BSCAI’s Member Advisory has been one of the association’s most successful programs, much of which can be attributed to the dedication and hard work of Robert Stewart, CBSE, director of Member Advisory for the association.
Stewart, though, shies away from such credit. He believes the program’s success lies in the camaraderie formed across companies and executives in our industry, as well as members’ willingness to help each other.
“BSCAI members represent some of the most devoted and dedicated business owners there are anywhere,” he says. “I tell people that BSCAI is an association of contractors helping contractors. Member Advisory is but a microcosm of that principle.”
The Origin Story of Member Advisory
Building services was a second career field for Stewart. After working in and around the entertainment industry for 20 years, he decided to try something completely different and started a cleaning business in 1998. In those early days, he was an organization of one.
Consequently, peer groups were his first attraction with BSCAI. He had been in business for a few years before attending his first BSCAI event, the 2008 CEO Seminar in St. Martin. “I was immediately attracted to the people,” he says, “a high caliber collection of business owners and leaders.”
He and four other like-minded colleagues operating similarly sized businesses eventually formed their own peer group. Within that first year, he had an unexpected opportunity to sell his Nashville-based business, with contracts that included the Grand Ole Opry House. “I tell people that my only regret with selling my business was I had to leave my peer group!” he says.
Around the same time, Stewart was completing a term on the BSCAI Board of Directors and saw an opportunity to help build the peer group program. He approached Chris Mundchenk, BSCAI executive vice president and CEO, and the two decided to move forward after some collaboration.
Member Advisory launched in late 2019 and almost immediately provided a sorely needed resource to help deal with the COVID-19 environment that fast unfolded in early 2020. “It gave people a forum for connection and collaboration,” Stewart says. The program offers two avenues: mentorship for one-on-one connection and peer groups for similarly sized companies to connect.
Stewart knows he is being a touch cavalier when he admits that building Member Advisory has not been all that difficult a task, but the growth has been organic. “It is somewhat humorous, but the most challenging thing has been scheduling the meet and greet Zooms for possible new peer groups. BSCAI contractors are busy people!”
Matching Companies For Maximum Impact
The BSCAI Mentor Program provides six hours of connection over a three-month period. The parties decide how best to structure their time together. “The relationship may be extended by mutual agreement,” Stewart says, “but this arrangement offers an anticipated end. Many have maintained some level of connection.”
As has been proven time and again, mentorship is meaningful for all levels of business. “One-on-one mentorship tends to be [geared toward] smaller, newer business owners working with a larger, more veteran contractor,” Stewart says. “However, we have matched larger company contractors. One match connected the owner of a $40 million company with an executive of a much larger billion-dollar company. Both parties have reported a very positive experience and result.”
BSCAI peer groups tend to be comprised of similar size companies that share similar types of challenges and opportunities. “We have peer groups at all levels,” Stewart says. “There are currently 19 peer groups with 93 BSCAI members. The overall average revenue for these groups is $5.5 million. The largest participating contractor is above the $50 million mark, and there are several at or around the $1 million level.”
One of his favorite examples related to peer group size is the $1 million group. “At some point in time, we had five or six contractors with revenue under $1 million,” he says. “It was difficult to find a peer group for these companies.” Typically, Stewart says, contractors at a $5 million to $10 million level are not looking to group with these smaller companies.
Stewart came up with the idea that these smaller companies could be grouped together, creating an environment of pushing and helping each other to move one or more members above the million-dollar mark. “It worked!” he says. “One of the contractors started at $700,000 and, about four years later, has hit the $1.7 million mark. He’s since joined a new group.”
Remembering the Early Days
Stewart recalls there being “immediate traction” for peer groups. While the pandemic was one factor, there was clearly a significant hunger for this type of connection. “We have had a steady flow of companies seeking to join or form a peer group,” he says. “Member Advisory provided the key ingredient of helping to curate, bring together, and launch the respective groups.”
At the outset, Stewart remembers mentorship being a slow and steady response. The demand for one-on-one mentorship just wasn’t as heavy as for peer groups. “From the beginning, we have had a good number of contractors willing to share their wisdom and experience as a BSCAI mentor,” he says. “We just put it out there and let the requests develop organically. There were 50 mentorship matches made in the first five years.”
More recently, BSCAI’s Board of Directors has recognized the impact that mentorship could have on the association and its members, making it a high priority for 2025. To this end, BSCAI invested in a software platform to streamline and support the process. The result? Fifty matches so far this year and counting.
Looking Back, Looking Forward
Stewart acknowledges the three peer groups established prior to Member Advisory, calling them BSCAI’s legacy groups. “One group is probably 40 years old and now includes some second-generation owners whose ancestors started the group,” he says. “Hopefully, many of the groups formed under Member Advisory will achieve legacy status. We are well on the way.”
Looking ahead, Stewart believes the future for the Member Advisory is strong. But it isn’t just about sustaining connections — it’s about shaping the next generation of industry leaders. With mentorship and peer support at its core, BSCAI is building a legacy of collaboration that will endure for decades.