Building Savvy July 2020 by TKCommunications

HOMEBOUND, HEALTHY AND HAPPY

SOUTH TEXAS ECONOMIC FALLOUT FROM SHUTDOWN

San Antonio | July 2020

DENNIS CELSOR BLAZES HIS OWN TRAIL

A Homebuilding Industry Publication A Homebuilding Industry Publication

EXIT AND ESTATE PLANNING

Building Savvy

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Building Savvy

SAVVY’S A-LIST Air Conditioning Classic Services AC 830.358.1499 www.classicairconditioningand heating.com Architectural Photographer Jason Roberts and Associates 210.789.2033 www.jasonroberts.biz Building Materials BMC 512.977.7400 www.buildwithbmc.com Guido Companies 210.344.8321 www.guidoconstruction.com

Doors The Front Door Company 210.340.3141 www.thefrontdoorco.com

Flooring Sunn Carpets and Flooring 210.349.7866 www.sunncarpets.com

Electrician JPI Electric 210.233.6638 www.jpielectric.com

Garage Doors Hollywood-Crawford 210.494.3434 www.hollywoodcrawford.com

Elevators Home Elevator of Texas 210.340.5702 www.homeelevator.com

Home Warranties Centricity 727.385.7599 StrucSure 830-624-4450 www.strucsure.com

Fireplace Installations Integrity Fireplace Installations 210.294.1383

Insurance Hotchkiss Insurance 210.581.0420 www.hiallc.com Lighting Turney Lighting 210.308.9966 www.turneylighting.com

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Lumber and Millwork Roddis Lumber 210.226.1426 www.roddislumber.com

Masonry Diamond Masonry 210.473.1264 Mortgage Company Aligned Mortgage 210.874.1630 www.alignedmortgage.com Plumbing Diamond Plumbing 210.967.6100 www.dptexas.com Roofer Kendall County Roofing 830.331.2650 www.kendallcountyroofing.com Specialty Electronics and Appliances HomeWerks 210.499.5760 www.sanantoniocentralvac.com

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Building Savvy

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As we all wait in anticipation to see what the world throws our way next, and wrap our heads around what’s true and not true, it’s an anxious time. In this month’s “Sales Savvy,” Paul Evans advises: “Remind every person you call that you are not taking this mess sitting down! You can let the situation we’re in take us over, or we can choose to take over the situation.”

People have certainly been in their homes long enough over the past couple of months to analyze what they appreciate and scrutinize what they want to change. Talk about this. Speak about what future neighborhoods might look like. Make an investment in a new type of business that’s sprung up in response to COVID-19. Endorse a product that you use. It’s up to you to get out there, roll your sleeves up, and sell and ignore anyone telling you what you can or can’t do. Then tell people what you’re doing!

One way of making lemonade out of the lemons we’ve been handed is be put yourself out there. Show people that you’re the builder or remodeler ahead of the curve, making changes in how you conduct business and in keeping up with the changes in styles and tastes. Offer to speak or be on a panel. Make videos and post them on YouTube. Everyone wants to hear positive messages. Even some of the mainstream news reporters are seeking for a bright-light type of story they can throw into the mix between all the doom and gloom. You don’t have to wait for anyone to give you permission to do any of these things. Decide what story you want the news to tell, and don’t be shy in pitching your story ideas.

Tony Robbins says, “If you want to be successful, find someone who has achieved the results you want, and copy what they do, and you’ll achieve the same results.” We challenge you to study the art of public relations and to analyze the PR success stories of other companies. Look far and wide, not just at our industry, but any industry. Don’t be shy about promoting your brand. Go create some good news! Terry Kemmy Publisher 210.844.1542

[association news]

GSABA M E M B E R S H I P

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The Greater San Antonio Builders Association is a not-for-profit trade association established to represent builders, developers, remodelers and affiliated industry members in cooperation to benefit and promote homeownership.

