Tag: Building

Saving Money With Proactive Maintenance For Your Office Building

Two focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. If you own or are renting an office building as a part of your business a key consideration is its maintenance. Staying on top of the maintenance will save you money long-term. The following contributed post is entitled, Saving Money With Proactive Maintenance For Your Office Building.

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Office maintenance is a huge cost that businesses have to bear. But if you change the way that you approach it, you can make some big savings. A lot of companies wait until there is a problem and then fix it. That’s fine, but it’s usually cheaper if you can deal with issues before they come up. This is known as proactive building maintenance and it’s the best way to save money on office upkeep. You can also avoid downtime because you are constantly putting out small fires instead of letting them grow into big problems that shut the office down altogether. If you are concerned about your maintenance costs, here are some simple proactive maintenance tips you can follow.

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Invest In Protective Solutions

Investing more money on things that will increase the longevity of materials is the easiest way to save money further down the line. For example, if you apply a quality sealant to the asphalt in the car park (visit https://scsealing.com/sealing/ for more information) it will stay in good condition for a lot longer and you won’t constantly be spending money on repairs. Painting the outside of the building with high-quality masonry paint will protect it from the elements. Although these protective solutions may cost you more now, they will drastically increase the longevity of the building and prevent expensive maintenance.

Follow A Maintenance List

There are a lot of small maintenance jobs that need to be done on a regular basis. If these jobs are neglected, they will spiral and turn into expensive maintenance problems. Things like painting or cleaning gutters, for example, are simple jobs to do but they often get forgotten. So, make sure that you write a list of weekly, monthly and annual jobs. As long as you follow these lists to the letter, you can get into a good maintenance routine and keep the office in good shape. Visit https://www.coworkingresources.org/ for a sample maintenance list.

Get Systems Tested Annually

Small maintenance jobs are fairly easy to handle but there are some big problems that require expert assistance. Things like the plumbing and heating systems should be checked annually by a professional to make sure that there are no issues. People often avoid this because they think it’s an unnecessary expense, especially when there are no obvious problems. However, if you can pick up small issues now and solve them early, it will save you a lot of money.

Invest In Modern Fixtures

When you are making upgrades to your office, always opt for the most up-to-date option available. Eventually, these innovative fixtures and materials will become the standard and you will be forced to upgrade eventually anyway. For example, it’s a good idea to install fiber optic cables in the office because, in the near future, everybody will be using them and they will become a necessity. If you can future-proof your office, you won’t need to make as many expensive changes later on.

Proactive building maintenance is the most effective way to manage your office running costs, so think about changing your approach to office maintenance.

Building Your Own Home? Don’t Cheap Out on These Things

Two key focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Home and Property Discussions. Many people want to build their home, versus purchasing a previously lived in structure. If you’re building your own home, there are some things you should scrimp on. The following contributed post is entitled, Building Your Own Home? Don’t Cheap Out on These Things.

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Designing and building your own home is an exciting journey. You get to build your dream home that has everything you could ever need. It can be exhausting, even if you’re not doing the hard work of actually building it, but the results are worth it. Building a home from scratch is certainly not cheap, but there are ways to save if you want to. However, there are some things you should almost definitely not skimp on if you want to build a solid home. Before you start looking for ways to save money, be sure to take the following things into consideration.

Windows and Doors

The windows and doors of your home are two of the most important elements. They not only keep your home secure and protect it from the elements, but they also provide ventilation and sunlight when you need them too. Trying to buy and install doors and windows cheaply could lead to problems. It might mean you end up with leaks and drafts or it could mean you need to repair or replace your doors and windows sooner than you had expected. Choosing good quality products will protect your home and ensure both the interior and exterior look good too.

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Insulation

Insulating your home properly keeps the heat in when you need it most. As well as keeping you warm, it’s good for the property itself. A warmer home will prevent mold and mildew, plus it will help you to reduce the amount that you spend on your energy bills. You can find different insulation materials and methods at varying price points, so it’s worth considering it carefully. Once you’ve insulated your new home, it will be difficult to change it after everything is finished. It’s better to get it right the first time if you don’t want to spend too much.

