COACH GARY HERE. THIS EPISODE OF THE ‘BRICK AND BLOCK PODCAST’ is a very short but super special marketing podcast – just a few minutes long – because I’ve been testing a phone app that I knew existed, but mostly ignored…until recently. This is Episode 20: Google Keep—Make Sure You Take Note of it!

THIS IS ALL PART OF AN ONGOING SERIES WE HAVE ON MARKETING FOR REAL CONTRACTORS, LIKE MASONS, PLUMBERS, ROOFERS, ELECTRICIANS, GARAGE DOOR GUYS. ALL OF YOU WHO ARE OUT THERE HELPING PEOPLE, MAKING THE REAL WORLD WORK…THE BRICK AND BLOCK GUYS 

Seems like for most of my adult life I’ve been using sticky notes and odd pieces of paper to write messages to myself. You know…important stuff that you need to remember. So I write it down. Question: where do I find it when I need it?

Look, maybe most of you don’t have this problem, or maybe you do, I’m not judging! So give me two minutes and hear me out…then TRY this out. Let me know what you think.

Go to Google’s Play Store on your smart phone, or your tablet, Android or IOS, even on a Windows desktop. Anyway, type in Google Keep (KEEP),  and the play store will give you an app to download. 

Here’s the neat thing: you can put this on your phone, but it syncs to your other devices. It’s free, so the price is right.  And for every note you put up, you can put a title on it, even a date, and it is searchable. So…let’s say that you went to a meeting at the Smith residence a month ago, and you made a few notes, in Google Keep, right there in your phone. 

Instead of looking around for the piece of paper or notebook I used at the meeting, I just go to my phone,   search   “smith residence meeting …date”  Whatever—you’ll find it. And, not only will the app search for the title, but will also search content inside each note. How handy would it be to look there and find some quantities and types of materials, the name of the architect or engineer at the meeting, and so on. 

That’s it. I find it very useful and suggest you check it out. There are other, similar apps, like Evernote, One Note, and so on. If you’ve already got those on your phone, then use them. Just do it! 

For the Brick and Block Podcast, this is Coach Gary, thanks for stopping by!

www.BrickAndblockPodcast.com

BrickAndBlockPodcast@gmail.com

www.AirConditioningHVACCalifornia.com

Team:

COACH GARY HERE. THIS IS EPISODE 19 OF THE ‘BRICK AND BLOCK PODCAST’ AND FEATURES THE AUDIO VERSION OF MY JANUARY 2020 COLUMN written for MASONRY MAGAZINE. YOU PROBABLY KNOW THE COLUMN AS ‘FULL CONTACT PROJECT MANAGER’. THE TITLE OF THE COLUMN YOU ARE ABOUT TO HEAR IS:

 Looking Forward by

Knowing the Past                                                                  …Remembering the Rest of the Story

Team—

WARNING: THIS PODCAST RUNS COUNTER TO WHAT MANY COLLEGE PROFESSORS BELIEVE.

PROCEED AT YOUR OWN RISK!

NOTE: This article was originally written, a couple of years ago, to provide some history of December 7, 1941. It is even more important this year, as you should hear much talk about that date, now 80 years ago, this December. It’s critical you get the whole story, as opponents of Western Civilization may be doing their best to tarnish, trample…and torpedo the reality of the 2^nd World War.

Look, as you can tell, I’m about fed up with the “Egghead” class, changing language, changing history, changing values, changing beliefs…heck, changing genders, making this stuff up as they go along.

It’s time for some sanity and perspective, which is what “Coach Gary” is about to deliver. Stand by!

All things considered, in some respects, this might be one of the most important podcasts I’ve ever done. But, then again…all of my podcasts are important! So…dig in!

We begin immediately,     and by immediately,   I mean once I remind everyone that you can find our podcast website at BRICK AND BLOCK PODCAST DOT COM (repeat).

As I’ve said before, I’m a big proponent of having websites that support your business, and I’ve got an excellent example of one: Masonry Contractor Special Website. You’ll see it there. That’s what you’re looking for. It’s mobile friendly, modern, fast, bullet proof, BEAUTIFUL, cutting edge, DONE FOR YOU, and practically free! You’ll love this one. Check it out.

Of course, if you’re not a masonry contractor, we have very similar websites, but in your specialty. So…check it out.

OKAY, TEAM.    HANG ON, BUCKLE UP… LISTEN UP,  AND PREPARE TO MOVE UP.

And now, Episode 19

Looking Forward by Knowing the Past                                               …Remembering The Rest of the Story

By Coach Gary Micheloni

“Those who do not learn from history are condemned to repeat it.” (Winston Churchill, 1948 and George Santayana, 1905)

For absolute certainty, there will be no shortage of articles and messages this time of year about “20-20 vision” and that sort of thing! But I ask you to invest a few moments right now and look at my little offering, because it just might be super-significant for you in this uncertain world and industry we find ourselves. Stuff always happens but you need to hang in there because ‘the rest of the story’ might just be right around the corner… to the part where the cavalry arrives and the good guys win. 

That’s the theme for the New Year because that’s my hope and expectation. Check it out.

For the past 20+ years now I have been meeting for breakfast with the same group of guys the first Saturday of each month. It is amazing to me the amount of wisdom coming from them, on all sorts of subjects and ideas, and I hope you have the same kind of people in your life. They are among my most important mentors— my coaches.

So, when “Coach Mark” approached me and said that our group of guys would be meeting on December 7th next and wondered if I might want to share something about the significance of that day. I agreed, provided we could go into the lessons learned and the leadership attached to that significant day. What does it all mean--for that time, and for ours, going forward?

President Franklin D. Roosevelt summed up things this way: “Yesterday, December 7, 1941, a date which will live in infamy, the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan...I regret to tell you that many American lives have been lost. In addition, American ships have been reported torpedoed on the high seas between San Francisco and Honolulu…”

Pretty bad stuff, right? But let’s not miss “the rest of the story.” Is the cavalry on its way? Is there going to be a ‘rest of the story?’ Let’s take a look.

Those two sentences from FDR were the facts, and they are terrible. But those facts are only part of the story, which is far more profound, much larger, and more significant. The story does not end there. In fact, it doesn’t even begin there! Because where it actually begins has everything to do with — not where it ends, but where it is heading. You knowing what that heading is, has everything to do with how your business, community, and family grow, 

We’re talking about the history of our country because it is the driving force of your legacies, be it business, community or family going forward. Do not miss this!

In your experience, you know that things often go wrong, “unsolvable” problems present themselves, seemingly impossible issues arise. Things are going along well and then, out of the blue, bad stuff happens. In this case, Pearl Harbor is attacked “out of the blue,” the enemy seeking to destroy the US Pacific Fleet. 

In fact, on that Sunday morning, 9 US battleships were in port. The enemy thought it had accomplished its mission, but it miscalculated — you’ll learn why in a moment. But the lesson here is that life situations, which might cripple the unwitting, will not take you down— provided you understand your legacy, and how critical it is to pass this along to others and that they might do the same. 

So, let’s go to the beginning of the story. What i0s this uniquely American legacy that redeems us from the bad and gets us to the good? Let’s start here.

America was settled by people seeking freedom of religion, the press, for the right to own property, and a desire to be governed by the rule of law— not ruled according to the dictations and might of kings. In this country, for the first time ever in the history of the world, we solemnly believed and resolved that the king was no longer to be the law. But that law, itself, was to be king. This turned civilization on its head!

To make this happen, Americans picked a fight with the mightiest nation on earth at the time, to instill into its people and install into its government, the sanctity that these rights, held by most people, were ‘God-given.’ A formal Declaration of Independence was written and then signed by 57 men each pledging, “Our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor.” It would cost many of them exactly that. In 1776 this Revolution, tenuous at first and unlikely to succeed, overcame the impossible and the miraculous came to pass. Tens of thousands of lives were taken, wounded, or captured to make this a reality. Never forget: this is our legacy.

In 1861, a great Civil War was fought to decide the issue of slavery. President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, freeing— on paper, at least the slaves in rebelling states. 

April 9, 1865, the south surrendered. April 14, 1865, Lincoln was assassinated. Over four years, more than 620,000 soldiers from both sides cast ‘the ultimate vote,” as did President Lincoln. The law was settled. At great cost, the nation moved on. Our legacy of freedom was preserved.  

Fast forward to 1941 and the specter of world war. The US and Japan had ongoing diplomatic negotiations and peace talks up through December 6, in Washington DC. With talks scheduled to continue the following week. Sunday was supposed to be an off day. 

This now brings us back to the events of December 7th, 1941:

7:55 a.m, the first wave of 183 Japanese fighters, bombers and torpedo bombers attacked Pearl Harbor.

8:10 a.m. a 1,800-pound bomb lands in the USS Arizona’s forward ammunition magazine. The ship explodes and sinks with 1,000+ men trapped inside.

Torpedoes hit the USS Oklahoma with about 400 sailors aboard; she loses balance, rolls to her side and sinks. 

8:54 a.m. the second wave of 170 planes attacked. The battle was over before 10:00 a.m.

In its wake, 2,403 service members were killed, 1,178 wounded, 169 US Army Air Corps and Navy planes destroyed. 19 vessels were damaged, nearly half of which were sunk, fully or partially. Every battleship in Pearl Harbor had sustained significant damage: the USS Arizona, Oklahoma, California, West Virginia, Utah, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Nevada. Pretty bad stuff, right? Do things get better?

Know that all but the Arizona, Oklahoma, and Utah were eventually salvaged and repaired so that six battleships were returned to service.

The Japanese ambassadors left town on December 8th!

December 9, 1941, Americans begin to enlist in record numbers. During the course of the war, over 16 million Americans served, from a US population of 140 million — 11% of all Americans fought in WW2. (By comparison, 1% during the Iraq war.) Every family had a stake in this fight, either in the military or in support of it. (My mom and at least one of my aunts became welders in an aircraft plant!)

February 19, 1942, President Roosevelt issues Executive Order 9066, and 110,000 Japanese-Americans are forced to leave their homes and are interred in 10 detention camps until December 1944. 

April 2, 1942, USS Hornet steams from San Francisco with 16 B-25 Mitchell bombers lashed to her flight deck. The 80 crew members aboard had trained on land-based runways to get airborne within 467 ft (length of the Hornet flight deck). All were volunteers. It was considered to be a suicide mission.

April 8, 1942, all 16 bombers, led by Lt. Col. James Doolittle, successfully launched from the Hornet for a surprise air attack on Tokyo by US bombers. All hit targets, doing little damage, but proving to the Japanese that their island was not invulnerable to attack by the U.S. — a huge, needed a psychological boost to the Allies, as the war was going badly. One plane landed in Russia, 15 toward Nationalist China. All ran short on fuel and either crash-landed or crew bailed out. Three crewmen killed, 8 captured, tortured and starved. This bravery is a part of the DNA in our legacy. 

