Without wanting to use this blog as an advertsement for our company, there are times that I am very proud of the team and company we are building. This is one of those times as I read that BuildDirect was recently recognized by the British Columbia Premier's Technology Council. From the latest report: "In the construction industry, BuildDirect, a BC company, has revolutionised the distribution of building materials. By approaching the manufacturers directly, they have cut the costs that … [Read more...]
Housing’s impact on the economy
April 21, 2008 By Leave a Comment
On a couple of my previous posts I commented on the housing market and its implications for the overall economy. News today of National City raising 7 Billion dollars or Bank of America missing expectations doesn't come as much of a surprise. At National City, net charge offs or loans that it doesn't think are collectible tripled to 1.88%. Bank Of America's net charge-offs or loans that it doesn't think are collectable increased from $1.43 billion to $2.72 billion. If asset prices, … [Read more...]
Interesting quote
April 18, 2008 By Leave a Comment
I found this on a blog that I read quite frequently. You can find the blog at Sudden Debt . An interesting quote from 55 BC: Sudden Debt The national budget must be balanced. The public debt must be reduced; the arrogance of the authorities must be moderated and controlled. Payments to foreign governments must be reduced, if the nation doesn't want to go bankrupt. People must again learn to work, instead of living on public assistance. (Cicero, 55 BC) … [Read more...]
The Internet is revolutionizing the Flooring Industry
April 16, 2008 By 1 Comment
One of the leading magazines in the United States covering the floor covering industry is Floor Covering Weekly by Hearst Media. It is a magazine that I regularly read and I find it a great source of valuable information with respect to floor coverings and distribution. This morning I went to add a link to their online site from this blog and was SHOCKED!!!! Do they understand what a revolutionary impact the internet is having on the state of the Flooring industry? Shown below is what … [Read more...]
Corporate Values
April 15, 2008 By Leave a Comment
I had an interesting discussion with one of our partners recently and I thought the topic would make a good blog post. I believe that for any company to become truly great, and have enduring success, a company must have a strong set of core values. My experience is that the values of the company must reflect the leadership. When core values reflect leadership, everything from hiring to picking partners, to culture becomes easy. The problem for many companies is that they come up with values … [Read more...]
Travelling for a few days
April 9, 2008 By Leave a Comment
On my way to the UK for meeetings so posting may be light for the next couple of days. I came across a couple of articles this morning. Click here for the article showing the shutdown of more US distribution. Click here for the one talking about the rise in pricing around the world. … [Read more...]
Track global economic trends
April 7, 2008 By Leave a Comment
Here's a great site for research and insights on global economic trends. RGE Monitor … [Read more...]
Why I decided to write a building materials blog
April 3, 2008 By 2 Comments
I think I offer a unique perspective of the building industry from the standpoint that I started BuildDirect.com with the intention of creating something truly special. Although we started the company from my house in 1999, our ambitions were never to create just another ".com" Our intentions were, and still are today to build a company that changes an industry. I realize that revolutionizing an industry is an extremely audacious goal, but it is one that I am truly passionate about.The building industry … [Read more...]
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