He has chosen to go above and beyond to provide high-quality work to his customers. The knowledge, skill, experience, network and positive reputation that James has built over time makes his business more resilient in the long run.
Participating in Alameda County's Contractor Bonding Assistance Program (CBAP) is also helping prepare SUPERConstructors for its next level of growth, including potentially taking advantage of the growing number of local construction opportunities created through the A-1 Housing Bond. In 2016, Alameda County taxpayers approved the A-1 Housing Bond, providing a $580 Million bond to fund the creation and preservation of affordable housing in Alameda County. This means a boon of construction-related projects for local contractors like James. While SUPERConstructors will continue working on private design, construction and repairs, James is very excited to expand into public works projects. He has been organizing his company finances, observing how more established contractors do things, and studying past proposals and winning bids in order to get lined up to submit his own bids. “Public works proposals are a matter of public record,” he points out, “So if you submitted a bid and were not selected, or if you just want to review the approved bids, you can read through them and learn a lot about improving your own bids.”
Besides being proactive about pursuing opportunities to grow his business, James makes sure to practice self-care, get a good night’s sleep, and has recently reconnected with his artistic roots. With his girlfriend’s encouragement, he has been designing abstract multi-media pieces using cement, concrete, old wood, salvaged fences, liquid rubber and other construction materials. He’s been pleasantly surprised to re-experience the symbiotic relationship between architecture, construction and art – each discipline informing and being informed by the others.
Reflecting on those who are just learning a trade or who are relatively new to being a contractor, James urges, “Be discerning about who you surround yourself with and who you hang out with, because – for better or worse -- they will have an influence on you.” He continues, “It’s important to be humble enough to accept feedback and to use it to improve yourself and your abilities, so that you can overcome anything that might otherwise hinder you in reaching your goals.” To that end, James sets up 1-year, 3-year, 5-year and 10-year goals for himself and his company. When encountering obstacles, he admonishes, “Don’t let bad days bring you down – be consistent, persistent and resilient.”
For more information about SUPERConstructors, Inc. please visit:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/superconstructors