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I talk to several decorative concrete contractors every month. I hear about their businesses, their projects, their families, their challenges and their plans for the future. Of course not all decorative contractors are the same, but there are a few characteristics each of them possess — ambition, a love for the concrete industry, an eye for detail and talent. There are also challenges each of them struggles with, namely finding and keeping good employees, low-ball competitors and rising insurance costs.
Another characteristic that only the best of these contractors possess is the drive to improve upon their businesses, which some of them accomplish through training, reading magazines to learn about new techniques and products, joining an industry association, or as the subject of this issue's contractor profile did, reorganize their business.
Ira Goldberg, president of Beyond Concrete in Keyport, N.J., possesses all the important characteristics that make a contractor great. He is deeply passionate about decorative concrete and knows what makes a great decorative concrete installation. Flipping through photos of his projects, I'm impressed with the quality and uniqueness job after job.
But Ira's business isn't perfect, and he knows it. He works every day to make his business better, to ensure his customers are happy and to perfect his application techniques. He looks to new products in the industry and embraces them early. He believes in investing in equipment that will help his employees work faster and better. And most importantly, he shares his knowledge with other contractors in his decorative networks.
Take a look at the profile of Ira Goldberg and his business Beyond Concrete. The changes he has made over the last five years to his already successful business show his determination to improve upon his success. Whether you're a seasoned decorative contractor or someone looking to get into the industry, Ira's story, along with each page of the 2008 Decorative Concrete Annual, will offer inspiration and knowledge that you can put to use in your own business.
author: Rebecca Wasieleski, Editor - Concrete Contractor