Saundra Charles

noreply@blogger.com (Saundra Charles) — Thu, 15 Feb 2007 00:39:00 +0000

Great Start for a New Year

noreply@blogger.com (Saundra Charles) — Thu, 15 Feb 2007 00:18:00 +0000

January and February 2007

Business Updates
Our firm completed our office consolidation in 12/06 so the business is under one roof and located 5 minutes from my home. We had to do a complete built out from floors, electrical, heating, carpeting and all. It looks great.

Client wise we were awarded a five year maintenance contract with NJ Transit. We completed and was finally compensated for all of our work in 2006. Now we are activitely marketing ourselves again to our very targeted market.

In January were finally certified by the NY/NJ Port Authority as a Woman/Minority/Small Busines for Mechanical services to perform services up to 1/2 million dollars per contract. This process took almost 2 years. Also we were selected by the NY/NJ Purchasing Council to be mentored by Novartis Corporation. As a result we have been meeting with their Mechanical Maintenance team and hopefully this will translate into work. They assure us it will.

During Feb we submitted over 1.5 Million in bids. Needlessly to say it worn me out. But, it looks like we may be awarded a $480,000 contract with PSEG Fossil for piping work. Our meeting went well with their team. If it does happen this contract will position us to be significantly closer to being in the league with the BIG BOYS.

Development Updates
Not much Contact with my mentors during the second half of the program. On a personal level I completed an 12 week estimating course and a 6 week construction course. Now I need to focus on developing my staff and processes more so we can continue to get bids. I am sending a team of 4 to HVAC training to prepare for the summer season. Our finances are in need of professional help, especially since our bookkeeper dropped the ball, but we are still in working shape, thankfully. This year we have to built right repeatable relationships.

Media Updates
I was featured on the cover of Enterprising woman November 4, 2006. It was a real shock and quite and honor. I found out at the 2006 3M program. This program has taught me the power of media. In fact, I know I will have to keep working to drive media interest. I recently was put on the founding board of Professional Women in Construction, started a scholarship in the name of BI Group and completed two trade courses. I will have to see how I can create some real interest stories. Francise Glick did a fantastic job in linking Hands to Go to a human interest so she is a great role model. And, Maureen hit the Million. I am so proud of both of them.

August 2006

noreply@blogger.com (Saundra Charles) — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 17:07:00 +0000

" Leaders do not avoid, or deny conflicts, but rather see it as an opportunity. "
- Warren Bennis

Business Updates
Our team is excited about nearing the completion some of the projects were took on this summer. By the end of the month we should be moving on to new initiatives. We learned alot about different types of clients and have made a decision as to those we will avoid in the future, such as Construction Management firms. Why? Poor integration with the trades, extremely slow pay, and extremely demanding in terms of paperwork. It has been a good experience and we plan not to aggressively seek a repeat. With this lesson's learned in mind, we are back in the bidding stages and actively seeking new work as well as closing out our Accounts Receivables. Sales and payments will dominate our office activities over the next few weeks.

We were successful, after 6 months of waiting, to complete our Environmental/OSHA interview with Con Edision's Industrial Hygenist. This was deemed critical for a few reasons, failure would perclude us from working with Con Edison. Also I understand that approximately 2 firms per week fail the interview and hence are not able to be considered for work. Our team consisting of our Safety Professional, myself and our operation's director was able to get BI Group LLC approved to do work in 9 construction areas consisting of welding, substation work, electrical, insulation, etc. We are still celebration this milestone.

Our senior members are still attended the estimating course. It is intense and has consumed all of the summer. I hope to evetually get a real break. We have tackled all aspects of the construction trade and the plans are to used this as a protype for future courses for contractors. It will end in the Oct timeframe.

Mentoring Updates
Met with my mentors, Stephanie and Lisa Marie of Goldenseeds, via a conference call and provided them with a list of questions as well as an update on our financial status. Our revenues for 2006 are head of last years numbers and we still have a full quarter left the year. We are staying with our plan and it seems to be working. We hope to bring in a few number contracts with the right Fortune 50 firms this year. Since our desire is to maximize Time and Material ( T& M ) contracts it can be more challenging to get but so far we landed two solid ones and are bidding on another one for a major university. Our operating expenses had increase due to payroll but that is fine as long as it is driven by the jobs at hand. We are striving to keep our overhead low so we can remain competitive.