April 19, 2019, Lt. Richard Cole, last surviving member of this raid, dies at age 103! 77 years plus one day.0

May 1942. War going well for Japan, which wanted to get US into a fight for Midway Island in order to lure US aircraft carriers, defeat them, which would ultimately destroy the US Pacific Fleet. (Carriers were much more important to the Fleet than battleships.) 

May 28th, largest Japanese fleet ever leaves it bases and heads to sea, commanded by Admiral Yamamoto, who is confident of victory but does not know that the US has cracked their intelligence code and is aware of their plans of possible attack on Midway. 

June 1942, US Admiral Chester Nimitz puts a task force together. Desperately in need of carriers, has to allow USS Yorktown to go to Pearl Harbor for two+ weeks of emergency repairs. But Nimitz has a plan: 1400 shipyard workers move onto the ship, en masse, work around the clock and complete the repairs in 72 hours. She rejoins the task force! 

The Battle of Midway rages four days, June 4-June 7, 1942. Japan had 4 carriers, 3 cruisers, 12 destroyers, 248 carrier aircraft, and 16 floatplanes. The US had 3 carriers, 8 cruisers, 15 destroyers, 233 carrier aircraft, 127 land-based aircraft, and 16 subs.

LOSSES: 

Japan— 4 carriers sunk; 1 cruiser sunk and 1 damaged; 248 aircraft destroyed, 3,057 KIA, 37 captured

US— 1 carrier sunk (Yorktown); 1 destroyer sunk (Hammann), 150 aircraft destroyed; 307 service members KIA.

Midway was widely considered the turning point of the war and the largest naval battle in history. Japan was unable to replenish its war materials easily, while the US industrial might could supply our needs.

February 1, 1943, 442nd Regimental Combat Team created was composed entirely of Japanese-Americans, some of whom had family members in detention camps. Serving in Italy, France, and Germany, its motto was “Go for Broke.” By April 1943, it had a fighting complement of 4,000 men, with some 14,000 total serving overall. In less than two years, its members were awarded 9,486 purple hearts, 4,000 Bronze Stars, 21 of its members were awarded the Medal of Honor. It is the most decorated unit in US military history. A family friend of mine had a brother KIA while she and the rest of her family remained in a camp. Amazing. Sad. True. Part of our legacy as Americans of all stripes.

While all of this is going on in the Pacific, the Allies simultaneously and successfully launch the largest amphibious landing in the history of warfare: Operation Overlor2d, also known as D-Day, the landing at Normandy (June 6-August 30, 1944). A few months later, the Battle of the Bulge (December 16, 1944 to Jan 25, 1945).

May 8, 1945, VE Day (Victory in Europe)

 August 6, 1945, the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima. Pres. Truman calls for Japan to surrender, warning of further destruction. Japan rejects.

August 9, 1945, the atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki.

August 15, 1945, Emperor Hirohito announced surrender.

 September 2, 1945, (VJ Day— Victory over Japan) Japan signs unconditional surrender aboard USS Missouri

 This is who we are. This is why when you get down you know you’re going to get back up. It’s in our DNA. It is the legacy of our country. More than that: it is your legacy, and that’s ‘the rest of the story!’

YOU CAN REACH OUT TO US BY EMAIL: BrickAndBlockPodcast@gmail.com

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BrickAndBlockPodcast@gmail.com

Podcast Website: BrickAndBlockPodcast.com 

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https://airconditioninghvaccalifornia.com/ Consider This!

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THANKS FOR STOPPING BY. 

COACH GARY HERE. THIS EPISODE OF THE ‘BRICK AND BLOCK PODCAST’ FEATURES THE AUDIO VERSION OF MY September 2021 COLUMN written for MASONRY MAGAZINE. YOU PROBABLY KNOW THE COLUMN AS ‘FULL CONTACT PROJECT MANAGER’. THE TITLE OF THE COLUMN YOU ARE ABOUT TO HEAR IS:

 The Original 9/11 -- The War that Started the ‘War’ about the “Star Spangled Banner”

 Team—  WOKE folks, easily triggered by things patriotic, you better not listen to this podcast!

 Now…a clarification: all you are going to hear is pure history. However, American history can trouble some people. In fact, in their words, they are “triggered” by things with which they disagree, and much prefer revisionist history. You won’t get that here. What you will get is some sobering truth, particularly in this month of September as we recall the horrible events of 9/11/2001. But my contention is that the original 9/11 occurred some 200+ years ago…a huge wakeup call back then which we should remember to this day.

 All considered, in some respects, this might be one of the most important podcasts I’ve ever done. But, then again…all of my podcasts are important! So…dig in!

 We begin immediately,     and by immediately,   I mean once I remind everyone that you can find our website at BRICK AND BLOCK PODCAST DOT COM (repeat). I’m a big proponent of having  websites that support your business, and I’ve got an excellent example of one: Masonry Contractor Special Website. You’ll see it there. That’s what you’re looking for. It’s bullet proof, BEAUTIFUL, cutting edge, DONE FOR YOU, and practically free! You’ll love this one. Check it out.

Of course, if you’re not a masonry contractor, we have very similar websites, but in your specialty. So…check it out.

And now, Episode 18, “The Original 9/11

The War that Started the ‘War’ about the “Star Spangled Banner”

 By Coach Gary Micheloni   

OKAY, TEAM.    HANG ON, BUCKLE UP… LISTEN UP,  AND PREPARE TO MOVE UP.

TRANSCRIPT 

Title: “The Original 9/11”

…the War that Started the ‘War’ about “The Star Spangled Banner”

by “Coach Gary” Micheloni

 Note from ‘Coach Gary’: I’m writing this column about halfway between the 4^th of July and September 11^th. Patriotic juices are flowing through my veins. But…I am just about boiling mad. Guess I’d better explain.

 Some people today claim that the national anthem of the USA, “The Star Spangled Banner” is outdated, unacceptable—or worse! They maintain that it has some racist lyrics (verse #3), so the whole thing should be thrown out. Haven’t we heard that in the news lately? Yet, how many of us (actually) know what the troubling words are which seem to be the focus of the malicious, the malcontents, the people espousing those asinine attitudes of today? More importantly, how many of us truly know the story behind the anthem’s creation? Stay tuned, because there’s a huge ‘gotcha’ in the story—one that most certainly will never be mentioned by these troublemakers.

This lousy attitude is recent, unreasonable, unacceptable, and threatens our country—not to mention our jobsites--where we have skilled employees of every color, speaking varied languages, from diverse people groups, all with different cultures. Yet, we are still held together by the glue that is the very mortar of the American Dream. The true story behind the story should educate those who may once have been ignorant of it--but can now embrace our great country and its history. On the other hand, the troublemakers will likely remain ignorant, if only because it conflicts with their narrative.

This is a safety issue, a morale issue, an educational dilemma, and a grammatical nightmare. In my mind, it’s an unleashed, out-of-control freight train heading for a sleepy town. I see it, but can’t stop it, and all I can do is yell out a warning.

 Thus begins my 9/11 column, because I fully intend to yell!  “Let’s Roll!”

Let’s not be ignorant of history. Certainly, we should never allow so-called revisionist history. We should investigate, and so I have. And, as the late broadcaster, Paul Harvey, used to say on the radio...here is the rest of the story! Here it is: the unvarnished truth…the rest of the story.

The US and Britain were at war-- the War of 1812, which lasted until early 1815. Britain had been imposing a type of trade embargo against the U.S., which was rejected by America. Negotiations were going nowhere. The U.S. declared war against Britain June 18, 1812.

 Once again, we took on the mightiest military power on the globe, largely because it was impacting our economic and other freedoms. Unfortunately for the British, they were currently involved in a war with France, so they couldn’t fully commit forces against America. Thus, America got off to a pretty good start. Then, in April 1814 the British defeated Napoleon, and quickly turned their attention fully against the U.S.

The British invaded the American homeland. In fact, large numbers of troops began arriving here, and on August 24, 1814, British naval forces raided the Chesapeake Bay, and then landed ground troops which moved in on the U.S. capital, capturing D.C. that same day.

QUESTION: Did you know that America had been invaded by Great Britain?

They burned government buildings, including the Capitol Building and the White House. Upon entering the White House, they desecrated it, set fire, expecting to burn it to the ground, and would have succeeded if not for the extensive use of stone masonry in Capitol Hill!

QUESTION: Did you know that a foreign army had seized control of Washington D.C.?

The Original 9/11

The U.S. fought back and on Sept. 11, 1814, at the Battle of Plattsburgh, on Lake Champlain in New York, the American Navy soundly defeated part of the British fleet. This was the first time that 9/11 figured prominently in American history. It was a turning point in the war.

Two days later, Sept. 13, 1814, the British fleet landed 4500 soldiers in Baltimore & began shelling Fort McHenry. The shelling lasted 25 hours, throughout a rainy night, bombs literally bursting in air, rockets flying and landing near, on, and in the fort. 

While this was going on, Francis Scott Key was imprisoned aboard one of the British ships and he witnesses all of this, and knows about the recent history and the burning of D.C. He watches some 1500 rockets and bombs get launched towards Fort McHenry.

QUESTION: Do you know what inspired Key to write the lyrics to the Star Spangled Banner? 

During the shelling by the British, Fort McHenry was flying a flag--a smaller, ‘storm flag’--during the battle. But… as dawn broke, the commander of Fort McHenry, Major George Armistead, ordered the storm flag taken down and a garrison flag raised. What Key saw—indeed—what the British saw--was a giant, humongous, 42’ x 30’ flag still flying after taking all that the British fleet could give!

The Americans defending the fort were sending a message to the British…and the Brits could not possibly miss the message: “You tried your best, failed to take the fort, and we’re still here!” This was equivalent to the signature of John Hancock on the Declaration of Independence. He wrote it so large that anyone could read his name—even “without spectacles”.

And so, when Major Armistead raised that huge flag, it was the signature piece of the American defenders, a signature so large that no one in the British fleet, still anchored in the harbor, needed a telescope to see it

Shortly afterward, they withdrew and were beaten again, at the Battle of New Orleans, finally withdrew from there, and then signed a treaty in February 1815, ending the war. 

“But Coach, but Coach, what about that troubling verse #3?”.

I had to look it up! From the manuscript of Francis Scott Key, as collected in the Maryland Historical Society collection, here is the 3rd stanza:

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore,

That the havoc of war and the battle’s confusion

A home and a Country should leave us no more?

Their blood has wash’d out their foul footstep’s pollution.

No refuge could save the hireling and slave

From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave,

And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave

O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

QUESTION: Can you handle the truth?

Here is the truth: that verse refers to acts of the British! READ THE LYRICS. The Brits were determined that one of their colonies (home and country) should have never left them, but the pollution of their footsteps upon our land was washed out by their own spilled blood. In the end, there was no refuge to save the hireling or the slave from death and the grave. Here’s that truth: the slaves and hierlings referenced by Key were on the side of the British and many would experience terror and enter the grave because of it.

