Contractors and contractor-hopefuls gathered in Cleveland, Ohio, January 11-15, 2016 to learn the fundamentals of running a business from IMPACT personnel and professional business consultants retained by IMPACT.  IMPACT is the Iron Workers labor-management arm. IMPACT is committed to the development of new and existing contractors, and we understand the pressures and headaches that can sometimes come along with launching a new business.

To better assist these businesses, IMPACT launched the Construction Contracting Business Fundamentals Academy in 2015. The inaugural Business Fundamentals Academy was held at the 31^st Annual Ironworker Instructor Training Program in Ann Arbor, Mich., in July 2015.

This 5-day course is designed for current and future contractors, including ironworkers who are interested in starting a business. The course focuses on developing fundamental business skills, such as developing an operations and business plan, obtaining financing, setting up an accounting system, collecting money from customers, understanding contract terms and conditions, identifying insurance requirements, establishing safety programs, funding work and avoiding problems that will compromise success. The course is designed to provide the business foundation that will strengthen a contractor’s ability to be profitable during the early startup phase of the business.

Dale Hansen from MDA Training; Devin Pipkin from TrueNorth; Drew Yorpel from Milestone Safety; and Ken Roper, Dave Barry and Tyler Pare from FMI led modules focusing on safety, insurance and more.

“The Business Fundamentals Academy was incredible! My husband and I learned so much invaluable information,” said Shannon Opel from Superior Steel in Huntingburg, Ind. “We put together an action plan for next steps. It’s not as easy as we thought to start a business. I’m very, very happy IMPACT offered this for us.”

The Construction Contracting Business Fundamentals Academy will be offered multiple times in 2016.

For more information on the course, please contact Dr. Cindy Menches as 800-545-4921.

Picture: IMPACT Program Administrator Cindy Quiroz leads the Business Fundamentals Academy unit on small business certifications.