3 (possibly 4) ways to innovate in an outdated industry like construction

As someone who has spent virtually my entire life innovating, it’s no surprise that I exploit innovation as a driving force when making business decisions. Raised by a single mother and having had aspirations throughout my childhood to be the first in my family to graduate from college, I knew the odds were stacked against me. However, the aspects that hindered my upward mobility still didn’t prevent me from achieving my goals.

Today I’m grateful for the challenges I have encountered along the way. They have made me more resilient, persistent, and more willing to not only discover what doesn’t work well, but also try recent methods until I find something that works higher. These are the same traits that I have used throughout my profession to achieve success.

Today, I’m a partner in the construction company Curbed Construction, in addition to the owner of Connolly Development and Roamstead, a group of high-end campgrounds that opened their first location in 2023 right next to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Success Each of those endeavors has relied on our ability to discover weaknesses in processes and procedures and then develop recent ways to achieve higher results.

The first step to change? Admitting there is a problem

I’m sure it’ll come as no surprise to anyone reading this text that whilst someone who makes a living in construction, I will likely be one of the first to admit that this industry has flaws. You can probably come up with a few downsides to the construction industry yourself, no matter your affiliation with the industry. Whether you’ve got worked in construction or were just trying to hire a contractor for a small home remodel, I’d be shocked if you didn’t have a negative story to tell.

Trust me: I’ve had stories too.

When I began working in the development industry, I spotted quite early on that competing with independent home builders could be a significant challenge. I encountered a lack of transparency, subcontractor control and other obstacles that stood in my way of implementing successful projects.

But as a substitute of spending time being frustrated with the situation, I channeled that energy into developing solutions.

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We are moving forward, despite the critics

In an outdated industry, recent ideas could also be met with criticism. The old guard believes they have it found out, while the recent players need to determine how to engage in the process. Construction in particular is characterised by poor customer support, terrible communication and skyrocketing costs, to name just a few challenges. People accept these problems because they are the norm, and you will see many older operators who probably wouldn’t put in the time and attention required to change them. But at Curbed, we knew that just because the industry tolerated such poor service levels didn’t mean we wanted to run our business that way.

Here are some ways we have had success Limited design driving innovation in our industry somewhat than perpetuating the established order.

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1. Identify pain points (for yourself, your suppliers and customers)

If you’re feeling pain, probabilities are your customers, suppliers and colleagues do too. As a software developer, creating Curbed Construction was a response to the issues I felt in this role. I looked for contractors willing to approach projects in another way and I simply didn’t find them. My partners felt the same way.

In addition to solving our own problems, we also tried to improve the situation of the people we work with. We proactively communicate with our customers, encourage and nurture our team, and invest in our community. These efforts are definitely not astronomical, but you would be surprised how rarely subcontractors are treated with respect and gratitude on the job site. You’d even be surprised how far publicity can reach other great salespeople if you treat them well. Prioritizing employees allows us to keep great teams working, which advantages all parties involved.

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2. Get your hands dirty (i.e. get in there and do the labor yourself to understand what is required)

Do you remember the slogan from the program? “You think you know, but you have no idea.” Not only is this straightforward statement a great introduction to our favourite Y2K recaps, but it also has huge implications for business operations.

What are some belongings you’ve never done in your organization? Whatever comes to your mind, try it.

For our team, getting our hands dirty could look like unloading windows from a trailer, directly sourcing fixtures and finishes, or helping a concrete crew tie rebar and pour footers. For you, this may occasionally mean asking who’s underwater in your organization and offering to take some of that work off their hands. Losing sight of how work is done prevents you from understanding how it could possibly be improved.

Moreover, demonstrating that you just are willing to do whatever it takes to get your job done sends a positive signal to your team.

3. Be ready to take risks

I like to say, “You can’t hit a home run without swinging the bat.”

We live in a data-obsessed world. Clearly, in some scenarios, taking a data-driven approach is crucial. But you will never try a recent approach if you are looking for someone to do it and share data-backed evidence of its success first.

Sometimes your efforts don’t bring the expected results. Before you are attempting a recent endeavor, make sure you are prepared to give it enough time to produce results. Don’t just expect failure, but understand that success will likely be gradual. Find out what events should trigger a pivot and which milestones suggest staying the course.

4. (Maybe) find like-minded partners

In my case, finding partners was the perfect fit for Curbed Construction. My experience as a developer, combined with the experience of my partners Nolan Woody and Gary Crowe in construction and real estate, made us a collective powerhouse from the very starting. Although each of us brought a different perspective, we shared a similar vision of easing the pain that the majority people associate with a construction project.

Partners can open your eyes to your blind spots and may give you the chance to provide the perspective and skills you lack. Complementary skill sets aligned to advance a shared mission can provide momentum that a lone entrepreneur may not give you the chance to generate individually.