NWI Small Business Series – Part 5

This week I am focusing on the Mad Mortgage Machine - also know as Dave Woodson.  If you don’t know Dave…wait a minute…there are people who don’t know Dave?   Between Facebook and Twitter and his Blog and networking groups or Tweetups, I assumed everyone knew Dave. 

Well, in case you don’t I will pass on some information that will definitely be helpful to you in the future.  Dave is an Indiana mortgage guru and travels throughout Indiana to network, build relationships and, most importantly, HELP PEOPLE SAVE MONEY ON THEIR MORTGAGE PAYMENTS!  He can also supply a plethera of information regarding the FHA Home Loan process, Current tax credits, FHA and the new “Flipper” rules, and he also provides DAILY updates on Northwest Indiana mortgage rates so that you can decide when the right time is to lock in your rate. 

As we all know, rates are still at all-time lows and between that and the tax credits teamed with low property values THIS IS THE CHANCE OF A LIFETIME to get a property at prices and payments not seen in a long time. 

On top of all this, Dave is an all around nice guy that – if nothing else - will help you decide if the deal you are getting is right for you.   Here is a great link for you to review to see if the Mad Mortgage Machine is right for you!

Jeff Eriks - VP of Project Development at Cambridge Construction/IN-Cambridge Architects

Cambridge Construction & IN-Cambridge Architects on Facebook or Cambridge Construction on Twitter!

What is the purpose of a blog?

For those of you out there (like me) who never really knew what a blog was nor had any interest in reading a blog, let me pass on some information that I have found out recently.  When I first started talking to people about “blogging”, I just thought it was someone sitting there rambling on about what they do or something about misc. topics that they decided to rant about online in hopes of building an audience.  Well, I was right – to a certain extent.  Those are definitely out there and whether you know it or not you have probably read several blogs without even realizing it. 

I know that was the case for me. 

Blogs come in many shapes, sizes and forms and if you have ever done any internet searching, chances are, most of the relevant content you found was part of a blog and not a company website.  People are using blogs to talk about their business and what they do and supplying knowledge to their potential clients through their blog.  Blogs are easy to update and maintain and, unlike websites, can contain up-to-date information and stories on you or your business.   I use my blog to help my potential clients, inform readers, expand my personal contact base and just for passing on general information that I think is helpful to the general public.

I believe that blogs will become a company standard in the future – although websites will remain a necessary evil. 

A website is an online company brochure, whereas a blog is a company resource for news releases, project or product updates, industry changes and thousands of other things that pertain to much more than just what you do or sell.  

The world of blogging is a massive movement and the future of many businesses depends on them participating – if you aren’t, your competition will be! 

A blog can be ANYTHING you want it to be - the only requirement is that it has to be interesting to some people…

That is my two cents…feel free to comment.

NWI small business series – partie quatre

How many of you have wanted to do some legal research from a reliable source without having to actually talk to an attorney?  I can say that I have! 

Well, I have finally found the best source for this in northwest Indiana through the NWI Lawyer blog!  Here you can find all kinds of pertinent information from most recent trials, new laws, local law schools and even a quick link to local attorney’s offices should you require additional consultation. 

As a small business owner, I am always looking for trustworthy sources for legal advice without having the need to pay the premium just to get one little question answered.  The professionals behind the NWI laywer blog do what they can to help the small guy and are always there if you need something more. 

I praise attorneys for this kind of practice because you can truly tell they are there to help people.  That is saying a lot in this day and age when you have someone willing to put the time and energy into their free blog to create a resource for professionals like you and I.

They also provide links to other sites such as the Indiana supreme court, Lake & Porter County local rules, Roll of Indiana attorney and the Indiana Self Service Legal Center should you want to perform additional research on your own. 

There are several interesting blogs that they have touched on including:  “Indiana Political Parties Form New 2010 Treaty Banning Robo-Calls” and a fantastic article on Social Media and Kathy Sipple entitled, “Do You Need an Innovative Marketing Plan to Energize Your Business?“ to name a few.

Thanks NWI Lawyer blog for your time and effort in providing us with a free resource for all things law in northwest Indiana!

Hope this is of as much value to you as it is to me!

