An Idea A Year In

Contributed by Eric D. Lussier

Eugene and Portland, Oregon.
Providence, Rhode Island.
Allentown, Pennsylvania.
Arlington and McLean, Virginia.
Atlanta, Georgia.
Las Vegas, Nevada.
Biloxi, Mississippi.
Frisco, Texas.
Las Vegas, Nevada. Again.
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
New York, New York.
 
If you had told me 365 days ago that I would have presented twenty-one times in twelve cities alongside my Let's Fix Construction co-founder, Cherise Lakeside, I would have laughed at you.
 
Every idea has to start somewhere. 
 
When CONSTRUCT 2017 had a call for presentations, Cherise and I submitted for a 'Let's Fix Construction' workshop.  What it would entail, we weren't 100% sure, but we knew that we had to get face-to-face with individuals and start talking real time about the issues that we were all facing in construction and writing about on our website.
 
So, what happens when you get accepted for a presentation? Not only do you have to create the presentation, but to have it go well, you need to practice! Cherise sent out two emails to two acquaintances and within two days, we had buy-ins. Not just any guinea pigs, either, but Willamette Valley CSI in Eugene and Carleton Hart Architecture​ in Portland, Oregon. To tack on practice, we coordinated a CSI Portland chapter meeting in downtown Portland immediately following the Carleton Hart session.
 
What did we learn? Our idea worked. 
 
People within the AEC industry WANT to talk about the issues that we're all faced with. They WANT to move things forward.  They WANT to make things better. They WANT to share knowledge and implement new concepts. The mightiest problem may be that we are typically operating within the contract model, not able, or not wanting to communicate directly with parties we aren't obligated to and perhaps don't have the time or place to move the laundry list of WANTS forward.
 
Enter Let's Fix Construction.

We had a website that was attracting eyes. We were recognized as an independent AEC industry sounding board that was unsponsored and unbiased. We provided a place, a format and the ask to share: your knowledge, your solutions and your industry answers. Three things that can be implemented and benefited from immediately. This medium was only as good as those that found their way to LetsFixConstruction.com.  The workshop, however, seemed to be a different story.
 
The feedback was immediate and gratifying. Everyone seemed to have a takeaway. Whether it was a Monday-morning implementation, a new contact, a laugh or a new lens, those that attended and participated were engaged. It turned out that most of the time, ninety minutes wasn't enough. People wanted to keep talking. To keep sharing. To keep brainstorming.
 
So, we kept going. CONSTRUCT led to CSI Chapter meetings, which led to another architectural firm, which led to talking to PROSOCO customers at World of Concrete, which led to CSI Region Conferences, which led to CSC Canada's Conference and then to New York City for PROSOCO again.
 
And we've got more work to do.
 
Total World Domination doesn’t come overnight.
 
I look forward to where the next 365 days will be leading Let's Fix Construction.




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(If you want to find out where our next stops will be, check out our 'Upcoming Workshops' page.)