Introduction
Amy Sullivan Hicks, President of the Associated Builders and Contractors of the Carolinas (ABC Carolinas), joins Jack Ossa on The Power of Design Podcast to talk about networking, business development and the challenges of the construction industry. Amy has more than 20 years of experience connecting people and opportunities across design and construction.
The conversation took place in the summer of 2020, so it also reflects how the pandemic changed the way contractors find new clients, hold events and train workers.
About the Episode
Amy explains what she means by being a connector: being authentic, looking for how to help the other person and building a relationship before asking for a deal. She and Jack discuss why selling through LinkedIn messages and automated follow-ups does not work, and why people do business with those they know, like and trust.
She traces her career from selling swimming pool chemicals to an executive suite company, an accounting firm and an engineering firm, always keeping the relationships she built. Three months before the recording she became president and CEO of ABC Carolinas, a trade organization with a lobbying arm, an apprenticeship and safety program, and networking events.
Jack adds a brand consultant's view: many contractors struggle to explain what makes them different, so they compete on price, and a social media presence is not the same as a strategy. They also discuss women and diversity in construction, and Amy closes with two ways she sees the power of design: the path of a life, and the lines that connect people.
Key Takeaways
- Be authentic in relationships: a meeting is for building trust and finding how to help, not only for asking for business.
- Follow up quickly and personally: Amy connects on LinkedIn within 24 hours of meeting someone and avoids generic automated messages.
- Trust makes the sale: clients want a go-to person they can call about a problem, and they leave when they do not have one.
- Join organizations and lead: taking leadership roles deepens relationships and makes you the go-to contact.
- Do not cut marketing in a downturn: Amy says the hose has to keep running, and companies that treat marketing as overhead will play catch-up.
- Skilled labor is a core issue: apprenticeship programs and educating parents and schools are part of the answer.
- Diversity needs real participation: inviting people to contribute their views matters more than checking a box.
Highlights from the Conversation
It's not just to have a meeting to ask for business, it's a meeting to develop that relationship.
Amy Sullivan Hicks
This is not the time to let go of your marketing and your business development.
Amy Sullivan Hicks
We need to let young girls know about the industry.
Amy Sullivan Hicks
Topics Discussed
- Being a connector of people and opportunities
- LinkedIn, video calls and keeping a network active
- Hiring and mentoring business development professionals
- What ABC Carolinas does and what members receive
- Skilled labor shortages and apprenticeship programs
- Marketing and social media strategy for contractors
- Technology in construction and virtual events
- Women and diversity in the industry
Why This Conversation Matters
Contractors and subcontractors often have excellent craft but struggle to explain why they are different. That is the gap a clear brand strategy fills, as in our work for Genesis Construction and MSW Engineers. Amy's point that people want a trusted contact behind the service is also what a consistent identity communicates before the first meeting. For companies growing their own facilities, our architecture work on the Crowder Construction Expansion shows how a construction firm's building can support its team.
About the Guest
Amy Sullivan Hicks is President and CEO of ABC Carolinas, where she manages a team of four and works to re-engage members. She grew up in Gastonia, North Carolina, studied business administration and marketing at UNC Charlotte, and spent her career in business development: swimming pool and chemical sales, an executive suite company for 13 years, an accounting firm and an engineering firm. She has been an ABC Carolinas member since 2012. Connect with her on LinkedIn or follow ABC Carolinas.