This history comes from a poem by Francis Scott Key, titled, “In Defence of Fort McHenry”, later to become “The Star Spangled Banner”.

Back to those words. Let’s listen again, but this time knowing their context and how they came to be. But hear me on this: If you have any hope of understanding verse 3, and the reference to slaves and hierlings, first you’d better pay close attention to verse 1, which is the verse most often sung:

The Star-Spangled Banner

O say can you see, by the dawn’s early light,

What so proudly we hail’d at the twilight’s last gleaming,

Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight

O’er the ramparts we watch’d were so gallantly streaming?

And the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air,

Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there,

O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave

O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

Imagine it was you--imprisoned there in the place of Key--aboard that British ship, watching all of what happened, having seen the artillery barrage and the rockets launched against the Americans by earth’s most powerful navy, for the past 25 hours, and your story might read like this:

The night fades away…into twilight…which itself fades to a brightening dawn.

What a horrible night you’ve just witnessed! Certain that the fort and its defenders had been obliterated, you feel for them, their families, and now…your country…which would seem on the verge of being lost. All those rockets and bombs and explosions…who could resist such might?

But wait…what’s this? There is a freakishly large flag, Old Glory herself, now showing her face as the sun comes up. Can it be? Yes…I see some stripes…oh…and some stars. It is! Oh my gosh…the flag is still there! We are still here! We are still the land of the free! This is still the home of the brave!

And now, for the malcontents still in our midst, those who do not appreciate—at all—their privilege in life, let me remind everyone that national flags have always been important to our citizens. You can’t escape it, even if you close your eyes, cover ears, and yell out ‘blah…blah…blah…!’, exercising your ‘malcontent privilege’ in your attempt to block truth from entering your brain…

To this day, Americans still love their flag. Take a moment, and bring to mind these incredibly important, iconic images of flags:

World War II, the flag being raised over Mt. Suribachi on Iwo Jima, by U.S. Marines. You know exactly the picture I’m talking about.

Ground Zero, 9/11, in the midst of carnage, the flag being raised by three firemen. Is it seared into your brain?

And from the harbor, that September of 1814, the flag of victory still flying over Ft. McHenry. Does it still wave? You bet it does!

The turning point in the War of 1812 began on September 11 of 1814, continued into that famous, glorious morning of September 14 and finalized at the Battle of New Orleans.

May we always remember our struggles, our battles, our victories, and who we are. On 9/11, 20 hears hence, or 120 years hence, may we Never Forget.

And now…you truly know…the rest of the story.

God Bless the USA!

Coach Gary’s Corner: Gary Micheloni is a construction company marketer, speaker, author, consultant…and a coach…and a Podcaster: https://redcircle.com/brick-and-block-podcast

Get Coach Gary to speak for your group. See us at https://BrickAndBlockPodcast.com

Copyright 2021 Gary Micheloni

Team:

COACH GARY HERE. THIS EPISODE OF THE ‘BRICK AND BLOCK PODCAST’ FEATURES THE AUDIO VERSION OF MY July 2020 COLUMN IN MASONRY MAGAZINE. YOU PROBABLY KNOW THE COLUMN AS ‘FULL CONTACT PROJECT MANAGER’. THE TITLE OF THE COLUMN YOU ARE ABOUT TO HEAR IS:

History Keeps Repeating Itself…But Will We Listen?

There’s a reason I wrote this column: some would look at our country and conclude that things are really messed up, right now. It’s hard to argue. However…let’s temper that judgment, realizing that, just about 8 decades ago the world was on the brink of war—a world war—and we came through it. In fact, the infamous “Battle of Britain” began 81 years ago this July, and that was quite a bit bigger mess than we have today, believe it or not! So, it’s important to have some perspective.

All considered, in some respects, this might be one of the most important podcasts I’ve ever done. But, then again…all of my podcasts are important! So…dig in!

We begin immediately,     and by immediately,   I mean once I remind you that you can find our website at BRICK AND BLOCK PODCAST DOT COM (repeat). I’m making a point this episode about websites that support your business, and I’ve got an excellent example of one: Masonry Contractor Special Website. You’ll see it there. That’s what you’re looking for. It’s bullet proof, BEAUTIFUL, cutting edge, DONE FOR YOU, and practically free! You’ll love this one. Check it out.

Of course, if you’re not a masonry contractor, we have very similar websites, but in your specialty. So…check it out.

And now, Episode 17, “History Keeps Repeating Itself…But Will We Listen?”

By Coach Gary Micheloni

OKAY, TEAM.    HANG ON, BUCKLE UP… LISTEN UP,  AND PREPARE TO MOVE UP.

History Keeps Repeating Itself

“But…Will We Listen?”

by “Coach Gary” Micheloni

Have we lost sight of what’s important…the goal? Have we kept our eyes on the ball? Nope. I’m writing this in June. Do things look bad and messed up right now. Yup. Do people screw up and do horrific acts. Sometimes. Makes me want to cry. I need some balance—how about you? Is the world right now the most horrible it’s ever been, or is there some progress, some promise? Let’s look around.

Way back when, before most of us were even born, a career politician met with a head of state, with a mission of achieving, for the first time in human history, world peace. A noble goal, right? The two countries, along with the vast majority of journalists around the planet, celebrated wildly that Sept 30, 1938. And, with Germany having consumed Austria just six months prior, people really wanted this. So, a treaty was signed. British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain promised “Peace for our time.” Great—it sounds so good! Could anything possibly go wrong?

Well, it did: less than two years later, July 10, 1940, the Battle of Britain began and Germany attacked Britain by air. 

And just a few months prior to that, 400,000 British troops were almost lost at Dunkirk, France, and would have were it not for the determined citizens of the UK, who sailed across the English Channel and helped the Navy rescue fully 350,000 of them—many saved by British fishermen in their tiny boats, a few at a time. That’s a lot of trips over rough water, but they got it done. There’s a lesson here, isn’t there?

So, things were not going well. The British certainly had not achieved ‘peace for their time’. Something had to be done. King George realized he needed, as the Godfather’s ‘Don’ Vito Corleone might have said, a ‘wartime consigliere’. The king knew he needed leadership, and he needed it right now.

Have you ever found yourself in that position? You’re working on a project, trying to get it done on time and budget, trying to be a nice guy or gal, and somebody just won’t get out of your way. Harms your company, kills your budget and destroys your time frame. Know what I’m talking about? You reach a point when nice for the sake of nice gets thrown out the window. To survive, you assert your right to lead, especially if you’re under fire, and you begin leading from the front—again!

Enter, consigliere (and now, Prime Minister) Winston Churchill. He took over as PM—from Chamberlain—early May, 1940. In a speech before the House of Commons of the UK Parliament, he let them know what was before them, and it wasn’t pretty. No platitudes. No grandiosity. He reminded them that they were in the preliminary stage of one of the greatest battles in history. What did Churchill say? [TEAM, you should literally cut out this speech and paste it over your desk at work. Really!] He said,

“…I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears, and sweat. We have before us an ordeal of the most grievous kind. We have before us many, many months of struggle and suffering.

You ask, what is our policy? I say it is to wage war by land, sea, and air. War with all our might and with all the strength God has given us, and to wage war against a monstrous tyranny never surpassed in the dark and lamentable catalogue of human crime. That is our policy.

He was not one to mince words. A straight-shooter (now there’s another lesson here for us), Churchill termed the fiasco at Dunkirk “a colossal military disaster…” He continued:

“You ask, what is our aim? I can answer in one word. It is victory. Victory at all costs — Victory in spite of all terrors — Victory, however long and hard the road may be, for without victory there is no survival.

“Let that be realized. No survival for the British Empire, no survival for all that the British Empire has stood for, no survival for the urge, the impulse of the ages, that mankind shall move forward toward his goal. 

"…Come then, let us go forward together with our united strength."

These last several months for our country have some similarities, don’t they? The battles continue. Strategies change and evolve. Hysterical people along with powerful bureaucrats seem to have their way. That was the case in 1938. They got their way then, but what happened in 1940? It’s another story, completely.

Eighty years ago (I’m writing this column in June), Churchill addressed the House of Commons, and shared with his people the reality that he foresaw on the horizon:

I expect that the Battle of Britain is about to begin. Upon this battle depends the survival of Christian civilization. Upon it depends our own British life, and the long continuity of our institutions and our Empire. The whole fury and might of the enemy must very soon be turned on us. Hitler knows that he will have to break us in this Island or lose the war. If we can stand up to him, all Europe may be free and the life of the world may move forward into broad, sunlit uplands. But if we fail, then the whole world, including the United States, including all that we have known and cared for, will sink into the abyss of a new Dark Age made more sinister, and perhaps more protracted, by the lights of perverted science. Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duties, and so bear ourselves that, if the British Empire and its Commonwealth last for a thousand years, men will still say, “This was their finest hour.”

That Battle raged for 113 days. (Much longer than the lockdowns many have endured here in the USA). Parents sent their children to live safely in temporary foster homes far from the carnage of London. Britain lost over 1,400 air crew. Additionally, some 43,000 civilians were killed and 139,000 wounded. In the midst of it, August 20, 1940, knowing that his country had to win, at all costs, whatever the cost, no matter the sacrifice…and…would win—somehow, some way…he foresaw victory. 

In the midst of it, having watched the out-numbered and seriously out-gunned RAF keep at bay the vaunted German Luftwaffe, until both sides either knew—or realized—who would ultimately win this air battle…Churchill inspired his people to the greatness of their destiny which lay before them

The air Battle of Britain was then only half over when Churchill shared this vision with his nation. Somehow, he sensed, he foresaw, victory in all of this: the debt of gratitude they all owed to those who waged the battle in the skies. He said,

The gratitude of every home in our island, in our Empire, and indeed throughout the world, except in the abodes of the guilty, goes out to the British airmen who, undaunted by odds, unweakened by their constant challenge and mortal danger, are turning the tide of world war by their prowess and their devotion.

“Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.”

All hearts go out to the fighter pilots, whose brilliant actions we see with our own eyes day after day, but we must never forget that all the time, night after night, month after month, our bomber squadrons travel far into Germany, find their targets in the darkness by the highest navigational skill, aim their attacks, often under the heaviest fire, often at serious loss, with deliberate, careful precision, and inflict shattering blows upon the whole of the technical and war-making structure of the Nazi power.

October 31, 1940 that air war ended. A huge team effort. 

‘Coach Gary’s’ thoughts:

“I don’t know about you, but as bad as our 2020 has been for me, I surely wouldn’t trade it for their 1940!”

No doubt, 2020 has been a tough year for all of us, and looks like it might continue. We often hear people telling others to ‘hang in there’, ‘we’ll get through this’, things like that. In fact, ‘Coach Gary’ has himself said precisely that on several occasions. But why do we say such things, and respond so positively when we hear them ourselves? It’s because we’ve also witnessed these things. 