The Roof

Similarly to your home’s insulation, the roof will protect the structure of your home. Without a roof over your head, it won’t even be a property. The roof that you choose is also an aesthetic choice, and it forms a big part of what your home will look like. When you want to get the roof right, consult with a roofing company to find out what options you have. They can help you with different roof types, materials and other factors. Consider things like how long your roof will last and how easy it is to maintain.

Labor

Someone will have to carry out all of the work to build and finish your property. This is something that you definitely don’t want to cheap out on if you want to build a quality home. Cheap labor is more likely to produce poor results, so it’s worth paying for people who are going to get it right the first time. When you collect quotes from contractors, going for the cheapest option available isn’t always the right choice.

There are some ways you can save when building your home, but investing more in some things is a must. You should know which is which before you start construction.

10 Foolproof Ways To Build Better Business Relationships

Two focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. Many people think about business simply in terms of profit, but there’s a huge people and relationship component that impacts your profits and growth. The following contributed post is entitled, 10 Foolproof Ways To Build Better Business Relationships.

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Strong business relationships are essential if your business is going to not only survive, but thrive. Building relationships with your teams, suppliers, and anybody else who comes into contact with your business is key. This way, you’ll build a solid reputation, as well as retain your customers and gain new customers. Below, we’ll take a look at 10 foolproof ways to build better business relationships. Take a look!

1. Encourage Honest Feedback
Start encouraging honest feedback from various people you come into contact with, your team members, suppliers, customers, etc. Give them the opportunity to provide it anonymously if possible, as this may make it more attractive. Honest feedback is an opportunity for your business to learn and improve, so make sure you put plans into place to action it. Don’t just ask for feedback – make sure you’re doing something with it. You might think that you’re doing everything amazingly, but somebody in a different department or on a different job could disagree. Make sure you want to help by listening and making things better.

2. Listen More Than You Talk
Start listening more than you talk. Great listeners always build better relationships, because they can read between the lines, ask questions, and really get to the heart of the matter. If you’re always just jumping in and waiting for your turn to speak, you’ll never truly listen properly or build strong connections. Practice your listening skills and don’t immediately try to jump in with what you have to offer. Make sure any staff who are in the sales department are trained properly and know how to do this, too.

3. Give More
How can you give more? Can you provide freebies, discount codes, or incentives to come back in other ways? Providing free things of value can make a huge difference and shows that you are a generous company that wants to help – and also that you actually value people. You can provide more to your own team by giving them things like gym memberships and bonuses as incentives, as well as more time off. Don’t just give them the bare minimum.

4. Admit Your Mistakes
Companies make mistakes all the time. The only time it is truly a problem is if they don’t acknowledge them, pass the blame, or lie. Admitting your mistakes is hard but it’ll make you a better business and ensure you are as authentic as possible in your communications. Everybody will respect you more if you commit to admitting your mistakes and learning from them.

5. Make It More Personal
Make your communications with people more personal where appropriate. Remember names, ask them how they are, and try to mention something you discussed last time so they know you remember them and that you’re interested in continuing to build a relationship with them.

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6. Stick With The Same Suppliers
You can’t flit from supplier to supplier in the hopes of building relationships and getting better deals if you’re not giving them a chance in the first place. Places like Humphrey-Products.com can provide manufacturing equipment, and if you stick with them then you will be able to build a more meaningful relationship. Make sure you stick with your suppliers for a while before you decide whether they are working for you or not.

7. Identify Shared Goals and Values
Make sure that whether you’re hiring somebody new or looking for a new supplier to work with, you’re seeking out people with the same shared goals and values. Make sure your goals are in alignment. For instance, if you’re a company that wants to have a positive impact on the environment, you should look to work with people who also want the same thing and are taking steps to do it. Make sure you consider other things, such as how honest they are, how helpful, and moral character of the people you’re working with. Is there mutual respect? You don’t necessarily need the same POV, but having shared values is important.