Jeff Eriks - VP of Project Development at Cambridge Construction/IN-Cambridge Architects

Cambridge Construction & IN-Cambridge Architects on Facebook  or Cambridge Construction on Twitter!

Small Business Series for NWI – partie trois

I am now going to touch on a subject of which many of us don’t have a true appreciation for due to the lack of knowledge most of us (me included) share on the subject.  Many of you are like me and don’t have the ability to truly hear a song for what it is - a compilation of notes, instruments and harmonies combined together to form a fabulous background for a vocal artist.  To many, a song is all about the words and not near enough about the music. 

This is why I am writing about Josh Walker  – a northwest Indiana audio consultant and music producer with offices locally, but with a worldwide reach.  He is one of the few northwest Indiana music producers with the talent and experience to work with recording artists and help them achieve their dreams! 

If you are a member of a band and you are looking for ways to get from point A to point B in your career so you can grow your reach and mature as a group, then I would highly suggest you contact Josh for some advice.  He works with each band member individually to help them improve and take the next step which will improve the quality of the entire band over the long run.  We all know with the old saying, “a chain is only as strong as its weakest link”; and I would believe that be true of a band as well.  Using Josh’s approach, each member can improve thus making your entire band better!

If you are looking for a freelance recording engineer to help you make your first recording, Josh is also available for those services.  Since Josh is looking to expand into becoming one of northwest Indiana’s elite music producers, he has set up his own recording studio in Northwest Indiana for you to utilize.  Having that kind of access to a state-of-the-art studio will help any band become more successful! 

 Josh is heavy into social media, so he is easy to reach and interesting to follow.  See Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin and Deconstruction Theory (his blog).

If you would like to learn more about Josh Walker simply click on his name or if you would like to contact this northwest Indiana music producer click on it!

Hope you enjoyed my most recent entry, have a great day!

Jeff Eriks - VP of Project Development at Cambridge Construction/IN-Cambridge Architects

Cambridge Construction & IN-Cambridge Architects on Facebook  or Cambridge Construction on Twitter!

Garbage stinks? Not to me!

Phoenix, AZ Transfer

Some of you may know this and some of you may not – Cambridge has done a lot of work within the solid waste industry over the past 17 years.  This work includes – transfer stations, hauling companies, landfill shops and recycling facilities (Solid Waste Portfolio).  However, we don’t JUST do new construction design/build projects.  The waste industry has a way of really beating up their transfer stations because of the heavy equipment operating within the facility.  This generates a lot of work for us because we do a lot of transfer station repairs such as:  tipping floor replacements, push wall repairs and other miscellaneous upgrades to their buildings. 

Cambridge has completed over 100 waste industry related projects over the last 17 years and looks to continue this and grow this niche moving forward.  We are expanding our market base and offering more services as we are adding a concrete crew to the mix so we can self perform those duties!  This will make us more cost effective and will give us the ability to become more efficient at these projects.   Doing work for the waste industry has also allowed us to expand our operations.  We have done work in over 20 states and continue to increase that number year after year.  We carry a long list of general contracting and architectural licenses so that we can serve our clients anywhere they need!

Check out our website dedicated to the waste industry (transferstations.com) to see all the services that we have to offer!   There is also an abbreviated list of testimonials you can review as well as a project experience list.

You can also follow us on via Facebook and Twitter!

Jeff Eriks – Vice President of Project Development

Small Business Series for NWI – Part Deux!

After doing a bit of research and talking to some folks, I have decided to write on Richard Orelup of MU Studios out of Valparaiso.  MU Studios is a Web Developer in Valparaiso that is highly professional & cost effective.  They focus on solutions to your web design, SEO, content management and E-Commerce needs. 

Richard decided to start his company because of the need that arose around him.  He had several people asking him questions and voicing concerns over how they were treated or ripped off by other firms in the area and they were always left with sub-par websites that didn’t fit their needs.  He saw a need and he filled a void for web development in Valparaiso!  He opened his shop based on the premise that he was going to TEACH his clients about what services he is providing rather than just throw a website at them with various content that they knew nothing about.  He also launched a brand new blog of mu where he will cover topics such as this and other trendy topics that will inform his customers so they can learn more about the industry and what they need.  Not only is he going to teach his clients, but he is also going to work WITHIN THEIR BUDGET!  So even if you don’t have much to spend, MU Studio can develop a solution for you.

