Concrete Decor Magazine Publisher's Forum

Hard work comes along for the ride

2008-03-05T20:41:00.000-08:00

Dear Readers,
I am of the opinion that almost nothing of significant value comes for free. Each Sunday morning, however, sitting in that wooden pew, half-way back on the right side at church, the pastor’s words remind me that there is one exception.

With each passing week, I find myself humbled but increasingly grateful for the blessings I have.

One of those blessings, you may be interested to know, is the sincere pleasure I have in knowing you. Every opportunity I have for getting together with members of this trade allows me to gain a better sense of who you are and who I’m talking to in these pages. The recent World of Concrete show was one such opportunity. Not only did I get the chance to see many good friends, I also had the good fortune to make several new ones.

Starting my journey home from Las Vegas the Saturday morning after, on my 18-hour drive back to Oregon through the desert and over snow-covered mountains, I had some much-needed time to reflect on my week. A common theme that ran through most of my thoughts was the faces of people I met. In particular, it was the expressions of enthusiasm that I saw on so many of you. Now you know why this trade is so contagious!

Decorative concrete continues to gain interest. I’ve seen this interest grow steadily with every passing season. In you I see an excitement to learn, to create, and most importantly, a desire to connect with others. These attributes not only fuel my enthusiasm for publishing, it’s the stuff that I’m confident will lead your business and this trade to increasing measures of success, and most assuredly, to lands far and wide.

We’re all aware of the fact that hard work comes along for the ride. Not always do things go right. Neither is it easy to fix errors that might ultimately pull hard-earned dollars out of our pockets. At those moments, when the excitement fades and work gets the better of us, that’s when perseverance and yes, a degree of humility are critical.

If others don’t understand our struggles, how can they ever appreciate the full measure of our creations? Today, other industries are going as far as to create new associations to address the impact that decorative concrete has on their respective businesses. If there were ever a time we needed to polish our shoes and straighten our ties, it’s now.

Enjoy.

Bent Mikkelsen, Publisher

Tell Us About Your Projects

2007-12-12T20:26:00.000-08:00

Dear Readers,
Have you ever considered calling us about a recent project you completed, thinking it would look sweet in the pages of Concrete Decor? But you didn’t! Maybe you don’t take the time to grab photographs of your jobs before, during or afterward. Or maybe you beam with pride over each project you complete, but you are simply too modest to share, except with those at the dinner table each evening.

At Concrete Decor, we too are a bit on the modest side. We don’t look up from our desk too often to relish our accomplishments. Maybe that’s a good thing!

What we generally are staring at on our desks is a computer monitor and the makings of a new edition of the magazine. Too often, however, we’re looking at photos that don’t necessarily tell the whole story, or they don’t expose important details that visually communicate the challenges or benefits of doing things correctly.

This is where your attention to detail is not only important to the project you’re doing, but to us as well. Allowing Concrete Decor, in essence, to be there with you on the job site and see your challenges and accomplishments as you do is a tremendous help to us in making each issue a success. Believe it or not, you have this ability. Despite your modesty, fear of competition, or feeling that there’s not enough time in the day to stop and take a couple of photos, your perspective is our best tool for communicating quality in each new issue we produce. That’s a topic that can never be stressed enough.

Decorative concrete is an exciting and evolving new facet of the concrete industry. For all intents and purposes, it’s an integral part of the industry’s future. The perspective that you provide us, as well as our readers, is one that influences everyone who works with concrete. Concrete Decor’s emphasis on concrete’s appearance does more than cause a number of “oohs” and “ahs.” It changes people’s expectations about concrete.

As you start to turn the pages of this new issue you’ll note that we’ve added some references to ConcreteDecor.net online archives. The Concrete Decor archives are a valuable place to gain added perspective on numerous decorative concrete subjects. We’d like to add your valuable perspective to an upcoming issue of Concrete Decor as well as to these valuable online archives.

Call us today. We’d like to hear from you.

Sincerely,

Bent Mikkelsen, Publisher

2007-09-17T11:57:00.000-07:00

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

2007-07-20T09:02:00.001-07:00

Making Lemonade

2007-07-13T15:16:00.000-07:00

My wife’s grandfather is turning 98 years old in a month or so. Having lost his wife a couple of years ago, Papa, believe it or not, still lives at home by himself.

