I went to a networking-event-slash-Octoberfest last night, thanks go to rand* for the libations and the bratwurst. I had a good time and saw some old friends, as well as made some new ones.
I didn’t feel much like going, but I know that I’ve got to get out there if I want to keep food on the table. By the time I leave these types of events, I’m always happy I went no matter how I felt going into it. I’ve either met someone that I’ve been hoping to cross paths with or I see someone I haven’t seen in awhile, which rekindles a relationship. Bottom line, its always positive.
Over the past couple of years, the building industry has been pounded. Architecture and engineering firms are falling away, and contractors are struggling to keep the revenue flowing. Developers and owners have put their cash in the mattress while banks have locked their vaults. Faces are disappearing from the crowd and the fringes have been well pruned. What’s left is the core group…the foundation of the industry going forward.
But, I have noticed there are two groups of folks at many of these meet ups and conferences – the busy and happy ones, and the sour and miserable ones. The latter are bitter about how the economy has treated them and are waiting for things to come around. It’s as if they’re standing still dreaming of “how it used to be”. The former is actively seeking out opportunity and have embraced the changes placed in front of them. They are not one to stand and wait. These are the folks that I want to run with, to exchange ideas, and to look forward.
I started my firm over a year ago with this simple concept in mind: Where will the opportunities lie over the next few years and how can I best position myself to capture as much of them as I can? Fourteen months in, I am a thriving architect…
Which are you: moving forward or standing still?
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