Advice on Business Development and Building a Business and Career from a Civil Engineering CEO – Ep 013

In episode 013 of The Civil Engineering Podcast, I interview Will Schnier, a licensed PE and the Chief Executive Officer of BIG RED DOG Engineering | Consulting who will share his expertise on business development and also talk about one of Big Red Dog’s projects in lieu of our Civil Engineering Project of the Week segment. Here are some key points in this episode:



In business development, you should learn:



How to actually win work

How to get yourself in front of clients

How to position yourself and your firm as the most able provider





Client exposure early on is important – this allows you to see how the client thinks and helps you to anticipate their needs

You must have that yearning to learn

Constantly surround yourself with people smarter than you

To compete with other engineers, you must have the skill sets of business development and project management

Learn to write in order to communicate

Constantly set goals for yourself and your engineering company



How to develop your business development skills as an engineer:



Change your mindset with an objective to help other people win enough work

Build relationships and not just collect business cards

Give something of engineering value to a prospect to prove yourself (add value to the deal)

Do the business development yourself pro-actively, show results and ultimately you’ll take that role

Do good work for your current clients

Make your clients look good, make them like you, and build relationships with them so they can refer you to other potential clients



Tweetables 



“The worst thing on your agenda for the day, do it first…” – Will Schnier on Ep 013 of #TCEPodcast

How the CEO of Big Red Dog Engineering became successful at a very young age – More on #TCEPodcast Ep 013.

Don’t think you know it all, always be open to new things - Stay tuned for #TCEPodcast Ep 013.



Project Name:  Waller Creek

Project Description:

Big Red Dog is part of the team led by Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates (MVVA) and Thomas Phifer & Partners, and Studio DWG with Daniel Woodroffe. The goal of this project is to transform a dilapidated and lifeless creek into a vibrant urban waterway complemented by dynamic parks, bridges, open and interactive spaces that engage the public and will make it a world-class destination.

Books Mentioned in This Episode:

Never Eat Alone







Art’s Principles







Let My People Go Surfing







The Go-Giver







The Five Laws That Determine All of Life's Outcomes



 

Sources/References:



Big Red Dog Engineering | Consulting

Photo Courtesy of Will Schnier







Please leave your comments or questions in the section below on how you can provide value to your clients.