On a recent visit to Papa we sat, as usual, in his family room talking about a lot of things, like the way things used to be and, for obvious reasons, our concern for his health. During our conversation Papa told me in a matter-of-fact tone of voice that he had suffered a heart attack a couple of weeks earlier. Shocked by the news, I asked if he had seen a doctor or spent time in the hospital following that ordeal. Papa responded by saying “Oh yes, one night. My legs feel numb but I’m getting better.” Pressing for more information, he added, “… when I had the heart attack I was afraid I was going to die – however, a moment later, I became afraid I wasn’t going to die.” Saddened as we both were by his news, this announcement caused us to laugh at the ordeal. Laughing seemed to help us shed some discomfort with this conversation.

We both realized, I think, that his response to this crisis — sharing a laugh with someone else — was the way we often respond to threatening situations in life.

In my youth, my parents made sure that I acknowledged my elders whenever possible. As uncomfortable as it was at the time, my greeting others and making them feel welcome was a part of my parents’ routine in training each of their children to show respect and appreciation for others. And so, with each new acquaintance in my life, there came the challenge of making my introduction.

The challenge of teaching my own children social etiquette is also a big job. While our daughter, the oldest, is quick to make new acquaintances, Matthew, our one in the middle, would rather crawl into a hole and hide than face the uncomfortable task of meeting new people. While he’s learning to persevere in social environments, he’s also learning to face difficult situations that he’ll likely look back on one day and laugh about with his dad or granddad.

Often, we judge both situations and people indiscriminately because of mannerisms we have adopted during our life. These so-called habits unfortunately create barriers that often become missed opportunities to make new friendships or business alliances.
In my opinion, obstacles that prevent us from taking the opportunity to meet new people and make new friendships are tragic, because experience has shown me that relationships not only teach us a great deal about ourselves, they also give us someone to laugh with when times are tough.
Enjoy!

Bent Mikkelsen, Publisher

Concrete Decor’s first annual 2007/08 Decorative Concrete Buyer’s Guide

2007-05-23T14:49:00.000-07:00

Dear Readers,

These past couple of months our staff has been working hard to create a new, innovative decorative concrete guide unlike anything else in our industry. In addition to our May issue of Concrete Decor and its array of informative articles and information on the latest and greatest in decorative concrete, we are excited to announce Concrete Decor’s first annual 2007/08 Decorative Concrete Buyer’s Guide — the decorative concrete industry’s most comprehensive guide to manufacturers, suppliers and specialized products designed to help you excel in your craft.

This handy Buyer’s Guide is a reference tool that we encourage you to utilize throughout the year. You will be better able to find specific types of products, manufacturers and suppliers, and it will also help you distinguish between the myriad of products on the market today and their specific purposes. With more than 560 product categories and nearly 300 company listings, we’re confident you’ll find what you are looking for each time you prepare for another project.

Furthermore, you’ll be happy to know that the Product Index portion of the Decorative Concrete Buyer’s Guide is also available online at www.concretedecor.net and our new Spanish-language Web site, through April 2008. Here, you’ll also find that the numerous company listings include handy links to their company Web sites.

It goes without saying that the growing number of products available on the market can make it difficult, even confusing, to choose from a number of options. We hope that the Buyer’s Guide will be something that you can turn to time and again when you are in need of products, training or other decorative concrete must-haves. For more in-depth information, Concrete Decor offers archives of everything we publish online so you can educate yourself on numerous types of products or even steer your customers to the site to do their own research.

Without a doubt, it is becoming that much more important for you to make time on a regular basis to further educate yourself about this growing industry. By referring to the Buyer’s Guide and reading the articles you see in Concrete Decor and other industry publications, you’ll be able to make more informed choices that result in better quality work and more satisfied customers.

As always, I encourage your comments and ideas for ways Concrete Decor can serve you better.
Sincerely,

Bent Mikkelsen
Publisher

Concrete Decor in Spanish & a modern grocery experience

2007-04-18T14:05:00.000-07:00

Dear Readers,

Se habla espanol? If so, Concrete Decor encourages you to visit our new Spanish-language Web site, decoreconconcreto.com, which we launched Jan. 1, 2007.

Each new issue of Concrete Decor is now being translated, in its entirety, into Spanish and posted on this Web site for the growing number of Latin American contractors who are recognizing the valuable benefits that decorative concrete adds to their business.

