February 2008 Industry Leader:

For Busy Brian Vicari, the Future is a Vast Kaleidoscope

By Juliet Farmer, ConcreteNetwork.com Columnist

As owner of The Concrete Colorist, Inc., located in Benicia, Calif., Brian Vicari has his finger of the pulse of the decorative concrete movement for over a decade, particularly in regards to color. As an installer, teacher, distributor, small business owner and new father, he's also got his hands pretty full.

Luckily, Vicari managed to squeeze in an interview with The Concrete Network, where he shared, among other things, his views on leadership, inspiration, and--you guessed it--color.

Brian Vicari, The Concrete Colorist

Here's what he had to say:

Q: It's been three years since we last talked. What have you been up to since then?: A: Well, for starters, I have a 2 ½-year-old son. That's really changed the way I approach business. Being a parent forces you to let go a little bit and rely on others. I try to not micromanage my business so that I can spend more time with my family.

That is one of the most difficult things to learn, especially as small business owner--that after you train and teach your employees, you have to allow them to do their work. That way, they feel a sense of belonging and they learn more. But definitely for a small business owner, it can be hard to let go. You have to let your employees make mistakes, fix them, and grow and learn for themselves in order to truly succeed.
Q: Has distributing been everything you thought it would be?: A: Thee years ago, I became a distributor, not out of desire, but I was teaching for a few manufacturers and they asked me to teach more and distribute. I really liked teaching, but I was reluctant to become a distributor, because my reasons for teaching were pure—to benefit the industry as a whole.

I just wanted to install and teach, with no ulterior motive. The manufacturers eventually convinced me, mainly because of the great products [that I rely on], and I still teach with the pure intention to better the industry. So I put the distribution out there, but I don't push it.

I only rep products I like and trust, like Colormaker, Smith's Color Floor, Gel Tech, and Flo-Master sprayers, which work with the products I use, as well as some various hand tools.

After 10 years of working in the industry, I lean toward some products more than others. For instance, the sprayers I use have to last and take the abuse of the chemicals I use.
Q: What's the biggest issue in regards to distributing?: A: The main issue I have with distributing is that I always hear, "Why are you teaching your competition?" Mainly, I really want to push the industry, which I feel needs a good foundation and support to succeed for the long haul.

As for distributing, besides freight company issues, the logistics can be challenging. I decided to keep it all separate and started another company to distribute, which eliminated a lot of paperwork issues that could have been.

To be an effective distributor, it's a fine line. It's difficult to distribute a lot and install. Distribution focuses on sales, and installing focuses on the creative aspect and high quality craftsmanship. It's a thin line not to push product, yet still get a creative outlet for installations.
Q: How else are you working to better the industry?: A: I have an instructional DVD, "Learn How To Install Visual Concrete Flooring," which is a 35-minute step-by-step tutorial of interior decorative concrete flooring, including prep, micro toppings, layout and scoring graphics, chemical stain techniques, water-borne stains, sealers and waxes.

It covers installation from beginning to end, and can be used as a starting point for DIYers; for those who are interested in attending a workshop but not completely sold on it, so they can see my style; or even as a refresher course after a workshop.

It's something I've wanted to do for a while, and it's just another tool for the industry.
Q: What have you learned about color?: A: I've learned that the subtle nuances of color are really important. It's important to allow clients a voice to those nuances, and not push them into a specific color palette.

For example, the latest trend is in greys, but there are so many nuances of grey—light grey, charcoal, purple tinged, green tinged. There are so many subtleties and variations.
Q: How do you match color?: A: By sampling, which is a double-edged sword.

On the one hand, it's needed so the clients can know what they are getting. It also provides a formula and ability to achieve a certain color for your guys.

But sometimes you have a sample that's old and the color lots have changed, but you still have to recreate that color. It can be years or months old, but sometimes it will be difficult to replicate. I recently had a resurfacing project that I had bid on two years ago, and I had to recreate the color.

I know people that don't do samples at all for that very reason, but I've found that proper record keeping helps a lot in the sample process. I created a worksheet (which is included with my DVD) that really helps me recreate samples.

I can usually hit the right color on the first or second attempt, but I'm also learning to let my employees figure it out for themselves. It allows them to have that thought process, and affords them the ability to work better on site as well.
Q: What's the trend in color?: A: Definitely grey. Five years ago it was terra cotta. But grey is modern, part of the loft style of living that's had a Renaissance. That modern style is a perfect match for enhancing natural concrete in shades of grey.
Q: What inspires you?: A: Life inspires me—everything, absolutely everything.

I rock climb and hike and I am always inspired by Mother Earth and nature. There are so many vivid colors and wonderful color combinations. Moss on concrete, for instance. And nature is the underlying theme in everything we do.
Q: What do you like the most about your chosen career?: A: I love creation the most. I get to start on Monday with an ugly floor, turn it into some creation by Friday—a visual floor after only five days of work. Then on Monday, I get to do it all over again somewhere else—a new project with a new set of challenges.
Q: How do you effectively lead?: A: Leadership is a process I feel will continually be evolving for me.

I'm also a learning leader--learning not to say the first thing that comes to my mind. As a society, we always talk when something's wrong, but not when things are right. As leaders, we need to remember to praise when something is good. It's hard to do, it seems so simple, but we forget.

A lot of times, your employees know when they've done something wrong, and it doesn't need to be harped on. Instead, focus on the positive and instill a sense of pride, and they will soon be monitoring themselves and striving to be better.
Q: Where do you think the decorative industry is heading?: A: I don't think decorative concrete has peaked. If you open up a phone book, there are eight pages of hardwood floor installers, and only two decorative concrete guys.

The industry is heading in the polished direction, which should create a Renaissance for Terrazzo, which could be huge for the industry.

There's also a need for more education and general awareness in consumers that this is not a fad—it's a natural building material.
Q: So do you plan to move into polishing?: A: I don't plan to get into polishing. I didn't jump into the countertop craze either.

My niche is resurfacing, graphics, color work. A lot of the old homes we work on need patching and restoration where polishing alone wouldn't work, so there will always be that niche for us.

There's definitely room for both color and polishing. Plus, I have my hands pretty full with a 2 ½-year-old, distributing, teaching, installing, estimating and sales.