Media Updates
BI Group LLC and Waterjourny ( Francine Glick) was featured in the New Jersey Star Ledger's Business Section. The goal of the article was to highlight the up coming 3M event and link the contest to the local participants/winners. As a result of this media exposure I was asked to speak to a group of business persons about the 3M Program in September at Essex County College in advance of the deadline. Hopefully this will encourage a new population of woman to apply for the program. Also I had the pleasure of attended the 3M open house in August and share my personal story, along with Nel, Francine, etc. Most, if not all, of the participants were excited and inspired by the time they left the Central Park West office. I really hope all that can will take the time to enter, write their business plan, and go for the gold.

July 2006

noreply@blogger.com (Saundra Charles) — Thu, 24 Aug 2006 15:39:00 +0000

" Enjoy Life.......there are no reruns.
-Shirl Lowery

Business Updates
We are in the thick of managing our relationships with the Unions. When you think of complex payroll structures, gray areas between discipliines, and unwritten enforceable rules, think union. They make it quite challenging to navigate the waters. It seems that the some of the key trades are extremely antiquated with their back end operations. Hopefully they will eventually step into the new milleneum technological and common sensibly. For our firm it is important that we create harmony as this is our prime labor pool, but we have to be fair to ourselves and our clients in the process.

This month we are working on multiple projects for solid clients. Each client is different (1) Quasi- Gov, (2) Construction Manager work on a Public Project, and (3) Private Fortune 500. Learning differences, in the clients style will help us plan forward and determine which clients profile fits best with our operations. Cashflow, scope, and ease of operational integration are key drivers in our selection. As a result of the new work our staff has triped in size, we have automated our payroll, and secured new credit relationships with major suppliers. Suprising our suppliers have been a good source of leads for future work.

We are in the final stages of certification with the Port Authority and Con Edision. Both clients offer significant promise for the future. Some major lessons learned over the month of July was how to work with the SheetMetal workers. Their process is totally opposite to all the other trades in that they control the materials and labor on their jobs. Ultimately it can make things easier if you know the process. If not, as in our case, it will create unnecessary work and lost time. We learned the hard way. Thankfully the job that was impacted is still on track.

Mentoring Updates
We implemented processes and added staff to keep our financial house in order. When meeting with my coaches, we are planning to discuss data from 2Q06 and forward in August, after some of the family vacations are completed. I am seeking guidance and feedback on how we are proceeding thus far using the model that our Mentoring team set in place earlier this year. Our sales momentum was impacted in March when our energies were re directed, but we are recovering. Finally two of us have been chosen to attend an intense estimating class sponsored by NJ Transit/Corporations/Rutgers University,which started in July. It is conducted every Saturday from 8AM to 12 PM til mid Oct. That class ended my summer travel plans and late mornings.

Media Updates
2005 NYC Women from my team Pamela and Francine were featured this month. I read about Pamela Coppola in a recent article and I believe Francine was on the radio. I say Hats off to the ladies. We all benefit when CMI and 3M is featured in the media.

June 2006

noreply@blogger.com (Saundra Charles) — Mon, 31 Jul 2006 15:51:00 +0000

Business Update

This month was extremely busy with training new staff in estimating and sales. The preplanning to insure everyone has a full plate is essential and the need to measure the results it critical. We were successful in securing a major client and now are
actively planning the project at the New Jersey Institute of Technology. This was an unexpected win for us. Now we must concentrate on insuring we can delight the client while learning their style.

The Count Me in Fund Raiser in NYC was delightful. It gave us a chance to reconnect with some of the participants, hear of the great accomplishment achieved by the women and compare notes. Just being there made you proud of the being associated with the program.