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There are several ways and opportunities to get involved with the association. One of the most important committees GSABA has is the Government Affairs Committee, which works in conjunction with the association staff to address issues that impact the home-building industry at the city, county, state, and federal level. One of the primary goals is to protect the industry from onerous regulations that could raise the cost of housing in the Greater San Antonio area. To learn more about the benefits of membership, or if you need help getting started, contact GSABA Membership Director Feliz Morin at (210) 696-3800.

GSABA members include but are not limited to: homebuilders, developers, remodelers, architects, suppliers, general contractors, mortgage lenders, interior designers, title companies, banks, service providers, tile and masonry, and many more trade contractors and home-building categories.

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Building Savvy

[savvy builder]

BUILT GREEN

“As a design/build consulting firm, we are looking for a niche client who wants control of their life. Our clients tend to have somewhat of a spirit of adventure. Many are focused on saving money. Many are looking to get the home built the way they want it. Many are focused on affordable energy efficiency. They want to get the most bang for their buck.”

CUSTOM HOMES Dennis Celsor Targets the Do-It-Yourself Inclined

Like most good builders, Dennis Celsor has a passion for home building and seeing his customers move into the house of their dreams. But Celsor’s approach to building is completely different than most others. In fact, his Built Green Custom Homes company is only a good fit for a small percentage of homebuyers. “Home building doesn’t have to be a mystery,” says Celsor. “Through education, building relationships and different ways to save money, homeowners can control the building process for their dream home.” Built Green Custom Homes lets the home buyer call the shots while essentially becoming their own home builder. They are encouraged to use good subcontractors to build the home and have the option of doing some of the work themselves. The allure is control of the building process, opportunities to save money, and getting the exact type of construction they desire. For nearly 20 years, Celsor has been showing people how to build their own homes, save money and get more for their investment dollar. Through the Built Green system, he teaches people from all walks of life how to take on custom home building projects … even if they don’t have any prior construction experience. With the help of the Built Green team, clients manage their projects and participate in the decisions about design, materials, and subcontractors. Built Green provides the expertise, contacts, and know-how with the goal that the job gets done right, on time, and within budget.

As a design/build consulting firm, we are looking for a niche client who wants control of their life.

After retiring as a Captain with the Houston Fire Department in 2000, and managing a rental property business, he began coaching clients on how to build their own homes using subcontractors. He’s been with Built Green since 2004 (starting in Houston), but became an owner of BGCH in Central and South Texas in 2010. Celsor is a certified through the NAHB as a Graduate Master Builder, Aging-in-Place Specialist and Certified Green Professional.

“The consultation starts long before the client writes a check. We like to meet the client first at the build site to answer questions, as most have never built before. We assist in laying out the possible house site, discuss slope and water flow, preserving trees, where to place the garage and driveway, septic systems, and avoiding mistakes.

“I got started in this business over 40 years ago,” says Dennis. “My dad bought a partially finished new home that needed lots of repairs. We just went to the hardware store or lumber company and asked how to do it and then did it. After that we decided to flip houses, but had not learned the first three rules of real estate … location, location, location. So those flip houses turned into profitable rent houses. We operated a rental property business for the next 22 years with as many as 27 homes/ town homes.”

The buyer is offered an education in home building by BGCH. They offer free home-building classes to clients and future clients with hours of detailed online training.

Home building is much more than a sticks-and-bricks business. The BGCH team enables the buyer to build good relationships with suppliers and subs as the owner builder manages the building process.

Dennis and his wife, Rebecca

Building Savvy

“We urge our clients to choose affordable energy efficiency; it’s really a must. And they tell us that our reputation makes a difference. The free classes and education are a real plus. Over two dozen available inspections by an engineering company gives added comfort that the home is being built correctly. It all comes back to saving money, more equity, lower payments, energy efficiency, getting the home built the way you want, choosing the subs you want to work with, having the satisfaction of building your own home.” A critical part of Dennis’ business revolves around having a solid, dependable list of contractors and suppliers. Built Green has a core group who really enjoy working with the owner/builders. In his system the home takes on a more personal feel, as the clients are much more involved in the process.

