Navigating current trends

By Emma Peterson. 

Dive into the home and business owner trends that are shaping the outdoor contracting industry.  

In a new episode of From the Ground Up™, Karol Weyman hosted John Kenney for a conversation about the current state of the outdoor construction market. More specifically, John zeroed in on homeowner trends that are defining the industry.  

The conversation opened with a quick introduction of John. He is the CEO of Cotney Consulting Group and personally has over 45 years of field experience as a contractor. In his own words, “I always believe that you must actually walk in contractors’ shoes to be able to help them. So, in my consulting business, I use my own experience and the knowledge I’ve gained from that to help contractors level up their business operations.” 

This perspective makes John the perfect person to talk to about current trends and challenges in the contracting industry. The first thing he mentioned was the demand for longevity. He explained, “I'm starting to see the movement away from the idea of just getting it done and worrying about it later. Home and business owners are looking for that investment that's going to last long term.” In addition to that desire for longevity, there has also been a rise in demand for efficiency. John elaborated, “There’s been a strong push to energy efficiency, through technologies like solar, and low maintenance solutions.”  

Both of these trends can be attributed to home and business owners having more access to information about their projects than ever before. John pointed out, “With the rise of the internet, Google and AI, consumers can really do some deep dive research. They are more educated going into conversations with contractors, meaning they have a better understanding of what they want out of a project.”  

The best way to navigate these trends? Make sure you are transparent and communicative with your clients. John explained, “When it comes to homeowners, they want their timelines and project estimates to be accurate. And as they grow more knowledgeable, they’re going to have more questions. That’s why you need to emphasize transparency and open in communication in all of your operations.”  

Listen to the whole episode or Watch the recorded conversation for more insights from John.