Starting and Scaling a Concrete Business - Hector Romero - Concrete Solutions

The Digital Toolbox Podcast

In this episode of the Digital Toolbox Podcast, host Enmanuel Tejada interviews Hector from Concrete Solutions. We discuss Hector's journey in the concrete industry, the challenges and opportunities in the blue-collar sector, and how Concrete Solutions attracts talent and generates leads. They also touch on the importance of building relationships, collaborating with other contractors, and taking on big commercial projects like warehouses for companies like Amazon. Hector shares his insights on culture, humility, and the value of finding your niche in the industry. The company places a strong emphasis on marketing and branding, ensuring that all employees are well-equipped and represent the company professionally. They have a quality control guy and a cleanup crew to ensure that the work is done to a high standard and that the job site is clean. They also have a system in place for billing and getting paid, although commercial jobs can take longer to receive payment. During slower periods, they focus on marketing for interior projects to keep the work flowing. The advice for young contractors is to be consistent, disciplined, and prioritize communication.

Takeaways

• Blue-collar jobs are often overlooked, but they offer valuable opportunities for those who enjoy working with their hands and being outdoors.
• Building relationships and collaborating with other contractors and professionals in the industry can lead to referrals and new business opportunities.
• Creating a positive company culture and taking care of employees can help attract and retain talent.
• Social media and word-of-mouth are effective marketing tools for generating leads in the concrete industry.
• Taking on big commercial projects requires careful planning, coordination, and the ability to meet strict deadlines.
• Being humble, staying true to your values, and finding your niche in the industry are key to long-term success. Concrete Solutions specializes in both residential and commercial concrete projects.
• The company places a strong emphasis on marketing and branding.
• They have a quality control guy and a cleanup crew to ensure high-quality work and a clean job site.
• Commercial jobs can take longer to receive payment, so they balance it with faster-paying residential projects.
• Advice for young contractors is to be consistent, disciplined, and prioritize communication.
• For those interested in getting into concrete work, it is recommended to study and work for someone experienced in the field.

Sound Bites

• "Blue collar jobs are really not that bad, bro."
• "We're very big on culture over here at Concrete Solutions."
• "Social media, man. Nowadays, if you're not on social media, you're pretty much out of business at this point."
• "Yeah, we're big on marketing. We're big on branding."
• "We're big on everybody being geared up."

Chapters

00:00
Introduction and Background

03:05
The Value of Blue-Collar Jobs

06:24
Building Relationships and Collaboration

09:01
Attracting Talent and Generating Leads

12:41
Taking on Big Commercial Projects

21:56
The Importance of Marketing and Branding in the Concrete Industry

30:09
Balancing Commercial and Residential Projects for Cash Flow

35:25
Slow Periods and Marketing for Interior Projects

38:26
Advice for Young Contractors: Consistency, Discipline, and Communication
Keywords

concrete industry, blue-collar jobs, attracting talent, generating leads, building relationships, collaborating with contractors, commercial projects, warehouses, Amazon, concrete contracting, residential projects, commercial projects, marketing, branding, quality control, cleanup crew