Construction Industry runs in the Family

W H Phillips & Sons - Regina Contractor
Clients often ask how we got into the business of advising companies on how to manage their teams. I always say that the building and construction business must be in our blood. My grandfather, Whitman (1886 - 1969) was a general contractor in Regina and met his future wife while building the Blue Bird Cafe in Regina Beach. He ran W H Phillips and Sons and even had my Dad, and two uncles working with him for a while. One of those uncles was Wilson C Phillips who became a civil engineer and built many grain elevators, schools and homes throughout Western Canada.

William & Son - Builders in London, England
Going even farther back in our family history, my great grandmother's family were builders in England. The Liddiard builders included her father Joseph (1814-93) who was an architect and surveyer in Kent, his father William (1775 - 1862) who was a bricklayer and builder with his company of William & Son in London, England, and his father and grandfather, both named Jonathon born in 1721 and 1752, were masons and bricklayers in Wiltshire.

Habitat For Humanity Calgary

We enjoyed working with the volunteer crew that is building new homes in Calgary. Habitat for Humanity Calgary

Green Flash on the Big Island

Back for another two weeks with the turtles and the green flashes. Believe it or not you can actually get some excellent work done over in paradise. And twice I saw green flashes as the sun dipped into the ocean.

Bob Phillips photos - The Big Island, Hawai'i

Bootstrapping Your New Company

Have you ever wanted to know what you need to be able to start your own company? Over the years many of our clients have asked us how to duplicate what they already have. They are usually trying to put into place procedures and systems that will give their managers the ability to run their companies. But sometimes we meet someone that has the ability to really start something from an idea. This summary of Seth Godin's book is a great start.
The Bootstrapper's Bible

Elkhart Bell in Hawai'i

With two new clients in Hawai'i, Bob Phillips spent a month in Honolulu, and Kona on the Big Island. Elkhart Bell is now able to offer the same consulting services throughout Hawai'i and the Pacific Islands.

If you are travelling to Hawai'i ask us about our "Friends and Clients Resort Rates" available at several resorts. We have special rates at Turtle Bay Resort on the North Shore of Oahu, at the Ilikai Hotel on Waikiki and at the Outrigger Keauhou Beach Resort on the Big Island. You can swim with the turtles at two of these choice locations.

Starbucks Customer Service

What would you change at Starbucks? John Moore, a former long-time marketer at Starbucks, has some great ideas that you might be able to use at your company. What Must Starbucks Do?

2007 - A great New Year