On June 19th we received an Gold Star Award from one of our key clients for excellance in services. We hope to market this to other clients in the industrial to grow our base. Since we are actively targeting the industrial market and the client are so large the sales cycle is long and replete with unknowns, but persistence should win in the end.

Mentoring Update
Met Stephanie at the recent CMI gala. We are planning to regroup in the July/August timeframe once we have more financial details to present.

noreply@blogger.com (Saundra Charles) — Wed, 07 Jun 2006 21:48:00 +0000

May Status: BI Group Mechanical Company Update:

"Things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle." Abraham Lincoln

Our staff is growing. This month we hired three employees, signed a union agreement for craftmens and began training our new staff. We have been busy bidding on a multiple projects and setting up for the new jobs we recently were awarded. Overall the synergy has been positive, but very demanding. The biggest challenge this month was negotiating and selecting the best union to align with. After much work we finally identified a local that met the mechanical maintenance needs for all types of constructions sites.

We have develop a new list of strong potential contacts and are getting more familiar with our competitors through our suppliers. This has proved to be a valuable source of infomation and allows us to keep the pipeline of potential open, which means new opportunities. Thus far we have a chance to make a positive impression and align with a large Construction Management firm. They assured us that they have numerous projects that fit our criteria. If this relationship works out it could be beneficial in the long run.

Our firm is at the final stages of implementing a scholarship program with the New Jersey Institute of Technology. This program will enable us to work with engineering students in their Jr. and Sr. years thus providing them real world experience which should aid them in their future job search and allow us to keep our cost down as they support our internal processes.

Coaching and Mentoring Update:

I completed the book Billionaire in Training. Participated in a conference call with my coaches. During our meeting we focused on finances, cashflow, and our backend IT infrastructure challenges. Since March was a slow month we fell slightly behind, but we are continuing to look for work, keep our cost under control, and catch up. Fortunately for us, the last job we won will put us back on track.

Media Update: No additions from last month.

April 2006

noreply@blogger.com (Saundra Charles) — Mon, 24 Apr 2006 18:11:00 +0000

April Status: BI Group Mechanical Company Update:

"Things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle." Abraham Lincoln

Our firm was identified by Public Service Electric and Gas as a Gold Star supplier to the NY & NJ Supplier Development Council for demonstrating excellence in service and delivery. This was an unexpected honor and we will be presented the award at a luncheon in June 2006.

Our goal for this month is to identify more shop fabrication work. We are positioned to take on jobs, but need to link into the opportunities. We finally identified a portal into a major Transportation client to quote on jobs below $29,000.00. This is a sweet spot for us. After making that connection we got called in to price a significant job to replace 5 HVAC units. We plan to sharpen our pencils; and give the best price and the best service. A utility clients indicated the need to issue a blanket Purchase Order for future call in services. This is due to our team being responsive when they had a problem on the weekend. We honed in on a solution, then executed the job in record time.

On the down side, we had a surprise with our insurance company that caused us to put out some fires this month. The timing was terrible, since it impacted a job that we need to start immedidately, but thankfully we weathered the storms. I guess tenacity and drive pulls you through when there challenges seem insurrmountable.

We are in the final stage of setting up a scholarship program with the New Jersey Institute of Technology called the BI Group Scholarship. Our goal is to give away two annual scholarships and the chance for each recipient to work with our firm during their Junior and Senior year. We believe this could be a cost effective way to create a win-win situation, by developing the students skill in their respective field, and allow us to get motivated staff as we build our systems . Our re certification's, for Women Owned status, have become due so I have to work on re certifying with WBENC and the State of New Jersey as an Small Business Enterprise immediately.

Finally our marketing materials are complete. We have a new logo, creative colors, a brochure, and business cards which spell out the services we offer. This will enable us to effectively market, build the brand and distinguish ourselves in the field as industrial solution's experts.

Coaching and Mentoring Update:
We attended a Women's Unlimited Session at the American Express Office on April 12, 2006. It was motivating and gave our NY/NJ team a chance to reconnect this month and meet other seasoned entreprenuers. Our table team, took the advice of our Seminar leader, and decided to find a way to stay in touch. We all shared some of our immediate needs and discussed the possibilities having a conference call periodically as a support group.

