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Peer
Profile
In partnership with
Steve Barkhouse
Owner, Amsted Design-Build, Ottawa, Ontario
YEAR FOUNDED: 1989
1.
Follow a whole-house
remodel.
NUMBER OF TEAM MEMBERS: 35
YEARS AT COMPANY: 24
YEARS IN REMODELING: 24
INDUSTRY INVOLVEMENT: National, provincial and local HBA (past president); board
member of the Ontario College of Trades; Business Administration Degree — Human
Resources and Industrial Relations; LEED-AP
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT: Coach and trainer, hockey; curriculum advisor for college;
numerous charities including college, hospitals, Boys and Girls Club, hospice, Habitat for
Humanity, sports teams
When and why did you join Remodelers
Advantage?
I joined in 2005 to develop the design/build
model at our company and to improve margins.
Not to be hokey, but to give credit where it is
due, we attribute our success today to
Remodelers Advantage Roudtable. From micro
items like forms, process and procedures;
through marketing, production, sales, administration, management, ownership training/
advice; to macro company and personal goals
and philosophy — this is the "Fortune 500"
board of directors of remodeling — not to mention all the perks and benefits of being a member. RAR has made me a better person.
What has been the most important lesson
learned from your peers at Remodelers
Advantage?
That two heads are better than one and that 12
heads (my RAR group) are better than two; and
that 300 heads (the RAR membership) are better
than 12; and that 300 of this industry's smartest,
caring, focused heads want me to achieve my
goals and will see that I do.
Where/what are the greatest opportunities in
the remodeling market?
Differentiation. Consumers are more cautious
with their spending, doing more research,
checking references, getting referrals,
identifying their specific needs and searching
for the best company to meet those needs.
Differentiating our company from the
12
August 2013
QR
ForResidentialPros.com
companies in my market that can't provide the
service, skills and quality that is the Amsted
Advantage provides me a great opportunity to
increase my market share. Many of our past
competitors have disappeared throughout the
recession, and many of those that remain have
downsized or changed their service. By using
modern marketing activities like the Internet,
belly-to-belly networking, referral programs,
etc., we have a great opportunity to set
ourselves apart from the majority of our
competition and appeal to a large market of
savvy purchasers.
Follow an ongoing whole-house
remodel by MAW Chicago in
the Chicago neighborhood of
Lincoln Park.
ForResidentialPros.com/
chicagoproject
2.
Browse the product
locator.
Check out the updated
product locator for updated
information about companies
and their products.
ForResidentialPros.com/
directory
3.
Watch a video.
Rob Heselbarth and Ken
Betz discuss this year's Top 500
list, including revenue, listee
comments, other statistics and
recognition night.
ForResidentialPros.com/
11074867
If you could change one thing about the
remodeling industry, what would it be?
The stigma that our industry is not professional. It was not many years ago that our industry
was considered one of the most professional and
prestigious industries, where people desired to
be involved. Less than 100 years ago, craftsmen
were held in the highest esteem. Today, parents
direct their kids to other fields and people look
at our industry as second class. I believe we need
to do a better job as an industry educating
against that stigma. Heck, if my kids could enjoy
the life that remodeling affords me — working
with my friends each day on exciting projects
that fulfill our clients' dreams and getting paid
to do it — I couldn't wish for anything more.
What is the best advice you've received in
your career?
Have a personal plan, review it regularly.
4.
Sign up for our
weekly e-newsletter.
Sign up for our weekly
e-newsletter to receive the
latest remodeling news,
products and more.
Cygnus.Omeda.com/QUR
5.
Read blogs.
Check out our
blog section to read
about the latest in
marketing, remodeling and more.
ForResidentialPros.com/blogs