I love history and the lessons it teaches us because, as the old saying goes, if you don’t remember the past you are condemned to repeat it. That reference was regarding the bad elements of history. But it also applies in the other direction: remember the good that you’ve done, the struggles you’ve overcome, the brilliance of your strategies, the fullness of your friendships and the depth of your faith. These things will transport you over the rough patches, down the dark roads, past the sketchy people who would seek to get in your way. 

Too many people are worried about things they can’t control, yet turn their backs on those they can. Said another way: take the high road or the low road. As for me and my house, we’ll take the road less travelled. May this become our ‘finest hour’.

COACH GARY’S TAKEAWAY: 

Whatever your situation, ready yourself, your community, family and company and get set to take off. Go lead! Because we’ll get through this—all of it. Of course we will! 

Coach Gary’s Corner: Gary Micheloni is a construction company marketer, speaker, author, consultant…and a coach. Get Coach Gary to speak for your group. FullContactTeam@gmail.com And be sure and tell him about how you are leading! Copyright 20 Gary Micheloni

Copyrig

OKAY TEAM. THAT’S IT FOR TODAY.

YOU CAN REACH OUT TO US BY EMAIL: BrickAndBlockPodcast@gmail.com (SPELL OUT THE WORD “AND”: A.N.D.)  

Brick And BlockPodcast@gmail.com

BE SURE AND SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST. IT’S IMPORTANT.

WE WANT YOU TO JOIN US FOR THE NEXT EPISODE. 

NOW…

FOR THE BRICK AND BLOCK PODCAST…

THIS IS COACH GARY…

THANKS FOR STOPPING BY.

Team:

Coach Gary here. This is Episode 16 of the Brick and Block Podcast, “A Pandemic of Words” This is an audio version of my July 2021 Full Contact Project Manager column in Masonry Magazine.

There’s a harshness to life and living these days, isn’t there? Part of it might be due to the corona virus, but much of it seems to come from every day living. With that in mind, I offer a perspective that might help explain things, because it is tough out there.

There’s some meat here, so dig in!

We begin immediately,     and by immediately,   I mean once I remind you that you can find our website at BRICK AND BLOCK PODCAST DOT COM (repeat). I’m making a point this episode about websites that support your business, and I’ve got an excellent example of one: Masonry Contractor Special Website. You’ll see it there. That’s what you’re looking for. It’s bullet proof, BEAUTIFUL, cutting edge, DONE FOR YOU, and practically free! You’ll love this one. Check it out.

OKAY, TEAM.    HANG ON, BUCKLE UP… LISTEN UP,  AND PREPARE TO MOVE UP.

And now…Episode 16,  “A Pandemic of Words"

By Coach Gary Micheloni

Title: “A Pandemic of Words”

…Why Benjamin Franklin was Right"

by “Coach Gary” Micheloni

Note from ‘Coach Gary’: As we celebrate Independence Day of 2021, we rejoice over many things, yet are saddened by others. Let me begin with the ‘sad’ so that we can end with the joyful, which is where most people of our country choose to live. God bless the USA!

There’s a throw-away phrase that many commentators often use when discussing an article written by a reporter: “Talk about burying the lead!” Generally what’s meant is that instead of a writer including as a headline the main idea of a story, he begins with info of secondary importance, bringing it up later so that it just kind of ‘pops up’ unexpectedly and smacks the reader. It would be like a sportswriter fully describing yesterday’s game and then, about the next to last paragraph, finally saying who won and the score. You get the idea.

So, I will begin at the beginning and disclose that my title was not created by me. Instead, it inserted itself into a simple conversation I was having. As my wife, Karen, and I were discussing the sordid events, the coarseness of dialogue, the verbal assassinations and over-the-top insults and accusations which seem to predominate public discourse these days, she came to a startling conclusion. She said something like, there is such “a pandemic of words” these days!

Her comment staggered me. I asked her to repeat it, to make sure I heard it correctly, so she laid it out again. Perfectly joining the main search term of the past year, ‘pandemic’, with the current effort to hurt and discredit people and ideas—not by discussing them—but by shouting them down with vile words which now seem to have lost or changed their original meaning. ‘A pandemic of words’. Simultaneously both perfect, yet tragic.

My mission today is simple: helping all of us regain and retain our sanity as I attempt to explain what is going on. Hang in there!

In the media these days we are often reminded of the quote from Benjamin Franklin at the Constitutional Convention in 1787. A woman asked him what kind of a government we were getting. He uttered his famous reply, “A republic, Madam, if you can keep it.” Franklin was prophetic. He foresaw the difficulty of maintaining a republic, that it could break down over time. We have been witnessing just that. People clamoring for democracy, yet secretly working for mob rule. Their mob!

If you’ve never read George Orwell’s ‘1984’, this is the time to do so. Written in 1949, a fear of ‘Big Brother’ seemed almost over-the-top. Hard to imagine. In 1945 we were given by him in ‘Animal Farm’ the fictitious political viewpoint that, while all animals are equal, ‘…some animals are more equal than other animals.’ Couldn’t happen, right? Ha! We seem to have stumbled into both of those worlds.

You know, in the beginning, Congress was to be a deliberative body—to discuss and consider the issues of the day. Today, it has become a high stakes sporting event. Team D vs Team R, with both teams voting in a bloc, at almost every vote. Our ideal of a republic has been corrupted into a majority rule.

Let me help you to see this. Here’s a mental image of Congress that I hope sticks in your mind, much like the way lyrics of a bad song become an earworm you can’t stop hearing:  There are two teams, R’s and D’s, out in a park, playing a game, throwing the frisbee, but instead of the familiar children’s toy, they are using dinner plates. And not just any dinner plates—that would be bad enough. No! They are using your dinner plates—that elegant set of china that your family has owned and handed down for several generations. Intended for the private enjoyment of your family, it was taken by people who came into your home and grabbed it for their own pleasure.

Two problems: first, the players were not very skilled at tossing the frisbee, little success but lots of drops, not caring if anything got broken, because they had an unlimited supply of fine dinnerware, thanks to you, and also courtesy of the china cabinets of your neighbors down the street and others elsewhere in your city. They were careless and did not value your treasures. More, they seemed to really love the sound of breaking breaking plates.

Second, they complained about the way dinnerware apparently breaks upon impact with the ground, which of course, they believe to be our fault. An investigation was ordered. A new cabinet position (aptly named) created to mandate standards for the way dinnerware frisbees are to be manufactured, then updated the rules of the game along with the types of helmets, masks, pads and other, now-required protection for properly playing the game.

Absurd? From where I sit, here in the belly of the beast of California, my neighbors and I are witnessing the actual feeding of the beasts! One example, the so-called ‘Bullet Train’, where billions have already been expended to facilitate the movement of people from one rural city to another, yet billions more are projected because of the need to tunnel through the mountains (what could go wrong there?) My prediction is that sometime soon the excavation will encounter pieces of broken plates!

I was at church yesterday (as I write this) where we celebrated Memorial Day to begin the service. Everyone stood, hands over hearts, as the color guard carried and then posted the flags. We sang ‘My Country ‘tis of Thee’. It was touching. For me, it was hard to sing and not be choked up over words like:

Sweet land of liberty…

Land where my fathers died…

Let freedom ring!

Land of the noble free…

Thy name I love…

Our fathers’ God to Thee,

Author of Liberty…

Protect us by Thy might,

Great God our King!

These days…even those sacred and precious words are attacked, often by the nameless, the shameless and the anonymous. The cowards!

Some of you out there are asking what all of the above has to do with our construction industry. Let me remind again the quote by Edmund Burke, and others, who said ‘the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.’ Now, couple that with the very infamous words of Pastor Martin Niemoller, commenting on WWII, that evil men first came for this group and then for that group and later, other groups, but nobody ever said anything. Realize that, eventually, they’re coming for you: your property rights, the right to run or manage a business and, of course, your right to freedom of speech. We’re witnessing that today. It directly impacts our industry, family, community and country.

Some who have never studied history would flippantly discard rights guaranteed to us by our Constitution, simply because they were granted by God—not a government. In fact, they’d like to shred that document and start over. Their pandemic of words is coming squarely at all of us for that purpose. That’s the bad news.

But there is good news. Just like the pandemic, itself, the news of its destructive power is overblown. Only a fraction of one percent of our country’s population died from covid, but you’d swear it was more like 30%, based upon the drumbeats in the news. Also overblown is the perceived importance of threats to us and our country coming through social media. Most alarmists tend to be more loud than correct!

Count on this: The American people are decent and caring, and that’s a huge majority.

This Independence Day, remember what’s important—what’s always been important. Think not about the idiots, jerks and the ill-informed—they are bullies. Instead, stand up against hate of any people, continue to protect, just as we always have and always will. We stand here in the land of the Noble Free, rejoice together in the words of Dr. King, “Let freedom ring!”

Amen? Amen! Happy Independence Day, America!

Podcast News

You’re invited. Join me on the Brick and Block Podcast. The goal of the Podcast is to be an extension and expansion of the Full Contact Project Management column, but all of it coming to you in bite-size chunks of info and wisdom that you can chew on while you’re driving to a jobsite. BrickAndBlockPodcast.com. The easy part of your workday.

Coach Gary’s Corner: Gary Micheloni is a construction company marketer, speaker, author, consultant…and a coach…and a Podcaster: https://redcircle.com/brick-and-block-podcast

Get Coach Gary to speak for your group. FullContactTeam@gmail.com And be sure and tell him about how your Next Play! (C)Gary Micheloni

OKAY TEAM. THAT’S IT FOR TODAY.

 YOU CAN REACH OUT TO US BY EMAIL: BrickAndBlockPodcast@gmail.com (SPELL OUT THE WORD “AND”: A. N. D.   Brick And BlockPodcast@gmail.com

OUR WEBSITE AGAIN IS  BRICKANDBLOCKPODCAST.COM

Go there and check out my – ALMOST FREE –

Masonry Contractor Special Website 

HEY…

BE SURE AND SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST. IT’S IMPORTANT.

WE WANT YOU TO JOIN US FOR THE NEXT EPISODE.  

NOW…

FOR THE BRICK AND BLOCK PODCAST…

THIS IS COACH GARY… 

THANKS FOR STOPPING BY. 

Team:

Coach Gary here. This is Episode 15 of the Brick and Block Podcast, “You Don’t Own It!” It is a special, Masonry Marketing Minute Podcast—a special edition—some info that will help to protect your business—and you’ll get the concept by just listening for about 5 minutes.

All considered, In some respects, this might be one of the most important podcasts I’ve ever done. But, then again…all of my podcasts are important! So…dig in!

