings and houses into mini-hotels, creating a new class of social media-enabled commercial real estate investment property. Now, municipalities are actively trying to recapture lost tax revenue. Continue reading “The future of commercial real estate development will be Agile”

Posted on

Manufactured Magic: The story behind the story of Disney World’s $1-billion re-imagineering

Last week, my colleagues and I joined about 1,400 of our closest friends in the construction defect litigation industry at the Disneyland Hotel for a conference. It was my first time staying at the actual Disneyland Hotel. Nice hotel, but really unacceptably poor wifi, and the grounds demonstrate a myopic and blatant disregard for the … Continue reading Manufactured Magic: The story behind the story of Disney World’s $1-billion re-imagineering

Posted on

How much of an impact is craft beer to the San Diego region? 6,200 jobs and $600-million per year

San Diego has been at the epicenter of the microbrewery and craft beer scene since the beginning. The neighborhood my wife and I lived in when we were first married went from being an affordable place to rent an apartment, to becoming the scene for artisanal brews. The hookers have been mostly displaced by hipsters.

Besides my own personal observations, and bold statements made by various pundits in the local beer scene, is there really anything to this craft beer explosion in San Diego? Continue reading “How much of an impact is craft beer to the San Diego region? 6,200 jobs and $600-million per year”

Posted on

Next up in Commercial Real Estate Development: The Moon!

They say, “the sky’s the limit,” but perhaps not for long when it comes to commercial real estate development. The valuation of real estate is based on a simple principle: there is only so much land on the surface of our planet. What if we could open up a little more land for development, even if it isn’t the most convenient?

In response to a number of startup firms eyeing the possibility of commercial real estate development on the surface of the moon, the US Federal Aviation Administration has taken an interesting step to ensure “that commercial activities can be conducted on a non-interference basis.” Continue reading “Next up in Commercial Real Estate Development: The Moon!”

Posted on

Documentary showcases the world’s oldest family-run business still operating – a 1,300 year-old hotel in Japan

Way back in the year 718, an entrepreneur named Houshi or Hoshi (depending on who is translating), opened an inn on the site of a natural hot spring in the Awazu region of central Japan. 46 generations later, the Hoshi Ryokan hotel has remained operated by the same family, making it the oldest family-run business in the entire world. Continue reading “Documentary showcases the world’s oldest family-run business still operating – a 1,300 year-old hotel in Japan”

Posted on

Growth in demand for Consulting demonstrated in stock price of publicly traded ICFI

There are a lot of small businesses that self-identify as consultants. Like quality and beauty, the definition of what a consultant is depends entirely on the perspective of the observer. Most so-called consultants are actually just independent contractors or subcontractors providing outsourced labor. In my opinion, a true consultant is one who improves their client’s situation.

In the same way that few parents actively encourage their children to skip college to pursue joining the building trades, not too many folks pressure their offspring to become management consultants. Continue reading “Growth in demand for Consulting demonstrated in stock price of publicly traded ICFI”

Posted on

7 Ways a Chief Innovation Officer can improve your company’s opportunities for growth

The Chief Innovation Officer (CIO, though not to be confused with “Chief Information Officer”) is a relatively new position in the marketplace created with the express goal of fostering innovation within a company. Innovation, though, rarely happens through shear force of will and poor management is often the greatest obstacle to institutionalizing the kind of … Continue reading 7 Ways a Chief Innovation Officer can improve your company’s opportunities for growth