Engineering Management Institute

UPCOMING WEBINAR

TCEP 088: Growing a Civil Engineering Company from the Ground up with Stephen Morse

By

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Civil Engineering CompanyIn episode 88 of The Civil Engineering Podcast, I talk with Stephen Morse, PE, LEED AP from Grant Engineering about growing a civil engineering company from the ground up. Stephen talks about the process he went through in growing his company from starting out in his apartment to now having a growing office in New York City.

Here are some of the questions I ask Stephen:

  • What made you decide to start your own civil engineering company?
  • Tell us about your experience of hiring your first employee.
  • What types of projects are you currently working on, and what is your involvement in those projects?
  • How many employees does Grant Engineering have?
  • Can you explain what the organization: “Engineers Without Borders” is?
  • What would you say to a civil engineer that might consider starting their own civil engineering company?

Engineering Quotes:

Civil Engineering Company

Civil Engineering Company

Here are some key points discussed on growing a civil engineering company:

[Read more…]

TCEP 078: A Deep Conversation on the Philosophy behind building a Civil Engineering Firm

By

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

building a Civil Engineering FirIn episode 078 of The Civil Engineering Podcast, I talk with Robert Mora, PE, PLS, ENV SP about the philosophy that he and his partner are operating under in building Batture Engineers + Land Surveyors, a unique civil engineering firm based in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Here are some of the questions I ask on building a Civil Engineering Firm:

  • Tell us about your experience with land surveying and how that has helped in growing your firm.
  • When did you realize that you might want to start your own business?
  • What did you do to prepare for starting your own business?
  • Tell us more about networking and personal relationships and how it has affected your career?
  • What was your goal in creating a local mastermind group?
  • Take us through the first year you started your business.
  • At what point did you decide that you want to seek out a partner?

Engineering Quotes

building a Civil Engineering Firm

building a Civil Engineering Firm

Here are some key points discussed and quotes from this episode:

  • I always thought about the bigger picture in my career and looked for roles that would benefit me in the future.
  • To a certain extent, I was not really focused on salary, it was more about mobility and opportunity. I would take less money to work someplace if it was going to give me the opportunity to do something that I wanted to get better at.
  • Part of what made things easier for me is that I’ve always enjoyed the process more than the results.
  • You become confident in certain things because when you are good at doing something, you are typically confident in it.
  • Overreacting to something is not going to change what is happening. It’s just going to change your perspective on it.
  • When building a civil engineering firm you might not immediately enjoy doing all of the different tasks, but through consistency, you can find enjoyment in it.
  • It’s important to build relationships and to listen to people in doing it, and help them, instead of immediately just trying to sell what you are doing when building a civil engineering firm.
  • Doing good work and being mission driven is more important than profits. You can’t do bad work and blame the price you gave the customer, for doing the bad work.
  • Don’t let money drive your decisions and what you do, but also don’t ignore it. As you grow in your business, you have to think differently about your company finances than your personal finances.

More details in this episode…

About Robert Mora, PE, PLS, ENV SPbuilding a Civil Engineering Firm

Bob Mora, founder of Batture Engineers + Land Surveyors, has over 15 years of experience in land surveying and civil engineering, providing civil design services for both private developers and municipalities. He has successfully managed and completed projects for the Sewerage and Water Board, the Department of Public Works, the Regional Planning Commission, the Orleans Levee Board, and St. Bernard, Ascension, and Plaquemines Parishes. As a sub-consultant for the Army Corp of Engineers, Bob managed the construction of over $100 million of flood protection, earning a Certificate of Appreciation for Exceptional Achievement from the Hurricane & Storm Damage Risk Reduction System Mission. A native of New Orleans, Bob graduated from LSU with a degree in Civil Engineering and Land Surveying. He is the past president and an active member of the New Orleans Chapter of Engineers Without Borders, helping engineers identify pro bono opportunities both locally and around the globe.

