TZL 1395

ON THE MOVE TANGRAMANNOUNCES ERIC LOCKWOOD HAS BEEN PROMOTED TO DIRECTOR OF DESIGN Tangram , a curator of highly creative commercial interior environments and workspaces, has announced Eric Lockwood has been promoted to director of design for Tangram Technology. Lockwood has more than 27 years of experience in technology consulting, design and integration for the built environment. Lockwood has worked in the Americas, Europe and Asia, and previously served as a senior account executive for Tangram Technology where he successfully led complex technical designs and oversaw enterprise- wide system implementations for his customers. In his new position as director of design for Tangram Technology, Lockwood will focus on design innovation and customization to address new technological challenges,

many of which have been accelerated by the pandemic. These challenges – or opportunities – arise not only from the evolving technologies themselves but also from changing work modes such as flexible or hybrid models as defined by a given organization, and from understanding and predicting the work of the future not just the future of the workspace. Lockwood will also drive new initiatives to harmonize technology integration with architecture, interiors and furniture to promote a seamless, blended experience that generates value and ignites potential for users while enhancing an organization’s brand and culture. “Eric is a proven leader in successful design and execution of innovative creation from concept to completion,” said Jack Hooven Chief Operating Officer of Tangram Interiors. “His project expertise and passion to

continually excel in his craft makes him an invaluable asset to Tangram Technologies.” Lockwood’s current clients include the Writers Guild of America, Chapman University & CoreLogic. He holds a degree from University of Salford, United Kingdom in BEng Electroacoustics is CTS-D Certified and is a member of the United States Green Building Council. Tangram curates destinations that empower people to work, learn and heal. Creative interior solutions that foster workplace satisfaction, collaboration and productivity while enhancing the client’s brand and culture. In addition to its core contract furniture offering, the company operates multiple additional business units for a comprehensive approach to commercial interiors. This range of services allows for top-to-bottom involvement that integrates each aspect of planning, design and installation.

MARK ZWEIG, from page 11

provides real opportunities for people to do well. You have to start with a competent talent pool Don’t be a control freak – let other people make decisions and let them have some glory when things work out well as a result. Spend lots and lots of time with your successor(s) so they are fully-trained. And start the whole process early so you have enough time to backtrack and pick a new successor in case it turns out you had the wrong horse the first time around. There is little magic or luck involved if you do all of the things that tend to lead to success in having a good successor. “Some people seem to have all the luck – or do they? Sure, there is no doubt bad luck can strike any of us at any time and it can provide a real setback. But much of our good luck is luck we create on our own.” 6)Good luck in successfully selling your business when you want to exit. I have worked with so many successful (and unsuccessful) owners of AEC firms over the years when it comes to selling their business, either internally or externally, when they decide it is time to move out. And what is clear is those who do the things to make their companies more valuable always have more and better options. Those things include running a business that is consistently growing (not “staying small successfully!”), one that makes a reasonable profit, one that has a clear focus on specific markets and some depth of specialized experience (no buyers want generalists), one that has clean accounting with no personal co-mingling of expenses, one that has an outstanding staff, and much more. Lots of good options for exit exist when you do all of the right things that lead to it! Increasing your odds for success – creating your own good luck – there is always something you can do. So do it! MARK ZWEIG is Zweig Group’s chairman and founder. Contact him at mzweig@zweiggroup.com.

have the luck you need for real marketing success. So kick it all up! More prospects and more info getting out to them – done for a long enough period of time – and my guess is that your luck will improve. 3)Good luck in collecting your AR so you don’t need to rely on credit. We all work in an industry where 70-90 day average collection periods are seen as “normal,” and in most cases, part and parcel of being in this business. But it doesn’t have to be that way! The best-managed firms find that their average collection period can be as low as 30-45 days by simply following good billing practices. Those include things such as getting bills out quickly, making sure they are going to the right person, formatted the way the client wants, and always showing a total due that includes previously invoiced but unpaid amounts. I did not say show an aging of AR on your bills, nor did I say send statements. Those things won’t help you collect your money. Five days after your bills go out have someone in accounting either email or call the client to be sure your invoice is being processed for payment. If there is a problem, find it then and there versus 60 days later when you are hoping to actually get paid. Doing these things and more will increase your odds of success! 4)Good luck in getting the financing you need to grow your business. Again – there are always things you can do to increase your chances of finding the money you need to support your growth. Are you consistently profitable? If not, do what you need to do so you are. Do you pay your bills promptly so your D&B creditworthiness rating is high? If not, do so. Do you have audited financials? If not, get them. Do you work with local banks where you know the top people personally, or are you working with national banks where you are just a number? Local banks are more likely to help you as you are a member of their community. Do the things that you should do to increase your odds of success. 5)Good luck in having a competent successor. This is such a pivotal part of success in this business as all principals and managers need to have their successors ready to go when they need them to be ready. But how can you increase your chances for success in doing that? Run a good business that

THE ZWEIG LETTER JUNE 7, 2021, ISSUE 1395

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