We begin immediately,      and by immediately,   I mean once I remind you that you can find our website at BRICK AND BLOCK PODCAST DOT COM (repeat). I’m making a point this episode about websites that support your business, and I’ve got an excellent example of one: Masonry Contractor Special Website. You’ll see it there. That’s what you’re looking for. It’s bullet proof, BEAUTIFUL, cutting edge, DONE FOR YOU, and practically free! You’ll love this one. Check it out. 

OKAY, TEAM.    HANG ON, BUCKLE UP… LISTEN UP,  AND PREPARE TO MOVE UP.

And now…Episode 15,  “You Don’t Own It”.

By Coach Gary Micheloni

PODCAST EPISODE 15

"You Don’t Own It!"

Coach Gary’s Marketing Minutes

Okay Team…

After asking many contractors about their websites and how all of that is going, some tell me that they have a website, but it’s on Facebook or Blog.com, and so forth. WRONG!

I need to help your thinking, so tune in for the next couple of minutes, because you just have to hear what it is I’m about to say. And then…you check it against what you have currently, and decide if   it  is what you need. Here we go.

MY Key Points

1.   When we mention the word, ‘website’, we’re talking about something that you OWN. For instance, if your business is Fred Smith Masonry, then you should own a domain name similar to that, such as SmithMasonry dot com, FredsMasonry dot com, Main Street Construction dot com, etc. You buy a domain name from GoDaddy, or wherever, for about $10 per year, and you are responsible for whatever goes onto it. You control it. You OWN it.

2.   If you are relying upon a Facebook business page, for instance, please realize that you don’t control what you post, and you don’t own the ‘website’—Facebook does. Nothing against Facebook, etc, so why is this important? You are relying upon the social media host, such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Linkedin, and so forth, to always be there to host your web page and allow it to be seen. And that includes the so-called-- FREE websites on sites like Google My Business, Home Advisor, Groupon, Yelp, etc.

3.   What could go wrong? Let’s think about that. The social media host could go out of business, cease distribution, (remember MySpace, Google Plus, Vine, Meerkat, Friendster…and so on?) 

4.   Worse yet, the social media platform might not ALLOW your post if it conflicts with their personal viewpoint. Impossible, you say? How many news sites, broadcast news, and social media sites within the past year decided that the President of the U.S. was not allowed to post or speak on their platforms? And he certainly had way more followers and sway than any of us.

5.   Years ago there was a famous singer who went by the name of “Prince”. Do you recall that there came a time where he could no longer perform under his name, and had to perform as “the artist formerly known as Prince”. He didn’t own his name!

6.   Or…simply…what happens if your website comes from the webmaster and he decides to leave the country, or leave the planet…and leave…YOU…without the stuff you thought you had?  

I say all of that just to say this: Make sure you actually own your stuff. If it’s appropriate, get it patented, copyrighted, trademarked, registered, incorporated, licensed…you name it.

For example, I’ve been writing for Masonry Magazine 16 years now and I’ve copyrighted every one of the issues. It’s just good business.  

PLEASE MAKE SURE:        YOU    DO  OWN IT…      AND YOU PROTECT IT. 

OKAY TEAM. THAT’S IT FOR TODAY.  

YOU CAN REACH OUT TO US BY EMAIL: BrickAndBlockPodcast@gmail.com

(SPELL OUT THE WORD “AND”: A. N. D.)  Brick And BlockPodcast@gmail.com

OUR WEBSITE AGAIN IS  WWW.BRICKANDBLOCKPODCAST.COM  

Go there and check out my – ALMOST FREE –

Masonry Contractor Special Website

HEY…

BE SURE AND SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST. IT’S IMPORTANT. 

WE WANT YOU TO JOIN US FOR THE NEXT EPISODE.

NOW…

FOR THE BRICK AND BLOCK PODCAST…

THIS IS COACH GARY…

THANKS FOR STOPPING BY!

Ep 14 - "Ask the Builder" - Tim Carter Interview, featuring comments and thoughts of "Coach Gary" Micheloni, Dave Ramsey & Mike Rowe 

Podcast Episode 14 – “Ask the Builder” – Tim Carter

Have you ever asked the question: What would it take for me to develop a side hustle or go into a business for myself?

Is that crazy—or something I should even attempt? Can I take my skills and do something further with them?

Well…we’re going to try and answer that for you today, with the help of my very special guest.

Anybody remember back to a time when you could take a shop class in school? My high school had a department called Industrial Arts. You could learn automotive skills, metal and woodworking, photography, electrical, leather carving, mechanical drafting, jewelry making, home economics…and so on. We learned things that became useful, lifelong skills.

Today…not so much! The teachers and classes have disappeared from being a part of the school day, and eventually, from importance to today’s generations. Kids are being taught that a college education is paramount, and you should get one, even if the costs of it puts you into debt for 10 to 20 years.

Have the skilled trades been rejected by the kids and young adults of today, and been replaced with career thoughts of video game creation and computer programming? Maybe.

That’s not so good…at least in my opinion. To fix it,   all of us really should pay attention to the next several minutes of this podcast because these things affect your life, the well-being of your companies, communities,  and families.

One of my favorite radio personalities , Dave Ramsey, tongue-in-cheek--often speaks of such degrees as German Polka History—implying that there are virtually no jobs to go along with those degrees. He’s right! Debt stacks up. And for what purpose?

Another of my favorite radio/TV/podcast personalities is Mike Rowe, the star of the old—and NEW--series, “Dirty Jobs”, and the voice of shows like “Deadliest Catch”. Mike is a big proponent on the value of the skilled trades. In fact, he puts his money where his mouth is, with the Mike Rowe Works Foundation, offering training scholarships for blue collar jobs like welding to  automotive…to   you name it.

This year he is awarding over one million dollars in scholarships to … WAIT FOR IT… trade schools! A kid can learn an extremely, well-paying skill in a short amount of time—no college debt. Never get laid off.  Mike’s biggest challenge is finding students willing to get their hands dirty and put in an honest day of hard work.

The reason for this explanation of mine has everything to do with why I am so excited to have on the show today Tim Carter. For many years, Tim had the call-in radio show,  ASK THE BUILDER! And this has EVERYTHING TO DO WITH YOU! Here’s why:

People…homeowners…would call Tim and ask him how to do certain remodeling tasks  and  jobs  around the house. Why did they call Tim? Because they have failed to learn those skills earlier in their lives, such as in school.

There is a market out there for installing those improvements, repairing broken irrigation systems, mending fences; generally creating--and completing for pay-- those projects wanted by people unskilled in the physical trades.

I asked Tim if he might speak about the demand and the markets and types of projects homeowners have asked him about, or asked him to perform for them.

Seems like almost every guy I know in the trades has either thought about doing side work, or is doing side work, or is thinking about starting a business for himself. Tim is just the guy who can shed some light on this.

Hey, everybody, “Coach Gary” here. Thanks for indulging me in my rant. Fortunately,  I have a guest today you’ve just got to meet…and I believe he can help guide us through the problems mentioned in that rant, and talk about solutions.

Tim grew up with the trades. Was a master plumber, a general contractor, specialized in ultra-custom remodeling. He flipped houses before “Flip this House” was even cool! He knows an awful lot about the market many would-be handymen or contractors are considering.

Enough talk on my part. Help me to welcome Tim Carter, “Mr.   ASK THE BUILDER” to the Brick and Block Podcast.

Contacts for names referenced in this podcast:

Tim Carter: www.AsktheBuilder.com and subscribe to his weekly newsletter.

Mike Rowe: Voice of "Dirty Jobs", "Deadliest Catch", and many others; Scholarships--go to Mike Rowe Foundation: MikeRoweWorks.org

Dave Ramsey, Financial Consultant, National Radio and Podcast Producer: RamseySolutions.com

THANKS AGAIN TO TIM CARTER, AND TO ALL OF YOU OUT THERE IN THE INDUSTRY.

NOW…FOR THE BRICK AND BLOCK PODCAST,    

I’M COACH GARY.  www.BrickAndBlockPodcast.com; email me BrickAndBlockPodcast@gmail.com;

THANKS FOR STOPPING BY,   EVERYBODY!

The Brick and Block Podcast

For Growing Your Masonry Business

THIS IS EPISODE 13

Our Mini Series

Do You Have a Mobile Friendly Website

Coach Gary’s Marketing Moment – Part 3 of 3

Hey, Team…”Coach Gary” here. As you know…

This month we have been running a ‘mini series’ on the importance of Mobile Friendly Websites. Last week was Part 2, and today we give you Part 3 of it, which is also Podcast Episode 13. This will conclude the mini-series on mobile friendly websites. The three of them are grouped together, Episodes 11, 12 and 13. Great resource for you—the essence of what you need to know—at a glance—right there in your phone!

I want to conclude by giving you an exercise--an object lesson, because seeing is believing, and I’d really like you to see this, it’s something which you can hold in your very own hands, right there in your phone. In just a few moments, after today’s podcast ends, I want you to go to this website: BestBrickBlockStoneMasonry.com . If you’re driving along, just trust me that you can find it in the ‘show notes’ for Episode 13. This is a website which has been created for contractors or suppliers in the masonry, brick & block, pavers industry. The purpose of using this website is that it is a good example of current technology and the way things ought to be, whether you’re a mason or provide any kind of contractor services or supply.

Open it up: type in the domain name—in your mobile phone. Notice a few things. While holding the phone in one hand, you can see the contact info at the top. If the company name was the ‘Brick and Stone Company’, you’d see it, and you’d see their logo, along with their phone number.

You’ll also see in the upper left hand corner, immediately left of the BestBrickBlockStoneMasonry.com address, the image of a PADLOCK. This indicates a secure site. The HTTPS in the domain name indicates that it’s a SECURE website. If your own domain name begins with just HTTP, then you’ll see a ‘warning kind of a sign’   a triangle. This is super important to Google, as I’ve mentioned before. Just wanted you to see it. Warning signs can drive away people.

Immediately below—and without scrolling—you’ll see examples of their services, like Repair, Replacement, whatever. You could see a city name or a complete address, even business hours. By comparison, what does yours show?

Now, scroll down a little and you’ll see some photos along with brief descriptions of services, all by simply scrolling downwards, very easily. Notice that the font is large enough to read, the photos are high resolution.

Scroll down a bit more and see testimonials from ‘happy clients’. Notice how the testimonials slide ACROSS the screen. You should have testimonials on your own website.

Below is a ‘Contact Us’ screen where a customer could request a quote.

Below that another phone number. It would usually be clickable.

Scroll down—our menu

Scroll down—our highlights

Scroll down—our address, phone, email

Scroll down—a map page

Note how easily everything flows. Nothing hard to see. Excellent.

I have a Final Pro Tip for you:

scroll down just below the map and you’ll see Follow us on: f tw YT insta icons

Now…very important: try clicking on any media icons and, guess what—they are NOT clickable!

This is critical. You’ve worked hard to get your potential customer to your site. Do not allow him any distractions that could take him away from your website!!! That’s the last thing you’d want to do.

