Great business often starts with a need that hasn’t been met. Whether you’re operating in an emerging field, or offering a new service within an established industry, a good niche holds unique potential for your company. Our guest Robert Brawner knows this from experience.
As an environmental consultant and the founder of
One Consulting Group, Robert was carrying out health and safety assessments, digging out landfills, and removing asbestos before climate change was on everyone’s mind. He started in his field in the 1990s, when environmental regulations were not a primary concern in real estate construction and development, and built two successful environmental consulting firms in Atlanta, Georgia. Thirty years later, his field is booming and he is still at the heart of the action, with a boutique business and clientele he has intentionally nurtured.
So in this episode, Robert reveals how to identify a good business niche, and dig in! We unveil the strategies that helped him seed his company, and reflect on the forces at play within the environmental industry today. We draw lessons from Robert’s inspiring professional journey to find out how to keep business flowing even through changing partnerships and financial crashes.
Tune in with Robert Brawner for a lesson in motivation and resilience.
Highlights:
- Robert Brawner’s professional background (2:31)
- How to explore your niche and gather information (4:15)
- Unpacking the “Blue Ocean” strategy (5:52)
- Getting into Environmental Consultancy in Atlanta (7:07)
- How Robert became a partner at his first firm (8:43)
- Developing environmental consultancy in the commercial space (10:04)
- Growing your clientele within your niche (11:56)
- Switching gears before the 2008 financial crash (13:15)
- “When you leave a business relationship, don’t burn bridges” (15:05)
- Pivoting in the property development market after 2008 (16:45)
- How the Atlanta Beltline gave One Consulting Group a new lease on life (17:34)
- Property redevelopment: adapting & reusing building sites (19:50)
- The effects of climate change on Robert’s practice (22:08)
- Convenience, consistency, connection: the Japanese approach to client relationship (24:18)
- Advantages of keeping business at a boutique scale (27:22)
- “Now is a great time to grow” (30:02)
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If you have questions about the show or topics you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producers, Natalie.Barron@cadencebank.com, Eydie.Pengelly@cadencebank.com, or danielle.kernell@cadencebank.com.
What is In Good Companies?
Starting and running a business or managing one isn’t for the faint of heart. You’re balancing internal and external forces in a continually changing landscape. This is where Cadence Bank’s In Good Companies comes in. We share our wealth of knowledge–and insights from noted industry experts–to guide you through the forces shaping business today.
It’s hosted by Patrick Pacheco, an EVP and President of Cadence Asset Management and Trust, who has more than 25 years’ experience and is a self-proclaimed lifelong learner. He leads discussions with business owners and subject matter experts about how they’re tackling business challenges like:
● What are ways to grow my business without growing my debt?
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● Why is company culture more important than ever?
It’s information you need, in one place, in under 30 minutes. More than 250,000 listeners tune in each week. Shouldn’t you?
ABOUT OUR HOST
With more than 25 years’ experience in wealth management for business clients and a penchant for hosting, Patrick Pacheco is an EVP and president of Cadence Asset Management and Trust, and presenter of the bank’s In Good Companies podcast, now in its fourth season.
His background features years of legal practice and multiple degrees, including a Master of Taxation from University of Houston, a law degree from Southern Methodist University, and both a Master of Business Administration and Bachelor of Science in Economics from University of Texas at Arlington.
Pacheco describes himself as a lifelong learner and someone who loves asking questions–probably the ones you’re thinking about too. He’s especially excited about season four because of the diversity of topics and guests who will not only share their wealth of knowledge, but listeners will also get tips and tricks they can use in their own businesses, careers and professional lives.