u/PianistMore4166

Hi all,

I’m a long-time member of this community and have genuinely benefited from the advice shared here over the last several years.

Currently, I’m a Senior Project Manager for a real estate developer/project management advisory firm, working as an Owner’s Rep in the data center sector. Before moving to the owner’s side, I spent roughly 7–8 years with several top ENR general contractors.

About four years of that was spent traveling around the country building data centers, progressing from MEP APM to MEP PM. The other 3–4 years were spent working my way from PE to APM while building other critical infrastructure and municipal projects.

My undergraduate degree is in Construction Science from a state school, and I’m starting a professional/part-time MBA at a top-25 business school that is also a top 2 program in my state. I know an MBA isn’t required in this industry, but I’m pursuing it to strengthen my knowledge of the business/financial side of the industry and to apply it to a side business I own. I also received a scholarship and am paying the remainder in cash.

While I enjoy the operations side, my goal is to move beyond the project management role and into a Director, Program Leadership, or equivalent position within the next two years — either with my current firm or a mid-to-large GC, ideally a Top 100 ENR GC.

For those who have made a similar transition, what did you do to make the jump from PM/SPM into senior leadership?

Were there particular responsibilities, skills, relationships, or experiences that helped separate you from other strong project managers? Am I generally on the right track, or is there anything you would prioritize differently over the next couple of years?

I have a good relationship with my current CEO and President, and following a recent acquisition, they’ve started discussing leadership opportunities expected to open in 2027.

I’m aware that could simply be retention talk — especially in the data center sector, where tenure at any one company seems increasingly short — but I don’t necessarily get that impression. I’ve received some meaningful bonuses recently and was personally selected by my CEO to be on the interview team for potential hires, among a few other indications that I’m being brought into responsibilities beyond managing my own projects.

I’m trying to be deliberate about positioning myself for the next step rather than assuming that being a successful PM will naturally lead to a Director role.
Thanks in advance.

Any constructive advice, positive or negative, is appreciated. Personal attacks will be ignored.

Hello,

I own a Division 10/specialties subcontracting business, and recently I’ve had to implement a policy where I’ll only provide proposals for:
• Awarded GCs
• GCs currently negotiating with the owner
• Competitive bids where the bidder list is three GCs or fewer

I have an AutoDesk BC account, and I get bombarded with ITBs every day, so I’m not struggling to find work. Before starting my company, I spent 8+ years working as a Project Manager for several top ENR general contractors, traveling nationally on large projects, so I’ve been on the GC side of this as well.

The reality is that I simply don’t have the capacity to bid every project that comes my way, and I don’t charge for estimates. I also don’t have the time to spend several hours putting together a proposal for a project with 10+ GCs bidding it, where there’s a relatively small chance the GC I’m bidding to is ultimately awarded the work. At some point, it just becomes a poor use of my time and estimating resources.

When I’ve asked GCs for clarification about the aforementioned, most have been receptive and completely understood why I was asking. A handful, though, have been openly rude about it and act as if they are entitled to my time for free.

Having spent 8+ years on the GC side, I personally would’ve understood and respected a subcontractor being selective about where they invest their estimating time. I’m curious whether that’s how most of you see it, or if there’s a better way I should approach these conversations.

To be clear, I’m not refusing to bid competitive work. I’m simply selective about which competitive opportunities I pursue so I can spend my time on projects where there’s a realistic chance of winning the work.

I inherited a rattan dining set from my late grandparents that they owned since the 1980s and has been passed down through the family. The chairs are very sentimental to me, and overall, they’re still in great condition.

Unfortunately, the legs/feet have started to crack, which is causing the wheels to fall off and making the chairs unstable.

I tried taking them to a furniture repair shop in my area, but they told me they don’t work on rattan and that there are only a few people in the state who repair this type of furniture.

I was hoping someone here might be able to point me in the right direction. Ideally, I’m looking for someone in the DFW, Austin, or Houston areas who can repair rattan furniture.

I’m not willing to part ways with these chairs or the set as a whole. I have a lot of memories tied to this dining set, from when I was a kid through today, and I’d really like to preserve it if possible.

Thanks in advance!