Cotney Consulting Group
The difference between being efficient and being effective
By John Kenney. Roofing companies don't improve simply because people work harder. They improve because leadership helps people focus on what matters most. Walk into almost any roofing company during the busy season, and you'll see the same thing. Phones are ringing. Estimators are turning around bids. Project managers ...
Why operational drift costs more than most contractors realize
By John Kenney, Cotney Consulting Group. In roofing, companies rarely lose their edge overnight. More often...they slowly drift away from it. One of the biggest challenges facing successful roofing companies isn't a lack of opportunity. It isn't finding work, investing in technology or even attracting good people. It's maintaining ...
Working around the public
By Cotney Consulting Group. Advice for protecting customers, pedestrians and property. Outdoor contractors rarely work in isolation. They work around homeowners, tenants, students, athletes, pedestrians, delivery drivers and other trades. That means the worksite is not always fully under the crew's control, and protecting the public must be part ...
Job-cost reviews should improve the next tender
By John Kenney, Cotney Consulting Group. An effective job-cost review turns a financial result into useful operating information. A roofing contractor can complete a project, issue the final application for payment and close the file without ever fully understanding what the work actually taught the business. That is a missed ...
The business case for smarter construction recycling
By Emma Peterson. Woodchuck.ai rethinking how jobsite waste is handled in order to support sustainability goals while creating measurable financial benefits. Sustainability has become a key talking point for contractors. As John Kenney, the CEO of Cotney Consulting Group put it, “Not that long ago, sustainability discussions were limited to ...
Who is responsible when several contractors work on the roof?
By Cotney Consulting Group. Responsibility should be established before several contractors begin working on the roof, not after water enters the building. A commercial roof may be accessed by far more than the roofing contractor. HVAC technicians, electricians, plumbers, solar installers, sign companies, communication contractors and maintenance personnel may all ...
Building smarter roofers with expert training
By Emma Peterson. From field installation and project management to executive leadership, John Kenney brings a unique perspective to roofing education. This November, right before the holiday season begins, John Kenney, the CEO of Cotney Consulting Group, will be hosting a two-day live classroom training workshop. This workshop, which runs ...
Diversification should strengthen your business, not distract from it
RCS Influencer John Kenney advises thoroughly understanding operating needs before expansion. Diversification sounds simple. If one source of revenue slows down, another can help carry the business. The problem is that adding services does not automatically reduce risk. Done poorly, diversification can add overhead, stretch management, create training problems and ...
The busy season reveals how well you used the slow one
OCS Influencer John Kenney recommends cross-training during the slow season. Every construction business has periods when production changes. Weather, seasonality,and customer demand can all affect the workload. Contractors sometimes look at slower periods as something they simply have to get through until business picks up again. I look at them ...
Owners don't buy gallons of coating, they buy roof performance
CCS Influencer John Kenney recommends focusng proposals on systems and results rather than indivdual products. One of the easiest mistakes in fluid-applied roofing is allowing the conversation to become too focused on the coating itself. The coating matters, but the material in the pail is only one part of what ...