Needless to say, this is an exciting step for Concrete Decor. This valuable new tool shares important information with other cultures and promotes the numerous benefits that both new and existing concrete offer to builders and their customers.

The other day I visited a new natural and gourmet foods supermarket here in Eugene, Ore. Heading toward their deli section for lunch I was amazed at the concrete below me. This floor had it all. It included alternating integral colors. It had been seeded with recycled glass and aggregate. It was stained, it was polished and it looked fabulous. A similar treatment was even added to the concrete stairs leading to a second-floor eatery that overlooked the store’s glamorous decor below.

Enjoying lunch upstairs with my wife and our youngest son, Kannen, I had this incredible vantage point from which to reflect, literally, on the exciting new ways concrete is being used in today’s building environments. Considering the look of concrete floors in a grocery store 30 years ago, I was challenged to imagine what concrete might look like 30 years from now.

With so many noticeable benefits that concrete now offers, both structurally and aesthetically, it’s increasingly important to note how critical education and training are to ensuring a project’s success, a company’s growth, and a reputation that concrete is gaining as one of the worlds most preferred building products.

To this end, the more we share our knowledge with one another, the more opportunities we have to influence the world around us and the way concrete will look 30 years from today.

Enjoy another great issue of Concrete Decor. Made possible by you!

Sincerely,

Bent Mikkelsen
Publisher

The Colorman

2007-03-14T09:59:00.000-07:00

Dear Readers,

I’d like to dedicate this issue to a friend of mine named Bill Shorey.

As some of you may know, Bill (a.k.a. “The Colorman”) passed away a week prior to this year’s World of Concrete show. He worked as a Product Specialist for Spec-West, a construction supply store in Sacramento, Calif. Bill was a wonderful friend and support to me in the days when I was starting Concrete Decor. In fact, our friendship started one year earlier, a point in time when I was publishing some of the first articles on decorative concrete in a sister publication called PaintPRO.

Bill once told me, “Bent, the pages of this magazine,” namely PaintPRO, “show incredible passion for the trade.” At the time, I didn’t really understand his comment. But as time passed and our friendship grew, I began to see what he was talking about. Not my passion, but rather, his. From his standpoint, Bill loved everything about concrete. More than that, he loved helping others. Similarly, I too was infatuated with a trade I had spent years learning to master and was now anxious to share with others. Somehow, the passion for our respective trades seemed to interweave, and the result ultimately produced Concrete Decor.

Bill and I shared countless stories of people, products and projects. In fact, I recall making a two-hour drive to Sacramento one night to help Bill stain a concrete floor inside a new Spec-West location. No money changed hands — only an array of discussions on products and methods we both utilized as we explored the limits of some of decorative concrete’s most commonly used products today.

It would seem that we were both destined to follow a similar path at that time, but fate proved otherwise. Mine was a passion to carry on a family tradition in publishing and Bill’s was an unquenchable desire to provide for his family and contractors, labels that were sometimes interchangeable. This is an attribute of Bill’s that he will surely be remembered for.

When Bill called me some time ago to share of his battle with cancer, our friendship and the good times we enjoyed together were everything that mattered. As I know Bill would agree, our relationship was not strengthened by our expectations of one another, but rather, the means by which we choose to impact the lives of those around us in a positive way. At the end of each day, isn’t that what it’s all about anyway?

To Bill Shorey, his family and friends, and those who share a similar passion for decorative concrete, I trust that this issue will fill your mind with a positive outlook on the future. Enjoy!

Sincerely,
Bent Mikkelsen, Publisher

Happy Holidays!

2007-01-06T18:30:00.000-08:00

As the New Year approaches, I believe it’s significant to note that Jan. 1, 2007, marks the start of Concrete Decor’s seventh year in print. For some, this benchmark may not be so important. However, because Concrete Decor is the original magazine on decorative concrete, our progress represents the industry’s unquestionable growth and the value its products give to concrete as one of America’s most preferred building materials.

In a recent phone conversation with a good friend and valued supporter of Concrete Decor magazine, contractor Julio Hallack shared his excitement about the business of decorative concrete. “As a concrete contractor, my gratification does not only stem from the sense of accomplishment I enjoy with each passing project. I’m also delighted at the fact that decorative concrete creates valuable new business for my company. Most importantly, however, decorative concrete is unquestionably improving the industry’s standards, people’s perception of concrete contractors, and the value they afford to our professionalism.”