“I’ve worked very closely with Dennis on his educational classes and at the same time have learned a great deal about the building business through him. What we do is not for everyone … but for those who are motivated and willing to learn, it’s great. His business model is one of the best-kept secrets out there.” – Charlie Crocker, JPI Electric “He’s a builder’s builder. Through his education classes, and the entire building process, Dennis becomes like family to his subs and the homebuyer. He really cares about his job, and it shows.” – Kathie Millen, Longhorn Solar

Here’s what some of them had to say: “I’ve been working with Dennis for about seven years. He’s a great partner and a great man of integrity who cares so much about all of his clients.” – Kim Acker, Sage Capital Bank “When he tells you the job is ready for your crew, it always is. Everything is lined up, and we don’t waste any time.” – Ishmael Gonzales, Erntex Plumbing “He takes a very personal, down-to-earth approach with his clients. He’s also very passionate about what he does … and his clients respond well to this.” – Damon Benedict, River City Flooring 10

Building Savvy

[industry news]

South Texas Economic Fallout From

SHUTDOWN C o u l d T a k e Ye a r s t o P l a y O u t

By Jim Leonard

As the COVID-19 pandemic has brought the national and worldwide economy to record-breaking low levels, the construction industry has been dealing with many of its own issues to keep its head above water and continue to deliver homes. Although the construction industry is considered essential work in many parts of the country, including Texas, the misfortunes of job loss has taken its toll on the industry. As well, supply-chain issues have crept up that are slowing projects nationally and, in some cases, locally.

In its most recent report, dated May of 2020, the Association of General Contractors reported 62,500 construction related jobs were lost in Texas in the period from March 2020 to April 2020. This represents a loss of 7.9 percent of construction jobs in the state. In the north, New York lost 40 percent of its workforce, Michigan lost 44 percent, and Pennsylvania lost 39 percent. For the same period, NAHB reported over 600,000 construction jobs were lost in the same period across the country. The National Association of REALTORS® reported a 17.8-percent drop in sales in April, the largest month over month decline in 10 years. However builder confidence increased to 37 in May, a sign that builders see the market and economy stabilizing. When the housing crisis of 2009 and 2010 was rippling through the economy, it took five years or more for markets to return to pre- crisis levels. The unemployment rate on November of 2009 did not return to similar levels until 2015. If the past is any indication, job growth and the full return of the economy may be years away.

HOW THE NATION’S BEST BUILDERS PROTECT THEIR BUYERS

There have also been cracks in the supply chain being felt globally. It is estimated that, on the low side, 30 percent of building materials come from China, where the COVID-19 outbreak originally began. This includes steel, copper, aluminum, stone and electronic parts. With plants in China shut down, U.S. manufacturers were scrambling to replace these products through other means.

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Schlage, the door hardware manufacturer, closed a plant in Mexico for four weeks. We have heard of interior door manufacturers closing plants temporarily. Similar stories have come out on appliances as companies deal with social-distancing issues in their factories, and, in some cases, states have simply forced them to close their doors until the crisis allows the economy to open back up and people to return to work. Clearly we are seeing an economy that has never existed in the U.S., and builders are trying to navigate their way through. Some builders have reduced their level of starts, banks have become cautious about increases in inventory levels, working with builders to ratchet down the levels of spec homes. Developers have slowed some projects, waiting to develop lots for future deliveries. We have not yet seen the full effect on builders’ bottom lines. Many builders were able to complete their backlog and deliver houses that were under contract when the pandemic first began to be felt.

