[Rhodes22-list] Andrew C. said, "...

[Andrew Collins]

Ed

While the mechanism of taking my people and perhaps clients on aretreat
would no work for many reasons, your underlying concept of stating that the
situation is vulnerable to analysis and measures can be taken that will
compensate for the 'absence ' (more on this in a moment) of liquidity in the
credit market is right on.
We are doing some things that are new: we have established an Energy
Modeling Laboratory which allows our clients to know the annual energy
consumption cost of every design decision made and this also allows us to
guide them to obtaining utility co. rebates for equipment and solar PV
installations, Green Building tax credits, and accreditation through the US
Green Building Council (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). We
printed up a nifty postcard announcing the Energy Lab, we reduced fees, we
will do certain kinds of inspection work we hadn't been doing, and so forth.
We are the engineers for the only LEED Platinum rated building in NY State,
the Queens Botanical Garden Admin Building, which gives us credibility
whenbidding. We have formed a marketing group that offers soup to nuts
design to construction to commissioning services. So we are adjusting our
sails.

As to credit, we observe that the media is not portraying the actual
financial situation accurately (what a surprise). Since I cannot know
exactly what is happenning due to my worm's eye view, by inference I do know
that things are not monolithically froze. As is usual during downturns the
following sectors are up: education, bars and restaurants, endowment-funded
outfits like the Bronx Zoo continue to work, as do publicly funded projects.
Luxury homes are recession proof, but housing in general has not stopped in
its tracks by any means. Corporations need new offices if they down-size,
and if they move, let us keep our fingers crossed. Malls, restaurants etc
are jammed in the NY, Tucson and LA areas, my sources report. An employee
bought his first house, with a mortgage and at a steep discount (25%!) and
the builder paid the closing costs. I guess the builder is reacting, too.
Other clients are clearly getting credit. So while the construction sector
is slowing as a whole, it is nuanced.
Thanks for your support

Andrew
sv Carmen

On Thu, Dec 11, 2008 at 8:45 AM, Tootle <ekroposki at charter.net> wrote:

>
> Andrew C said, "Oh, and since my clients can't get loans, they are not
> building, and don't need to hire engineers. This is going to be quite a
> holiday season, thanks to the absence of leadership in the in the halls of
> Washington."
>
> Andrew, looking to others or to Washington is an abdication of leadership.
> At times you seem to be a man who can reason.  Consider the approaching
> quiet time as opportunity.
>
> What you say?  Have you ever heard of the Adirondack Mountains?  Find a
> cheap and quaint motel, hotel, or such near or in the mountains.  Take your
> people for a couple of days cross country skiing.  Tell them to bring their
> lap tops and a couple of blank flip charts.
>
> Maybe bring a real prospect that has a genuine need for your services.
> Bring in a banker or someone skilled at getting financing to do projects.
>
> The second day after a day of exercise and skiing and beverages, sit around
> a big round table in the morning and discuss a hypothetical built around
> your client and his need.
>
> Just go around the table as a case study with brain storming, no solutions
> just discussions of need.  Then go skiing again.
>
> Designate two different people to prepare old fashioned paper flip charts
> of
> the mornings discussions.  Over dinner and wine, review what was said, and
> then on a blank flip chart write down potential ways to achieve a good
> result.
>
> Leaders do not look to others to lead.  There is always a need for leaders.
> Now is the time for you to be that 2nd Lieutenant and say "Charge".
>
> Ed K
> Addendum:  ""I am looking for a lot of men who have an infinite capacity to
> not know what can't be done." Henry Ford
>
>
> --
> View this message in context:
> http://www.nabble.com/Andrew-C.-said%2C-%22...-tp20955698p20955698.html
> Sent from the Rhodes 22 mailing list archive at Nabble.com.
>
>
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