Originally published on newsblaze.com Strategic planning can make all the difference to the success or failure of small businesses. Having a clear plan that shows how to get to the next level gives businesses and their employees a roadmap for achieving individual and corporate goals. In this article, Ryan Rock, Ankeny native and President of Empire AG, LLC, provides a 7-step plan for taking businesses to the next level. 1. Take the Long ViewStrategic planning is not a single event or meeting; it is a process that continues. Make the planning process a work in progress at all times, and don’t let planning be another agenda item only discussed at meetings from time to time. Reinforce the plan and the planning process daily, and team members will follow. 2. Examine and Develop Company’s Mission and ValuesIf a company already has existing statements of the organization’s mission, values, and vision, look at them again and determine if they still meet current objectives. Otherwise, develop an overarching framework for the entire planning process by having a clearly defined mission and corporate culture as the centerpiece of planning objectives. 3. Establish a Workable Time-Line for the Strategic PlanA strategic plan usually focuses on longer-term objectives that support the company’s mission. Depending on the nature of the business, strategic plans may need to focus on short to medium-term goals from 3 months to a year. Market conditions can change rapidly, requiring...Read More
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Originally published on bestfinance-blog.com Every successful company understands the importance of a strong and positive corporate culture, especially for maintaining an edge on the competition. In this article, Ryan Rock, Ankeny native and President of Empire AG, LLC looks at actionable steps every entrepreneur can take to establish a winning company culture throughout an organization. These steps can help any startup along the path to success. Start with the Culture You Have Spend some time examining your company’s current culture, and then think of the culture you want to see grow in your organization. Moving forward in developing a positive culture does not mean asking employees to change behaviors radically. Learn by talking with employees what things they already like and don’t like about their work environment. Consider how to emphasize the good aspects of the culture before broadcasting significant changes to the team. People are usually wary of change and want to feel like active participants in new ways of doing things. Every successful company understands the importance of a strong and positive corporate culture, especially for maintaining an edge on the competition. In this article, Ryan Rock, Ankeny native and President of Empire AG, LLC looks at actionable steps every entrepreneur can take to establish a winning company culture throughout an organization. These steps can help any startup along the path to success. Start with the Culture You Have Create Well-Defined and Achievable GoalsEvery team member should have...Read More Originally published on speakingbusiness.co.uk Leadership is as important as any other skill in managing a successful business and promoting a quality environment for employees, managers, partners, and customers. In this article, Ryan Rock of Ankeny, President of Empire AG, LLC, shares tips for business owners and managers who want to become the best leaders they can be. Show Respect and Offer PraiseThe people in your organization know when you are paying attention to the things that matter. Genuine respect is shown when a team member knows that a leader is invested in their part of the overall mission and values good work with appropriate praise and recognition. Don’t fall into predictable routines when offering praise and recognition. People become cynical when an organization develops bland habits and falls into ruts. Getting involved and offering specific acknowledgment of work well done goes a long way in combatting company fatigue and complacency. Every member of your team should feel like an essential part of the mission and vital to success. This sort of inspiration starts with your attitude toward every individual in your organization, from entry-level to the very top. Be a Patient and Thoughtful TeacherGreat leaders are always great teachers. You do not have to have graduate degrees or decades of experience to be a teacher–you have to have a strong dedication to being a great student. Teachers learn by having a permanent mindset of learning and sharing the learning experience with others. Leaders spend time with team members in the actual work processes they go through and...Read More Originally published on digimarkcentral.com Even the most driven entrepreneur can’t squeeze more than 24 hours from a day. When your to-do list is expanding out of hand, you can still take charge. A proactive approach to time management will let you get more done in the available time. In this article, Ryan Rock of Ankeny, Iowa, President of Empire AG, LLC, discusses some simple and effective time management tactics for busy entrepreneurs. Break Down Projects into Separate Daily TasksIt is not a sign of laziness or weakness when we feel stressed by a seemingly endless project. It is just a matter of how our brains work. If we see a 1,000-page book sitting on the table with the knowledge that we have to read it, understand it, and write a meaningful analysis of it, our minds reject our attempts to think of what might be a project involving many hours and several days as a single job. We can fight this paralysis and stress by breaking down every complex job into workable and understandable components. In our book example, if you think of every 20-page chapter of that 1,000-page book as a single task, you can effectively schedule and tackle whatever number works in your daily schedule until the job is done. Almost any seemingly impossible situation can be broken down into components that will not take up more than one sitting at a time. Create a Proactive System for