Times have been good in recent years, but will they continue? Hopefully. But if they dont, and the economic weather gets stormy, the companies that have prepared will be fine. Those that aren't prepared will make many mistakes like I did in the Great Recession, and some wont survive. In this episode, I share the 3 biggest mistakes I made so you can avoid them: 1. Not knowing the #'s 2. Hoping instead of cost cutting 3. Too much debt I've never been shy about my many mistakes in running a stone shop, you wont be disappointed in this episode. Happy Fabricating!
We have much to be thankful for, but sometimes bad news and our perceptions can cloud reality to the point we really miss out…and forget how much we have to be thankful for. In this episode, we explore the POWER of gratitude and the positive effects it WILL have for those who practice it. We discuss the following: The Chemical Reality of Gratitude Positive Effects of Gratitude Discipline of Gratitude I hope this finds you well, taking time with loved ones this Thanksgiving weekend. If you have some spare time and want to read the source articles I mention in the episode, enjoy! workplace https://www.whartonhealthcare.org/discovering_the_health chemical reality https://www.whartonhealthcare.org/the_neuroscience_of_gratitude gratitude study https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how_gratitude_changes_you_and_your_brain If you’d like to reach out, visit aaroncrowley.com Or just email me: aaron@aaroncrowley.com Happy Fabricating & Happy Thanksgiving!
Stone Shops are in a catch-22. They can’t say no to the work otherwise their customers will go somewhere else. So when the customer wants a full slab island installed, the stone shops have to say yes. But what are they saying yes to? They are saying yes to enormous risk. In this episode, we talk about the risk and the reality of moving full slab islands on site and the nuances that MUST be understood if we are going to solve the problems installers face while installing. Safe Installing! No Lift Install System is the official sponsor of the Fab Lab podcast. Learn more about the No Lift System at www.NoLiftSystem.com
If you run a stone shop, someone has to install those counters you’re manufacturing…We call them installers and we ask a lot of them. You might be shocked and you may not believe that we ask them to lift over One Million Pounds of stone per year. In this episode, I show the math, that proves this statement’s truth. Additionally, I explain the massive negative EFFECTS the Million Pound Problem has for the installer and your stone shop. Fellow Fabricator (and installer), this problem is as widespread and important as the risk of moving slabs and the silica in the air in your shop. We as an industry must address it. Happy Installing! Learn more about the No Lift Install System at www.NoLiftSystem.com
If you are in the stone fabrication business, you are creating airborne silica. Its not a question of whether you or your employees are breathing it. The question is whether the levels are safe for you and your staff and whether they are below the OSHA PEL (permissible exposure levels). In this episode of the Fab Lab Podcast, we hear from Mark Meriaux from the Natural Stone Institute on changes to OSHA and what it means for you as a shop owner as well as what you can do to minimize the risk to your employees as well as the risk to your company. Its sobering but good stuff. Safe Fabricating! Resource Links: Natural Stone Institute Safety Page: https://www.naturalstoneinstitute.org/safety/ Natural Stone Institute Silica Page: https://www.naturalstoneinstitute.org/silica/ Natural Stone University (online learning platform) with free safety courses: www.uofstone.com
Safety might be the least popular, most uncomfortable, but all the while important topic a stone shop owner needs to face. In this episode, I share my near-death experiences and the uncomfortable fact that we had many close calls in my stone shop. This episode begins a short series where we will cover the following: Silicosis Slab Handling and Storage Installing – The Million Pound Problem Safe Fabricating
You may not be at a low point in your stone career, but you may know someone who is. Don’t underestimate the power of an encouraging word, your friends in low places may really need to hear from you! Happy fabricating! Click Here to explore 90 minutes of complimentary coaching with me! No strings attached, no cost, my gift you fellow fabricator!
We must have small victories, little wins, achievements along the way on the journey towards the big dream… In this episode we break down four areas of life where you can identify smaller dreams that can be achieved in the moment or in the short term, as you build your business to enable you to accomplish the big dream! Click here to watch the No Lift Install System Q&A Youtube Series Or click the link below: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAodIrdgp9yWl7s3AlSz7kO9SAUwaycNs Enjoy and Happy Fabricating! Aaron Click Here to explore 90 minutes of complimentary coaching with me! No strings attached, no cost, my gift you fellow fabricator!
