• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Engineering Management Institute

UPCOMING TRAINING
  • About
    • Meet Anthony Fasano, P.E.
    • EMI’s Mission, Vision & Values
    • Meet Team EMI
  • Training
  • FE-PE Exams
  • Start
  • Content
    • Blog
    • Podcasts
      • The Engineering Career Coach Podcast
      • The Civil Engineering Podcast
        • Women in Civil Engineering
        • Civil Engineering Entrepreneurs
      • The Structural Engineering Channel
      • The Geotechnical Engineering Podcast
      • This Week in Civil Engineering
    • TV
    • Videos
    • Books
    • Recommended Reading
    • Sponsors
  • Clients
  • Contact

Business/Entrepreneurship

A Sustainable Sales Platform Starts With an Organization’s Values

November 23, 2020 By EMI

This is a guest blog by Mike Burns, PE, PgMP, DBIA

Sales PlatformAs with every phase of life, beginnings and ends are times for focused reflection on our successes and failures. Individually and as a member of a team, this analysis sets the stage for subsequent growth. This reflective planning rhythm has defined the last 10 years of my life, as I’ve strived to grow from events: the Great Recession, the Arab Spring, AECOM exiting the P3 / DBFM market, and in 2020, COVID-19. With my deepest sympathies for the devastating health and socioeconomic outcomes we’ve collectively faced this year, I remain cognizant of the fact that my privilege and support system have allowed me to navigate these challenges with limited pain. I hope that this brief discussion of my migration into a sales role helps you overcome the naysayers on your path.

sales platform

Whether seeking professional growth or facing the daunting task of finding a new job, there are often a series of devastating no’s before the next empowering yes. For me these included, “you are a developer, not an engineer,” “you’ve never worked overseas, in a corporate role, on a billion dollar program, etc.” Recently, “you’ve never been in a pure business development (BD) role.” Each of these no’s guided my outreach to mentors, discussions with colleagues, and educational desires. I leveraged their collective wisdom to evolve my professional approach, remaining focused on building teams, empowering individuals, and continuous learning; this approach has allowed me to remain engaged, enjoying life as a student and a teacher.

[Read more…] about A Sustainable Sales Platform Starts With an Organization’s Values

Filed Under: Blog, Business/Entrepreneurship Tagged With: business development, delivering projects, empathetic management, feedback loops, focused reflection, Infrastructure projects, Mike Burns, professional growth, reflective planning, roles with a sales focus, Selling, strategy development, subsequent growth, successes and failures, tactical business plan

Applicability of Green Engineering Solutions

July 10, 2020 By EMI

This is a guest blog by Chris Jackson

Green EngineeringToday, the world is facing environmental problems such as climate change, high energy costs, and pollution-related illnesses. These issues have prompted engineers and architects to develop green solutions. Designed to be more environmentally friendly, new residential and commercial buildings and renovations are now able to reduce emissions, energy consumption, and illnesses. While the use of sustainable practices is currently a hot trend in both renovation and new construction, it was actually developed more than 50 years ago, when only few builders and designers gave this idea little thought.

One of the popular sustainable solutions includes green engineering. To learn more about green engineering, this article by Best Access Doors is something that you should check out.

What Is Green Engineering?

[Read more…] about Applicability of Green Engineering Solutions

Filed Under: Blog, Business/Entrepreneurship Tagged With: Chris Jackson, Climate Change, Energy Storage Systems, Environmental Monitoring, environmental problems, Green Engineering, Green Engineering Solutions, high energy costs, LEED Materials and Equipment, pollution-related illnesses, Solar Energy, Wind Energy

An Engineering Growth Framework for Engineers and Engineering Managers

March 30, 2020 By EMI

This is a guest blog by Amanda Jerelyn

Engineering Growth Framework

Without a proper career path in front of you, chances for further progress seem diluted at best. An engineering growth framework addresses such concerns expediently by providing ground rules and a wide-ranging action plan for those who wish to move ahead in their careers.

The growth framework offers tremendous insights; it focuses on how current jobs and operations can be improved, opens new doors for future opportunities, and accomplishes organizational goals, missions, and objectives.

An all-inclusive engineering growth framework also makes the entire process extremely fair and transparent so that there aren’t any blind corners or discrepancies for those who wish to evaluate their own performance. Both employees and employers can be on the same page, as well as know precisely what the next step should be.

Engineering Growth Framework

It also acts as a definite tool to keep engineers aware of where they stand and what they need to do in order to move up the ladder. It therefore becomes quite a dominant motivational factor for those who identify themselves as a “go-getter”!

