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NigelW

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Good Evening,

 

I've frequented these forums for advice in the past and have found value in what others have had to offer. This time I am interested in connecting with someone who has experience with I.T. startups and is willing to give feedback on where I could improve.

 

I am looking at the construction management consulting market which is growing over the next 5 years and the technology facing younger generations who will be filling jobs in the aging construction industry. Software which is easy to learn, integrate and use can be difficult to find. The cost of earning a certification to operate software can cost thousands of dollars (See Example In Link Below). The initial opportunity is in training customer employees how to use their company software more efficiently in person as opposed to online. Once established as a business, the next opportunity is in creating software and training packages for small-to-large construction management companies.

 

Example of current construction management software:

http://www.vicosoftware.com/

 

Example of software training company fees:

http://www.3dtraining.com/asp/admissions_financialaid.aspx

 

A brief description of construction management: Construction project delivery method in which a consultant is hired to advise on overall project constructability, cost and schedule from the conceptual design stage to project completion.

 

 

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Hello Mellomama,

 

If your company was to go in the direction of utilizing the project management side of Deltek Vision, would you prefer online or in-person training? I would get a ton of value out of your perspective because I might be selling to you some day! :)

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Hi Nigel,

 

not acquainted with construction business or the management part (I deal with managing oil rig construction (à 250+ million dollars in total) in a way though ;) ) of it (thanks for spelling it out!), some general advice:

 

- make sure you're unique, find a niche, get the attention and build on that

- learn from others

- learn from yourself (and especially your own mistakes; analyse them like the signature of fellow forum member Koroviev says very well)

- don't come in as the guy who knows it all, especially in consultancy (some personal experience... ;) )

- know your clients

- have trust between you and your clients

- don't be a utopist yet a realist and pragmatist

- know your strengths and drive on them

- know your weaknesses and be honest about them

- I guess it's hard to find a place where you have more support for a free market business idea, but be aware of the risks built in by the statist priests

- be flexible, at all times

- and honour the NAP

 

In short, like my own motto:

 

"Be the boss.

Always."

 

PS: if being the boss for some reader means requiring the initiation of force, the definition of 'the boss' is instantaneously misinterpreted making the stance invalid...

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Hi Nigel,

 

I didn't see your response come up in my new posts. We generally get personal training for Deltek, via one-on-one web/phone conferencing. Deltek offers training sessions that cost something like $2,000/day in person, but we go through a consultant much like you. :) They sell and train on the software, at a cost of $150/hr. http://www.fullsailpartners.com/Hope that's helpful info. Let me know how else I can be of service. 

 

This is quite encouraging. I have more questions!

 

I am guessing you get calls often from people trying to sell you software. How much of an ROI would you need to see to change software?

 

 

Hi Nigel,

 

not acquainted with construction business or the management part (I deal with managing oil rig construction (à 250+ million dollars in total) in a way though ;) ) of it (thanks for spelling it out!), some general advice:

 

- make sure you're unique, find a niche, get the attention and build on that

- learn from others

- learn from yourself (and especially your own mistakes; analyse them like the signature of fellow forum member Koroviev says very well)

- don't come in as the guy who knows it all, especially in consultancy (some personal experience... ;) )

- know your clients

- have trust between you and your clients

- don't be a utopist yet a realist and pragmatist

- know your strengths and drive on them

- know your weaknesses and be honest about them

- I guess it's hard to find a place where you have more support for a free market business idea, but be aware of the risks built in by the statist priests

- be flexible, at all times

- and honour the NAP

 

In short, like my own motto:

 

"Be the boss.

Always."

 

PS: if being the boss for some reader means requiring the initiation of force, the definition of 'the boss' is instantaneously misinterpreted making the stance invalid...

 

$250 million? The highest I've gone is $300,000 in building specialties. Not as risky. I can't imagine trying to manage that!

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  • 2 weeks later...

Sorry Mellomama,

 

I am currently engaged in performing acrobatic stunts in a business pilot, balancing full-time work and evening classes. 

 

I would be interested in knowing what PM software you guys end up going with and why!

 

Do you know what PM software your competitors use if any?

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