About
I’m Aarni Heiskanen, Managing Partner at AE Partners and Co-founder of Thinking Portfolio.
I have a master’s degree in architecture, and I worked as an architect and architectural R&D manager for over a decade. Gradually, I grew more and more interested in innovative business development. I became an internet entrepreneur, and, later on, a certified management consultant (CMC).
Today I’m a co-owner of AE Partners, a business development consultancy, and Thinking Portfolio, a company delivering project portfolio management SaaS to over 50,000 users in more than 50 countries.
Many of my management consulting clients are in the AEC industry. I’ve consulted for architects, engineers, contractors, IT developers, and their clients.
I have authored business books, including The Management Consulting Blueprint, and written articles for local and international publications, e.g. ISACA Journal and Global Construction Review. Blue Collar Labs has featured me as an Industry Thought Leader.
GenieBelt named me as one of the top 100 influencers in construction:
The 100 Biggest Influencers In Construction
Companies in the AEC industry have one quality that makes them different from many other firms. They create our built environment, and their work endures over decades or centuries. In that sense they have a great responsibility to people and the environment. Construction requires money and creates wealth, but sometimes it also destroys them.
Construction is an over USD 8 trillion market, and is expected to grow another 8 trillion by the year 2030. How profitable that growth will be, depends on the ability of the companies to develop their productivity. In many countries, the productivity of construction is poor and has not shown improvement over the years.
I believe that there is a lot of business potential in AEC. Combining the traditional strengths of the industry with innovative ways of doing business can create awesome results.
The Blog
AEC-Business.com is a blog for innovators and game changers in the construction industry. The blog includes podcast episodes that are also available on iTunes and many other podcasting platforms.
I share ideas, success stories, tools and techniques that you can use to increase your company’s success through strategies, innovation, and development. Read what others have said about my blog.
I’m constantly looking for innovative ideas and good stories that can benefit my readers. Please feel free to send me suggestions, and I’ll look into them. You can contact me via LinkedIn or send email to info(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)aepartners.fi.
Do you want to support this blog and podcast? Contact me for more information at info(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)aepartners.fi!
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Contact
Send your comments and questions to info(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)aepartners.fi.
What others have said about my blog
I’m excited to share these reviews of my blog:
MY TOP 10 RECOMMENDED CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY BLOGS AND NEWS WEBSITES FOR 2013
“This is a great blog by management consultant Aarni Heiskanen. Heiskanen really knows the industry and shares from his personal experience. He is also personable and helpful, which earns him two big thumbs up from me. The blog is fairly new, so I hope he will see success and continue writing for a long time to come.”
AEC Business blog: (2014 Best Construction Blog nomination)
Written by Mark Buckshon on January 14, 2014
“Finnish-based Aarni Heiskanen writes a refreshing comprehensive blog about AEC management and business practices in AEC Business: Business inspiration for Architects, Engineers and Contractors. You’ll find many gems here, including this podcast interview with Michael Stone (whose blog also has been nominated for the competition.) Although I’ve known Michael Stone for many years, I didn’t know the story of how he started his consulting business until I learned it in the AEC Business podcast.
The blog’s graphic design quality certainly to me is among the best and most professional I’ve seen (frankly setting a far higher standard than my own blog and company sites.)”
The Top 9 Construction Blogs You Should Be Reading
Posted: 3/28/2014
“This is a great blog by management consultant Aarni Heiskanen who knows the industry and its important players.”
Top 50 Construction Management Blogs
September 17, 2014
“Aarni Heiskanen, a partner at AE Partners and Executive Producer of AEC Business, authors AEC-Business.com in the hopes of sharing ideas, success stories, tools, and techniques with architecture, engineering, and construction business owners, managers, and developers. The blog, therefore, covers a wide range of topics critical to industry leaders.”
The Top 17 Construction News Sites and Blogs
Published April 28th, 2015 by Rachel Burger in Construction Management
“Run by one-man army Aarni Heiskanen, this blog is a great resource for construction business owners looking to up their game with strategic insights. Filled with useful how-tos and a simple writing style, this blog is a must-read for construction managers wanting to stay ‘in the know.'”
Top 20 Construction Blogs & Publications to Follow in 2016
Posted by Philip McClendon on Oct 23, 2015
“AEC Business is a blog that will appeal to business owners, R&D managers, and construction business developers alike. Written by Aarni Heiskanen, an architect turned architectural R&D manager, internet entrepreneur, and certified management consultant, AEC Business is a valuable resource for any construction professional. Innovative ideas, products, tools, and success stories are at your fingertips to help you increase your company’s success. AEC Business features blog posts and podcasts, has a simple, clean, and stunning layout, and is not to be missed.”
5 Construction Blogs You Should Be Reading
Posted on February 19, 2015
“Blogger Aarni Heiskanen is able to offer a site with lots of timely advice from the business and management aspect of the industry, due to his years of experience within it. In addition to personal posts, this site offers updated articles and interviews with industry experts and leaders.”
The Best Resources for Your Construction Business
Posted on January 14th, 2016 by Matt Meltzer in Small Business Resources
“AEC Business – There’s a reason why this blog from management consultant Aarni Heiskanen shows up on every list of top construction blogs: It’s flat out the best one. The long-time construction industry insider delivers tips on everything from writing reports to utilizing mobile apps, often interviewing industry leaders for the stories. Combining that with a wide-image, sexy layout and relevant content makes this a must-read for anyone in the industry.”
8 Great Construction Blogs You Need to Bookmark Now
March, 2016
AEC-Business is a blog for construction industry innovators and game-changers. This top blog includes ideas, success stories, tools and techniques that can help increase company success through strategy, innovation and development. The blog also includes a podcast. Aarni Heiskanen blogs for AEC Business and is a Managing Partner at AE Partners, and Co-founder of Thinking Portfolio.
25 Construction Blogs For Builders & Industry Experts
October 12, 2016
This slick looking blog is written for innovators and game changers in the construction industry. It’s chock-full of interviews and in-depth articles about the latest technology and trends. Finnish author Aarni Heiskanen writes the posts himself and updates at least once a week, drawing on his 25 years of extensive industry experience. Very techy and cool.
Top 5 Construction Blogs
March 10, 2017
Another one of our go-to construction blogs is the AEC business, run by Aarni Heiskanen. With plenty of features on some of the most current construction matters, AEC Business writes in-depth, yet easy-to-follow blogs. Recently, the blog has featured a number of interesting pieces on construction technology, including virtual reality and augmented reality.
Are You Following These 12 Prolific Construction Bloggers?
May 10, 2017
The AEC Business Blog offers a rare glimpse into the future of construction technology! Aarni is passionate about all things tech and his desire to find innovative solutions to the industry’s big challenges is contagious. The blog is updated at least once a week and packed with intelligent commentary on the latest industry trends, as and when they develop.