The journey of a stone shop owner can be exhilarating and marked by success and profits. Along the way, there can be roadblocks that either wear us out or prevent us from continuing the journey. In this episode I share the 6 stages of leadership growth and management capacity: The Doer The Director The Dictator The Delegator The Discipler The Dreamer If we get stuck managing in one of these stages, while the business grows past, the journey can become intolerable, exhausting, frustrating, and disillusioned…even preventing us from taking time off. But progressing into the latter stages opens up doors and opportunities that you may never thought was possible. Enjoy and Happy Fabricating! Aaron Click Here to explore 90 minutes of complimentary coaching with me! No strings attached, no cost, my gift you fellow fabricator!
Imagine what your family and friends will say when you tell them you’re taking a day off to spend with them and that you won't be on your phone! Once you’ve mastered the art and science of taking lunch breaks without being interrupted, you can start taking full days off! The steps are the same, they just require a little more communication and little more planning. With a little practice, it's only a matter of time before you’re taking a week off, on a “non-working” vacation! You’re worth it and you can do it! Happy Fabricating If you’d like to experience high-level fabricator coaching firsthand, click here and we’ll schedule a complimentary, no stings attached coaching experience with me! It's my gift to you as a member of the Fab Lab Podcast community.
Conventional wisdom says we have to wait until we build and sell our business for millions before we can have the time and money to do the things that are important to us. In this episode, I challenge that idea and ask some tough questions that can actually have life-altering impacts on the way we build our businesses and the lives we experience as a result. How do you define rich:Income – money rich – Time - What definition of success are you working off of?Is that your definition Is that someone else’s definition? How would you define success for yourself, your spouse, family, etc. How would you measure your success? What are the things you long to do & want to do, but just never seem to have time?You need time to ask yourself this question You need to give yourself permission to ask this question Happy Fabricating! Send me a note: aaron@aaroncrowley.com Ed Young’s Fabricators Business Academy Register Now! There are limited spots available! Click here: FabricatorsBusinessAcademy.com
Breaking out of the “doing it” mentality and into the “delegate it” mindset and practice is HARD!!! No way of getting around that fact… In this episode we discuss 3 simple principles to help you continue your journey of learning the skill of delegation: Start Small Stay Committed and Engaged Slow and Steady Wins the Race It's tough but so worth the effort! Happy Fabricating! Click here for 1/1 coaching – a 90-minute complimentary coaching experience with Aaron. Want to email Aaron? Here’s his email: aaron@aaroncrowley.com
It would be nice if we could just throw a document at an employee and magically see flawless execution…But that’s not reality and it's not a fair expectation. Furthermore, if that is our expectation we risk overacting and concluding that we can't trust our people or the PROcess. So how do you get traction with delegation, after you’ve done the hard work of creating a written document? Simple (but necessarily easy), we do the following: Remind – Regular and purposeful checking in to keep it top of mind Insist – Wake-up Call Demand – Choices…either perform…or else. Now the “else” is up to you as the owner and if you Remind and Insist adequately, the chances of getting to that stage are low. Enjoy and happy fabricating! Aaron Click here for One-on-One Coaching – Experience a no strings attached 90-minute call with me, talking about you and your stone shop! Click here to download the first 3 chapters of Less Chaos More Cash Or visit aaroncrowley.com Lastly, if you’d like to reach out to me directly, email me! aaron@aaroncrowley.com
Stressed out? Pessimistic or Negative thoughts creeping in? Disappointed over something? If so, you’re just like me😊 But be encouraged, there is much you can do to transform that experience into strength, power and action! In this episode I cover 3 simple techniques to radically reshape your outlook and your circumstances: Express Gratitude Banish Negative Thinking Take Action There is a bonus tactic too, but you’ll have to listen to the podcast to hear it! Click Here, If you would like to experience POWERFUL one on one coaching with Aaron Crowley! If you’d like to email Aaron: aaron@aaroncrowley.com Happy Fabricating!
