Off and running, to say the least. The first quarter of 2023 has us running full speed just to keep up. Yeah, we know that it’s a marathon (not a sprint and all that rhetoric), and we are working diligently to put more of the right people in more of the (new) right places. It’s a darn good show watching the “30-somethings” rise to the level we always knew they were capable of. If you were to get tired of that show, you can change over and watch the “20 somethings” discover strengths that they did not even know they had!
Apparently, we make good hiring decisions; lord knows we try. Hard. Every employee at Zero/Six is here because we chose them based on something we saw in their character and the ability to learn beyond their skill level (whatever that skill level may be). You bet we are training (it’s what we do) and tightening our laces; it will take every one of us to reach our 2023 goals.
We often call ourselves a “boutique” small business. Our square peg doesn’t fit in the round hole, so it’s difficult to compare us to our competitors (still not really sure who those are, we are a unique boutique!).
Because our services are varied and complex, sometimes hiring the right employee is more about fitting in with our culture and moral compass than acquiring current skills. We network across the country, and we’re always watching for folks that have something unique to offer our diverse company. If this sounds like someone you know, “young” or “not young,” please tell them about us. We just might go together like peas and carrots. Don’t laugh, Mr. Gump had skills.
The next few months are likely to offer other challenges (those of a tropical nature that get delivered from the Gulf of Mexico) that will further test the organization of our organization. Storm season not only causes us to stress about the safety of our work, family, and community, but it also creates even more “opportunity” in a construction industry that is already stressed to the limits. Z6 likes going into the storm zones as a humanitarian effort, but the storm-chasing aspect of our industry is not typically where we want to hang our hat. That said, we take care of our own! If you are part of the Z6 client family and find yourself with storm-damaged facilities, we will be your Huckleberry…and we will redefine emergency response. Let’s keep our fingers crossed that mother nature picks on an uninhabited coast in a faraway land!
Storm or no storm, batten down the hatches, folks, Q2 ’23 will be a wild ride!