8. Share Valuable Content For Free
Sharing valuable content for free can be scary. Why would you just give away everything you know like that? This not only helps you to establish your business as an authority, but it adds value to the lives of your audience. They might just read your content and decide to work with you, or make a mental note to come back to you. They could share your content with people they know who they think will find it useful. There are all kinds of reasons you should look into creating valuable content and sharing it for free. Look into blog posts, videos, infographics, and other shareable content. You can even work with companies to help you create and edit this content, so do that if you’re short on time. Content is king and can help with your marketing in a number of ways, as well as other aspects of business.

9. Make Sure Everybody Is On The Same Page
Ensure that everybody within your company is on the same page. They should know how to treat and speak to people, whether they are customers of your business or not. Customer service training is essential, but everybody is representing your company and should therefore know how to interact with people. You can easily develop a reputation if one of your team members appears to have a bad attitude.

10. Send Corporate Gifts
Sending out corporate gifts can be a great way to congratulate another business or partner, or celebrate a special occasion. These gifts can be useful, such as mugs, bags, and other things, or they can be branded merchandise. Whatever you choose to send out, ensure that it’s something they can really use that will help them to think positively of your brand and think of you should they need your services.

Building better relationships isn’t always easy, but it’s always worth it. Take your time, be authentic and honest, and you should get to where you want to be eventually. Thanks for reading!

An Introduction To Cladding

A key focus of my blog is Technology. Not everyone is familiar with cladding though it is a key aspect of constructing and optimizing buildings and building usage. The following contributed post is entitled, An Introduction To Cladding.

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Cladding does not form an integral part of the building, but covers it, shielding it from the elements and from heat loss. It also provides a range of other benefits, such as protecting the fabric of the building from damage, offering additional security and aesthetic appeal.

What Is Cladding?
It is first worth explaining the wider term that you’ll often see in the same context – the ‘building envelope’. Simply put, the building envelope encompasses all the elements that go to make up the physical separator between the internals of any building and the exterior. That might include the floor and roof, the walls and the doors, along with any roof lights or roof windows that might be fitted to the property in question. The building envelope is what helps to preserve a controlled interior environment that protects the building, its occupants and any activity that takes place within from what’s outside. That might primarily be the weather in the majority of cases, but could also include noise pollution. It is additionally expected to provide thermal insulation and control heat loss from the building, and even protect against fire, whether from spreading from in the building or from entering the building if the fire is outside its walls.

Cladding can be one important element of the building envelope. Whether incorporated into the original design of the building or added later as part of a refurbishment, rain shield composite panels involve applying an additional layer to the outside of the building. It’s not part of the structure in the same way as bricks and mortar or timber may be, but it’s a skin which helps to offer a further degree of weather resistance and thermal insulation. Cladding can also add to the aesthetic appearance of the building.

The Benefits Of Cladding
So having given a broad outline, what advantages does cladding offer to a building? Whether you are a business owner or a homeowner, you’ll know that there’s pressure on us all to reduce our energy consumption for environmental reasons. With energy prices rising all the time, we understand that’s to our benefit from a cost point of view too. The Carbon Trust’s research has shown that up to 60% of the energy used to heat a typical office is lost through the fabric of the building. Around 22% alone escapes through the roof and 9% through the walls. Cladding provides a degree of insulation that can prevent those losses, and therefore, reduce a business’ spend on the costs of heating its premises.

Wall cladding also plays an important role in preserving the fabric of the building. While it doesn’t strictly add to the structural integrity and therefore, the stability of the construction, it can prolong its lifespan in a number of ways. From directing rainwater away, so it does not infiltrate and damage the building’s structure to forming protection against the spread of fire, cladding can ensure your home or business premises need less maintenance on an ongoing basis and will survive longer than without it. By adding a level of soundproofing, it also protects privacy internally and reduces external noise pollution. And finally, it can be used to create an external façade that is more attractive or blends in better with its surroundings than that of the structure itself.