The portion of the Women's Unlimited program that addressed finances, conducted by Jean of Count Me In and a Jed, a director at Amex was extremely powerful, quite beneficial, and could have been expanded by an hour or so. The key note speaker, Julie Levi, provided very clear essential pointers and rules, based on her years of experience, that I feel must be adhered to regardless of your business model. She was fabulous. Great session once again.

Media Update:
Open from American Express featured four women of the Count Me In Program in their Monthly magazine the Context. It was an impressive piece with pictures, and a detailed write up about each owner. For me to be included in the company of such driven women makes the tough time easier to bear and gave me reason's to cheer.

Small Business Fortunate Magazine, April 2006 quoted me in one of the articles. I received a few calls about the article, which further confirms the power of print. Naturally, I truly appreciate what has transpired in this area of our business.

March 2006

noreply@blogger.com (Saundra Charles) — Mon, 24 Apr 2006 17:24:00 +0000

March Status BI Group Mechanical Company Update:

We continue to work on bids submissions and walk throughs for clients. Fortunately we secured two of the jobs and are in the throws of execution, mastering the payment process, and identifying future opportunities. Also I conducted to workshops on economics and finance for Training Inc. The audience was 20+ to 50 years of age, primary women. The reviews were captivating and refreshing since most seemed to get a lot out of the session. Each time I conduct one of my seminars I realize there is a serious need for infomation on economics and business, offered in a way that is simplified and applied to families.

On the home front I was extremely busy planning my wedding which turned out to be a great time for all, approx 120 persons. St. Patricks day will have a new meaning in my life going forward since that was the day I wed. I will take the luck of the Irish any day.

I attended a Networking function with the NY & NJ Council in Parsippany which enabled us to understand the needs of some corporate clients and stay in connected. I must actively pursue a few of them in the coming months.

We identified two Mechanical Engineering interns and plan to bring them in to assist in developing and documenting some of the back office functions. Our bookkeeper is working to get our financial picture wrapped up for 2005 and properly aligned for 2006. Finally our bank is looking at ways to provide a second line of credit for the Business. If this is granted we will be in better shape as we target our market. Now it's about sales, sales, and more sales.

Coaching and Mentoring Update:
We experienced a fantastic training session with Dresydne on March 10, 2006. I hope we can have another session before the program wraps up. The focus was to reposition ourselves as business owners to have a long term and strategic view of where we want to be. The book billionaire in training was issued along with a journal to track our progress. I certainly walked away with a positive outlook and more tools to align with the plan to build and grow my team, processes, and systems. I have been reading the book regularly.

Media Update:  As I was walking to the Count Me in training at the Headquarters, I received confirmation from 3M Boothon that Small Business Fortune will include a quote from me in the April Edition. I know this is an honor. I look forward to seeing the entire article since the focus may be on women in business.

February 2006

noreply@blogger.com (Saundra Charles) — Fri, 24 Feb 2006 22:38:00 +0000

February Status BI Group Mechanical Company Update:

Our efforts continue to be focused on process development and estimating. We secured a few jobs with a major industrial client which will enable us to ramp up our operations team. We are continuing to bid on projects that align with our target market. Currently our certifications has been approved with the Port Authority of NY&NJ, NJDOT, and NJTransit, as a DBE. We were approved by Con Ed as a minority/women owned business. Our next step is to get approval from the procurement teams which is part of the vendor selection process. This has been a lengthy certification process, but we are determined to stay focused and pursue the right clients.

Our recruiting efforts are underway for engineering/ technicians with Mechanical Engineering backgrounds. We designed an Internship Program working with a local engineering school. The intern (s) selected will get experience in their field. Many of the student are academically strong but have no practical experience. It will be fascinating to measure and monitor their growth. We anticipate a late March timeframe for staffing the first rotation.