It’s great to show images of those social media icons—which we’ve done. We want customers to know you CAN find us on social media—JUST NOT RIGHT NOW! See the difference?

Let’s get a phone call. Let’s get an order!

WINDING DOWN…

TODAY WAS PART 3 of 3 of COACH GARY’S MARKETING MOMENTS, our mini series on the importance of mobile friendly websites. I hope you got great value from this series. Let me know what you think…AND…any questions you have.

Again, that website to check out is BestBrickBlockStoneMasonry.com Do yourself a favor—do the exercise!

OKAY TEAM. THAT’S IT FOR TODAY. IF YOU MISSED ANY OF THOSE WEBSITES, CHECK THE SHOW NOTES ON YOUR PODCAST APP, OR JUST EMAIL ME AND ASK. I’LL GET THEM TO YOU.

YOU    CAN   REACH OUT TO US BY EMAIL:  BrickAndBlockPodcast@gmail.com Spell out the word A.N.D.

BrickAndBlockPodcast@gmail .com    INCLUDE YOUR FIRST & LAST NAME

BE SURE AND JOIN US FOR THE NEXT EPISODE OF—WHAT IS IT?    THE “BRICK AND BLOCK PODCAST”

AND MAKE SURE YOU HIT THE ‘SUBSCRIBE’ OR ‘FOLLOW’ BUTTON—WE WANT YOU HERE FOR THE NEXT EPISODE.

NOW…  FOR THE BRICK AND BLOCK PODCAST, THIS IS COACH GARY

THANKS FOR STOPPING BY

The Brick and Block Podcast

For Growing Your Masonry Business

THIS IS EPISODE 12

Do You Have a Friendly Website

Coach Gary’s Marketing Moment – Part 2  

Hey, Team…”Coach Gary” here. You’ve heard me say that …

A few days ago, on episode 11, I gave you Part 1 of my, ‘Coach Gary’s Marketing Moments’. This is Part 2.

After I published that episode, I listened and thought about it, and decided it was not as complete as I’d like, so let me add a few important things for you, okay? None of it geeky stuff!

First and very easy: run a test. Go to Google,  on your phone,  and type in the words  mobile friendly test. Give it a second  and you’ll see it ask for your domain name, like, www.FredJonesMasonry dot com. It should pop right up with:

Page is mobile friendly.

This page is easy to use on a

mobile device

Below that, there’s a spot to click:  “view screenshot”.   Click there, and you can see what your website looks like to other people when they Google you. Good to know.

Click out of it and open up google again. Type in your domain name (your website name) again. Click on it, and see how long it takes to fully display. Fraction of a second? Several seconds? Half a minute? Google is looking for <2.5 seconds

Why is all of this so important? Google’s thing is that it wants users to have a great search experience,  and the degree to which people have that great experience  drastically affects ranking  of your website. And all that means  is that

the highest ranking websites get seen by the most people. So…in a perfect world, you want to be on Page One, at the top. The closer you are to the top, the more likely to be seen. People rarely get as far as the second page on ANY search!

Finally, on this topic, let me add one morenugget: Google uses half a dozen or so factors to determine FRIENDLINESS:

In order, they are…

ASSUME: relevant content

Do pages Load fast

Are they interactive

Visual stability (do things jump around)

Is it mobile friendly

Safe to browse

HTTPS (SSL certificate)

  In other words, when people go to your website, if your website begins with HTTP://WWW, then there will be a warning. If it begins with HTTPS://www, there will not be a warning. It is more secure. Secure sites rank higher.

Episode 11 I suggested you take a look at BrickAndBlockPodcast.com and see how quickly that website opens, how easy it is to read, navigate and so on.

But I’ve got another good one for you to look at. This one is a masonry website and it’s really cool looking. At least I think so. Now, for kicks, check this masonry website, which is at BestBrickBlockStoneMasonry.com . This will

show you a modern site, suitable either for residential or commercial. It’s handy for comparison purposes or getting a few ideas you can implement on your own site. Notice the speed, how everything is relevant to the masonry category, safe, secure, easy to browse…just like we were talking about.

Let me know what you think…AND…any questions you have.

TODAY WAS PART 2 OF COACH GARY’S MARKETING MOMENTS. NEXT WEEK WE’VE GOT PART 3 COMING YOUR WAY.

BE SURE AND CHECK IT OUT.

OKAY TEAM. THAT’S IT FOR TODAY. IF YOU MISSED ANY OF THOSE WEBSITES, JUST EMAIL ME AND ASK. I’LL GET THEM TO YOU.

YOU   CAN   REACH OUT TO US BY EMAIL:  BrickAndBlockPodcast@gmail.com Spell out the word A.N.D.

BrickAndBlockPodcast@gmail .com    INCLUDE YOUR FIRST & LAST NAME

BE SURE AND JOIN US FOR THE NEXT EPISODE OF—WHAT IS IT?    THE “BRICK AND BLOCK PODCAST”

AND MAKE SURE YOU HIT THE ‘SUBSCRIBE’ OR ‘FOLLOW’ BUTTON—WE WANT YOU HERE FOR THE NEXT EPISODE.

NOW…  FOR THE BRICK AND BLOCK PODCAST, THIS IS COACH GARY

THANKS FOR STOPPING BY

The Brick and Block Podcast

For Growing Your Masonry Business

THIS IS EPISODE 11   

Coach Gary’s Marketing Moment

This Episode: Do You Have a Friendly Website

Hey, Team…”Coach Gary” here. You’ve heard me say that …

…having sufficient leads (or bid invitations) goes a long ways toward solving business problems. That’s because many businesses really struggle here. Today, I wanted to take a look at something very obvious that could help you a bunch with the inflow of revenue for your business.

To help with this, we’re going to put up a series of marketing episodes, (our Marketing Moments) each very short in duration, but very meaty, nonetheless. Stuff you can consume, in tasty bites, right there in your truck. Let’s get going.

So, I ask the question again: “Do you have a friendly website? And, by ‘friendly’, I mean a “mobile friendly” website.

What am I talking about? You know the old saying, a picture is worth a thousand words, so I want you to create a picture for yourself. Take a quick moment—NOT NOW WHILE YOU ARE DRIVING!—and look at your company website. I’m sure you’ve done that before, but here’s the way to look at it today: ON YOUR PHONE—not on your desktop computer.

Why? What’s the hurry? The short answer: look to see if it’s leaking! What…? Leaking Business!!! Be proactive. Don’t just assume that all is well. Check it out for yourself—see the picture—see what your company website looks like on your own mobile phone.

Here are the nuggets you need to know about ‘mobile friendly’

Did you know that these days most searches for the kinds of services you provide or products you sell—those things which produce the revenue so important for you…between 50 and 70 percent of those searches are made on mobile devices—SMART PHONES.

And did you know that, when you on your phone at the company website, it should NOT be just a miniature of the website you see on your desktop? Why? Because your phone is too small, and you’d have to scroll all over the place—on your phone screen—to find the info you’re searching for. People searching for your stuff on their phones will leave your website and look elsewhere to solve their problems—because it’s not very friendly, in a mobile website kind of way. THIS IS A HUGE DISTINCTION.

Also, please know that Google puts a greater value on ranking websites when they are mobile friendly and fast, so be aware.

What to look for:

First, your contact info needs to be at the top: easily seen, without scrolling, so people know they are at the right spot. Company name, phone, email address. Sometimes a potential client just needs a phone number to place an order. Make it easy for the client to spend money with you, okay?

Second, does the website pop open really fast? People are impatient. We don’t want them to search for our competitors. In the old days, folks might put up with a slow-to-open website. Not today. You’ve only got a few seconds to impress.

Third, is the website easy to read? Again—large enough font.

For kicks, type into your phone browser the website for this podcast, which is BrickAndBlockPodcast.com . This will give you an idea as to how fast a mobile site should open, the size of the font, how a video should play, and so on. It’s a clean looking site, very professional (if I do say so myself).

TODAY WAS ALL ABOUT THE ‘WHAT’. ON THE NEXT MARKETING MOMENT, WE’LL GET INTO THE ‘WHY’. BE SURE AND CHECK IT OUT.

OUTRO

OKAY TEAM. THAT’S IT FOR TODAY.

YOU CAN REACH OUT TO US BY EMAIL: BrickAndBlockPodcast@gmail.com Spell out the word A.N.D.

BrickAndBlockPodcast@gmail .com    INCLUDE YOUR FIRST & LAST NAME, CELL PHONE NUMBER

BE SURE AND JOIN US FOR THE NEXT EPISODE OF THE “BRICK AND BLOCK PODCAST”

AND MAKE SURE YOU HIT THE ‘SUBSCRIBE’ OR ‘FOLLOW’ BUTTON—WE WANT YOU HERE FOR THE NEXT EPISODE. 

Team:

COACH GARY HERE. THIS EPISODE OF THE ‘BRICK AND BLOCK PODCAST’ FEATURES THE AUDIO VERSION OF MY MAY  2020 COLUMN IN MASONRY MAGAZINE. YOU PROBABLY KNOW THE COLUMN AS ‘FULL CONTACT PROJECT MANAGEMENT’. THE TITLE OF THE COLUMN YOU ARE ABOUT TO HEAR IS:

In it to Win it!

           Ordinary Heroes—All In…& All Together

This is a significant column because it was written in the very early stages of the Covid Lockdown of 2020, and I expressed concern about paying people to stay at home…away from work…because I feared the long-term consequences of it. Many of us, part of the vast majority of the construction industry, were categorized as “essential employees” and continued to work.

And what makes the news these days in 2021? A labor shortage. People still cowering in fear, even after the availability of a vaccine, and the arrival of virtual, herd immunity. We are, indeed, essential.

Also, significantly, I reminded readers to consider the tough times we’ve been through before as a country, and why that history meant that we’d get through these times.

And why is that so important? Simply because too many people these days with loud voices appear to be advocating the tear-down our country.

All considered, In some respects, this might be about one of the most important columns I’ve ever written. Dig in!

OKAY, TEAM.    HANG ON, BUCKLE UP… LISTEN UP,  AND PREPARE TO MOVE UP.

And now… “In it to win it.

Ordinary Heroes…All in…and All Together

By Coach Gary Micheloni

THIS EPISODE OF THE ‘BRICK AND BLOCK PODCAST’ FEATURES THE AUDIO VERSION OF MY SEPTEMBER 2020 COLUMN IN MASONRY MAGAZINE, ‘FULL CONTACT PROJECT MANAGEMENT’. THE TITLE OF THE COLUMN YOU ARE ABOUT TO HEAR IS: Losing Your Feathers? Every Eagle Has to Molt!

The purpose of this column, written back before the elections of 2020, was to remind everyone that, magnificent as a bald eagle may be, no matter how patriotic its people, despite the best intents of its citizenry, when you look closely enough at its people—at any people—you can see some imperfections—you can find some cracks. Just as our friend, our symbol, the eagle, may look stunning or magnificent most of the time, even the eagle has to molt on occasion. It’s a part of life.