We all know how important a web presence is in this day and age – but if you have one and it is not effective, out of date or boring it may have a negative effect on your business!  Working with a web developer that can come in, understand your needs and help you build a lively, exciting website can make all the difference in the world for your business.  Especially in these hard economic times, we can all use any help we can get!  Contact Richard Orelup of MU Studios via email today for more information and how you can drive more traffic through your front door with your website. 

You can also reach MU Studios – Web Designer Valparaiso on Twitter  or via phone at (219) 263-0185.

Jeff Eriks - VP of Project Development at Cambridge Construction/IN-Cambridge Architects

Cambridge Construction & IN-Cambridge Architects on Facebook  or Cambridge Construction on Twitter!

Small Business Series for NWI

As 2010 gets started, I wanted to take some time and give some shout-outs to local businesses and professionals in the NWI area.  These are all great people that I think you would enjoy knowing as I do. 

Part 1 -

Scott Swinford

Scott Swinford of USCCRA Online

I have gotten to know them through various networking groups and in terms of credit repair and loan modifications, they are the experts in northwest Indiana.   I am sure that at one point and time you have heard ads for credit counseling, credit repair, mortgage modification or debt settlement and have thought to yourself…”this is a joke, people can’t really do that!”  Well, I am here to tell you that you are wrong.  Especially in this day and age and with the economy as bad as it has been, thousands of people take advantage of these services.  

Unfortunately, like many industries, you have the people out there claiming to provide these services but can’t and are just looking to make a quick buck.   Beware of credit repair scams by reading their blog on that topic.  The professionals at USCCRA Online do it the right way and are morally and ethically sound individuals. 

We all know that no one goes through life and hopes for bad credit – but sometimes things just happen!  If something has happened to you or someone you care for, I would urge you to ACT to help yourself because if you don’t, who will?

The website is very helpful and allows you to research credit repair, get your credit score and they even offer services such as a $10,000 un-secured line of credit! 

Here is a direct link to the Membership Benefits page so you can see the benefits for yourself. 

If you – or someone else you know – is looking to find a way to save $$ on interest, buy a home or save for the future of themselves or their family pass this on to them today.  They will thank you!

I would also suggest you follow him via Facebook and Twitter as he shares a lot of valuable information in regards to the mortgage industry.  The two links are:  Indiana Loan Guy on Facebook  and Scott’s Credit Repair on Twitter

I hope part 1 of this series was helpful and come back next week for part 2!

Happy New Year!

Jeff Eriks – VP of Project Development at Cambridge Construction/IN-Cambridge Architects 

Northwest Indiana Commercial Contractors & Architects on Facebook  or Northwest Indiana Contractor on Twitter!

Amazon – The case of disappearing customer service!

Had (have) a Kindle – I thought it was great – one small device – lots of books – When I traveled I didn’t have to make a decision on which to pack.  BUT THEN….. The thing started locking up (Coincidently about a month after warranty was up) It kept getting worse until it became unworkable even with “HARD” resets. 

Amazon offered to replace it for $180.00

 But I thought… Will this leave me every year spending $180.00 to replace a defective machine?  Well once they got you,  YOU ARE STUCK!  You’ve bought books you can’t read – the stupid thing is broke. You can’t get them off your book shelf, they are stuck inside a dead unit never to be available again…. UNLESS you cough up more money to buy another one.

So look at the math…

Original purchase             $350.00

Books (about 8)                    $60.00

Replacement                     $180.00

Total Cost..                         590.00

Just to read 8 books??? Looks like the books cost me $75.00 each and worst of all, I CAN’T read them anymore.  What a deal!

Next time GO TO BORDERS and buy the books,  you will have them forever!!!  DO NOT BUY A KINDLE unless you want to have Amazon be your addiction forever………..