Moving Business Buildings

Three focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money, Business/Entrepreneurship and Organizational and Management Discussions. Many businesses have to move locations at some point. A major key to doing so, is executing it so that operations don’t stop and profits aren’t lost. The following sponsored post is entitled, Moving Business Buildings.

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If you own a business, you may find that you are rather busy. There are issues that need your attention and things that must be taken care of. If your business is successful, you should regularly update or even consider getting a new office if need be. This can help many aspects of your company. Employees will love having an updated space to work in, and if you are looking to move you will want to try and stay local to keep your old clients. Here are a few things to look for in a new building.

Location

The location of a new building is important for the continuing success of your company. If you have outgrown your current building, then you are using a successful plan. Try to not deviate from it. If your location affects your customers or cost in a negative way, it may not be the right move for you. You want to choose a progressive path and not one that will hurt your company.

Space

If your previous building was small, look for something that is big enough now but has room to grow into. Keep in mind that your growth will be happening even as you move. When you have the extra space, you want to use it and fill it. You can get more office equipment Jackson MI, or you could make a storage room or nice break room if possible. Get the most use out of all the space as you possibly can.

Tech

When deciding whether or not to move office buildings, you need to consider your company’s technology. It can be a lot of work to move all of your equipment and reinstall it, and you’ll need to make sure you have the right infrastructure in place for it too. IT support services can help make your move a smooth one, making sure everything is set up correctly in your new location. Remember to factor in these costs as you make your decision.

Price

Have a budget when looking for new buildings. Do not go over the budget to sacrifice things that have made you successful as a company. You want to be able to have the building as a blessing and not a curse. If the building costs too much, it can cut into your profits and slow down growth.

Needing to expand as a business is a good problem to have. Be mindful to keep the same traits that made your company successful though, no matter what building you are in.

Sustainable Building Methods For Your Next Property Project

A key focus of my blog is Technology. Our ability to build property has evolved with other aspects of technology and a key aspect is sustainability. Many builders are looking to build sustainable homes as purchasers are looking to buy them. The following contributed post is entitled, Sustainable Building Methods For Your Next Property Project.

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No matter who you are, you have a part to play in reducing your carbon-footprint and prioritizing sustainable solutions. In the world of property, sustainable building methods have taken centre stage over the last few years. Whether you are commissioning a commercial build or shopping around for a new home, there are many advantages to acquiring a sustainable property. Those who are in the process of a property project would be well advised to consider the following sustainable building methods.

Green Roofing

Green roofs are fast becoming popular in the world of sustainable design, for both residential and commercial properties. So what exactly are green roofs? A green roof uses vegetation to cover the top of the roof, including grass, plants, flowers or bushes. Using a green roof has many benefits, including reducing heating and cooling costs, improving air quality and waterproofing the building. Green roofs require components such as filter fleece, drainage, crushed aggregate, and planting or vegetation. Local authorities often support green roofing, which can help to get planning permission. In fact, with sustainable building practices, it’s often possible to leverage existing subsidies from government authorities.

Solar Thermal Cladding

Solar thermal cladding functions to keep in heat during the winter. The energy of the sun is stored in the cladding materials and is later moved through the property for heat retention. For both entrepreneurs and homeowners, conserving energy is about saving money as well as achieving sustainability and going greener.

Electrochromic Windows

Electrochromic glass can change from opaque to clear depending on factors such as UV rays or electrical current. When you use electrochromic glass for a property, you remove the requirement of window treatments or shades. Electrochromic glass functions to reduce the heat load, and with a smaller HVAC system, spending is reduced. This type of glass is more durable and efficient than conventional types, lasting for 30 + years at least. When you choose durable solutions for your property you’ll incur less maintenance issues ongoing.

Passive Solar Design

Passive solar design means using the sun to heat and cool various living spaces. If sunlight beams down on a building, the materials there will absorb, reflect or transmit the radiation. As well as this, the heat results in air movement, which is then predicted within these spaces. A passive solar home is designed using these concepts. These systems differ from active solar heating systems because they do not rely on electrical controls, fans or other devices to control the energy. Renewable energy should be prioritised for any new building projects. Other forms of renewable energy to consider include wind-energy or hydro-energy.