Let me leave it there. I encourage you to listen closely to this. In fact, I’d encourage you to listen at least twice: once for yourself, and the second time so that you can absorb enough from this and can be an encourager to other people--those you know that are going through a tough time & need to hear this.

To help illustrate, I bring in Elon Musk, Charles Lindberth, JFK, Space Shuttle and Apollo Astronauts, SpaceX and, of course, the American Bald Eagle, symbol of the USA.

OKAY, TEAM.    HANG ON, BUCKLE UP… LISTEN UP,  AND PREPARE TO MOVE AHEAD.

And now… “Losing your feathers? Every Eagle Has to Molt!” By Coach Gary Micheloni

COACH GARY HERE. YOU PROBABLY KNOW ME BEST FROM MY LONG-RUNNING COLUMN IN MASONRY MAGAZINE, AND THIS PODCAST IS AN EXTENSION AND EXPANSION OF THAT COLUMN. EACH MONTH, THE PODCAST WILL HAVE AN AUDIO VERSION OF MY MAGAZINE COLUMN, LESSONS ON MARKETING AND ALSO PROJECT MANAGEMENT SPECIFICALLY FOR MASONRY CONTRACTORS. THIS EPISODE OF THE ‘BRICK AND BLOCK PODCAST’ FEATURES THE FIRST PROJECT MANAGEMENT LESSON FOR MASONRY PM’S

NEXT MONTH WE’LL BE GOING THROUGH MY BOOK, “GET PAID FOR A CHANGE!”, WHICH WILL TAKE SEVERAL INSTALLMENTS TO COVER IT. THIS MONTH, I WANT TO GIVE YOU SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN PUT TO WORK IMMEDIATELY. IT’S A STRATEGY, ALL ABOUT SETTING UP YOUR PROJECT FOR SUCCESS. IN EFFECT, IT IS A ‘PRE-EMPTIVE’ STRIKE.

LISTEN TO THIS A COUPLE OF TIMES. TAKE NOTES. THIS WILL MAKE YOU MONEY, SO PAY ATTENTION!

OKAY, TEAM.    HANG ON,  LISTEN UP,  AND PREPARE TO MOVE AHEAD.

AND NOW…TEN GREAT BIG THINGS or THE PM’S PREEMPTIVE STRIKE

THIS EPISODE OF THE ‘BRICK AND BLOCK PODCAST’ FEATURES THE AUDIO VERSION OF MY MAY 2021 COLUMN IN MASONRY MAGAZINE. YOU PROBABLY KNOW THE COLUMN AS ‘FULL CONTACT PROJECT MANAGEMENT’. THE TITLE OF THE COLUMN YOU ARE ABOUT TO HEAR IS:

“GRANDPA…WHAT WAS FREE SPEECH?”

YOU KNOW… IT IS SAID THAT BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, AT THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION IN 1787, WAS ASKED BY A WOMAN WHAT KIND OF A GOVERNMENT WOULD OUR NEW COUNTRY BE—A MONARCHY OR A REPUBLIC. FRANKLIN’S FAMOUS RESPONSE:

“A REPUBLIC, MADAM, IF YOU CAN KEEP IT.”

AT THE CONVENTION, THE FOUNDING FATHERS DEBATED THEIR PLANS FOR THE COUNTRY AND DEALT WITH BEDROCK ISSUES: ON WHAT WOULD OUR COUNTRY STAND—ITS FOUNDATIONS? WHAT RIGHTS WOULD WE HAVE? WHERE DO THOSE RIGHTS COME FROM?

THE ATTENDEES WERE VITALLY CONCERNED THAT OUR RIGHTS WOULD BE PROTECTED. THEY KNEW FROM WHOM THOSE RIGHTS ACTUALLY CAME.

PART AND PARCEL OF THAT THINKING WAS THE RIGHT TO OWN PROPERTY AND TO OPERATE A BUSINESS. AND ALL OF THAT HAD EXTENDED TO THIS PRESENT TIME.

BUT…TODAY’S WORLD HARKENS BACK TO THE TIME OF FRANKLIN, AND WE ASK OURSELVES THE QUESTION: CAN WE KEEP IT? CAN WE KEEP THOSE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS AND PRIVILEGES?

THE ARGUMENTS OF TODAY, HIGHLY VISIBLE AS THEY ARE, THREATEN NOT ONLY OUR COUNTRY, BUT OUR WAY OF LIFE, INCLUDING LIFE ON OUR JOBSITES, AS WELL AS ON OUR COMMUNITIES

OKAY, TEAM.    HANG ON,  LISTEN UP,  AND PREPARE TO MOVE AHEAD.

AND NOW…’GRANDPA, WHAT WAS FREE SPEECH’

Masonry May 2021

Full Contact Project Management

2021 Theme: Eternal Truths for Simple Coaches

Title: “Grandpa…what was free speech?”

Subtitle: Just When You Thought All Was Lost…

by “Coach Gary” Micheloni

I was telling myself that things would be okay, that we’d get through all of this pandemic stuff and economic stress, but then I had this terrible dream, or nightmare, or thought…not sure which…and one of the kids asked me this question:

“Grandpa, what was free speech? What was that all about? Was there really a time in America when it was okay to speak your mind? We were talking about that in school—in history class—and we heard that, once upon a time, in our country, people actually thought they could say or write what they wanted—what was important to them. Without government and social media approval. And everybody in our class was, like, ‘No way! That’s crazy talk!’

I had to tell him the truth:

“Yes, son. That’s the way it was…for almost 250 years. Of course…there were some restrictions. Laws…which said that you couldn’t, as a joke, yell ‘FIRE’ in a crowded theatre, for instance, and cause people to panic and trample each other.

But if you had a belief, you could say it or write it. But if it wasn’t true, then you’d be caught in a lie, because the news people would check it out and call you on it, and expose you. This was called ‘freedom of the press’, but that was back when. By the way, we also had ‘freedom of religion’, but don’t get me started on that one.”

But just then I woke up/came to/snapped out of it, whatever that was. But it was horrible!

Some folks might think that I could be the only guy in America with such crazy thoughts in my head—but I suspect some of that is going on right now, within a lot of people, so that gives me some hope. However, I don’t think the nightmare that I had is impossible.

We’ll come back to that subject in a moment. I want to first share with you some positive things that are going on, because that’s happening, too, on my Podcast. For instance, there’s a terrific, short video that you’ve got to see. Just click on or go to BrickAndBlockPodcast.com and you’ll see the video. It’s exactly what you need to see in these trying days, “just when you thought all was lost”. When you get to thinking that everything is falling down around you and going into the porcelain fixture, go check out a video clip showing the resolve, appreciation and patriotism of a 14-year-old kid saluting the real super-heroes of a bygone generation. Please don’t miss this one. It might give you chills. Did me!

NOTE--HERE’S A LINK TO THE YOUTUBE VIDEO:

https://youtu.be/8k9Si28k0Fk

Now, more good stuff at the Brick and Block Podcast website: there are some phenomenal audio episodes about leadership, marketing and project management--specifically for mason contractors and suppliers, along with an interview on training for the new trades people we need. Some bright spots!

For a lot of us, myself included, it seems like we lost a year. Perhaps we did lose 2020; then again, maybe we just don’t want to remember it. Not sure how it happened. Anyway, this is now 2021, like it or not, here it comes!

That said, seems like kids and families got the worst of it, because most kids did lose a year of in-person schooling, families lost a considerable chunk of income, security, savings and sanity. In my opinion, there’s a forthcoming, governmental invoice, I’m sure, being prepared for presentation to future generations for the stuff we are about to use right now. For some reason, the popular notion of today is that it’s okay to “pass on” to our grand- and great-grandkids the bills run up and “cost-coded” or expensed to Covid 2020.

And, you know what? It turned out to be so, surprisingly, easy that we now can go charging off things, supposedly to Covid, while keeping a surprisingly clear conscience. Take that, future heirs! Forget VISA. I’ve got my USGUV Card and, apparently, I have an unlimited credit limit, thank you very much.

Okay, I’m a bit jaded…maybe just a little over-the-top, but as a part-time, student of history, I know that this has happened before, people trying to take the easy way out. For instance, check out this 90-second nugget, a “Coach Gary” history lesson, from only 80 years ago. Here’s the picture:

The world is on the brink of war and British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain flies to Germany and meets with Adolph Hitler. He returns on September 30, 1938, and addresses a crowd, hungry for good news. Neville assures the country that he and Adolph had a meeting of the minds, have agreed to never go to war against each other again, and he waves in the air the paper signed by both. Everybody cheers that we now have ‘peace in our time’.

The very next day, Germany invades a neighboring country, things get worse. Prophetically, Winston Churchill says to Chamberlain: “You were given the choice between war and dishonor. You chose dishonor, and now you shall have war.”

Sadly, within a year, September 3, 1939, PM Chamberlain again addresses the British people and informs them that they are now at war with Germany. You can’t make this stuff up!

By May 10, 1940, nobody still has faith in Chamberlain and he resigns, leaving the mess for someone else to cleanup. Churchill takes over, but London is bombed almost nightly by Germany for many months, then sporadically through May 1944. Unfortunately, beginning in June, German V1 and V2 rocket attacks on London commenced and ran until almost the end of the war. Yikes!

Coach Gary’s Take-away: You can’t just follow the easy way out, trying to make all people happy, if it leads you in the wrong direction, and you violate your principles.

Okay…I hear you out there. “Hey, Coach, why this history lesson in a construction magazine? Is it a history lesson only?”

No! It’s a lesson in leadership and it plays out in many of your jobsites more often than you’d like. Here’s the thing: too many contractors allow themselves to be ‘bullied’ by other contractors who take advantage of them. They want to be seen as team players. Keep the project moving. You know the drill.

But realize this: you can’t always keep the peace. It’s a poor strategy to never question or object. Don’t roll over and perform extra work, for free, simply because others tell you so. What does the contract say?

Bringing that to present day: it’s the subject of a continuing discussion we will be having over these next several months on the Brick and Block Podcast. I’m going to personally lead that discussion. Heck, I wrote the book on it: “Get Paid for a Change! The Contractor’s Blueprint for Turning Extra Work into Extra Money—through Change Orders”. This is going to all be on audio for you. We’re talking strategies that work.

The goal of the Podcast is to be an extension and expansion of the Full Contact Project Management column, but all of it coming to you in bite-size chunks of info and wisdom that you can chew on while you’re driving to a jobsite. BrickAndBlockPodcast.com. The easy part of your workday.

Coach Gary’s Corner: Gary Micheloni is a construction company marketer, speaker, author, consultant…and a coach…and a Podcaster: https://redcircle.com/brick-and-block-podcast

Get Coach Gary to speak for your group. FullContactTeam@gmail.com And be sure and tell him about how your Next Play!