But as time goes on, it is likely the third quarter will be when the results for national builders especially show up in diminished revenue. Builders are beginning to open the old play books back up, offering increased commissions to REALTORS® and healthy incentives to reduce inventory. Home Depot reported an 8-percent increase in revenue in their first quarter as people forced to quarantine at home began to get chores done around their home. But expenses increased by 10 percent as the cost of dealing with signage, barricades, face masks for employees and Plexiglas shields to protect workers from close contact with customers were put into effect.This will likely become the new normal at many retail establishments. I personally have stood in line at Home Depot waiting to enter as the number of people allowed in the store has been reduced to 25 percent of capacity.

home. This change will also have an effect on commercial real estate values, as companies learn they do not need as large of a footprint on office space. They will reduce square footage, saving cost but putting millions of square feet of office space on to the market. We are only just beginning to understand the changes coming to our industry over the next few years. We will continue to stay on top of it and report to you. Until then, stay safe, and mask on when going out in public. It’s the right thing to do to protect you and your neighbors.

For the building industry going forward, we are hearing discussions of new home plan designs, as many people will be forced to continue working from home. Home offices will be much more in demand in plan design. Not just a place at the kitchen table to open up a laptop, but a fully functioning office that will allow workers to do their entire job in their own

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Building Savvy

[trevor’s take]

HOMEBOUND, HEALTHY & HAPPY A s W o r k i n g Fr o m H o m e B e c o m e s M o r e C o m m o n , How Will Society Change?

With the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus in early 2020, governments and major employers around the world struggled to find a quick way to stop the spread of disease. A pandemic is a true black-swan event that most large organizations don’t typically plan for. Decision makers had to protect employee health while still maintaining operations. With the recent rapid advance of cloud-based internet services that have work applications, it seems that the time for remote work has finally arrived. Work from home has been growing in popularity since the early 2000s, but most employers have been hesitant to create a framework to implement it as an alternative work schedule. As the internet grew in use, and laptop computers, virtual private networks (VPN) and public WiFi became more commonplace, new options emerged for white-collar jobs. Stodgy bosses questioned how employees would actually perform under these more liberal circumstances. Some innovative companies had been successful in integrating remote work, but most traditional employers avoided using it on a regular basis.

By Trevor Whitney

In the most recent years, trendy open-office concepts and shared workspace culture has prevailed. Employers liked the collaboration (and ease of monitoring their employees), but many employees bristled from the lack of privacy. With a new societal focus on pandemic threats, the open office culture could face an early death. How will a “new normal” of more people working from home affect the residential construction industry?

Creature Comforts for Quarantine Long spells of being stuck inside, such as during a quarantine, can drive you up the wall. During the 2020 quarantine, home-improvement stores all saw an increase in sales. In the future, homeowners will look to add more natural light in their homes so they feel less caged during their longer hours at home. Also, upgraded bathroom amenities may become standard as people spend more time powdering their nose at home rather than at the office. Consumer spending on towels, toiletries, and cleaning products will likely increase as more people stay home, without a cleaning crew to maintain living standards for them. Things like bidets, heated flooring and touchless faucets will continue to grow in popularity in homes at all price points.

recently focused on outdoor cooking areas, but customer demand may lead to more raised garden bed areas and trellises being built. Also, tree selection during lot development may get more consideration, as many fruit and nut trees grow well in south Texas and can serve a dual purpose: provide shade in the summer and a nutritious snack. Creating sustainable, edible yards will become more popular than manicured grass lawns. The end of housing density? Through government intervention and millennial living arrangement tastes, living inside dense city blocks near the urban core has become more desirable in recent years. After the pandemic impacts on society, that trend may be dead. Higher density exposes you to being impacted by airborne viruses or civil unrest at a much higher rate than the suburbs. Along with advances in work-fromhome technology, jobs (and people’s place of residence) may not necessarily be tethered to large cities anymore. One of the biggest coming changes will be a shift to more housing demand in smaller towns and rural areas, as people can remain employed but skip the commute and the dangers of living too close to your neighbors.

