Anthony Amunategui started CDO Group in 1998 with one goal in mind—better construction. Since then, the founder and his wife, company President, Sophia Amunategui, continue to revolutionize how the construction process gets managed. The key is to be in and out fast.

CDO Group was formed by a group of client-side development professionals to address the industry’s changing and often unpredictable development schedules. Over the years, it has represented scores of clients in all 50 states and all major designated market segments.

Part of its specialty is partnering with companies during periods of heavy expansion and/or remodeling. The key is to create detailed program plans that help save time and money throughout the program’s lifecycle.

The other side is its ability to fully understand the needs and expectations of the owner-side. With a relentless pursuit of process efficiency, CDO Group continues to create value for its clients.

We sat down with Sophia to get her thoughts on the ever-changing market and how working with restaurant brands like Panda Express, McDonald’s and Raising Cane’s is helping set the standards the industry follows.

Give us a snapshot of the CDO Group brand?
CDO Group is an impressive 26-year-old construction project management and GC (general contractor) company with a nationwide presence. Operating in all 50 states, we have established a strong reputation as a reliable and efficient provider of construction services to clients across the country. Our project managers are experts at spearheading large-scale, multi-unit programs across the country with a variety of restaurant brands and build types. Lately, our big focus has been on our CM (construction management) services.

With an estimated $100 million in annual revenue, we have achieved significant success in the industry. This is a testament to our commitment to excellence, quality and customer satisfaction.

One of our key strengths of Sophia’s is our team of 65 highly skilled and experienced professionals. They bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the table, enabling us to undertake even the most complex construction projects with ease.

As a GC, we are involved in all aspects of the construction process, from planning and design to project management and execution. This end-to-end approach helps ensure that projects are completed on time, within budget and to the highest possible standards.

Consumers are increasingly interested in sustainable construction practices. We are always emphasizing sustainability, which has differentiated us in the market and attracted new customers.

Right now, we are looking to expand our geographical reach by entering new markets and forming strategic partnerships with local companies. This will enable us to diversify our portfolio and take advantage of new opportunities as they arise.

We plan to invest heavily in research and development to stay at the forefront of technological innovation in today’s marketplace. By doing so, we will be able to offer our clients cutting-edge solutions tailored to their specific needs and requirements.

In addition, we plan to focus on building a strong brand and reputation for quality, reliability and innovation, which will help us attract and retain top talent and clients in the industry.

More importantly, that same section speaks to us expanding our General Contracting side, which is good and highlights our progress there, but I think that we should also put more emphasis on how our project managers are experts at spearheading large-scale, multi-unit programs across the country with a variety of restaurant brands and build types, with our big focus lately being on our CM services.

What will this help you do?
This approach will allow for better communication, collaboration and visibility across all teams and stakeholders involved in the project. It also enables us to invest in our team’s development and growth. We continue to provide ongoing training and education, which will help keep us team up to date on industry trends and best practices.

Being on the forefront of technological innovation also will help us continue to deliver the highest quality work to clients.

Talk a little about your diversity initiatives.
Our belief in diversity and inclusion is commendable and reflects a progressive and forward-thinking approach to business. By forging new boundaries and breaking down barriers, we are helping to create a more inclusive and equitable construction industry that benefits everyone.

Working with large organizations like Panda Express, McDonald’s and Raising Cane’s, CDO Group is leading the way in promoting diversity and inclusion in the construction industry. By bringing new ways of doing business that include everyone, we are helping create a more diverse and inclusive workforce that reflects the communities it serves.

We plan to focus on building a strong brand and reputation for quality, reliability and innovation, which will help us attract and retain top talent and clients in the industry.

In today’s complex and rapidly changing business environment, diversity and inclusion are more important than ever. By embracing these values and making them an integral part of its business strategy, we are not only creating a more inclusive workplace, but also driving innovation and growth.

We are setting a new standard for diversity and inclusion in the construction industry. By working with large organizations and promoting new ways of doing business, Sophia’s company is helping to create a more diverse and inclusive workforce that benefits everyone.

What are today’s consumers looking for?
Today’s consumers are looking for sustainable and energy-efficient construction materials and practices. They want buildings that are designed with functionality and flexibility in mind. This includes open floor plans, multipurpose spaces and smart technology integration.

