TMG/The Mardrian Group, Inc.

 

An important goal of Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBEs) in Kentucky and across the nation is growth. It is crucial that firms develop new business through new professional relationships and by establishing a reputation for quality work.

 

With hundreds of certified KY DBEs seeking work on the Ohio River Bridges Project, many businesses are taking preparatory actions to compete for contracts.

 

When considering a strategy for partnering with other companies, a proactive approach is best. Consider enacting that strategy now, to prepare for opportunities in the future.

 

The Mardrian Group, Inc. (TMG) is a great example of a company that chose to establish a joint venture to meet their goals for gaining more experience and expertise.

 

TMG® The Mardrian Group was founded by Teresa Bridgewaters in 1992.  Since that time, TMG has emerged as a leader in residential and commercial construction in Louisville. Ms. Bridgewaters’ stewardship of her company has led to business awards from DiversityBusiness.com (Top Diversity Company) and Louisville’s Business First (Fast 50 Company).

 

Robert K. Holmes joined TMG in January 2006 as assistant vice president. In that role, Mr. Holmes’ concentrated on business development and strategic planning.  TMG completed a five-year vision for the company. An element of that strategic plan was to grow in certain construction sectors that they had not previously pursued. The healthcare field was one sector targeted by TMG.

 

“We recognized that if we were going to enter this sector and be successful, we needed to strategically align ourselves with a company that had the experience and expertise we could learn from,” said Mr. Holmes. “While we researched and talked to some other companies about their experiences, we outlined for ourselves the major issues we felt needed to be addressed if we were to embark on such an alliance.”

 

Mr. Holmes continued, “While we knew that any company we would partner with had to have the experience and expertise in the healthcare construction field; it was equally important to select a company that shared similar core values (i.e. integrity, honesty, reliability and respect), Holmes said.  “We were also looking for a company that felt that this kind of relationship would be beneficial to their company as well. This was important because we would be bringing our knowledge and expertise to the relationship, and our partner needed to see the value of what we were bringing to the table. We were looking for a WIN/WIN relationship.”

 

As a part of the strategic planning process, TMG identified a short list of companies that had experience and expertise in the healthcare construction field. Messer Construction was known as a company with applicable experience.

 

At a local contractor reception, Mr. Holmes had a conversation with representatives of Messer Management.  This led to a series of meetings that helped both companies realize the synergies that existed between them.

 

“Messer had shown a strong commitment to diversity and they were looking for a partner that could help them advance their own internal goals,” Holmes said. “We understood that we had mutual goals and our core values were almost identical. With that, we decided that it made sense for our two companies to give it a go and look for a project that would fit our partnership.”

 

The partnership TMG formed with Messer Construction became the joint venture Messer/TMG® LLC. The structure of the partnership provided for a separate entity that would continue on a project-by-project basis. Its first - and current - project is the Norton Brownsboro Hospital project.

 

“Our goal is to provide construction management oversight for all phases of construction,” Holmes said.  “We ensure that the hospital is built according to the architect's plans and specifications.  We provide pre-construction services to the owner/design team such as scheduling, cost estimating, constructability, value engineering, and so forth. We will develop all of the construction bid packages, and announce, receive and award bids. We are also responsible for the management of all sub-contractors’ work and activities on the project. And like any construction project, we are ultimately responsible for completing the construction of the hospital, with quality, on time and on budget.

 

“In relationship to the DBE community, we are open to considering other partnerships that align with TMG’s goals. Any DBE that is considering partnerships as part of their strategy for business development should first clearly define their goals and objectives and communicate those goals internally – from the top down.”

 

This will require business owners to carefully assess their business.  What are their strengths, weaknesses, their opportunities and the threats that may hinder them from reaching their goals. They must decide how a partnership will help move their company toward its goals and objectives.

 

Due diligence in evaluating opportunities that are right for the company and choosing partners that share more than a desire to increase revenue streams are the keys to a successful alliance.

 

“Don't just jump into something just because it's there. Make sure it's what you want to do and that it makes good business sense for your company,” advised Holmes.