Transcript

[Transcript]

[Daniel O’Dorisio, Owner, O’Dorisio Carpentry & Concrete]

Daniel O’Dorisio: I’m Daniel O’Dorisio, owner of O’Dorisio Carpentry and Concrete. I am a bit of a concrete nerd. I really enjoy seeing how small changes in the concrete can change how we finish it.

The only way to be successful in concrete is to have a good team. We’ve been together for a long time, and we really have each other’s backs.

The first banker that we had, it was more like a country club bank, and it kind of had the impression of being maybe looked down upon a little bit, that we weren’t the same business class that the bank was used to working with.

[Daniel’s first job was 120 square feet.]

[His most recent? 2.8 million square feet.]

[To get there, he switched to Truist.]

[Carin Schneller-Carr, Truist Relationship Manager]

Carin Schneller-Carr: I said, “Do you mind if we sit down and talk a little bit? Get to know you, get to know the business, let me know about what you need.”

Daniel: It was very, very simple, direct, and to the point, and I appreciate that.

Carin: At Truist, we sit down and we review the entire relationship with the client, whether it’s something that we can solve or we can bring in other partners.

One of our client’s biggest expenses is insurance. When you have a company like O’Dorisio, as they’ve grown, that expense has grown, so we introduced them to McGriff Insurance, and McGriff was able to save them tens of thousands of dollars a year.

And then outside the bank, we have connections all over as well, so we brought in a new CPA firm. We changed the way they do their accounting, so that we can provide additional credit and increase their line, so that they had the right reporting. It’s definitely been a team effort.

Daniel: I think the care that Carin shows from day one has been vastly different than our previous bank. It feels like we’re always on her radar.

Carin will check in from time to time, she’ll swing in the office and drop off a Bundt cake, and the folks in the office love them. And it’s not ever with a string attached, and that’s much appreciated.

Carin: What I love about O’Dorisio is that they’re everyday people. They are in their O’Dorisio T-shirts, their jeans, their work boots, and I love it.

Daniel: I never felt judged in any way going meeting with Carin. She does not mind that I bring boots and mud into her bank.

From the first job to today, it’s been a big transition. The services that Carin has provided have really been able to help us grow to this point and get the equipment that we need to do these jobs.

Carin: When I met him, his company was a million dollars, and that growth over a million to $2 million is a change of companies, and now they’re over 10 million dollars a year in annual sales.

And personally, I get to affect that. I get to watch.

And I’m excited to be here so that we can tell the entire journey for both of us.

[Imagine tomorrow. Build it today.]

Technology helps commercial concrete company boost revenue tenfold

Strategic Advice

Lifecycle advice for a competitive edge

Synopsis

Self-described “concrete nerd” Daniel O’Dorisio shares how the digital transformation of his banking and operations helped him take O’Dorisio Carpentry and Concrete to the next level of its business lifecycle. The result: He grew from laying sidewalks for homeowners to creating foundations for multimillion-square-foot distribution and data centers, sports arenas, and amusement parks—and increased revenues tenfold.

Challenges

Equipment that didn’t fit traditional loan requirements
Lengthy delay between start of job and payment
Need for large amount of capital at start of jobs
Desire to be industry leader in his region

Solutions

Freeing up capital with a line of credit
Opening a commercial credit card for startup costs
Digitizing financial processes to improve cash flow
Becoming a local pioneer in 3D technology

O’Dorisio Carpentry and Concrete

Headquarters

Headquarters
Yorktown, Virginia — founded in 2009

Title

Industry
Commercial concrete contractor, specializing in multimillion-square-foot projects

Title

Annual Revenue
More than $10 million

Headquarters

Employees
About 30

Title

Website
occvirginia.com

Title

Relationship
Truist client since 2018

Let digital drive evolution, even in an age-old industry

O’Dorisio Carpentry and Concrete has grown from a residential one-man operation to a commercial concrete contractor with more than $10 million in annual sales. Daniel O’Dorisio and his team have laid foundations for amusement parks, sports arenas, distribution centers, data centers, and all of Midtown Row in Williamsburg, Virginia—much of it while the rest of the world was still asleep.

Daniel’s team poured the floors, walls, stairs, and more in Williamsburg’s Midtown Row.

“Until a few years ago, pouring concrete hadn’t changed much since the Roman Empire,” Daniel says. “For many owners, it still hasn’t.” Daniel himself started out with only a wheelbarrow (for mixing) and a straight edge (for screeding, or leveling the surface).

That was in 2009. Since then, Daniel has updated every major aspect of his business model, which has given him an edge in a highly competitive industry.

“When I met him [in 2018], his company was [bringing in an annual revenue of] a million dollars, and that growth from over a million to $2 million is a change of companies,” says Carin Schneller-Carr, Daniel’s Truist relationship manager. “And now they’re over $10 million a year in annual sales.”

Her guidance on credit, insurance, and other upgrades, including digital banking, helped Daniel make that happen in about four years. His willingness to embrace new ideas, says Carin, played a pivotal role, too.

“Besides being a concrete nerd, I’m a bit of a tech nerd,” says Daniel. “And that’s helped me grow.” Here, Daniel shares his top digital-first strategies.