There are many other sustainable building methods which have emerged over the last several years. The more sustainable that your property is, the more money you will save in the long-run, not to mention the energy you’ll conserve. Newer properties that use eco-friendly solutions also means improved health and safety. What’s more, many consumers prefer businesses who are ethical, earth-friendly and sustainable.

Building Your Own Office

Two of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. In the initials stages of your business, you want to rent or lease space. Once you’re in for a while though and your operations have stabilized, you might also consider building your own office space. The following contributed post is entitled, Building Your Own Office.

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One of the most exciting things you can do in business is to get to the point where you are building your own office. That probably means that things are going pretty well, that you are ready to expand and take on new challenges and responsibilities as a company, and that is always a good position to be in. Of course, building an office does itself have a number of challenges which you are going to have to be aware of and try to overcome. But as we should discover in this article, they are relatively straightforward in theory at least, even if not always in practice, to get through. Let’s take a look at some of the ins and out of building your own office.

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Choosing Your Spot Well

The location that you choose to build your office on is going to have an effect on the end result. For one thing, it affects the cost of building – as you are going to need to purchase the ground that your office is built upon, and that will depend mostly upon location. It will also have an effect on what kind of reputation your business ultimately has. If you are keen on a strong reputation, a city centre address might be important for you for the prestige that it brings. However, you might instead have other priorities, meaning that you can choose to find a cheaper spot to go. It’s all about compromising and working out what really matters to you, so that you can hopefully make the right decision and end up in a good spot for your business.

Finding Cheap Materials

You are also going to have to think about getting hold of the right kind of supplies for the projects, and that is something that is not always as easy as you might hope. It often means that you are going to need to shop around quite a lot, perhaps even attending auctions for some of the bigger items. However, once you find a good source, you can be sure that this is going to be one less headache that you need to worry about. Finding good quality and affordable construction products will mean that you are going to be able to build your own office much more successfully indeed, so that is something that you will want to think about from the very start.

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Getting The Staff

Of course, the quality of the construction staff is another hugely important thing, and you will need to make sure that they are going to be that perfect balance between cost and quality. If you go too cheap, you might end up being disappointed, whereas if you spend a lot of money on them, you might not feel it was quite worth it. Going for somewhere in the middle is very often a safe bet, and it should mean that you are going to get staff who can do the job well but without breaking your bank. Be prepared to look around for a while before you find a team who comes with the right kind of recommendations.

Timing

You should bear in mind that this kind of construction process is always going to cause some kind of disturbance for your business, and as such it will be necessary to time it so that it causes as little of a disturbance as possible. That matter of timing is not something that comes easily to everyone, but it is going to be essential if you hope to actually make it all worthwhile. Try not to do this at a time which is going to be particularly busy for your business, as that is only going to cause damage that might take years to fix, and clearly that’s a far from ideal situation. But if you time it well, it should all go much more smoothly and to plan than you would imagine.

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Budgeting

As long as you manage to budget the whole thing effectively, it will have less of a direct impact on your business and its future. It is also going to mean that you don’t have to stress too much about what happens financially in the quarter or the year after the fact. Budgeting is essential to the success of the project and the future success of the business, so make sure that you are not overlooking this at all in any way. As long as you budget well, all will be well, and the project will be successful.

5 Questions to Ask When Building or Renovating Commercial Premises

Two of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. One of the most important aspects of your business is its location and your commercial premises. There are a couple of key details you need to know about your commercial premises. The following contributed post is entitled, 5 Questions to Ask When Building or Renovating Commercial Premises.

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If business is going well and you’re turning a regular profit, the next logical step might be to move to a better premises. Whether you’re considering building from scratch or renovating an existing building, here are five questions to ask yourself.