In the retail construction world, they want a seamless and immersive shopping experience. This includes modern and aesthetically pleasing store designs, personalized customer service and the integration of technology to enhance the shopping experience. Customers are also looking for retailers that are environmentally conscious and socially responsible.

Overall, consumers in retail construction worlds are increasingly focused on sustainability, technology, and personalized experiences.

What are some of the challenges you see out there?
Some of the biggest challenges in growing a construction company nationwide include:

• Finding and retaining skilled labor — The construction industry is facing a shortage of skilled labor, which makes it difficult to find and retain workers with the necessary skills and experience to complete projects.
• Managing cash flow — Cash flow is a major challenge today, especially when dealing with large projects that require significant upfront investments.
• Managing risk — Construction projects are inherently risky, and managing risk is one of the biggest challenges every construction company faces.
• Adapting to changing technology — Our industry is rapidly evolving, and companies that fail to keep up with new technologies risk falling behind their competitors.

What about opportunities?

Some of the opportunities in growing a construction company include leveraging technology, diversifying services, expansion and sustainability.

In leveraging technology, new technologies like building information modeling (BIM), drones, and virtual and augmented reality can help us grow CDO Group and improve efficiency. They also reduce costs and improve the quality of our work.

We are diversifying services by offering a range of construction services. We continue to tap into new markets and create new revenue streams. That means expanding into new regions, which has helped us grow and increase our customer base.

Consumers are increasingly interested in sustainable construction practices. We are always emphasizing sustainability, which has differentiated us in the market and attracted new customers.

What does the rest of this year look like?
The construction industry is closely tied to the overall health of the economy and, as such, it is subject to fluctuations in economic activity. In recent years, the industry has experienced steady growth, driven by low-interest rates, a strong housing market, and increased investment in infrastructure.

However, the pandemic has had a significant impact on the construction industry, causing project delays and disruptions in supply chains. Many construction companies also have been impacted by labor shortages and increased costs for materials and equipment.

Looking ahead, the industry is likely to continue to face challenges as a result of the pandemic and other economic factors. But there also are opportunities for growth, particularly in the areas of sustainable construction and infrastructure investment.

We are researching and working on building an artificial intelligence (AI) construction model that is effective for retail construction. Overall, AI will help us clearly define the problems we want to solve.

The construction industry also is likely to be impacted by events such as changes in government policy, shifts in consumer preferences and advancements in technology. Companies that are able to adapt to these changes and remain competitive are most likely to succeed in the long-term.

We are researching and working on building an artificial intelligence (AI) construction model that is effective for retail construction. Overall, AI will help us clearly define the problems we want to solve. For example, we may want to use AI to optimize the design process for retail stores or to reduce construction time for multi-unit buildings.

It also will help in gathering data, which is relevant to the problem we are trying to solve. This includes data on building materials, construction techniques, project timelines and cost estimates. Once we gather the data, we need to clean and preprocess it. This involves removing duplicates, filling in missing data, and standardizing the data format to get to one source of truth.

We have been looking at different AI algorithms including ones that are appropriate for the problems we are trying to solve. For example, we are trying to use machine learning algorithms to predict construction timelines or natural language processing to analyze construction documents.

By train the AI model to use preprocessed data, we can adjust the model parameters to optimize performance. This is not that simple because most of the construction industry is so siloed. Creating the model using a separate dataset will help us see how well it performs. Once the model has been created, it can be deployed to help optimize the construction process for retail or multi-unit building companies.

Are you optimistic about the future?
It is easy to feel overwhelmed and lost in the midst of so many opportunities and advancements. So we will focus on guiding our team and showing them the potential that lies ahead. It is all about staying focused, remaining conscious and doubling down on our growth.

By doing so, we believe we can take advantage of the bundle of opportunities out there. Having the right mindset and approach means you can achieve greatness.

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Sitting down with CDO Group President Sophia Amunategui

How do you like to spend your down time?
I am not all work and no play. In my downtime, I love to satisfy my travel bug. I love exploring new places and experiencing different cultures, which helps gain new perspectives and inspirations.

I also love spending time with my children and their activities. It is important to nurture their interests and support their passions, whether that’s attending their sporting events or helping them with school projects. We also love to travel as a family.

In between all of that, I love yoga. It is a great way to relax and de-stress, while also improving her physical and mental health.