Monthly Archives: Nov 2014

Overhead is a luxury

By Ken Matesz

The word “overhead,” in business, is an accounting term that refers to all ongoing business expenses not including or related to direct labor, direct materials or third-party expenses that are billed directly to customers.

In my masonry heater business, the firebox door to be installed on the customer’s project is a direct material expense of the project, not overhead.  But the phone bill I receive for having the ability to call customers is an overhead cost.  My truck and its maintenance is overhead.  Replacement diamond blades are overhead costs as are things like the maintenance of a brick saw.  

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The project you didn’t take

By Ken Matesz

“No,” is a complete sentence.

It is easy to think that we should build every project that comes our way. If the customer comes to us ready to hire us, we should always take it, right?

Wrong.

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Who is a craftsman?

By Ken Matesz

“Without craftsmanship, inspiration is a mere weed shaken in the wind.”    Johannes Brahms

There is much more to craftsmanship than just the skill with which one performs his craft.  Any profession demands the whole package of craftsmanship.

I will never forget when I attended a masonry heater workshop organized by a veteran, highly experienced mason.  About eight of us converged on a little house in Kentucky to construct a small, custom, one-of-a-kind masonry heater for an older woman.  Eight men cutting bricks, mixing mud, setting bricks, screwing holes, talking, laughing, making jokes, asking questions,and generally making a mess of this woman’s house is already quite enough violation of this woman’s tiny abode.  Though it was all for her benefit, it is nevertheless us strange men who were tracking dirt into her house for about a week.

People need to show great respect when intruding on and dirtying another person’s home.  

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Do More Than Your Customer Expects

by Ken Matesz

“Your customer doesn’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”    Damon Richards

There is nothing better than a happy client.

Happy clients are the hallmark of good business.  A happy client will come back to you when he needs more of your expertise.  A happy client will refer others to you; he brings you more business.  He always speaks well of you and your products. A happy client thinks he got a bargain on his deal with you.  A happy client pays you promptly.

When you are building anything for others, you want happy clients.  

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