In this on-going Q&A series, go Inside Baldwin General Contracting to get a closer look at the dedication and attention to detail that goes into each individual project, while also recognizing the talented individuals – Project Managers, Project Engineers, and fellow staff members – who have helped build Baldwin General into an industry leader throughout the Pacific Northwest.
It’s not easy being the new kid on the block, but Todd Powell is certainly making it look effortless.
In a matter of months Baldwin’s new Vice President of Business Development has hit the ground running in his role with the company. Chalk it up to a strong inner drive. When he’s not in the office focused on expanding Baldwin’s vast project portfolio, Todd is out in the field capturing countless site visits through his social media posts, particularly on LinkedIn. It’s a chance to pull back the curtain and see what makes Baldwin General so very special.
“Simply put, we are poised to grow,” Powell said when asked what excites him about this opportunity and the future of Baldwin.
“I am passionate about helping and serving clients, but it takes the right people with the right vision to grow and expand. I have watched Baldwin from afar and have seen them take flight, and I wanted to be a part of that… We don’t just do projects, but we build and make differences within our communities.
Recently, Todd took time to reflect on his vision for Baldwin’s business development, shares how general contractors can stay aggressive in a competitive field, and explains the key to “running lean on pricing” to ensure Baldwin remains an industry leader.
Before getting into your new role and journey to reach Baldwin as Vice President of Business Development, can you share a little about how you got your start in the business?
I spent 31 years working in the sales and service arena and have always been a people person. I get energized getting to know people, but after a long career managing Honda and Ford dealerships, I voluntarily left March 2020 during the COVID breakout. My main reason was working those 31 years every Saturday and never having two days off in a row as a schedule. The founder and CEO of Gerding Builders had pitched me the Business Development position back in 2009 when I left Honda prior to taking the Ford General Sales Manager position, but the economy was bad so we both never pursued the possibility. In 2020, when I left Ford, the same CEO reignited them creating a first ever Business Development position, so we connected, and I began my new journey August 2020.
When did you know general contracting and construction was the career for you?
My dad was an HVAC subcontractor and he always wanted to be a father son business, but that never happened on my end. I went to college and never thought about the construction industry other than my older son getting a CEM degree from Oregon State University many years later in life. I always had an interest in turning ugly homes into gorgeous places for people to live. That was my hobby beginning in 2001 flipping 40 properties and I loved the process of renovating and creating beautiful houses. I always acted as the GC and managed the schedule, budget and timeline and thoroughly enjoyed the entire process within a 60-90 timeframe.
What is a piece of advice or something you learned in those early years when you started out that you still lean on today?
You will always be successful by serving and helping others. There was a book I read called, “Samurai Selling.” The ancient principles are based on serving customers and word of mouth and reputation is your best form of advertising. People simply want to do business that they know, like, and most importantly, trust.
When coming into a position and company as Vice President of Business Development, where do you start?
You first need to learn the company culture and the strengths and weaknesses. I need to know how we will match the customers’ hot buttons and objections. I am really encouraged to see how Yohn Baldwin built this company and the many repeat customers. It’s vital to know how you can best take care of your clients, and imperative that I sell the company strengths that will benefit the client. You want to know the past book of business for the last 25 years, and why clients like or dislike us. It is important to always be improving as every general contractor has made mistakes and construction is a messy and tough business. It comes down to listening and delivering to the customer and I never leave their side during the process and see it through until the end.
In the past few months alone, Baldwin has completed projects ranging from health services and eye care Philomath Family Medicine and King LASIK), education and campus life (Clackamas Early Learning Center and OSU’s Dixon Hall), car dealerships (Kiefer Mazda), and community housing (Grande Ronde Elder Housing) just to name a few. What’s been the key to Baldwin adding these successful builds to its long list of clients and partners?
The key begins with preconstruction and open and honest communication, and then the project management will make or break the company. I have been impressed to see the solid people Baldwin has on their team. Happy customers will help you grow your top line revenue and add to the diversity of projects you get to do. I see some synergy within the walls, and we have amazing teams headquartered in our Albany office, as well as the Bellevue, Washington offices. Open and honest communication and solid project delivery is the key to growth at Baldwin.
What does it say about Baldwin that business continues to develop in this way?
The diverse projects in the multitude of sectors clearly shows me Baldwin is growing people in the right direction. It’s not easy to thrive the last several years with COVID hurdles; for example, the escalating material and labor costs due to unprecedented rising inflation costs. Baldwin has stood out as a frontrunner with their ability to run lean and price out projects that can move forward with clients, and not every GC can say that.
We’ve heard you reference something that’s become a mantra of sorts: “We run lean on pricing”. In your eyes, what are some steps to take to ensure this happens for the client and as a company?
This is a very good question. I say this a lot because it’s from the heart. Although Baldwin General does more negotiated projects, rather than hard bids, they excel in their estimating department. Rich leads a team of 5 and they never run into estimating capacity.
Yohn Baldwin has built a unique team and invested into this estimating department to outwork the competition. A hard bid must have a good set of plans to be accurate, but we always have a deeper bench of subcontractors to get the client the very best pricing. I have seen a few recent housing projects where Baldwin came in much lower than the market and asked how we could do this? Yohn has built his business by having to work harder, running leaner, to earn the business. The “negotiated” method is where a GC will list his profit and overhead fee, general conditions, insurance and bonding rates, etc., and then says they will build the project for the “true cost of work.” However, the same subbase gets more expensive over time and the client ends up paying more for the project even though it’s at the “cost.”
The true cost is getting the very best pricing up front and not letting the subcontractors run the project based on their bids. This really stands out to me, and Baldwin has always been known for running leaner on pricing and many GC’s have noted that over the years, and maybe due to lower overheads as well as being a mid-size commercial contractor.
What’s your take on the landscape of general contracting in general? What are some trends you are seeing or ways to set Baldwin apart from the competition?
What I have said before, but also the fact that Baldwin has retained some talent with some key people. There are people here that have individual construction experience that spans 35-, 40- and 50-years’ experience. I have also noticed Yohn has a keen eye for talent and will hire the person’s ability and skill set over the degree. He will help them grow in the direction they want to develop. That is rather unique to me, but it has been noted that he hires the person over the title if he sees and senses the quality is there. I think that separates Baldwin from the construction norm and Yohn is willing to invest, and he cares more about the people than the profit.
With 25 years in business, what makes you excited for the future of Baldwin?
Simply put, we are poised to grow. Yohn Baldwin has cut his teeth with hard work and hails from a lineage of carpenters. The history lesson has been amazing for me to embrace, and I align with the mission.
I am passionate about helping and serving clients, but it takes the right people with the right vision to grow and expand. I have watched Baldwin from afar and have seen them take flight, and I wanted to be a part of that. In this stage of my career, it’s all about making and difference and being a part of something larger and lasting. We don’t just do projects, but we build and make differences within our communities. That may sound generic, but it’s true!
It’s been fun to see the many projects spanning from Oregon to Washington and how people’s lives will change based on the work we are doing. The geography footprint does not hold me back as we have people all around two states and I don’t have limitations. If we can serve people and we can price it right, it certainly makes it fun to come to work every day and that is why I am excited for the future of Baldwin like you asked. We are a builder. We help people every day. And building stuff is fun. It’s just that simple.
To learn more about Baldwin General Contracting or for any questions, connect with Baldwin on the company website or on social media at Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube.
