AIA, Milestones & More
Taking a look at AIA and industry anniversaries
AIA Boston took place this past week, and I received a mixed bag of feedback. Some said that traffic was solid on the first day, while others said that, although there was traffic, it was the wrong kind, meaning students, other vendors, and so on—basically, people who could not specify what you were selling. That’s always been an issue with AIA. The architects who attend avoid the floor like the plague. In some cases, more people benefit from walking the floor versus exhibiting. I’ll note that for some day two, with less traffic, did garner a few more quality leads.
As for the vibe check among all there, including vendors, it’s a cautious optimism and preparing to ride a longer storm than expected. That’s not a surprise as well. So, not much more to report other than the glass industry, which showed up looking great! I saw many pictures and videos of exhibits from our world, and we stood out, so kudos there. Now bring those to GlassBuild in November and let’s go! Next up is the NEOCON event in Chicago, and given its different overall focus from AIA, it will be interesting to see what the attitude is and how people are feeling about the future.
Elsewhere…
Latest pod
ICYMI! The latest “From the Fabricator” podcast is racking up the listens, and so if you’ve missed it, you may want to add it to your playlist. Brian Risinger of Country Glass & Mirror and the Texas Glass Association and Tom Caldicott of Unity Search were the guests, and the energy and insights they provided were truly tremendous. Thank you to all who have checked it out, and thank you in advance to those who will do so soon!
Watch on YouTube, or listen here, or search “From the Fabricator” wherever you get your podcasts; Apple, Spotify etc.
Anniversaries
Two significant anniversaries featuring some of the best people in our space have recently occurred. First up, Brin Glass is celebrating 113 years in the industry. That is epic, and that organization is poised to continue for another century or more! Kudos to Priscilla “PK” Koeckeritz and the team there on this milestone. To hear more about Brin, I have had both PK and former CEO Bill Sullivan on my podcast. You can listen to PK’s here and Bill’s here.
Meanwhile, Steel Encounters turned 40! Tom Jackson and the team have done an incredible job not only in their markets but for the industry overall. Tom has always been at the forefront of promoting our industry and leading the way in recruiting and workforce development. Steel Encounters has been a part of some fantastic projects that truly showcase the excellence of our industry. Congrats to Tom and the team on this anniversary, and I wish them many, many more! Also on this a very nice article here on the journey Steel Encounters has taken.
Plus, I also had Tom Jackson on my podcast too, you can listen to him here.
As noted above, you also search “From the Fabricator” on your podcast app and grab these or any of the other 67 podcasts I have done to date!
NGA Thirsty Thursday
A big NGA Thirsty Thursday is coming this week. We have a Bluebeam session with the ultimate Bluebeam guru Troy DeGroot. Those of you who saw Troy at BEC can attest to his presentation and skill set. For many, he unlocked Bluebeam, enabling people to go further and deeper than they thought. This Thursday, he brings his mastery to us via a free webinar! Learn more and register today!
Private equity
Private equity is slowing down, but one company is not; Thoma Bravo. The Wall Street Journal has a great story on Bravo and what appears to be a massive glut of private equity companies battling the headwinds of our current rough economy. Worth the read and noting there is actually a lot of money sitting on the sidelines waiting for the muck of our current situation to clear up… (If you can’t access the article and want to read, let me know!)
Glass tiny house
Last this week… Guess what is coming to the “Tiny House” scene? The all-glass Tiny House! These look pretty cool, especially if you’re in an area with a view. Glass rules, folks, the more it can be used, the better! Nice stuff here!