Eat What You Grow There already is a trend for more healthy eating and localized food supply in America. When you add the possibility of shortages or higher food prices due to processing plants being out of commission during pandemic lockdowns, home gardens are looking more and more appealing to people. Pool and deck designers have

The Return of the Home Office The product that homebuilders offer today will shift to meet this increase in home-based employees. Long gone are the days of formal dining rooms, so that square footage may be redesigned for home-office space in many floor plans. Additionally, remodelers should expect to see an uptick in customers wanting to convert unused bedrooms for workspace. By incorporating built-in cabinets or shelves, upgraded lighting options and running high-speed internet for hardwired connections in home offices, remodelers can capture the demand for spacious, comfortable home office spaces. Garage Gym Mania Home buyers at all price points will begin to re-prioritize having a fitness area in their home. From a garage gym for lifting weights to a sauna or yoga studio near the pool, society’s move towards healthy living (a much-needed trend!) overlaps perfectly with a rise in risk aversion due to pandemics or other health threats. No need to wallow in someone else’s sweat when you can sink a little money into home exercise space and equipment. Home fitness rooms are no longer a thing only for the wealthy.

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Building Savvy

[focus section]

By Beverly Smirnis

1. The Color Blue A denim-like blue was chosen by both Pantone (Classic Blue) and Sherwin-Williams (Naval) as Color of the Year for 2020, and we’re seeing it everywhere! This blue is pure design paradise for cabinets, walls, ceilings, and other accents. 2. Sleek, Sumptuous Slabs No longer just for kitchen countertops, quartz and porcelain slabs mimicking marble are now showing up on cabinet fronts and walls. Thanks to new surface products from GEOLUXE®, we’ll start to see engineered marble surfaces extend to outdoor spaces, too. 3. Solutions that Simplify Time is money. Brilliant product introductions are those easily and quickly installed by most anyone — not requiring skilled laborers. For example, Daltile’s RevoTile™ is a revolutionary, patented, porcelain tile floating floor system that installs in just three easy steps with no wait time. RevoTile™ installs two times faster than traditional tile, saving builders time and money. 4. Hygienic and Hands-Free Lately, we’ve all become a lot more diligent about keeping our homes clean and safe. Watch for advancements in food-safe and easy-to-clean surfaces designed to reduce viral and bacterial growth. Hands-free solutions for faucets are common already, and a few brands offer hands-free refrigerator door opening. Adding

features that enhance wellness while still looking contemporary and beautiful stands to pay big dividends for product developers. 5. Luxe Laminates Laminate flooring has become a go-to, affordable wood-flooring alternative thanks to tremendous advancements in technology. Today’s laminate floors are stronger, exceptionally realistic, some even waterproof. But laminates are not just about mimicking wood flooring. Formica’s 2020 Living Impressions™ Collection, for example, is painted by hand — a first for the brand — and the two marble finishes (there are six patterns total) look extremely realistic. Compare Carrara marble, which goes for about $40 per square foot, to Formica’s alternative, which clocks in around $2 to $3 per square foot. 6. Streamlining Some manufacturers are offering more complete solutions to streamline the selection, scheduling, and payment processes. Wilsonart customers, for example, can now specify made-to-order cabinet doors, drawer fronts, and other components from a company that also makes countertops, floors, and almost any type of engineered surface. 7. Outside-the-Box Innovation PITT cooking is an inventive cooking concept in which burners are directly integrated into your countertop. With

all technical elements hidden below, the system not only gives your kitchen a unique and elegant look, but it also enables burners to be placed further apart. With PITT, you always have enough space for your large pots and pans to cook independently and at the same time. PITT cooking systems’ burners can be easily and safely combined with any countertop material except wood.

clockwise from left

Surface Trends: The Top 10 The Calacatta Gluxe™ surface from GEOLUXE®, made from 100%

Achieve a desirable wood-floor look with all

water resistance, and enjoy the time and cost

the first engineered marble to feature natural

saved with Daltile’s RevoTile™ floating floor system.

veins running from top to bottom in the slab,

Wilsonart’s new five-piece door program builds on its Coordinated Surfaces

program. The geometric tile backsplash is right on-trend.

This kitchen’s blue cabinets, porcelain slab counters, wood-simulate floors, and

BLANCO’s patented SILGRANIT® kitchen sink material with Hygienic Plus™ surface, designed to reduce bacterial growth by up to 98%, checks many consumers’ boxes.

the benefits of porcelain tile, including

mineral-based materials and without resins, is

achieving a real marble look, even outdoors!