How to Utilize an Engineering Growth Framework

[Read more…] about An Engineering Growth Framework for Engineers and Engineering Managers

Filed Under: Blog, Business/Entrepreneurship Tagged With: Appraisals, Award Promotions, engineer, Engineering, Engineering Growth Framework, Measure Performance, Milestones, Record Feedback, redundancies, Roles and Job Descriptions, setting milestones, Track Progress

Developing an Entrepreneurial Mindset: Risk Is Opportunity

March 23, 2020 By EMI

This is a guest blog by Michael Burns, PE, PgMP, DBIA

An Entrepreneurial Mindset

In previous EMI blogs, we discussed Thinking Big and Being Mindful as We Set Goals and Building Confidence Through Empathetic Stakeholder Engagement. I fully respect that managing these objectives with a myriad of associated voices can be distracting as we attempt to sustain growth. Sustaining growth, for our businesses and talent, is particularly difficult in the Architectural, Engineering and Construction (AEC) Industry, as we constantly regroup to provide service on projects that marry significant technical challenges with dynamic client expectations. So, the intent of this month’s discussion is to explore a Risk Intelligent approach, creating a consistent basis for our teams to develop an entrepreneurial mindset and explore entrepreneurial solutions. 

[Read more…] about Developing an Entrepreneurial Mindset: Risk Is Opportunity

Filed Under: Blog, Business/Entrepreneurship Tagged With: AECOM, An Entrepreneurial Mindset, dynamic decision-making, entrepreneur, Entrepreneurial Mindset, entrepreneurial solutions, equity, Leaders, opportunity, projects, relationships, risk, risk-intelligent culture, Sustaining growth, talent retention

Creating Recurring Revenue for Increased Stability of a Small Firm

March 16, 2020 By EMI

 This is a guest blog by Sam Lytle, PE

Recurring Revenue

In the world of engineering, owning a business or even being self-employed often requires stepping outside of technical design and into new territories of bookkeeping, marketing, web design, payroll, invoicing, and a bevy of other tasks not normally taken on by engineers.

In 2011, I realized I belonged to the former — the drive to leave the engineering design path hit hard and fast. This drive was the motivating force that helped me make the jump in 2014 to start Civil FX, and it is still with me today. With that career change has also come those many other tasks that a business owner inevitably faces, including financial duties, hiring decisions and — my personal favorite — marketing and branding. As I’m not incredibly technically minded and engineering was never a satisfying fit, this transition has been mostly comfortable for me. The constant barrage of challenges has been steadied by the freedom of being on my own and the feeling of knowing I’m where I need to be in my career.

Building A(n) (Un)Sustainable Business

[Read more…] about Creating Recurring Revenue for Increased Stability of a Small Firm

Filed Under: Blog, Business/Entrepreneurship Tagged With: business, Business Stability, Civil FX, Increased Stability, Intellectual Property, monthly subscription, Product, Recurring Revenue, recurring revenue model, Sam Lytle, selling software, services, small firm, software

How to Start Your Own Engineering Practice

September 9, 2019 By EMI

How to Start Your Own Engineering Practice is a guest blog by Allison Hail

How to Start Your Own Engineering PracticeSo you want to start your own engineering practice? Becoming an independent engineering consultant can be very lucrative. It also gives you freedom over the work you do. But it is a very different lifestyle than working for an engineering firm. There are several important items to consider before taking the plunge.

Find Your Niche

As any engineer will tell you, engineering is an enormous field of work. Even within your specialization, there is a huge variance in the kinds of projects you might take on as an engineering consultant. With innovations occurring every day in the tech sector, this variety is only set to increase.

This presents a wide array of possibilities to specialize your practice. While it may not be wise to be picky about the type of projects you take on at first, aim to be carving out a niche for yourself over time. Building a profile as the go-to person for certain kinds of projects will reduce the time you need to spend finding new clients. As word of mouth spreads, clients should start coming to you off the back of your reputation.

Stay on Top of the Admin

[Read more…] about How to Start Your Own Engineering Practice

Filed Under: Blog, Business/Entrepreneurship Tagged With: administration, Allison Hail, Covered Legally, engineer, Engineering, engineering consultant, engineering firm, Equipment Costs, Find Your Niche, Know Your Limits, projects, software and equipment, Start Your Own Engineering Practice, Stay on Top of the Admin, successful business

Things You Need to Worry About When Running Your Own Engineering Business

February 7, 2019 By EMI

Things You Need to Worry About When Running Your Own Engineering Business is a guest blog by Scott Matthews

Engineering Business

Starting and running your own engineering business is always challenging. As many consultancies are small businesses, they face the same problems as similar ventures. 54% of SMB leaders have stated that acquiring talent is a problem.

In the world of engineering businesses, this is just the first step in a myriad of things you need to worry about. To help your business grow, we’ve analyzed the biggest concerns.

[Read more…] about Things You Need to Worry About When Running Your Own Engineering Business

Filed Under: Blog, Business/Entrepreneurship Tagged With: Best Essays, Brand Identity, clearly defined roles, Detailed Project Report, engineering business, engineering business owners, expenses, investments, Nurturing a culture, Proessaywriting, Scholar Advisor, Scott Matthews, Understanding regulations

How to Think Like an Entrepreneur with this One Simple Step

March 13, 2018 By EMI

How to Think Like an Entrepreneur is a guest blog post by Daniel Hayes, PE, PMP

Think Like an Entrepreneur When I started my engineering career, I worked hard to understand and apply engineering principles and processes required to prepare deliverables in a technically correct and efficient manner.

I consider myself a good engineer.  There was a time I believed the work should speak for itself.  Being an introvert by nature, I don’t like to sell and don’t want to come off as salesy.  I spoke of what I could do for the client.  Yet, clients and prospects always wanted something more.