I couldn’t agree more! Since that summer day in 1999, when I stumbled onto a construction site where new concrete floors were being colored with acid stains, I realized an opportunity that would likely take the better part of my lifetime just to introduce to tradesmen. Today, decorative concrete, in its many facets, is a practical and profitable step forward for concrete professionals. Tomorrow, if practiced regularly, decorative concrete will set visible new standards for future generations to uphold and build upon.

As you explore Concrete Decor’s pages, both here and online, you will not only uncover exciting new tools but cultivate valuable new relationships with our advertisers, who, like yourself, are vested in making the industry of decorative concrete great.

If you’re planning to attend the World of Concrete show this January, please make a point to stop by Concrete Decor’s booth in the South Hall (#S11153). We look forward to visiting with you in person and discussing ways we can better serve you in these pages.

From all of us at Concrete Decor, we want to wish you a Merry Christmas and a very happy and prosperous New Year.

Bent Mikkelsen

Change is Good

2006-11-10T09:19:00.000-08:00

Living in California for the first 30 years of my life made the decision to move to Oregon anything but easy. Replacing my old truck with 150,000 miles for one with no miles — no problem. A jog in the stiff, cold morning air before sunrise in place of the morning paper and a cup of coffee on the couch — well, I'm contemplating the notion of that change to my routine currently.

It's my belief that change is always good; it's making a change that's often difficult. For some, it appears that change is no problem. Those people are doing what we know we should be doing! Similar to waiting in line at the drive-thru to order a Double Whopper and fries, the vision of someone on a treadmill in the health club across the street can generally induce some frustration about changes we're trying to make. Regardless of what may seem to come easily for someone else, the types of changes that we desire to make, for our health's sake or otherwise, need to be communicated to others in order to enlist the necessary support that a positive change requires.

Adding decorative concrete to the list of your company's services is one of those changes that many contractors have now made successfully. However, my guess is, there are an even bigger number of contractors who greet the notion of making this change with some resistance.

It's a fact — changes generally cost us money due to factors such as training, mistakes caused by inexperience, or the procurement of additional tools and equipment. Fortunately, because I have grown this magazine from its infancy, my knowledge of the industry and its progress are your assurance that decorative concrete is a worthwhile change for today's concrete contractors.

What will minimize your expenses during this change is letting others in the industry know about your decision. The truth is, the many pioneers of decorative concrete, those you read about in Concrete Decor, are individuals who have already made the mistakes you're likely to make at some point in time. And they're surprisingly anxious to help you safeguard your company's success. Why? Simply put, your success is insurance for the industry's success. And ultimately, ours.

How can we help each other? For starters, see our Call for Entries on page 17. Keep exploring the pages of Concrete Decor. Talk to our advertisers. Then make a point of visiting us at the next WOC show in Las Vegas. We're in the South Hall — Booth #11153.

Growing Our Relationships

2006-09-19T10:04:00.000-07:00

Dear Readers,

However well-defined, each of us has certain convictions for growing our relationships with others. For me, there is a particular principle that, with age, gains increasing value as experience shows that it’s one of the best tools for growing my relationships with family, friends and others.

This principle is not always the most popular or easiest to follow. In fact, it’s founded in my Christian faith, and it holds me increasingly accountable for my thoughts and actions, which can often lack consideration for others— even for those I appreciate most. Can you believe that?

As laborers who are challenged daily to build the good name of decorative concrete, the principles we choose for building our relationships in business and in our personal lives are critically important. No, this is not an indiscriminate attempt to convert you to my way of thinking. You’re already good thinkers! If you weren’t, there wouldn’t be so many great articles and pictures in this magazine. That said, please read on…

During communion at church one Sunday, John, our pastor, shared a rather insightful perspective on life, one that I know you will relate to and likely appreciate as I do.

In this trade, as with many other professions, we labor morning, noon and even some nights to accomplish the jobs we have been commissioned to perform. However, for a moment, let’s take money out of the picture. Challenge yourself (I know it’s difficult) to look strictly at a job without any motivation for earning money. So, there you are, exhausting yourself physically and stressing over a project. You labor for countless hours, even weeks or months, and finally the project is complete. Your customer now delights in the work you’ve done, but in a matter of minutes you’ve packed up your tools and are walking off the job, maybe looking over your shoulder to notice a homeowner delighting in his new possession.

