Recession Hits Lower Mainland Paint Industry Two Years Later

When the recession hit in 2008 and construction ground to halt, the architects, engineers and “first in” trades felt the hit. Many firms downsized and some closed up shop entirely. The city resembled a ground hog infested field with giant dormant holes scattered throughout.

The finishing trades were lucky. Construction projects nearing completion continued and that meant that the dry-wallers, painters and flooring trades had a couple more years of work.

Well, its 2011 and past projects are now complete. While the engineers, excavators and steel firms are getting busy; the finishing guys are twiddling their thumbs waiting for the buildings to go up.

What does they mean for a company like Wolfgang whom focuses on re-painting buildings? The new construction paint firms have flooded the re-paint market. There is excess capacity in the market and no increased need for paint jobs. Classic supply and demand: supply goes up, demand stays flat or drops and prices follow suit. In other words, the bottom has fallen out of the market.

So we are going to have a couple of lean years until some new buildings go up and the new construction guys re-enter the market that they know best. Lean years are in business ok. A tight market forces better systems, tighter overhead, fine tuned strategy and outside the box thinking. Not to mention, some weaker players leave the market all together.

Of course all this is good news for the consumer. Excess supply is always good for the end user. If you are looking to have your building painted at a deep discount, now is the time. You are going to pay at least twenty percent below market price. 2011 is probably the best time in the past ten years to have your building re-painted. 

Hey you, get off of my cloud!

You know the feeling: you share your BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal) with a friend and they chime in with “Whatever man, get real. Good luck with that one?” and like a pinprick to a balloon you are instantly deflated.

Sharing your dream takes courage. When you lay your cards on the table you want the passion to be reciprocated. Unfortunately, more often than not, you get the devils advocate. Why do some people feel the need to drag others down? Perhaps insecurity, past let downs or envy? Who knows . . .

I used to get very upset when my dreams were “poo-pooed” Lots of huffing and puffing, lots of  “they don’t get me”. Then, my wife hit me with the trout-slap, “ if your conviction is so strong, why do you care what others think?” Yes, good point, insert moment of clarity.

Thanks to Jen, I realized that my own insecurities, not others, were the issue.  Jen’s question was tough, she prompted some serious reflection and personal change. The answers were not easy but very empowering, a journey worth taking.  The answers are still a work in progress.

I am learning not to “pitch” my goals so much, just to go out and achieve them.  Focusing on the internal motivation for my goals is much more lasting than any external recognition.

If someone asks, I’ll speak to my dreams. If they punch holes, I bite my lip, thank them for the feedback and move on.

If they think my heads in the sky, that’s fine.  I take Jagger’s approach and say to myself, “Hey you, get off of my cloud!”

Mission Accomplished

Forty-six. That’s the number of kilometers my Daughter, Rosalie, ran at Kilometer Club this spring. Her goal was “to reach the second page of the kilometre chart” which meant running at least thirty-six kilometers. Rosalie hit her goal!

I am proud of Rosalie’s performance but more impressed with how much she enjoyed herself along the way. She looked forward to every day at Kilometer Club. Rain or shine, she ran. Rosalie was never late for the runs and ran until the teachers said stop.

At dinnertime she would share the days results, “well, I ran two kilometers in the morning, Ben and I talked a little while we ran, sometimes I walked. Then after lunch my teacher and some of my friends ran another kilometer, I have five more kilometres to get to the second page . . . “ or  “it was really wet today, I was freezing! I think I’ll were a tuque next time”

Rosalie savored every milestone along the way and proudly displays her ribbons on our family message board.

Goals are wonderful. I truly believe that through vision, conviction and tenacity, one can accomplish anything. But more important than the goal is the journey. Growth and positive change come from a journey well embraced. Enjoying the ups, learning from the downs and truly celebrating the achievement that’s what Rosalie did.