MKR Building Solutions - July 2022

MKR Building Solutions - July 2022

781.413.8601 mkrbs.com

july 2022

Building MKR Building Solutions From the Ground Up WITH DECADES OF EXPERIENCE AND DEDICATION

Starting a business is not an overnight operation. It often takes years of experience, knowledge, and dedication to create a business the public respects. I’ve put in decades of work to start MKR Building Solutions, which has proven to be a fruitful endeavor. It’s hard to believe it all started with an innocent conversation while I was searching for a summer job. I first got into the industry when I was still in college at Northeastern University in the ‘70s. I had to walk through the Prudential Center to get to the downtown area from my apartment. One day while walking through, I noticed some guys working on the building and I started a conversation with the foreman. I was in need of a job for the summer and asked if he had any openings. We ended up hitting it off, and before I knew it, I had a job working at the Prudential Center on the weekends. After I graduated from college, I began looking for jobs in the field of education but couldn’t find anything. I was asked if I wanted to oversee the day team at the Prudential Center and accepted. I had a team of 20 guys who took care of all of the Prudential Center’s maintenance and building needs. After working there

for some time, I bounced around jobs selling janitorial services and building solutions for a number of companies. After one company I was working for was sold internationally, I started to see things differently. I knew there was a better way to help people with their building needs, so I left and started MKR Building Solutions. We had virtually no business in the beginning, but we had a decent number of customers and referrals from my years working in the industry. I would get calls all the time from people asking who does various things, and I would always respond that we did . I started the company to tackle all the difficult challenges for which people struggled to find adequate help. From there, we expanded and made connections with other industry professionals in the area so we could utilize their expertise if they were better suited to help. We often receive calls asking us to renovate a space in a building for a new tenant. They may want to change where the offices are located, add a conference room, or even expand their break room. We help with all of that. One of our more unique operations came a few years back when Boston was hit with 10 feet of snow in one

month. Many businesses had over 3 feet of snow across their roofs, and the real estate owners were worried about the roofs collapsing. We developed a method to use cranes to transport the snow from the roofs to the parking lots. We put buckets on the end of the crane and had guys shovel the snow into the buckets. It worked flawlessly, and we never had a roof collapse. We can help with painting, carpet replacement, flood damage, and more; we have seen just about everything and are available to help with any of your building needs. “I started the company to tackle all the difficult challenges for which people struggled to find adequate help.”

We’ve now been in business for 16 years, and it’s been simply amazing to watch the business grow. I can’t wait to see where this next chapter takes us. –Jim

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Business Is a Never-Ending Game HOW DO YOU PLAY THIS INFINITE GAME?

“The Infinite Game” by Simon Sinek is among the greatest motivational books you can get your hands on. He gives readers an inside scoop on the importance of adopting an “infinite mindset” while “playing the game” of business. Let’s look at some of the chapters that can help you and your business.

survive current and future difficulties. This is why business is an infinite game — you don’t want to create something to “win” (finite); you want to build a foundation that will remain for future generations (infinite). Chapter 2: Essential Practices Sinek explains the strategies you need to play the infinite game. These skills include developing a “just cause,” creating trusting teams, studying your rivals, preparing for flexibility, and showing courage to lead. He follows up with examples of companies that embody all five of these principles:

Chapter 1: Business Isn’t a Finite Game

The first chapter discusses why running a business isn’t a finite game. It focuses on how profit and income aren’t the only ways to measure success. Profit means nothing if you’re unable to

The pandemic drastically changed various aspects of our everyday lives, but one location that saw the most dramatic change was the workplace. Some companies elected to allow their employees to work from home for an extended period of time. As the rate of cases has slowed down, many businesses have brought their employees back into the workplace or allowed them to split their time between home and work. Although employees are returning to the workplace, there are still questions regarding what a post-pandemic workplace should look like. Here, you will find three changes to the workplace that architects and interior designers think will become standard going forward. Health and Wellness As employees return to the workplace, there should be an enhanced effort at keeping everyone healthy and protected. Some designers suggest installing touchless features like door sensors, automatic faucets, and voice-activated elevators. Many businesses have started to implement better ventilation systems for indoor spaces, more natural light, and easy access to outdoor areas as a way to oppose COVID-19’s airborne transmission. CHANGES TO THE POST- PANDEMIC WORKPLACE The New Standard for the Workplace?

Individual Spaces While it would certainly be ideal that each employee had their own office, this is just not possible for many businesses. While many offices have done away with cubicles in favor of an open floor plan, there could be an increase in the use of privacy booths to avoid the spread of an airborne illness. Architects also recommend setting aside a few small offices that can be booked by your employees to give them their own space for a limited amount of time. Company Culture Some companies will not return to in-office workplaces; remote work is often appealing to highly talented individuals. If you’re going to attract the top talent in your industry, you need to show off a workplace where they would want to work. Create comfortable spaces using nice furniture and add some art to the office. Make an effort to showcase what your business is about in your design, and you will be sure to attract individuals who are the right fit for your business.