Sources/References:

Batture
The Engineering Management Accelerator
Engineering Management Institute Training
Bob’s LinkedIn Page

This episode is brought to you by PPI, the leader of civil engineering FE or PE exam preparations. Use promo code TCE8 for a 20 % discount at ppi2pass.com/resources

Books Mentioned in this Episode:

Engineer Your Own Success

 

 Art’s Principles: 50 years of hard-learned lessons in building a world-class professional services firm

Please leave your comments or questions in the section below on building a Civil Engineering Firm.

  • If you enjoyed this post, please consider downloading our free 3-part video series that provides tons of engineering career skills including how to use LinkedIn, how to communicate and how to develop your leadership abilities. Click the button below to download.

    Get Our FREE Career Videos

To your success,

Anthony Fasano, PE, LEED AP
Engineering Mangement Institute
Author of Engineer Your Own Success

TCEP 065: How our Cities and Towns are going broke and How Civil Engineers can Help Long-Term

By

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Cities and Towns are going brokeIn episode 065 of The Civil Engineering Podcast, I talk with Charles(Chuck) Marohn, a Professional Engineer (PE) licensed in the State of Minnesota and a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) about how our cities and towns are going broke and how civil engineers will play a role in developing strong towns in the future.

Here are some of the questions I ask Chuck:

  • Why are so many towns and cities across North America going broke?
  • What are some things that you’ve seen in your travels that don’t necessarily take thousands of dollars to implement, that have made stronger towns?
  • How can we as civil engineers help to build stronger towns?
  • What are some things that civil engineers can do to address this problem in civil engineering?

Engineering Quotes

Cities and Towns are going broke

Cities and Towns are going broke

Here are some key points discussed on how our cities and towns are going broke and how civil engineers can help long-term.  Chuck says:

[Read more…]

TCEP 060: The Bailey Bridge – A Civil Engineering Structural Icon

By

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Bailey BridgeIn episode 060 of The Civil Engineering Podcast, I talk with Martin Andrews, Military Sales Manager for Mabey Bridge Limited about the development of the Mabey Logistic Support Bridge from its origins in the Bailey Bridge.

Here are some of the questions I ask Martin on the Bailey Bridge:

  • Can you tell us a little bit about what the Bailey Bridge is and the history of the Bailey Bridge?
  • What made the design revolutionary at the time?
  • What makes this bridge so useful in comparison to say, a more traditional site-specific bridge design?
  • We’re decades on from World War II, so what types of design improvements have been made to the original design?
  • Do you rely on an in-house civil/structural engineer design capability to support clients, or do clients use their own civil engineers to design bridge applications?
  • What is the design service life for this type of bridge, and what is the longest in-service bridge that you’re aware of?
  • What maintenance is required on one of these types of bridges?
  • Say I’m a civil engineer and I want to source one of these bridges for a job, what do I need to know?
  • Can you share a couple of examples of more recent Mabey bridge applications?

Engineering Quotes

The Bailey Bridge

The Bailey Bridge

Here are some key points discussed in this episode:

[Read more…]

TCEP 059: Using Direct Purchase Opportunities to Position Yourself for More Competitive Bidding in the AE Industry

By

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Direct Purchase OpportunitiesIn episode 59 of The Civil Engineering Podcast, I interview Brendan Alan Barrett, a top sales producer in our industry, about using direct purchase opportunities to position yourself for more competitive bidding and project partnerships.

Here are some of the questions I ask Brendan:

  • What is direct purchasing?
  • Who uses direct purchasing?
  • What are the benefits of direct purchasing
  • What are the long-term opportunities for civil engineers with respect to direct purchasing?
  • How do you go about finding direct purchase opportunities?

