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high school students I always tell them to make sure that the career they choose is filled with colleagues they enjoy as they will be spending about one third of each day with them. We feel that if they enjoy the company of each other, they make a much stronger and united team. “We consider what motivates an employee and realize that underperformance can have many causes from job dissatisfaction to lack of training or even to personal issues outside of the work environment.” TZL: The talent war in the A/E industry is here. What steps do you take to create the leadership pipeline need- ed to retain your top people and not lose them to other firms? BA: In our company, every employee’s opinion is valued. We talk to each employee about their goals and we inte- grate them with our goals as a company. We also check in frequently to make sure that we are giving them what they need to achieve their career goals. As a small and growing company, we encourage growth and entrepreneurship. We have also found that “growing” our employees has been much more successful than bringing in more experienced talent. TZL: The A/E market is great right now. What are you do- ing to cushion your firm in the event of a downturn? BA: We do not hire to fill chairs. Each hire is a painstaking process to ensure that we get only the employees who fit well into and enhance our organization. We are very clear up-front that we want employees who are willing to explore areas outside of their specialty because as a small company, we strive to have cross functionality. As an example, during the winter season, many of our sur- veyors are in the office working as technicians. This offers us extra technicians during the crucial design season, and al- lows them to work year-round in a profession that generally has a downturn in the winter months. We also listen to our employees and are willing to add service areas that they see as up-and-coming, such as video production and the utiliza- tion of drones in surveying. TZL: How do you deal with underperforming employees? What are your steps for removal after they have prov- en to be ineffective, or even counterproductive, to your firm? BA: Underperformance is addressed swiftly and with a 360 degree review. We consider what motivates an employee and realize that underperformance can have many causes from job dissatisfaction to lack of training or even to per- sonal issues outside of the work environment. As we make a significant investment in the hiring of each employee, we

feel that it is in both the employee’s and our best interest to find the root of the problem and to give us a chance to fix the situation and improve. We provide deadlines for im- provement and if that is not met, unfortunately we will ter- minate the employee knowing that their underperformance affects every other employee in our company. TZL: Firms that have principals and firm owners that lower their compensation and invest back into the firm perform better, grow quicker, and have higher valua- tions. How do you balance owner compensation with in- vestment in the firm? BA: Our focus has always been on smart growth, and as principal in the firm our growth and success is more impor- tant than direct compensation. Our salaries are consistent with the industry and bonuses are applied only after bonus- es are determined for the staff. We always keep in mind that our staff is our most important asset. TZL: How does marketing contribute to your success rate? Are you content with your marketing efforts, or do you think you should increase/decrease marketing? BA: In the earlier years of our company, marketing was the most important thing that we did to get our name out there in the industry. Now that we are more established, every- thing that we do is marketing for our next job. Repeat cli- ents are our biggest success and nothing markets like a suc- cessful project and a happy client. TZL: If there was one program, course, or degree pro- gram that you could take or recommend before becoming a principal or owner, what would it be? BA: Leadership. TZL: What’s the greatest challenge presented by growth? BA: Growth presents us with what I call the “chicken or the egg dilemma.” As a consulting business, our success de- pends on the utilization of an employee so we are in a con- stant balance of amount of work versus number of employ- ees. It is a constant battle of proposing for work which will require new employees, or hiring first, then proposing. TZL: What is the role of entrepreneurship in your firm? “In the earlier years of our company, marketing was the most important thing that we did to get our name out there in the industry. Now that we are more established, everything that we do is marketing for our next job.”

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ember 25, 2017, ISSUE 1217

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