What We’ve Learned After 20+ Years in the Earthwork Industry

Cenizo Services was founded in 2003. The current owners of Cenizo worked for the original founders for a number of years and then bought the company in 2013. We started out serving the oil/gas and ranching industries exclusively, and, in years since, we have been blessed to provide earthwork to the commercial, renewable energy, natural resource extraction, and other industries as well. Several of our amazing team members have been with Cenizo for over 10 years and the team as a whole has grown about 400% since 2013. All this to say, Cenizo has been around the earthwork construction block a time or two. All this experience, growing, and evolving has taught us some very valuable lessons about being a successful earthwork contractor and employer, and we are going to share some of what we’ve learned with you! 

Top 6 Lessons We Have Learned in the Past 20 Years: 

1. Our People Are Our Most Important and Valuable Asset
2. Communication is Key 
3. Invest in Technology
4. Serve a Diversity of Markets
5. Stay Ahead of the Marketing Game
6. There is ALWAYS More to Learn

Now, let’s dive into each statement a bit further…

Our People Are Our Most Important and Valuable Asset

It’s easy to get lost in the grind of trying to be profitable, but, if your people get neglected or deprioritized in the process, profits will ultimately be hurt by that. People are the most important part of any business. They are the ones that actually render the services, manage the administrative tasks, maintain relationships with customers and vendors, etc.. If you don’t have competent, honest, and hard-working individuals filling those roles, you simply won’t see the profits you potentially could if you did. And to keep people that possess such qualities, you have to treat them well as an employer. Making sure our team is well taken care of is important to us because 1) we care about people and 2) the success of our company depends upon those people. Therefore, we aim to be an employer of choice in our industry and to make people-centered business decisions.

Communication is Key 

Every single relationship thrives or dies based upon communication. And since a business is made up of many internal and external relationships, effective communication is integral. Over the years, our communication methods have evolved and improved a lot. We have discovered that being transparent and encouraging open communication has made our team stronger and better. We have Open Door and Suggestion policies and processes in place to promote communication about the good and the bad. If a team member has a concern, we want to hear about it. On the flip side, if they have an idea or suggestion, we want to hear about that as well. We have also learned that the better our communication is within our team, the better our communication is with external stakeholders such as customers and vendors. Over time, we have added improved ways to transfer information between the office and field so that we can communicate with those outside of the company with timeliness and accuracy. 

Invest in Technology 

The right technology in the hands of the right people can exponentially increase efficiency and quality for a company. Cenizo employs the aid of technology in many different areas of our business. One of the most obvious and beneficial is the use of advanced GPS technology in our heavy equipment. Beyond that, we also utilize technology in the forms of various applications and softwares that help our office and field alike communicate, train, and streamline tasks. Although some technology can be an expensive investment, the efficiency gained and time saved is often beyond worth it. 

Serve a Diversity of Markets 

Cenizo Services provides earthwork for many different markets in the construction industry – oil and gas, commercial, ranching, renewable energy, natural resource extraction, etc.. As a small business, this provides variety and job security for our team. If one market suddenly has a decrease in project opportunities due to the economy or other factors, we are able to turn to other markets to keep working. This strategy has proven advantageous for us, as we do not have all of our eggs in one basket. 

Stay Ahead of the Marketing Game

Marketing is more than just advertising; it’s sharing your organization’s story. As technology and society evolve, so does the most effective way to market a business. To really stand out from the rest when it comes to marketing, you have to remain proactive rather than reactive. At Cenizo, we aim to deliver marketing content that is valuable and relevant to our audience, which includes not just customers but also job seekers, vendors, and other people that are connected to our industry.

There is ALWAYS More to Learn

An attitude of humility and a desire to learn more every day separates those who are maintaining from those who are growing and improving. Although we have been in the industry for a while, there is still more to learn, and there always will be. It’s a journey, not a destination!