Copyright 2021 Gary Micheloni

Have you ever asked the question: Where are the skilled masons of the future going to come from? Who’s going to train them? How do we even recruit them?

About a hundred years ago when I was a kid in high school, we used to have industrial arts. Shop class. Auto, metal, wood. I learned leather carving and tooling. I really enjoyed lapidary, cut, polished and created several pieces of stone jewelry. Some of us remember learning those skills, using with our hands. LIFELONG LESSONS!     Many of us don’t.

Have the skilled trades been rejected by the kids and young adults of today, and been replaced with career thoughts of video game creation and computer programming? Maybe.

That’s not so good…at least in my opinion. To fix it,  all of us really should pay attention to the next several minutes of this podcast because these things affect your life,  the well being of your companies, communities,  and families.

I did say,    MAYBE-- YES,  and maybe IT’S THE FAULT of the parents and grandparents, aunts and uncles of today, who have pushed kids towards college as a first   or only   choice when it comes to careers. Maybe, we have made getting a degree seem like the only way to get ahead, have saddled our kids   and us!   with a mountain of college debt, often for worthless degrees from prestigious universities, yielding unsatisfying careers--for which our country and our kids are paying dearly.

One of my favorite radio personalities , Dave Ramsey, tongue-in-cheek--often speaks of such degrees as German Polka History—implying that there are virtually no jobs to go along with those degrees. Debt stacks up.

Every year, college recruiters are invited to speak on campuses. Pick your numbers, but a college education might cost anywhere from ten or twenty thousand dollars a year to triple or quadruple that. A mountain of debt, creeping up on unsuspecting parents and children, and saddling their futures for ten or more years.

Another of my favorite radio/TV/podcast personalities is Mike Rowe, the star of the old series, “Dirty Jobs”, and the voice of shows like “Deadliest Catch”. Mike is a big proponent on the value of the skilled trades. In fact, he puts his money where his mouth is, with the Mike Rowe Works Foundation, offering training scholarships for blue collar jobs like welding to  automotive…to   you name it.

You know…at high schools and colleges,  thankfully,  military representatives are invited to speak. Good for that! Rarely, though, are any representatives of the skilled trades. This is a shame. This should not happen. This stops now!

Cutting edge, real time training for those in high school or early adult years is the solution, and Bonnie O'Connor of the Masonry Industry Training Association (MITA) gives us her insight in the first of her visits with the Brick and Block Podcast.

The Brick and Block Podcast

For Growing Your Masonry Business

THIS EPISODE IS:   Masonry Marketing 1A 

Coach Gary’s Top 10 List   for Marketing Survival

Hey, Team…”Coach Gary” here. You’ve heard me say that …

If you’re a part of the masonry side of the construction industry, whether contractor, material or service supplier, as owner or employee, however you make your living, you understand how important it is that your company continue to grow and prosper. And growing your masonry business is what this podcast is all about.

THE FOCUS OF OUR PODCAST IS DIFFERENT:

REMEMBER:      YOU ARE NOT SIMPLY IN THE MASONRY BUSINESS… BUT YOU ARE   IN THE BUSINESS OF MARKETING  and GROWING  YOUR COMPANY!

FACE IT. YOUR CREWS MAY BE GREAT…BUT SO ARE THE CREWS OF YOUR COMPETITORS. IF THE WORK OF EVERY COMPANY PASSES INSPECTION, AND IT’S ALL DONE ON TIME AND ON BUDGET, THEN THERE’S A PERCEIVED, SAME QUALITY LEVEL OF THE WORK.          

SO, HOW DO YOU GET AHEAD OF EVERYBODY?

ONE WAY IS TO OUT-HUSTLE THEM. OR…   AS THE TV SHOW  ‘SURVIVOR’ SAYS:  OUTWIT, OUTPLAY, OUTLAST.

TO WHICH I WILL ADD:   OUT-MARKET!

THE “BRICK AND BLOCK PODCAST” IS COMPRISED OF THESE 4 ELEMENTS:

AUDIO VERSIONS OF MY MONTHLY COLUMS; INTERVIEWS WITH MOVERS & SHAKERS OF OUR INDUSTRY;

PROJECT MANAGEMENT GUIDANCE;         AND MASONRY  MARKETING  MAGIC – TONIGHT’S SUBJECT

MY PROMISE ABOUT   Masonry Marketing 1A, BASIC Marketing for Business Survival is this: 

Not some  ‘how to do it’   info or course,     but the ‘why to do it’ stuff   that owners and leaders should know,        helping to avoid common mistakes,         and to correctly  direct  your people.

TODAY’S EPISODE IS THE FIRST INSTALLMENT OF MASONRY MARKETING. THIS EPISODE IS TITLED:    THE MASON CONTRACTOR’S CHECKLIST OF ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY REQUIRED basic MARKETING FOR BUSINESS SURVIVAL

THERE’S A LOT OF VALUABLE INFO, BUT DON’T WORRY ABOUT TAKING NOTES. I’VE DONE THAT FOR YOU, AND HAVE THEM CONDENSED INTO A 2-PAGE CHECKLIST & SUMMARY. JUST EMAIL ME AFTER THE SHOW: BRICKANDBLOCKPODCAST@GMAIL.COM

IT’S VERY VALUABLE,   BUT FREE  TO YOU. I’VE DONE ALL THE HARD WORK. THERE’S NO BALONEY IN THIS GUIDE—JUST PURE MARKETING GOLD, ALL CRAMMED INTO TWO PAGES FOR YOU TO SAVE AS A REFERENCE. IT’S DESIGNED TO KEEP YOU FROM MAKING DUMB MISTAKES WHEN IT COMES TO EVALUATING YOUR MARKETING CHOICES & STRATEGY.

STOP FALLING FOR THINGS WHICH DON’T WORK.  START DOING THE THINGS WHICH WILL WORK.  GUARANTEED!

JUST SEND ME AN EMAIL. INCLUDE YOUR FIRST & LAST NAME IN IT, GIVE ME THE EMAIL ADDRESS WHERE YOU WANT THE SURVIVAL GUIDE SENT; INCLUDE YOUR CELL NUMBER IN CASE I NEED TO TEXT YOU IF SOMETHING IS OUT OF WHACK IN YOUR EMAIL.

EASY AS THAT: BRICKandBLOCKPODCAST@GMAIL.COM    BE SURE AND SPELL OUT THE A.N.D.     REPEAT

AND NOW…HERE’S OUR MARKETING 1A EPISODE: BASIC MARKETING FOR MASON CONTRACTORS

THIS EPISODE OF THE “BRICK AND BLOCK PODCAST” -GROWING YOUR MASONRY BUSINESS - FEATURES THE AUDIO VERSION OF MY MARCH 2021 COLUMN IN MASONRY MAGAZINE.  THE TITLE OF THE COLUMN YOU ARE ABOUT TO  HEAR  IS:

“THE    NEXT    PLAY”

EVERYBODY APPRECIATES A GREAT IDEA—WHICH IS A BIG PART OF THIS MONTH’S COLUMN. IT’S A UNIQUE WAY OF LOOKING AT AND APPROACHING YOUR BUSINESS. IT’S A TACTIC WRAPPED UP IN A STRATEGY.

I THINK IT’S BRILLIANT. I ALSO CONFESS THAT I DIDN’T INVENT IT…BUT I SURE APPRECIATE IT.

IT’S PRETTY SHORT—JUST SEVERAL MINUTES LONG—BUT I THINK YOU’LL GET A LOT OUT OF IT.

THE MAIN TAKEAWAY IS FOR US TO TACKLE OUR ISSUES IN SUCH A WAY THAT WE WILL SUCCEED MOST OF THE TIME. SO CHECK IT OUT… AND THEN LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK—   AND HOW YOU CAN PUT IT TO WORK FOR YOU IN 2021.

MOST OF US NEED TO DO THAT…SHOULD DO THAT…AND WILL DO THAT IF WE ARE TO SUCCEED.

THAT’S MY GOAL FOR US.      SUCCEEDING IN 2021   HAS NOW MOVED FROM IMPORTANT TO CRITICAL.

AND NOW:   “THE NEXT PLAY”

THIS EPISODE OF THE ‘BRICK AND BLOCK PODCAST’ FEATURES THE AUDIO VERSION OF MY NOVEMBER 2020 COLUMN IN MASONRY MAGAZINE. YOU PROBABLY KNOW IT AS ‘FULL CONTACT PROJECT MANAGEMENT’. THE TITLE OF THE COLUMN YOU ARE ABOUT TO HEAR IS:

THANK-FUL OR THANK-LESS?

THIS COLUMN WAS A REFLECTION ON THE YEAR JUST PAST. EVERYBODY AGREES THAT 2020 SEEMED LIKE THE WORST YEAR IN RECENT HISTORY, AND FOR MORE THAN ONE REASON. A BIG REASON WAS THE COVID-19 VIRUS;   PLUS    THE LOCK-DOWN; CLOSING OF BUSINESSES; WIDESPREAD UNEMPLOYMENT; LOSS OF ENTERTAINMENT; AND, OF COURSE, THE CLOSING OF SCHOOLS. AND MORE! YOU MAY HAVE YOUR OWN CANDIDATES FOR THIS LIST, AND I CAN CERTAINLY ADD TO IT, BUT YOU GET THE IDEA. WE ALL DO.

SO…THE PURPOSE OF THE COLUMN WAS TO PUT ALL OF THAT STUFF INTO PERSPECTIVE. AND WHEN YOU CONSIDER THAT NOVEMBER IS THE MONTH WE ALL THINK ABOUT THANKSGIVING, AT LEAST A LITTLE BIT, EVEN IN THE UGLY YEAR OF 2020…CAN WE REALLY BE THANKFUL?

THERE ARE GOOD THINGS WHICH STILL HAPPEN, EVEN IN THE WORST OF TIMES, AND WE CAN TAKE WITH US THE LESSONS OF THOSE GOOD THINGS AS WE GO INTO 2021.

OKAY, TEAM.    HANG ON,  LISTEN UP,  AND PREPARE TO MOVE AHEAD.

AND NOW…’THANK-FUL OR THANK-LESS’

If you're a part of the masonry side of the construction industry, whether contractor, material or service supplier, as owner or employee, however you make your living, you understand how important it is that your company continue to grow and prosper. The focus of the Brick and Block Podcast is: You are not just in the masonry business...but in the MARKETING and the GROWING of your masonry business.

From the Jan 2021 'Full Contact Project Management' column in Masonry Magazine by Coach Gary Micheloni, title: "The Promise of a New January". I hardly need to remind you that our country, families and businesses have had many challenges in 2020, but that's exactly what got me to write what I did for the January column. It's kind of a kickoff to 2021. I'm hoping it will inspire and challenge you. Listen in now, and then let me know what you think.

(c) 2021 Gary Micheloni