Schwartz

More ideas for our future

Wed, 05 Jun 2013 15:25:00 +0000

Reader, and fellow “gray beard,” Russ Smith contacted me about an idea he has been trying to get some traction on.

Trade craft: ideas for our future

Thu, 02 May 2013 16:22:00 +0000

My previous two columns about helping the trade craft have dealt with the evolution of the current problems we have in the construction industry in general and the pipe trades in particular. The response level from readers has been huge. I have received more correspondence on this issue than all the correspondence from the past five years combined! Obviously, the problem is that important. In addition to contractors, I have been contacted by manufacturers, labor advocates and tradesmen. I have not, however, had any word from educators or politicians.

Helping the trade craft – Pt. 2

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 17:28:00 +0000

So, we’ve gone through the first half of the 20th century and built a mighty powerhouse of an economy on the backs of the trades.

HELP! And what you can do about it

Wed, 06 Mar 2013 17:53:00 +0000

One topic that is near and dear to me is trade craft and passing the skills of the trade down to the next generation.

The new and improved

Fri, 08 Feb 2013 20:09:00 +0000

Journeymen and masters in the pipe trades are notoriously skeptical when it comes to leaving the tried-and-true and jumping on the “newest thing around” bandwagon. The old adage about “once burned” has significant documentation in our trade. I don’t know if there is a book somewhere which lists all the new and improved products marketed to the pipe trades, and construction trades in general, which have failed to live up to their advertising, but there should be. It would make for interesting reading.

Protect yourself

Thu, 10 Jan 2013 20:09:00 +0000

On many occasions and in many articles, the inherent dangers of contracting have been enumerated by a lot of other people who have experienced them first hand.

Capital investing: think it through first

Mon, 03 Dec 2012 20:51:00 +0000

Over a century ago, before automobiles and electricity, nothing moved faster than a man on a horse.

Movin’ on up

Wed, 10 Oct 2012 16:04:00 +0000

BY AL SCHWARTZ

Being in the contracting business today is a little like playing Russian roulette. You never really know when the end is going to come up.

Keeping the trades alive

Wed, 05 Sep 2012 13:50:00 +0000

Recent columns about trade craft, trade education and the new paradigm in businesses that purport to have “techs” as opposed to plumbers have garnered quite a few comments from readers of Contractor. In fact, the numbers of letters commenting on and lamenting the state of the trade were the most I’ve received on any columns.

Sales and salesmanship

Fri, 03 Aug 2012 15:22:00 +0000

What good does it do you to struggle along picking up a little work here and there when a sound sales program could bring in more work than you could do? Starting a sales program doesn’t have to be a large investment, but it can certainly pay large dividends.