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Brilliant Things Happen in Calm Minds

Victorinox, the creator of the Swiss Army knife, Bill Gates and Microsoft, and the GPS company Garmin.

Chapter 5: Building a Culture of Trust A healthy work culture is based on trust. If your workers sense a lack of trust, that affects efficiency, since no one will feel comfortable voicing their concerns or mistakes. Ford Motor Company is a perfect example. Before 2006, the now-former CEO would reprimand and penalize workers who brought him bad information. This caused an unhealthy work environment and led to lower productivity. Sinek offers tips on how to create a culture where your employees are comfortable and confident. “The Infinite Game” teaches you that business is an endless game where you have to overcome many challenges. Successful businesses play the infinite game, constantly improving the business to become better. Sinek provides tips, solutions, and examples of how your business can thrive while playing the game. To get your hands on “The Infinite Game,” visit your local bookstore or online retailer. Take a Break

Stress is something we all deal with on a daily basis, but we all have different ways of processing stress. Some people relieve their stress by writing in a journal, while others like to take a walk. I’ve always found meditation to be a great form of stress relief. Meditation has been helping people for generations. Some archeologists even suspect that meditation was first invented nearly 7,000 years ago. Since then, medical professionals and scientists have discovered countless benefits of the practice. Below you will find three of the best benefits you can gain when you regularly meditate. Reduces Stress More often than not, when people first start meditation, they go in with the goal of reducing their stress levels. Many find meditation to be a successful way to reduce stress. In a study done by ScienceDirect, researchers found that certain meditation styles can help reduce the inflammation response to stress. Further research has found that meditation can even improve symptoms of stress-related conditions like irritable bowel syndrome and fibromyalgia. Improves Self-Awareness Some forms of meditation offer us an opportunity to explore our thoughts and feelings. These forms can help us notice negative thought patterns that can turn into depression and anguish. Meditation allows us to gain a greater understanding of our thought process and how to better control our negative thoughts while encouraging positive thinking. Creates a Better Attention Span In today’s day and age, we’re quick to go to a doctor for medication when we or our children show lapses in our attention spans. Before heading to the doctor, it might help to try meditation. Focused-attention meditation can improve the strength and endurance of our attention spans. A study by Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience found that those who listened to a meditation tape were able to complete tasks with improved attention and focus as opposed to those who did not listen to one. Another study by ScienceDirect found that meditating for 13 minutes a day enhanced memory and attention after eight weeks. If you’ve never tried meditation before, give it a shot. Before long, you’ll notice many health benefits you’ll appreciate for years to come. 3 Science-Backed Benefits of Meditation

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“Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it.” –Henry David Thoreau

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mkr building solutions, inc. 1271a Washington St. | Weymouth, MA 02189 781.413.8601 | mkrbs.com

inside this issue

1 | How MKR Building Solutions Began

2 | Don’t Rely on Profit to Measure Success

How the Pandemic Changed the Workplace

3 | 3 Science-Backed Benefits of Meditation

4 | The Benefits of a Digital Detox

IS IT TIME FOR A DIGITAL DETOX?

Disconnect before bedtime. Turn off all electronics an hour before you go to sleep to relax your body and mind.

When you need a break from your busy life, you probably look at your cellphone. And when you need a break from your cellphone, you might watch TV or browse social media on your other devices. This cycle of never-ending screens can be taxing on your mental health. Everyone hits their breaking point at a different time, and you may not even realize when you’ve reached your limit. If you find yourself getting angry or upset at posted content, consistently comparing yourself to others, or feeling depressed, it may be time for a digital detox. But what is a digital detox? It’s taking a break from electronic devices, such as your cellphone or tablet, and mindlessly scrolling through social media or news stories.

Another benefit is that you’ll feel less stressed, especially if you compare yourself to others on social media or get lost in negative news cycles.

Perhaps the most notable benefit of a digital detox is reclaiming your own time. Checking your cellphone and scrolling through social media can quickly become a subconscious habit. Before you know it, an hour or two has passed. Even watching television can take up huge chunks of your day. With a digital detox, you get that time back, and you can reallocate it to healthier activities. If you feel like you need a break from your electronic devices, take one. It could lead to a healthier and happier life.

Now that you know what it is, how can you detox yourself?

Schedule a break from your devices. Even if it’s just for a half-hour, use the time to do other activities, such as exercise, household chores, or even gardening. Turn off notifications. Constant notifications can be incredibly distracting, so silencing them allows us to focus more on our surroundings.

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