“When a client has a challenge that’s complex, it’s my job to make the solution clear and simple.”
Carin Schneller-Carr
Truist Relationship Manager

Start by adopting a flexible mindset.

In 2018, when Daniel first began expanding into commercial concrete work, he needed to buy an extra excavator, but his old bank balked at his request. The machine was refurbished, not new, so it didn’t fit a traditional equipment loan. That didn’t stop Truist relationship manager Carin Schneller-Carr, who won his business by solving his need with a flexible line of credit and a commercial card. “When a client has a challenge that’s complex, it’s my job to make the solution clear and simple,” she says. “That’s true throughout the lifecycle of their business, whether they’re starting to grow or are growing even bigger.”

Flexibility in financing can also facilitate digital adoption, says Carin. A flexible line of credit can cover short-term cash flow needs, giving you access to capital during the time between invoicing and client payments. You can also use it to stock up on extra inventory when suppliers’ terms are favorable. And it can let you act quickly to cover unexpected purchases—say, if your 3D laser screed gets dropped in concrete and your next job starts tomorrow.

Seek to be a digital pioneer in your area.

O’Dorisio Carpentry and Concrete is the only commercial concrete company in the region using a 3D robotically controlled laser screed, which was first introduced in the industry in 1984.^{Disclosure 1} The machine uses a laser to scan an area and create a detailed map that shows even the smallest bumps and divots, as well as the angle or pitch of the ground. This allows the concrete to be poured at a different depth—millimeter by millimeter—resulting in a more precisely leveled floor.

That can improve safety and efficiency in buildings like warehouses, which are well-traveled by robotic and heavy equipment that may be sensitive to bumps and changes in grading. Investing in the 3D laser screed has enabled Daniel to win larger bids, save on labor costs, waste less material, and improve work speed while also improving accuracy.

Daniel’s improved access to working capital also helps him upgrade or replace equipment quickly when it becomes outdated or damaged. “The environment we work in is really hard on digital equipment,” he says. “We’re on our third 3D screed in 2 years!”

Digitize banking to speed the cash flow cycle.

When he was laying sidewalks for homeowners, it was a mostly cash business, so Daniel would get paid typically on a weekly basis, or whenever the job was done. Pouring the foundation for a multimillion-square-foot sports arena was a whole new ballgame. Daniel needed financing up front so he could secure the equipment before getting started on a big job—long before he’d see the payment from his customer.

Switching to Truist digital banking and treasury management services has allowed him to get real-time cash reporting from any digital device, wherever his day takes him. It’s also sped up his business cash flow cycle, thanks to automated deposits.

Daniel also likes that he can easily look at his financial data digitally when estimating timelines and costs for prospective project opportunities.

“When you have the right technology and the right team, you can keep doing the work. And I love doing the work.”
Daniel O’Dorisio
Owner, O’Dorisio Carpentry and Concrete

Bonus tip: Daniel advises keeping your trusted banker updated on big jobs you’re bidding, even if you haven’t won them yet. That’s made it easier for Carin to turn around financing requests quickly, so there’s not a big delay between getting the project contract signed and starting work.

“When you have the right technology and the right team, you can keep doing the work,” says Daniel. “And I love doing the work.”

How your business can get there

Daniel’s advice: Be curious and stay on top of industry trends, even if your competition isn’t exploring them yet. View digital transformation as a journey, not a one-and-done. “And find a banker who listens and doesn’t just throw out a lot of fancy words,” he adds. “If something’s a no, Carin tells me it’s a no. But she also tells me what we need to do to get to a yes. And that’s what we do next. I respect that and appreciate it very much.”

Icons and text descriptions for The Results

Daniel O’Dorisio

Owner, O’Dorisio Carpentry and Concrete

“On big jobs, we start at 2 am and pour 50,000 square feet in a 14-hour day. So saving time with digital banking is huge for me.”

Carin Schneller-Carr

Truist Relationship Manager

“When I drive by the data centers and other things that Daniel’s helped build, I have a sense of pride that he’s my client and that I get to be a part of what he’s done and what he’ll do next.”

4 strategies for outpacing uncertainty

4 strategies for outpacing uncertainty

4 strategies for outpacing uncertainty

Technology helps commercial concrete company boost revenue tenfold

Synopsis

Challenges

Solutions

O’Dorisio Carpentry and Concrete

Headquarters

Title

Title

Headquarters

Title

Title

Let digital drive evolution, even in an age-old industry

How your business can get there

What’s your next bold business move?

Investment and Insurance Products:

Limited English Proficiency Support:

New York City residents:

Borrowers with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) needing information can use the following resources:

Technology helps commercial concrete company boost revenue tenfold

Synopsis

Challenges

Solutions

O’Dorisio Carpentry and Concrete

Headquarters

Title

Title

Headquarters

Title

Title

Let digital drive evolution, even in an age-old industry

How your business can get there

What’s your next bold business move?

Disclosures

Investment and Insurance Products:

Limited English Proficiency Support:

New York City residents:

Borrowers with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) needing information can use the following resources:

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