Getting back to that Sunday morning; I was reminded of a Carpenter’s life of labor, his trials and tribulations, and ultimately, His life’s sacrifice. Certainly, there were some struggles I could relate to; however, one glaring distinction remained. His handiwork had no strings attached, not even a required payment for services rendered. No, His life of labor was performed free of charge, with undeniable pride, and totally out of love and appreciation for us.

If you’re still with me, and you’ve been able to separate your work each day from your motivation to gain compensation, then I think you’ll understand what I’m going to suggest. In light of the example that this unconventional Carpenter affords us, placing the interests of others ahead of our own is a principle that I believe you’ll find invaluable for growing relationships that last a lifetime.

Remember, it’s not an easy one to apply, personally or professionally. However, disciplining yourself is the most important first step in getting your team to act in a consistent manner. People who notice this principle in action will undeniably be attracted to you.
Sincerely,

Concrete - The Choice of Most Builders

2006-08-04T08:28:00.000-07:00

Dear Readers,

As you explore this new issue of Concrete Decor, you’ll find that interest in concrete as an architectural finish is growing both vertically and horizontally. Concrete is gaining vertical ground in the U.S. as a preferred “green” building material that offers the best in aesthetics, durability and long-lasting finishes. See our story on the use of reactive stains on tilt-up walls. Horizontally, the term “decorative concrete” (and its wide range of applications for new and existing concrete) has spread overseas and is now becoming a buzzword in foreign markets too. For obvious reasons, concrete with color and texture is getting noticed more and more every day.

Just last month, while I was running off to Italy to cover a training event at Ideal Work, our contributing writer Doug Carlton was in Beijing at World of Concrete Asia, where he gave a decorative concrete seminar to an enthusiastic group of contractors from 75 countries. See Carlton’s Corner. My travels last month also took me to Mexico City for a visit to World of Concrete Mexico. Here too, it is apparent that the use of concrete in construction is growing, due both to its structural integrity and its ability to add beauty to its surroundings.

There’s no denying the fact that concrete, a substance with both staying power and sex appeal, is the preferred choice for many builders around the world. It’s our opinion that this is not simply a building trend, but rather, an environmentally responsible solution for generations to come.

As always, it is Concrete Decor’s sincere pleasure to be of service to your business as well as a tool for exciting your sense of creativity.

Sincerely,
Bent Mikkelsen

Concrete Decor Artisan's In Concrete

2006-07-06T08:02:00.000-07:00

Dear Readers,

As 2006 progresses you’ll notice some changes taking place in the pages of Concrete Decor magazine, including some general improvements to the magazine’s layout and design. But one of the first changes that I feel is worth bringing to your attention involves our Contractor Profile, now called Concrete Decor’s “Artisan in Concrete.”

This new title has been established to better distinguish those individuals and construction companies that we believe demonstrate a level of quality and professionalism our readership will most appreciate learning about.

To honor each of these contractors, we have developed a new section online at concretedecor.net. Here you will find photos and company information for our “Artisans in Concrete” along with links to the articles we’ve published about them. Additionally, each contractor featured in Concrete Décor will be granted the exclusive use of Concrete Decor’s “Artisan in Concrete” shingle, which can be used on his or her Web site or on other business materials such as brochures, stationary, or business cards.

For those of you who would like to have the opportunity to be one of Concrete Decor’s Artisans in Concrete, we invite you to enter your name, e-mail address and Web site address at http://www.concretedecor.net/html/artisans-in-concrete.cfm. Here you can also download Concrete Decor’s “Excellence in Concrete” banner, which will link your Web site to Concrete Decor, the most trusted source of information on decorative concrete.

Concrete Decor’s contractor profiles are valuable for a number of reasons. We learn important details about what makes these individuals successful while gaining a stronger sense of what quality workmanship is all about. Constantly pressing to meet or exceed these expectations, in my opinion, is the main ingredient to keeping the demand for decorative concrete strong.

