How do you define success? Is it being admired for delivering the best-built house for the price in your market or for going an extra couple of miles to provide superb customer service? Or could you be using your custom building business to allow you to explore another discipline that interests you—perhaps architectural design or computer integration? Possibly (and I sincerely hope so), you’ve developed the know-how to realize solid financial rewards from your building company.
There seem to be as many ways to measure success in this business as there are successful custom builders. Or that, at least, is how it appeared to the editors of CUSTOM HOME one day back in August when we met to study more than 70 contenders for this year’s Pacesetter Awards. We ask entrants to paint us a picture in words of exactly what it is that makes their company stand out in one of six areas of running a custom building business: management, marketing, customer service, design, production, and innovation.
The best entrants demonstrated creative problem solving, original thinking, and a passionate commitment to improving their companies. These builders developed and implemented ideas that transformed challenges faced by every custom builder into the stuff of success. We chose 14 builders from 12 companies to honor with Pacesetter Awards this year. Their stories, beginning on page 60, are filled with good ideas.
I’m certain you’ll find at least one idea among them that will help you on your own road to success. That’s really the purpose of the Pacesetter Awards. While it’s great to single out a few builders for accolades, the deeper purpose of the awards is to find and tell all of our readers about the best practices and most interesting ideas in custom building. And while the winners get a lot of attention, what they give back is much more valuable. They share their best ideas with the entire industry. So please join me not only in congratulating this year’s Pacesetters, but also in thanking them for their generosity.
One more item about this issue: Don’t miss “On Your Mind” (page 12), our new department by senior editor Bruce Snider. It takes a thoughtful look at the personal side of being a custom builder—how builders feel and think about their craft and their business. You may have read “A Question of Proportion,” which inaugurated the department, in the September/October issue (page 10). This time, Bruce asked a handful of builders whether they think of themselves as builders or businessmen first. Their well-considered answers show that there is no one path in custom building. We’d love to turn this department into a wider conversation among CUSTOM HOME’s readers. Please let Bruce know your thoughts on this question or about other questions you’d like him to pose. You can reach Bruce at bsnider@hanley-wood.com. We both hope to hear from you.