PrioritizationLooking at a daily to-do list can cause real difficulty when you are only thinking about single projects which you consider most...Read More Originally published on thriveglobal.com Building a business from scratch provides all kinds of exciting possibilities, but fostering the right team can be quite a challenge. Whether you are a serial entrepreneur working on your latest venture or a small business owner getting your first company off the ground, the staff you hire will make a world of difference. Hire the right people, and you will lighten your own load while expanding your possibilities. Hire the wrong people and you could find yourself putting out fires, and dealing with interpersonal conflicts all day. So how do you build the best team, and what can you do to make sure everyone you hire adds to the group dynamic? Ryan Rock, Ankeny President of Empire AG, LLC, shares tips for entrepreneurs as they build their businesses and flesh out their teams. Assess Your Strengths and Weaknesses As an entrepreneur, you have the final word on who you hire, but building a great team may not be as easy as you think. If you want to develop the best possible team, start by analyzing your own strengths and weaknesses. This kind of self-reflection isn’t always easy; however, it is an essential prerequisite to hiring the right support staff and team members. Seek Out Team Members with Complimentary Skills Once you know where your strengths and weaknesses lie, you can work on finding the right members for your team. Ryan Rock of Ankeny recommends using the inventory of your skills as a hiring guide to help you seek out potential employees with skills that complement your own. For example, as an entrepreneur, you may have exceptional leadership abilities but lack...Read More Originally published on patch.com
Are you a construction project manager looking for the best software to optimize your builds? Do you want to discover the top-rated software packages to maximize the potential of each phase of the construction process? Luckily, there are more options for construction project management software than ever before. Ryan Rock of Ankeny, Iowa, President of Empire AG, LLC shares five top-rated downloads that can help you maximize the potential of your construction company below: Co-Construct For construction project managers who want to control multiple aspects of their business with intelligent software, Co-Construct could be an essential resource. Their software allows project managers to oversee client communications, construction crews, and building projects. Available for iOS, Android, Windows, and Mac, Co-Construct is a top-rated software management tool that can be used to manage everything from excavation crews to framing carpenters. Assignar Assignar is another excellent discovery for construction project managers. If you're looking for a software package to help you control everything from your crew scheduling and fleet maintenance to your site inspections and time-tracking per job, Assignar is worth investigating. You'll be able to better manage your construction projects by integrating their top-rated software into your company's daily operations. Read More Originally published on playbuzz.com
Ask anyone in the construction industry about the challenges of finding qualified labor, and you will surely get a story. Even when unemployment is high, finding skilled workers to build houses and renovate commercial properties can be a real challenge. When the unemployment rate dips, the difficulty of finding general construction labor becomes even more severe, and many general contractors are already feeling the pinch.
No matter what kind of labor you need or how severe the shortage of qualified men and women, the use of supplemental staffing can help your business thrive. When you turn over part of your staffing needs to a supplemental staffing agency, you will have one less thing to worry about, so you can focus on pleasing your clients and giving them the best quality homes and commercial buildings you can. Ryan Rock of Ankeny IA Discusses Four Key Components of Heavy Equipment Preventive Maintenance6/25/2019 Originally published on medium.com Heavy equipment, such as backhoes, bulldozers, graders, and cranes are vital to the construction, agriculture, and mining industries. Without these beasts of burden, work would be slow and tedious at best, and some things simply could not be done. Because of the high demands put on the machines, they have to be designed and built tough, and that makes them extremely expensive. In order to protect such a large capital investment, a heavy equipment preventive maintenance program is a must. Here, Ryan Rock, Ankeny, IA resident and owner of Empire AG, LLC describes four key areas to focus on when maintaining heavy equipment. Operator Training You’ve invested tens, perhaps hundreds, of thousands of dollars into the best equipment for the climate, terrain and projects you typically work with. However, you also have to invest in the most important asset of all, your operators. “Training employees on the proper operation of your specific equipment is vital,” stated Ryan Rock. Not only will it ensure that the project is completed properly, but it will also create a safer working environment for all. Over time, however, bad habits set in and people forget the little things, which has the potential to lead to accidents. Therefore, ongoing safety and operation training is essential for all operators, regardless of experience, or time on the job. Daily Inspections Every morning, before the day begins, each piece of equipment should be thoroughly inspected front to back, side to side. Obvious problems such as a low, or flat tire, worn belt, or fluid leak have to be addressed immediately. Once...Read More |
About UsFounder and owner of Empire AG, LLC, Ryan Rock, Ankeny local, is a natural born leader and honest, organized worker. His accomplishments and optimistic view on life allow him to live out his dream as head of a company that provides turnkey construction services. ArchivesNo Archives Categories |