Engineering Quotes

 

Direct Purchase Opportunities

Here are some key points discussed in this episode on direct purchase opportunities:

[Read more…]

TCEP 057: A Discussion with the Zweig Group on the Recipe for Building a Successful AE Firm

By

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Building a Successful AE Firm

In episode 057 of The Civil Engineering Podcast, I talk with Mark Zweig, Founder, and Chairman of the Zweig Group and Chad Clinehens, PE, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Zweig Group about what it takes for building a successful AE Firm. If you want to grow as a Civil Engineer, or you want your company to grow, this episode will help you tremendously in achieving that goal.

Here are some of the questions I ask the Zweig Group leaders in regards to building a successful AE Firm.

  • What are the characteristics of fast growing, successful AE firms?
  • What made you decide to run a conference to recognize these firms?
  • How should an AE firm approach branding?

AE Growth Quotes

Building a Successful AE Firm

Building a Successful AE Firm

Building a Successful AE Firm

Here are some key points discussed in this episode:

[Read more…]

TCEP 054: How to Master the Language for Clearer Engineering Contracts

By

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Engineering Contracts

In episode 054 of The Civil Engineering Podcast, Chris Knutson interviews Ken Adams, an expert in the world of contract drafting on how to master the language to create clearer engineering contracts.

Here are some of the questions Chris asked Ken:

  • What do you consider is the essence of a contract?
  • How do you suggest that civil engineers should approach reviewing engineering contracts?
  • What are some challenges you see with traditional contract drafting?
  • The National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE) has also produced a series of standard contract documents for engineering design and construction projects, how do these rate with regards to language and clarity?
  • What is your opinion of general trade organization contracts?
  • With regards to schedule provisions in contracts, how standardized do these tend to be?
  • What does an engineer or contractor need to be aware of with regards to imposed contract requirements?
  • What are indemnification clauses and what do engineers need to know or be aware of with regards to them?

Engineering Quotes:

Here are some key points discussed in this episode on Engineering Contracts:

  • A contract gives the parties an opportunity to determine and state as explicitly as necessary what each expects from the other.
  • The problem with traditional contract language is that it results in delay and confusion at every stage in the contract process. It also creates confusion that can lead to fights.
  • Contract language is limited and stylized. It’s best if you leave it to experts.
  • Copy and pasting or inserting information to a contract is probably not the best route to go with standardized contracts. It is advisable to get legal counsel to take a look at the language of the contract and to make sure that it is relevant and applicable to the situation that you are truly in.
  • Schedules tend to be different from project to project, but is still part of the contract. If something doesn’t make sense in the contract it won’t make sense in the schedules.
  • Hold harmless is a mystery phrase with no settled meaning. Do not use the phrase indemnify and hold harmless, which is utterly standard.  Instead, just use indemnify and say what the deal is.
  • It’s best to be an informed and skeptical consumer of contract language. Accept that in terms of the prose, most contracts are a mess. Learn to distinguish between what’s clear and effective, what’s not so clear but you can live with, and what’s confusing and could cause a problem and so needs to be fixed.

More details in this episode…

[Read more…]

TCEP 053: How to Do Business Development Online for Civil Engineering Companies

By

How to Do Business Development Online for Civil Engineering Companies…

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

civil engineering companies

In episode 053 of The Civil Engineering Podcast, I talk with Jason Mlicki, a marketing Consultant at Rattleback, about how civil engineering companies can do business development online and potentially get more clients through Google than using traditional business development strategies.

Here are some of the questions I ask Jason during this episode:

[Read more…]

TCEP 051: Finding the Lost Dollars in Your Civil Engineering Firm with June Jewell

By

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Lost DollarsIn episode 51 of The Civil Engineering Podcast, I interview June R. Jewell, CPA, a business management consultant to the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry on finding the lost dollars in your Civil Engineering Firm. Some of the points June discusses will immediately help you to enhance your business development skills and increase profits.

Here are some of the questions I asked during the episode:

  • Tell us more about losing money on time and materials contracts.
  • What is the cost of lost opportunities?
  • How does an engineering proposal process bring along lost revenue?
  • What impact can estimating processes have on projects?
  • How does the cost of low utilization affect revenue and profits?
  • How does poor project management lose you money?
  • Tell us more about inefficient and non-integrated systems in your business?