How big will you build it?
A bigger office will be more expensive to buy, rent or build, so it doesn’t make sense to build an enormous structure if you don’t need to. However, one thing to bear in mind is that your business might grow over the years and so more space might be needed. To get around this, you could either build it more extensive than you need, or leave space to extend upwards or outwards in a few years if you need to.

What security measures will you add?
Offices are full of high-value equipment as well as cash and customer data which can be used in crime, making them targets for burglars. Since they’re usually empty after after office hours, it gives criminals plenty of chance to strike. So when you’re building or renovating your office, think about security. Have good quality windows and doors installed, as well as shutters or lockable window grilles if needed. Have CCTV and a burglar alarm fitted, as well as floodlights which can keep burglars at bay.

How will you keep it safe?
When you’re creating a building that people are going to be spending time and working in, it’s, of course, a legal requirement for it to be safe and usable. Make sure you’re following all guidelines on construction advice, use an experienced company and ensure everything is signed off at the end. You’ll need a fire protection consultant to ensure it meets fire safety standards; this includes things like the materials used, fire doors, windows, escape hatches and more.

How will you make it accessible?
Modern buildings need to be designed with accessibility in mind, during the planning stages consider how accessible it is for those in wheelchairs or limited mobility. You’ll need to think about things like disabled parking, ramps, lifts and more.

What location should you choose?
The area that a business is placed in can be the difference between success and failure for some companies. Shops or retail companies, for example, will rely heavily on foot traffic as a way to get customers. For this reason, you will need to be in a prime location for this. If you don’t rely on footfall to generate customers for your business, then you could build your office a little further out where you’ll get more for your money. However, location is still relevant as you will need to think about how easy it will be for your staff to get to. Look into things like transport links and road access.

Capacity Building Activities For All Businesses

The first principle of my blog is Creating Ecosystems of Success, and two of its key focuses are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. Capacity building helps increase the efficiency of businesses and organizations. This contributed post is thus entitled, Capacity Building Activities For All Businesses.

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Capacity building helps people and organizations to overcome the obstacles that inhibit them from realizing their business development goals. It is an extremely effective way of developing new managerial skills and supporting employees over the long term. In this post, we will take a look at some of the best capacity building activities that your business needs to try.

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Improving access to information and training resources: Leadership and management are not innate skills; they are skills that need to be learned and perfected over time. Providing individuals, who are either in management positions or aiming for roles within management, with access to resources will aid them to improve their leadership skills. Effective leaders empower the rest of the workplace and in doing so increase productivity. Provide access to libraries, textbooks, manuals, online material, training courses and such like. Relevant publications can improve leadership qualities and provide you with greater insight into your niche.

Encouraging open communication: One of the reasons that businesses fail to grow is because there is no communication between departments, employees, management or any combination of these sectors. Communication needs to be more than one person talking and expecting others to listen. It is by its very nature a two-way process.

Collaborative working with HR: Working closely with HR will strengthen your business processes. Working together to create an effective business development strategy is extremely beneficial, especially in relation to training. Successful companies are those that have the right people in the right roles, and that source and provide the right training to support individuals within their roles. The process starts with knowing your employees, their strengths and the areas in which they need support. HR development is one of the most crucial forms of capacity building, and thus reassessing employee roles, training, and support, is a great place to start.

Seek outside assistance: Business coaching such as that offered by James Ray and leadership consultancy firms can provide you with the assistance you require to build capacity effectively. From changing processes, to coaching personnel, to implementing new organizational structures, there are many ways to achieve this, and they will determine the most effective approach for your business.

Coordinating alliances: Finally, becoming a market leader, and staying ahead of others in your market sector, does not mean you have to do it alone. Reaching out to other businesses of a similar size or set-up can benefit both parties. An open discussion of working practices, training programs, and even marketing campaigns, can help you to see areas for improvement that were not obvious before.

This merely scratches the surface of the different types of activities that can increase capacity at your business, with more examples including staffing selection and development, strategic planning, team building, harvesting networking opportunities and much more. However, if you want to start building capacity today, the five points that have been mentioned provide a great place to begin.