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FROM THE FOUNDER
Why the AEC business?
There are so many positive aspects of this industry, and it’s important that we keep reminding ourselves and our people why this is such a great business.
I consider myself incredibly fortunate for so many reasons. I have four daughters and one stepdaughter, each unique and perfect in their own ways. I have a great spouse and partner who cares for me and whom I respect. I am 64 and have no serious health problems and can still do pretty much anything. My mom is still alive at 101 and living in her own house. I get to work with young people and teach them everything I know about business as a college professor. I am so, so lucky.
Mark Zweig
I am also fortunate that I have spent my entire career working in the AEC industry. I want to talk about the professional services side of AEC, so for the purposes of this discussion, let’s just say the “C” in AEC stands for consulting. There are so many positive aspects of this industry. As leaders of our firms, I think it is important that we keep reminding ourselves and our people why this is such a great business. Here are some of the reasons this is the best industry to work in: 1. We don’t need a lot of capital to start one of these businesses. As someone who teaches “new venture development” and has a preference for bootstrapping, I have always liked service-
based businesses. They don’t require a lot of cash from their founders to start one. That means you probably won’t need outside equity, at least until you can grow to a certain size and maturity. And that, in turn, means you can control your own business and not have to work for anyone else. This is a big plus for AEC businesses. 2. We are doing something that is needed and beneficial for society. No one hires an AEC firm unless they need their help. Help with an environmental problem. Help with getting something built like a bridge, road, or school building. Help managing a capital improvements
See MARK ZWEIG , page 12
THE ZWEIG LETTER MAY 30, 2022, ISSUE 1443
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