Engineering Quotes

Lost Dollars

Lost Dollars

Here are some key points discussed in this episode:

[Read more…]

TCEP 049: Using GIS for both Asset and Engineering Management

By

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

GIS

In episode 049 of The Civil Engineering Podcast, I interview Alfredo Cely, P.E., MSEM, M.ASCE on using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for both asset and engineering Management.  Mr. Cely is the instructor of the ASCE guided online course: The Foundation for using GIS for Infrastructure Asset Management.

Here are some of the questions/topics I discuss with Mr. Cely:

  • What is lean management?
  • What is a Geographic Information System (GIS)?
  • How civil engineers can improve their knowledge on GIS.
  • The advances in current technologies that have superpowered GIS?
  • How GIS can be utilized on Civil Engineering Projects.
  • Tell us how public agencies and utility companies are using GIS in regards to their current infrastructure?
  • How can GIS help you in management engineering projects?

Engineering Quotes:


Here are some key points discussed in this episode on Geographic Information Systems (GIS):

  • The idea of lean management is to make a process as efficient as possible.
  • There is never an end goal in lean management. It is the constant striving towards improvement.
  • The underlying concept of lean management is simplicity. The simpler you can make something, the easier it will be for you to accomplish and the easier it will be for you to explain to somebody else how to do it.
  • The more steps you take in solving a specific problem, the more chances there are statistically for you to make a mistake.
  • GIS stands for Geographic Information Systems and at its most simple form GIS is a self-help tool that creates maps of our geography. It uses layers of information to a map which enable us to compile more in-depth data, layers on top of layers of data.
  • GIS is a perfect tool to analyze spatial data. When you start merging the data from different places together, it will allow you to improve the efficiency in your operations.

More details in this episode…

About Alfredo Cely, P.E., MSEM, M.ASCE:Alfredo Cely

Alfredo Cely is a Project Manager and Senior Engineer who is responsible for the development of Transportation, Water Resources, Land Development and Aviation. He is a registered professional engineer with experience in projects throughout Florida, Georgia, Texas, Louisiana, Virginia, California and abroad.

Alfredo also has Transportation experience including design, resurfacing, rehabilitation, widening and new construction of roadways, from arterials to local low-speed streets. He is known for implementing designs that improve safety for motorists and vulnerable users while improving connectivity for communities using context sensitive design. Knowledgeable of FHWA and AASHTO initiatives and guidelines as well as roadway design requirements and manuals from multiple state DOTs including FDOT, GDOT, TxDOT, and Caltrans.

On top of that, Alfredo also has Water Resources experience that includes drainage master planning, pump station design, low impact development, LEED facilities, stormwater modeling and multi-state agency permitting. Excellent relationships with Florida Water Management Districts, including SWFWMD, SFWMD, and FDEP.

Alfredo’s then also have Land Development, Aviation and Project Management experience which includes identifying new clients/markets, developing scopes, delivering presentations and client management.

Sources/References:

The Engineering Mastermind
The American Society of Civil Engineers Magazine
The foundation for using GIS for Infrastructure asset management

This episode is brought to you by PPI, the leader of civil engineering FE or PE exam preparations. Use promo code CIVIL for 20% discount at PPI2Pass.com/coach.

Books mentioned in this episode:

Street Smart: The Rise of Cities and the Fall of Cars

 

 

 

 

 

Please leave your comments or questions in the section below on lean management.

  • If you enjoyed this post, please consider downloading our free 3-part video series that provides tons of engineering career skills including how to use LinkedIn, how to communicate and how to develop your leadership abilities. Click the button below to download.

    Get Our FREE Career Videos

To your success,

Anthony Fasano, PE, LEED AP
Engineering Management Institute
Author of Engineer Your Own Success