In 2009, Warrior Group won a $15 million contract with the University of North Texas to renovate its law school building. Also in 2009, Warrior Group began working on a $15.3 million four-story barracks project at Fort Hood military base in Texas.
Tapping into the Green Economy
A factor in Warrior Group’s success is the growing interest in “green†construction. As concerns increase about the environmental impact of building projects, more organizations are turning to modular as a solution. Modular structures have been found to reduce the amount of waste that often accompanies constructing a building on-site. “Since the buildings are produced off-site, you don’t have construction-related traffic at the site,†Slingerland says. “And having fewer vehicles at the construction area significantly reduces carbon emissions.†Warrior Group’s buildings, which are made of timber, can be certified under the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, program.
Fighting to Win
Warrior’s entrepreneurial philosophy is grounded in believing that winning any battle is first about the condition of the mind. “Believe in your abilities,†she says. “If you know you can do something, do it.†Warrior says having faith in herself has helped her succeed and has come in handy when dealing with comparably sized competitors. “We keep on top of new developments in the industry,†she says. “It’s also about customer satisfaction and offering the customers what they want. So I’m just trying to stay competitive in terms of the different types of construction services we offer our customers.†Warrior Group stays diversified by offering construction management, which involves overseeing projects from beginning to end. Services include pre-planning, scheduling, subcontractor negotiations, and engineering.
The Warrior Group also stays competitive by hiring and retaining top talent. “Good salaries help. And recognizing good work,†says Warrior. “It’s also about the people you hire. We make sure we look for quality.â€
Warrior advises against intentionally hiring employees who know less than you. “I’m no architect and I’m no engineer, but I do know how to surround myself with people who know how to do things that I don’t know how to do. And so many managers are afraid to do that. They’re afraid to hire what I call nines and tens because they worry that their skills and knowledge will make them look incompetent or less knowledgeable. And so often, what they’ll do is hire fives and sixes.â€
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