 Amazon – The worst customer service I have ever experienced – First all of their comments when I called were about what I DID to damage it.  I went through many reps at their technical support.  Several times it would reset and work for a few weeks, and then I would need to do a hard reset again. At one point they told me it was probably a bad battery, so I coughed up the money and (better yet) wasted the money and guess what NO CHANGE – IT WAS STILL THE SAME.  Then it happened more and more, until the last time there it is totally stuck.  Words on the screen, even with no battery (Not even the one I bought as directed by their technical support).  Just stuck forever.

Anyway – I was always careful – it was always in the case. It was never dropped. 

And then I found out through blogs on the internet that this was a KNOWN problem with these units.  Then I was really angry.  They know they have an issue with this one and they won’t stand behind it.  I called and talked to them. I questioned how this is any different then when I get a recall on an 8 year old microwave that has been out of warranty for 7 years, but guess what, since they KNOW it is a FACTORY defect in many of their units, they fix it.  
That is the difference between good quality companies and how they back what they sell and the lousy ones like AMAZON!

A Look Back at Northwest Indiana 2009

As 2009 comes to a close, Cambridge is looking back at what we think changed in 2009 in our local market of northwest Indiana.  The construction landscape has changed quite a bit.  We have lost several home builders and a few commercial builders – some legitimate and some fly-by-nights.  Pricing has been reduced due to cost of property sinking as well as subcontractors lowering their fees just to get work.  Northwest Indiana General contractors as a whole have also narrowed their slim margins from 3% to 1-2% just to try to get a job so they can keep their doors open. 

Moving forward, I think we can all agree that a market correction is what needed to happen.  Everyone and their brother became a home builder and then started doing commercial construction in Northwest Indiana as well – with little or no experience to back them up.  Many of those companies ruined people for life because the process went so poorly that people are now gun-shy about going through it again. 

As a whole, the Northwest Indiana construction market is an interesting one.  It is quite small and can barely feed all the builders here in good times, let alone bad times.  For the most part, it is a tight-knit market and instead of 6 degrees of separation it is more like 3 degrees of separation.  Everyone knows everyone – one way or another.

As a whole for Cambridge Construction 2009 was a year of learning, knowledge gathering and planning for the future.  When we look back on 2009 in a couple years we will be telling ourselves how nice it is that it happened.  Even though revenue is down and we had to cut back in a lot of areas, it brought us back to reality and re-focused us on our main objective of building relationships with our current clients and building a new client base.  As we strive to maintain our goals of being the premier general contracting & architectural firms in Indiana, we focus on these main features:  We are reputable, we are honest and we learn our customers business BEFORE we design anything for them! 

As we approach 2010, we say…Join us Northwest Indiana, let’s grow together!

Cambridge Construction and IN-Cambridge Architects wishes everyone a safe and happy holiday season!

Healthcare reform, small businesses & our economy

Why does it seem that everything the current administration does is anti-small business?  Do they not konw that the lifeblood of the US is built upon the backs of small businesses like ours?  Historically, when the economy has gone through the peaks and valley’s like it is currently, what brings us out of it is the success and GROWTH of small business.  Not large conglomerates, not foreign companies, not roadwork, not unemployment benefits and not checks from the government. 

The small businesses are the ones that add employees in larger numbers because 90% of the businesses in the US are small businesses.  We employee a majority of the workforce, so why wouldn’t you help us get through this first?  Instead, the administration is focusing on healthcare costs and getting the 10% in the country covered instead of the worrying about the 90% that already are and how this affects them.  All this healthcare bill will do is drive up costs for small businesses along with the government and it will also cost the existing hospitals and emergency care facilities money which may eventually cause them to close down. 

I believe the current administration is hoping for this so that they can then push their own idea of a public healthcare system – which, by the way – hasn’t worked in ANY other country very well.  Our current system does cost more, but we also have better survival rates than almost every other country and we typically live longer.

So what is more important to everyone?  A good solid healthcare system that allows you to get in the doctor whenever you desire that may cost a little more OR a system where you have to wait days, weeks or months to see a doctor, but it “costs” less (if that is actually true). 

My main point of this was to indicate that the gov’t needs to focus on cutting costs for small businesses and driving dollars into that arena rather than increasing costs on us, the driving force behind this great nation.