On March 26, GBCA’s Construction Leadership Council (CLC) hosted a virtual Coffee Chat with Nick Sabia, President of D.M. Sabia & Co., Inc. This informal meeting, facilitated by CLC Member Chris Jaccino of LF Driscoll, provided GBCA’s young and emerging construction professionals the opportunity to interact with an experienced construction executive, and to ask questions about working in Philadelphia’s commercial construction industry.
Nicks father, who owned the company, told Nick if he wanted to have any real decision making in the business he needs to go through the trades. Nick Sabia’s ascent from laborer to bricklayer within his family’s company underscores the importance of hands-on experience before assuming leadership roles.
This journey emphasizes the value of practical knowledge in construction, including plan identification and estimating, crucial for understanding production rates.
One important lesson shared by Nick is that D.M. Sabia views all jobs the same- regardless of how big or small and feels there is value in all projects. The big responsibility on small jobs translates into bigger projects that those lessons carry through.
Something that helped Nick in his early career was connections with others in the industry. He was exposed to GBCA at a young age and had the opportunity to go to networking events at the age of 21. He emphasized how today, it is more important than ever, to build relationships and get to know people on a more personal level than behind a phone or computer screen. He also shared one of the most valuable things you can do for yourself is to not be afraid and introduce yourself to people, be a good listener, sell your company, and sell yourself.
