I just spent the last few hours researching statistics about the dangers of falls in roofing. This research took me not only through statistics but reams of rules and regulations on fall protection from state and federal agencies, as well as those of several other countries.
When you consider all the good things that can
come from a down cycle in the economy, it is hard to be depressed about it. I
am not referring to silver linings, but golden
opportunities.
It
would be business as usual for me to add a P.S. to this editor’s note reminding
you that it is not too late to sign up to attend the International Roofing Expo
(IRE), which runs concurrently with three days of the NRCA convention next
month. Most of you would agree, however, that business is anything but “as
usual” right now.
How do you define success? That is a question I
have asked at the conclusion of more interviews than I want to think about. For
some reason it stops most interviewees in their tracks. I have become
accustomed to patiently waiting on a response.
Aesop was writing about business in the 21st century
in the 6th century B.C. Wonder if he knew? His fable about the tortoise and the
hare has just been played out between a pair of banking giants. And the
tortoise won again.
In
addition to all the attention the retail media is giving to the upcoming
national election, there is considerable talk among many of the business folks
close to me about the effect it is having on markets.
The
stark question virtually shouted at me from the bottom of page 38 in the July
issue of Pro Sales magazine: “Sales Suck?” There it was, right there beneath a
drawing of the Titanic slipping into oblivion.
Owing to a convergence of a changing world
economy and an oil market gone mad, the price and availability of one of our
industry’s most treasured commodities is spiraling out of control. The price and
availability of asphalt is taking the industry into some uncharted
waters.
As if the economy and the price of a barrel of oil were not enough to upset the roofing markets this year, we are witnessing a record year for hailstorms
A little off topic this month since the main purpose of this column is to offer up the announcement that our Best of Success conference scheduled for October 2008 has