8. Three-Dimensional Details From curved ridges to beveled surfaces, manufacturers are experimenting with texture and dimension that raise the bar in interior design. 9. In-Style Tile Geometric hexagons, polygons, and cubes are seen in tile patterns or in the shapes of the tiles themselves.

Three-dimensional wall tiles from the Keraben® Underground Collection make

a signature statement.

PITT cooking systems offer unique burners integrated directly into the

countertop, with up to six burners offered across 23 different design templates.

Would you have guessed that’s a wallpaper mural you’re looking at

behind the table? Rebel Walls is a Swedish company offering mural designs from captivating landscapes to industrial surfaces.

10. Walls and Ceilings Are Your Canvas Look up, look down, look high and low — every surface of the house can be used to add an accent, make an artistic statement, or add definition to an open space. Beverly Smirnis is the co-founder of Building SAVVY magazine and publishes its flagship Dallas/Fort Worth edition. She and her business partner and husband, Steve Smirnis, have served as judges for the International Builders’ Show Best of IBS Awards and judged numerous homes for builders’ association parade events across the country.

Building Savvy

[savvy finance]

Exit and Estate Planning for Business Owners The coronavirus pandemic has forced many of us to consider our business succession and estate plans. No matter how successful you are or how well you take care of yourself, your financial situation and health are both surprisingly fragile and undeniably intertwined, two By Steven Bankler, CPA

truths that have become more apparent in recent times.

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Take this time of clarity to fill the gaps in your business succession and estate plans. They involve soul searching and tough decisions, but, alas, those decisions are inevitable. The real question is: How much control do you want over what happens? Business Succession and Exit Planning If you’re a business owner, what’s your exit plan? Will you pass the business down to the next generation in your family or sell it? What will happen to your share if you’re in a partnership and something happens? Each scenario requires careful planning so that the business can thrive without you. The pandemic — and the financial and economic volatility it has caused — will affect the valuation of your business for years to come, which will, in turn, affect your sale price and taxes. How your business weathers the storm and how quickly it bounces back will play an important part. Even if you had a

rock-solid exit strategy in place at the turn of the new year, it’s vital to re-evaluate it in this new light. Estate Plans and Advance Directives Focus on the building blocks of a sound estate plan, starting with a will. For closely held family businesses, a will is instrumental in the continuation of the business because it can give executor power to an individual of your choice without unnecessary court involvement. Trusts are part of estate plans, too, because they can help minimize taxes now and when the time comes to pass down assets. And don’t forget to stay current with your life insurance premiums, not just for your family’s needs but for the needs of the business, too. Those funds can be critical to your beneficiaries and business partners at a time when they don’t have access to business liquidity. A “little” set of documents often overlooked are advance directives for when you might be incapacitated but not deceased. These documents include a power of attorney, which is critical for business owners. The individual you name as your financial power of attorney will be able to handle certain legal and financial affairs on your behalf – including

payroll and tax payments – during any period of time you’re unable to do so. It allows your business to run smoothly when you’re too sick or injured to manage it yourself. We all imagine living forever, but that’s just not reality. Business owners have a responsibility to their family, business partners, employees, and customers to plan for the inevitable carefully. Don’t wait for the next crisis to make it happen. Steven Bankler has more than 43 years of experience in the accounting industry. Steven’s expertise lies in consulting, planning, tax, and asset protection as well as exit strategy services for closely held businesses. He also provides litigation support (both as a testifying expert witness and a consulting expert), business negotiations and estate planning. Visit www.bankler.com for additional tax strategy tips and to learn more about Steven Bankler, CPA, Ltd.

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Building Savvy

[sales savvy]

So, never let anyone tell you what you can or cannot do. As a salesperson, you are your own boss. Just like the man said, while you are selling to support your own livelihood, you’re also doing good for other families in your industry. The effort you put in will snowball and will inspire others to do the same. My best inspiration came from those sitting next to me in those early sales meetings. We all made our way out of that mess. Then, we did it again in 1991, then in 2001, and then again in 2009. Every time, we sold our way out of it, and we will now do it again.