In the area of marketing we hired graphic designer and now have a new logo, business card, and brochure. This, we believe is a step in the right direction. On the financial side we have incorporated new accounting software to compliment our workflow. We are positioned to take on the mid size projects ( up to $150K) of short duration and one large, multi year project. A bank has given us a sizeable business credit line and we have a good potential for growth.

Coaching and Mentoring Update:
I am working on the deliverables set by my coaches in the areas of finance and project selection. I am still using the model we outlined and seeking jobs that best fit our criteria. I completed the questionnaire for Dresydne and look forward to the 3/10 meeting, as well as, the April full day Women's Unlimited session. My coaches have invited our firm to post our logo and company information on their website.

Media Update:   I was featured in second article for the Bergen record on February 14th, which focused on salary inequalities for women. American Express confirmed that I will be featured in their internal publication. The 3M Booth team confirmed that Fortune Magazine will include me a piece coming soon. I have to follow up as each piece is published. This is great media and I will have to find an effective way to leverage it going forward for the betterment of the company.

January 2006

noreply@blogger.com (Saundra Charles) — Thu, 02 Feb 2006 16:00:00 +0000

January Status BI Group Mechanical Company Update:

We have been excitedly incorporating the new found attention gained by being selected as a 3M-program winner. The media attention has created a new buzz. On the office front we upgraded our phone systems, computer systems, and office furnishings. We are still working out the bugs on some of the systems, hence late nights. In addition we are expanding staff. We brought on a bookkeeper and admin. We are actively recruiting for an engineering technician to assist with back office and estimating functions. We secured a sizable credit line with a reputable bank and secured a bonding line for future projects. This will enable us to compete in the public market. As of 1/31/06 received our Unified Certification from NJ Transit, Port Authority, and the Department of Transportation and renewed our certifications with NJ Transit and the New York NJ Supplier Development Council.

Coaching and Mentoring Update:
True to the goal of 3M the Mentoring has proving to be a jewel. I have met with my coaches and their input has been priceless.   My first mentoring session was held in our admin office in Irvington with both Lisa Marie and Stephanie on 1/23. It was a great session for me. They focused on understanding our business, the finance picture, the client base, our revenue goals, etc. In the end I believe we all walked away with a clear direction on our next steps. Stephanie and Lisa Marie developed a high-level matrix model based on client type, job size, duration, etc. that I will build on to target my client base. Using the tool I am now looking at the number and type of jobs I must secure to meet my annual revenue goals. This tool is a driver to push me to increase the number of estimates or quotes on the right jobs, in order to increase my chances of success. After our discussion, the following week I pushed and we brought in 9 Jobs to estimate in an 8 day time period. This was a record for us. But the increase in estimating is forcing me to identify the deficiencies and needs to our process. More work ahead in the area of process improvement. As for my coaches, we all left the meeting with clear deliverables for our next meeting and a projected meeting date.   The meeting with my coach Dresdene followed one week later on 1/30. This was a scheduled conference call in which we reviewed the findings of the questionnaires completed previously. I was surprised by the accuracy of the data in describing my style and characteristics. Together we explored personal and business drivers, goals, as well as future exit strategies. It was a beneficial meeting and reinforced many concepts that I believe to be true. I look forward to our next steps and continued dialog.

Media Update:   World Wind and Spontaneous is the best way to describe my experience since becoming a 3M Winner. On 12/2, the day after our achievement, I had the privilege of participating on Liz Hamburg’s WOR Radio program, which was co- anchored by her mom to talk about the program. This was followed up by an interview with the Bergen Record on 12/7 for their Small Business Section. The article was published on New Year Day. I received numerous congratulatory calls from complete strangers. In fact one of my top industrial clients Sr. VP, sent it to his team. We are now scheduled for our second lunch in early February. Also we have been giving the opportunity to quote their organization on 3 jobs as a call in.  Channing, his staff, MBooth and Associates, and the Open team have reached out to us and coordinated media exposure. American Express, the NY Post and Fortune Magazine interviewed me for future articles. I don't know if our piece in the any of those interviews will be published. I have to follow up; but it was a privilege to be interviewed and photographed. In the future, I would love to get some media coaching since there is always room for improvement.