Have you ever had a problem in your business, and you took action to solve that problem only to find out later that you still had the same problem? Do you find yourself saying things like - I thought we fixed that a few weeks ago! We already solved that problem, didn’t we?! In this episode, I’ll share some simple ways to generate lasting solutions to problems – and build the capability of your employees. Is your fab shop healthy enough to weather the recession? If not, or if you’re not sure, you’ll want to check out Fabricator’s Business Academy. In just 10 weeks you can set your shop on the right path to better handle an economic downturn. Fabricator’s Business Academy is a unique combination of financial analysis, marketing, and sales designed by experts specifically for fab shops. You'll get hands-on tools and experience so you can prepare your shop to weather the storm with confidence. Only 10 shops will be accepted, so if you want help, save your spot now. Just go to FabricatorsBusinessAcademy.com to find out more. - Guest Host Ed Young Connect with Aaron Crowley here: Click here to download my FREE video training – Radical Retail Sales Click here to use the Stone Shop Biz Assessment Tool. If you would like to explore transformational one-on-one coaching with Aaron Crowley, click here…and schedule a 90-minute complimentary coaching session!
When you start digging, it’s not hard to find what I call ‘Unsung Heroes’ in our industry. In this episode, we talk with Gina Gardner who has worked with Cosentino, the Artisan Group, is a mentor for Women In Stone, and is currently with BB Industries. Along the way, she shares some great suggestions on how you can improve the visibility and notoriety of your fab shop. Click here to access Gina's press release or visit: https://noliftsystem.com/wp-content/uploads/BBI-Introduces-Game-Changing-Inline-Tooling-edited-1-22.pdf I hope you enjoy the episode and Happy Fabricating! Is your fab shop healthy enough to weather the recession? If not, or if you’re not sure, you’ll want to check out Fabricator’s Business Academy. In just 10 weeks you can set your shop on the right path to better handle an economic downturn. Fabricator’s Business Academy is a unique combination of financial analysis, marketing, and sales designed by experts specifically for fab shops. You'll get hands-on tools and experience so you can prepare your shop to weather the storm with confidence. Only 10 shops will be accepted, so if you want help, save your spot now. Just go to FabricatorsBusinessAcademy.com to find out more. - Guest Host Ed Young Connect with Aaron Crowley here: Click here to download my FREE video training – Radical Retail Sales Click here to use the Stone Shop Biz Assessment Tool. If you would like to explore transformational one-on-one coaching with Aaron Crowley, click here…and schedule a 90-minute complimentary coaching session!
Are you ready for whatever this next recession or ‘soft landing’ is going to bring? Do you know where you should spend marketing and ad money for the best impact? Can you quantify which market segments – retail, big box, K&B, contractors, etc. – are more profitable for you? Which jobs generate cash for you faster than you burn cash – and which don’t? In this episode, I’ll dive into the mechanics of quantifying your intuition so that you can answer these questions – and more. Enjoy and Happy Fabricating! Click here to learn more about the metrics I discuss Click here to learn more about the sales and marketing workshop that starts in September If you’d like to explore coaching with Aaron – click here If you’d like to explore coaching with Ed – click here
Want to grow your profits without growing your headaches? Want to grow your profits without growing your business? The fact is you can and its easier than you think! In this episode we cover the following: Price Increase – minor increase = massive impact High Margin Upgrades – grow the size of the jobs you’ve already sold Cost Cutting – reduce OT and grow your profits Enjoy To get an excel spreadsheet with the #’s used in this episode click here and click the “connect with me” option. To explore high impact one on one coaching with me, click here Happy Fabricating! Aaron Crowley
Have you raised your prices? Are you raising your prices? Does the topic of raising your price cause you to sweat and worry about what your customers might say? Well, no matter how you answer those questions, there has never been a better time or a better reason to raise your prices…and it's not just because costs keep going up. Your work is worth it! The customer values what you do for them and they will pay more! You need to maximize pricing and profit! You can! In this episode, we discuss the topic in detail with guest coach (and one-time Fab Lab guest host) Ed Young of fabricatorscoach.com You can read his recent article on pricing here: https://fabricatorscoach.com/how-much-work-can-your-shop-handle/ Check out the sponsor of the Fab Lab: noliftsystem.com Enjoy and happy fabricating!
Are you a doer, director, or dictator? In this episode, we assess each stage (or gear) and how the redline effect happens at each stage. We also discuss how to escape the redline experience so you can get your life and your profits back! Click here for my free Stone Shop Assessment Tool. Want to explore coaching with me in a complimentary no strings attached 90-minute coaching experience? Click here…it might just change your life and revolutionize your business! And you can download the first 3 chapters of my book, Less Chaos More Cash at aaroncrowley.com Happy Fabricating!