Why does this happen?  Because as engineers, we are not selling construction plans.  We are not selling the latest in engineering technology.  We are not selling deliverables.  Instead, we are selling solutions to problems.  Real world problems that our clients need to be solved.

If a real estate developer retains a civil engineering firm to prepare a set of construction documents or to acquire the necessary permits and approvals for development, what the client wants is neither the construction documents nor the permit.  What he wants is a completed development, ready for resale or rent.  Engineering is just one of many means to this end and that is why you should start to think like an entrepreneur.

[Read more…] about How to Think Like an Entrepreneur with this One Simple Step

Filed Under: Blog, Business/Entrepreneurship Tagged With: benefits, Daniel Hayes, Dig deeper, engineering principles, Features Not Benefits, solutions to problems, Think Like an Entrepreneur, Understand your client

Achieving Business Success as an Early Stage Entrepreneur

December 27, 2017 By EMI

Achieving Business Success as an Early Stage Entrepreneur is a blog post by Carol Evenson

Achieving Business SuccessFollowing the unprecedented increase in the number of people turning to entrepreneurship, there’s no denying that owning a business is unusually appealing. It’s easy to understand what creates this feeling. Everyone wants some measure of freedom to be able to make their own independent decisions and run their own show, however, do you know a large number of small businesses close every day? To avoid failure, you must mitigate the potential for failure. Below you’ll find five tips that can help you to start your own business and achieve business success.

Achieving Business Success

[Read more…] about Achieving Business Success as an Early Stage Entrepreneur

Filed Under: Blog, Business/Entrepreneurship Tagged With: Achieving Business Success, Be Patient, Carol Evenson, Early Stage Entrepreneur, entrepreneur, Learn Accounting Basics, loneliness, Make Customers Know What You Stand For, You don’t have To Do Everything

5 Recommendations for How to Become a Successful Engineering Manager for Young Engineers with No Managerial Experience

October 17, 2012 By EMI

Through providing career-coaching services to engineers, I know that the most common problem that developing engineers are trying to solve is how to become a successful engineering manager.  After spending the early part of their engineering career becoming confident in their technical skills, many engineers are ready to take the steps required to become an engineering manager.  The problem is that there are no specific steps to become a successful engineering manager; the path is different for everyone.

If you could develop a drink, that when an engineer drank it, they would instantly become a successful engineering manager, I am convinced that it would make you a millionaire.

Want to Be a Successful Engineering Manager but Don’t Know Where to Start?

Download our Free Top Ten Recommendations (and Resources) on How to Become a Successful Engineering Manager

Since I haven’t developed that drink (yet), instead I would like to offer five recommendations from my hundreds of hours coaching both successful and unsuccessful engineering managers.  I am pretty sure this will be a multiple part post as I have more than 5 recommendations, but these are the first 5 that come to mind.
[Read more…] about 5 Recommendations for How to Become a Successful Engineering Manager for Young Engineers with No Managerial Experience

Filed Under: Blog, Business/Entrepreneurship, Personal Development and Professionalism Tagged With: engineering career development, How to Become a Successful Engineering Manager, Successful Engineering Manager

Next Page »

Primary Sidebar

Connect with Us

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Subscribe To Our Newsletter

And Get Custom Content Delivered To You Weekly

Categories

  • Blog
    • Business Development
    • Business/Entrepreneurship
    • Career Goals and Challenges
    • Communication/Public Speaking
    • COVID19
    • Credentials
    • Enlightenment
    • Ethics & Integrity
    • Job Search/Salary/Relocation
    • Leadership/Management
    • Mentoring
    • Networking/Client Relations
    • News and Events
    • Organization/Productivity/Time Management
    • Personal Development and Professionalism
    • Program Management
    • Project Management
    • Travel
    • Work Life Balance
  • Engineering Career TV
  • Engineering Technology
  • TCEP-The Civil Engineering Podcast
    • Business Development
    • Business/Entrepreneurship
    • Career Goals and Challenges
    • Civil Engineering Entrepreneurs
    • Communication & Public Speaking
    • Credentials
    • Ethics/Integrity
    • Infrastructure
    • Job Search/Salary/Relocation
    • Leadership/Management
    • Mentoring
    • Project Management
    • Women in Engineering
  • TECC Podcast-The Engineering Career Coach Podcast
    • Business/Entrepreneurship
    • Career Game Changers
    • Career Goals and Challenges
    • Communication/Public Speaking
    • Credentials
    • Enlightenment
    • Job Search/Salary/Relocation
    • Leadership/Management
    • Mentoring
    • Networking/Client Relations
    • News and Events
    • Organization/Productivity/Time Management
    • Personal Development and Professionalism
    • Project Management
    • Work Life Balance
  • TGEP – The Geotechnical Engineering Podcast
  • TSEC-The Structural Engineering Channel
  • TWiCE
  • Uncategorized
  • Women in Engineering

TECC Sidebar Featured Final

Copyright © 2021 • All Rights Reserved • Property of Engineering Management Institute • Terms of Service • Privacy Policy