Dear Readers,

Leaving a customer grateful and satisfied with your work – that’s to be expected. However, looking over your shoulder and knowing that you "nailed it" from a creative standpoint – that’s the icing on the cake. I know this from experience. Discerning customers in the residential and commercial construction segments were my primary clientele for over 10 years before I started this magazine. Unfortunately, there are projects that don’t always run smoothly. Any number of obstacles, including weather changes, faulty materials and even tardy employees create distractions that dilute your attention to detail and ultimately compromise quality standards in ways only you are likely to detect. These situations are inevitable, and experienced pros know this all too well. Pros also know that these unfortunate scenarios are less frequent occurrences as they gain experience, knowledge and practice in the field of decorative concrete.

Deciding how to improve the upward slope of your own learning curve in decorative concrete is up to you. More often than not, however, I’ve noticed that those who are serious about refining their skills, increasing profitability and staying on the leading edge will turn up at various industry events each year. Because training is an integral part of the products and equipment you use each day, Concrete Decor is now preparing the industry’s first Decorative Concrete Training Guide, which will be published this September. It’s an issue and resource you don’t want to miss.

In addition to telling you who offers training in the many facets of decorative concrete,Concrete Decor’s online Training Calendar, which makes its debut Sept. 1, will give you up-to-date details on a vast array of training events happening around the country and elsewhere. Here, trainers can update the Training Calendar with their schedules so you always have information that’s current. Furthermore, Concrete Decor’s online Training Calendar will include important industry events, including the Concrete Countertop Institute Conference (Charlotte, N.C., Oct. 25-27), Decorative Concrete Cruise (Miami, Fla., Nov. 12-16) and World of Concrete 2008.

As for the pages of Concrete Decor that lie before you, take time to examine them closely. Just like with the very first issue of Concrete Decor in 2001, my hands itch each time a new issue comes out. I hope you also will find that the information provided here inspires you to explore your potential in this exciting field of decorative concrete.

Bent Mikkelsen, Publisher