By Paul Evans

Now Is the Time to Make 2021 Your Best Year! Back at the start of this year, I was so excited about the upcoming year in building sales. Coming off a momentous year for new home sales, and new products and communities hitting the market, it was looking to be a stellar 2020! Wow, how all of that has changed! Or has it?

As I write this, economists are forecasting doom and gloom. Millions of people are out of work. Thousands of businesses are still shuttered. We all want to know, how is the housing market going to react? Will the banks loan money to folks looking to buy or build a new home? For remodels? My prediction is, by late August, we will start to figure out the “new normal.” It may be too late for 2020 to be a good year, but now is the time to buckle down for 2021.

was my confidence that no other salesperson at the millwork shop was doing any good, either. A wise man once told me I was in the best profession there was. Being in sales meant I had complete control over my livelihood — in good times and bad. I was the one person who could set the tide for me and my company of one, the one who would build up my pipeline to make sure I was making a living. My ability or lack thereof would make or break other families working alongside me. It was up to me alone to make it all work.

I am not naive enough to think people won’t act differently and be profoundly changed after COVID-19. But I also will not allow this pandemic to change my mindset, because I’ve been down this path before. In fact, I was selling like crazy from 1981 to 1984 with no end in sight, and then 1985 hit, and my world was turned upside down. I went from $400,000 per month in millwork sales from a small millwork shop in Houston to about $125,000 seemingly overnight. I was barely making ends meet. My only saving grace

I thought long and hard about what he had said. And I went out that following Sunday morning after church and just started driving my route. That’s right — on a Sunday. In that desperate time, there were no more “workweeks” or weekends. They all fell together. I went by every community I could find, making my target list for Monday morning calls, and also

This time, many are asking: With businesses shuttered temporarily or for good, can we get the materials we need to make those sales? My answer: Be proactive about finding an alternative. Make it a consultative sale and emphasize to your end-user that you are trying to keep their job rolling. They will appreciate it more than you know – now and later, when times are better. You’ll be the one they remember pulling them through the tough times. Professional salespeople and their production teams will pull their companies through this, and we, as a country, will pull through, too, with everyone working as hard as we can. It is time for you to be the catalyst for the comeback. Remind every person you connect with that you are not taking this mess sitting down!

made a list of every builder and remodeler I knew. With lists in hand, Monday morning was “D-Day.” Monday morning came, and I was the first one on the phones with my list of builders and remodelers, asking what they had coming up and also who they might know who was building a house. That entire day and the next, I did nothing but set up appointments to make sales. By the end of the month, I was exhausted from making warm calls to anyone who would listen. I followed the orders I got through the system like a bird dog to ensure everything went well. It was hard work, but it paid off. The next month was a little better, and the following month was better than the previous one. In 1985, I never hit my 1984 numbers. My business was off by about 15% — a significant difference from the 50% economists had predicted. 1986 was better, and 1987 was way better. Eventually, I almost doubled my sales from 1984.

Optimistic? You bet I am! R. Paul Evans, CGA, CAPS, CGP is a native Texan with over 40 years in the construction industry. He is a graduate of Lamar University’s School of Engineering and the national VP of millwork for BMC. Paul has been an instructor with the NHBA for over 15 years and is one of only a handful of master instructors for the NHBA in the country. He travels the country teaching sales and marketing, customer service, and negotiating skills and has authored numerous articles and three books on these subjects. Paul is also a voting member of the ICC, is licensed as an engineer in Texas and Louisiana, and holds GC licenses in 17 states. He owns and operates a fully sustainable farm and is a licensed professional race car driver, as well.

“So, never let anyone tell you what you can or cannot do. As a salesperson, you are your own boss. Just like the man said, while you are selling to support your own livelihood, you’re also doing good for other families in your industry.”

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