For about two years, we have been working on a waste recycling and diversion project that closely mirrors the one we have here in San Antonio. We were invited to meet with the VA in central Texas and a small town called Kerrville to get familiarized with their facility. They wanted to pick our brains and find out what it would take to implement a similar program. This new plan is a response to some of the new government mandates for diverting solid waste.

I often talk about the value of being patient and planning ahead to find areas where you can implement innovative ideas. We were fortunate enough to build on the success of our waste management program by finding new areas it can be implemented. Because of the past success we had with our waste disposal project, the people in central Texas wanted our assistance. Ultimately, the environment is fairly bureaucratic—unless you find the right decision maker, it is often very difficult to get started with your plans.

With a few modifications, we realized that a similar solution could be implemented in the Dallas facility, which is the second largest VA medical center complex in the country. I was taken aback by how large the facility was. After taking a tour of the buildings, we gave them some ideas based on the operations we had put into place here in San Antonio. The main hospital was constructed back in the 1920s, and it now consists of more than 40 buildings. A team of around 4,800 employees handle over 6,000 veterans each day. This doesn’t even take into account visitors. In total, there are probably at least 10,000 people that set foot in the facility every day. It’s hard to actually wrap my head around those numbers.

After our meeting with the VA in central Texas, we were able to give some feedback about the ideas we have. I think they will be releasing a project requirement solicitation within the next month (before the end of this fiscal year) to discuss how they plan to execute the project and also to look for someone who can go over there and make a proposal. I’m very excited about these developments, and I’m hopeful that some of the ideas I shared with them will be included in their plans.

I’ve usually been fairly liberal with sharing my ideas. I’m not very worried about giving away answers to someone even though later they may decide to partner with somebody else. While the thought has crossed my mind, ultimately, you have to execute. The operational details about how we conduct our business are shared partly because we have built a strong foundation and we are confident in our great team.

Others may try to emulate or duplicate our efforts, but they would be playing catch-up, and ultimately they would be trying to replicate the level of success we have already achieved. In the meantime, we are paying attention to where the puck is going, and not trying to follow where the puck has already been. Of course, part of the brilliance of the industrious people in the United States is our drive to always improve. We can identify a niche where we have the opportunity to excel and continue to improve and become more efficient.

I have often gained insightful feedback by hearing reactions to some of the solutions we have implemented over the years. When we share our operational details with someone, they will often have valuable ideas about how we can improve or refine our methods. Since we already have the infrastructure set up, these modifications are usually minor changes. Of course, we don’t share everything—we don’t give the keys to the kingdom, as they say. We do, however, give tours. Being open promotes collaboration and cooperation. We often hear from others that want to be a part of our team or wish to work together with us on a new project once they become familiar with our operations.

If you would like to start a discussion about how we can share and brainstorm new ideas, contact me, Joe “VetBizMan†Perez, directly.

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