The Economy May Slow. Your Business Doesn't Have To.
Updated: Oct 9
I’ve been to quite a few of Connor Lokar’s keynotes over the years, and I always joke that nobody delivers bad news quite like Connor.
But joking aside, I keep coming back because his presentations are entertaining, insightful, honest and, most importantly, practical.
His keynote at this year’s GlassBuild was no different.
We all know there’s uncertainty in the economy. Connor’s outlook was realistic: the economy is still growing, but that growth is expected to slow in 2027.
What I appreciated was that he didn’t leave us with a list of reasons to worry. He focused on what business leaders can actually do about it.
The line that stayed with me was:
“It doesn't mean you can't grow your business. It means the economy won't do it for you.”
That may have been my biggest takeaway from GlassBuild this year.
Uncertainty is the new normal
For the past few years, it seems like we’ve constantly been waiting for something to settle down.
Interest rates. Inflation. Labor. Supply chains. Construction activity. The next election. The next economic cycle.
At some point, we have to stop waiting for things to feel “normal” again.
If you want to grow your business, waiting for better conditions isn’t a strategy.
A slower economy doesn’t automatically mean your business has to slow down. But growth may require more intention. You can’t simply wait for demand to improve, projects to return or opportunities to walk through the door.
As Connor put it, it’s time to put your hands on the steering wheel.
So what does that mean for building product manufacturers and construction companies?
1. Decide where your growth will come from
Growth needs direction.
That might mean introducing a new product, entering a new market, expanding with existing customers or pursuing opportunities you haven’t had the capacity to take on.
Ask yourself:
Is there a product line we should be developing?
Is there a market we’re well positioned to enter?
Are customers asking for something we’re not yet providing?
Are we passing on good opportunities because our team doesn’t have the time to pursue them?
You don’t need to chase everything. But you do need to decide where you want to go instead of waiting for the market to decide for you.
2. Protect the margin, not just the volume
More work doesn’t always mean better results.
Before pursuing a new market or product, understand what it will take to support that growth. What will it cost to quote, engineer, document, produce and deliver the work? Can your current team absorb it without creating bottlenecks, overtime or delays?
A good growth plan should answer two questions:
Where do we want to grow?
How do we grow without putting unnecessary pressure on our margins?
Sometimes that means being more selective about opportunities. Sometimes it means improving a process before adding volume. And sometimes it means finding a more flexible way to add capacity without immediately adding significant fixed costs.
3. Think creatively about capacity
A growth strategy only works if your team has the capacity to execute it.
You may have a great sales opportunity, but can estimating keep up? Can drafting and engineering support the added work? Can your team handle the quotes, takeoffs, bills of material, shop drawings, revisions and submittals needed to keep everything moving?
This is something I think about a lot at SmartSource AE.
Many manufacturers and constriction companies have highly experienced people spending a surprising amount of time on work that absolutely needs to get done, but doesn’t always require their level of expertise.
What if some of that recurring, reviewable work could be handled by a dedicated technical team, while your experienced people stayed focused on pricing, customers, risk and the decisions that truly need their judgment?
That’s one way to create room for growth while keeping costs controlled and avoiding unnecessary pressure on your internal team.
4. Start where the work is getting stuck
You don’t have to redesign your entire operation.
Start with one product family, one quote type or one recurring workflow.
Where is work backing up? What is taking too much time? What is keeping your most experienced people from focusing on higher-value decisions?
Pick one area. Define the process and handoffs. Try a different approach. Measure whether it works.
If it does, build from there.
Take the steering wheel
That’s the message I brought home from GlassBuild.
We can’t control the economy. We can’t eliminate uncertainty. But we can decide how we respond.
Choose where you want to grow. Understand what it will take. Protect your margins. Make sure you have the capacity to execute.
And don’t wait for the market to do the work for you.
If you’re looking for ways to grow while keeping your team and costs in balance, let’s have a conversation. Maybe we can think through the plan together.
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