Concrete Decor invites every one of our readers to apply for this special opportunity in the pages of Concrete Decor. Whether we come knocking on your door tomorrow or five years from now, customers and colleagues who see either of Concrete Decor’s distinguished banners on your Web site will know you are a company that strives for outstanding workmanship every day.

Sincerely,
Bent Mikkelsen, Publisher

Keep your knees bent and your head in the game.

2006-04-06T08:59:00.000-07:00

To pay for room and board during my first year in college, I was fortunate to find a job on campus. Seeing the obvious benefits, I quickly found myself pulling staples off dorm room walls for the first few weeks of summer. In spite of that first assignment, life couldn’t have been better. I was now living on my own, living comfortably as far as college students go, and I had recently been accepted to the school’s rowing team.

During that first week of summer I was feeling pretty comfortable in my new job. The type of work I was doing certainly gave me time to think about other things. All that changed, however, after a certain union worker assigned to the college campus that summer simply had enough of my so-called lackadaisical attitude. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’ve never been afraid of work, but this guy obviously had a higher calling and was determined to teach me a thing or two about getting more accomplished in a day’s work.

I’ve got to tell you that having a boss who played defensive line in the NFL leaves behind an indelible mark on a person. This guy addressed each day and every task like it was his offensive opponent. It didn’t matter what type of job it was — his attitude was get it done or get off the field.

You might say that a little pressure from the boss did me a world of good. Over time I started to feel less concerned about my job and more interested in proving my worth. Ironically, the rest of that summer was a blast workwise. Not only did I end up learning a lot about myself, I also began to learn a trade that would later become my career. Best of all, I made a friendship that has now lasted more than twenty years.

Here’s the kicker…

A few weeks ago I took time out to watch my son’s basketball practice. Matthew really likes basketball and we both like shooting some hoops together before dinner. At practice, however, I was surprised to notice that he stood out there on court like a soldier in formation, arms straight to his side and knees that appeared locked in position. As you can well imagine, his rigid stance made it hard for him to respond quickly.

Without saying too much on the matter, I encouraged Matthew to work on keeping his knees bent and feet spread out whenever he’s on the court. My advice served two purposes: Matthew’s new stance would help him to respond faster and would also serve to keep his head in the game at all times. Well, it worked. In fact, Matthew came home from his next practice indicating that his coach told him he was really improving. Man, was I pleased to hear that.

Subsequently, before each practice or game Matthew knows what I’m going to ask: “Matt, what are we going to remember to do today?” And with a big smile, he exclaims, “Keep my knees bent.” And what else? “And my head in the game.” While I’m pretty sure Matthew knows that’s only half the game, he understands better what he’s capable of accomplishing.

As an adult, I have realized that I often need to ask myself that same question. Keeping my head in the game helps me to stay productive and focused on the jobs at hand.

Sincerely,

Bent Mikkelsen, Publisher

Five Years of Concrete Decor Magazine

2005-10-04T08:28:00.000-07:00

Dear Readers,
Believe it or not, nearly five years have elapsed since the first issue of Concrete Decor was published. Those years have proven to be a valuable learning experience — one that becomes increasingly rewarding with each new issue we publish. Our knowledge of architectural concrete applications has grown, but more importantly, so has our desire to deliver to our readers the industry’s most insightful and educational articles on decorative concrete. As a family that’s been in publishing for 150 years, our primary goal remains editorial excellence.

It’s at this time of year that we once again start to consider what Concrete Decor magazine will focus on in the coming year. Each year, we spend considerable time researching and discussing what we’ll write about. And always, we seem to walk away from the table sensing we’ve missed something important. It’s not easy to anticipate industry trends or predict the direction of consumer interests, or most importantly, to decide the direction Concrete Decor will choose to take its readership. Often, we don’t have much information on what our readers would like. So, rather than rely on educated guesswork, we would like to ask for your help.

We need your input to keep Concrete Decor relevant to the work you do each day. Keeping you up to speed on the latest industry and product news is easy, but we’d also like to know what kind of new knowledge you’re looking for: whether it’s learning about new applications, finding new ways to use existing ones or solving problems.

It goes without saying, your involvement in Concrete Decor is an integral part of our success and the success we share as an industry.

If you have story ideas you would like to share with Concrete Decor magazine, simply write us or e-mail your comments to us at info@protradepub.com.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,
Bent Mikkelsen, Publisher