Impressive Industry Minds on Display
The March edition of the From the Fabricator podcast is now live. This release is a bit earlier than normal because I didn’t want to conflict with the episode drops from BEC Presents coming next week, so I hope you’ll still make room in your listening/viewing schedule for all!
This month I start out with a commentary on a very big issue facing our industry and then go into three very cool interviews.
- Kendal Rowe of Rowe Fenestration leads off and she is an absolute star; a relatively new addition to our industry but with family roots long in it.
- Then I connect with Josh Burg of Glass Enterprises. This guy is so incredibly sharp and he really “gets it” at every level. Impressive man.
- Last, I catch up with Brian Thomas of Super Sky. Brian is a fantastic talent and leader and the work that he and the team do at Super Sky is jaw dropping. Plus, some fun stuff at the end. To watch it via YouTube and to see some impressive glass and glazing projects click here. To find it as an audio file that you can listen to on your walks or commutes, you can either search your favorite podcast app or go to this page. Thank you for the support!
Elsewhere….
Promoting Trade Schools
I had a post on LinkedIn last week that did very well, and it was all because Jodi Martinez of All Star Glass shared a post promoting the fact that we all really need to be pushing and promoting trade schools with as much passion as we push traditional college. I was excited that the post accumulated a lot of action because it was nice to see I (and obviously Jodi) are not alone in our thinking that this is something that culturally we have to address. For some there is a stigma that trade or technical schools are not as good and that is so wrong and needs to be changed. I think we should all keep in our mind as we talk to youngsters that are in high school and we ask what their plans are for the future, make them aware of the trade route and how good it truly can be.
The Momentum Index Looks Up
Good news from the last Dodge Momentum Index with its best score in a long time. Some pent-up demand broke loose and that was nice to see. We still have some slower pockets to deal with out there and I know some on the commercial side are now getting frustrated/worried that we are slower than we are used to- but signs like these are ones for us to point to. In the meantime, we keep hustling.
Q-Railing Opens New Location
Congrats to the fine folks at Q-Railing on the addition of another location in the U.S., this time in Orlando. Jan Hulin and his team there are really rolling, and I love the growth and the excitement around that product segment. Orlando joins Tustin, California and Brooklyn as the U.S. locations for Q.
BEC Presents Eps Drop Soon
As mentioned above and also last week BEC Presents has episodes dropping on March 22. Fun way to inform and educate and plus you may get some shots of me taking on a monster task. Get ready to check it out.
Thirsty Thursday
Also coming up is the next Thirsty Thursday and that is this Thursday the 18th and the title is: Understanding the Tech Tables: NGA's Engineering Standards Manual and Heavy Glass Door Design Guide. If you have either of these guides, then you absolutely want to be on this session. (If you don’t have either guide, you should buy them) Melissa Szotkowski of Oldcastle BuildingEnvelope will walk you through it all in this free session. Click here to learn more and register.
March Madness
Last this week: it is March Madness. Obviously last year it was cancelled, and that was the start of the very dark and tough year for all. I am excited to see this tournament because for the first time in years my alma mater (and also that of Wolverine Glass’ Rodger Ruff) Ohio University will be in the big dance! Can’t wait to see them play and, who knows, maybe they’ll pull an upset along the way. In any case bring on the madness and good luck to all of you and your favorites in the tournament.
