 |
|
Dave
Verlennich plans on performing more
interior jobs in the future |
Another goal Ralston has on his plate
is continuing to develop unique, cutting-edge products in
many different arenas: outdoor pizza ovens, decorative masonry,
chemically stained floors, pool decks, thin topping overlays
and water features.
“We do everything from structural
concrete to concrete countertops for our clients, many of
whom are baby boomers who are working very hard,” says
Ralston. “These customers want a one-stop shop that
can handle everything for them. They don’t want to be
shopping around for all the components for the job.”
Therein lies the conundrum for Ralston.
He knows he does his company a disservice if he spends a lot
of the time on the creative side, not working with his people
and managing his company. Yet the lifeblood of Tom Ralston
Concrete is innovative products.
“My solution is to bring along
an employee who can innovate both on his own and under my
direction,” says Ralston. “Then I have the best
of both worlds—an innovative and well-managed company.”
Verlennich
Masonry and Concrete
Dave Verlennich of Verlennich Masonry and Concrete in Staples,
Minnesota, credits part of his success to the continuing education
in which his company invests.
“When we started our decorative
concrete business, we decided to be ultra-educated on the
products and processes involved in producing top-notch decorative
work,” says Verlennich. “We attended any educational
opportunity in the decorative concrete field, such as is provided
by the Decorative Concrete Council. We still attend many educational
events and benefit from networking in these events today.”
One of Verlennich’s immediate
goals is marketing for and doing greater amounts of interior
work. “Architects and designers love interior concrete,”
he says. “It provides them with an artistic flair not
possible with tiles or stone. The market wants interior concrete
and is asking for it.”
Another goal Verlennich has is building
a design center, something he considers a necessity. He notes
that several large general contractors in Minnesota have built
large facilities where prospects come and look at their work.
“If we build it, they will come,
is my motto,” Verlennich says. “And we have general
contractors tell us they don’t want to take a client
to look at one of our projects on another contractor’s
job because it’s awkward to take the client to a competitor’s
project. A facility where we could display our work opens
up endless possibilities for us.”
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