The Builder Nuggets Podcast: Recent Episodes
Duane Johns & Dave Young
Listen to The Builder Nuggets Podcast where builders and remodelers share the elements of success needed to transform your business into a valuable asset that thrives using less of your time. Discover how to predictably scale your business, free yourself from day to day operations and develop your exit strategy and legacy.
Duane Johns and Dave Young will show you how to build a thriving business that allows you to spend more time doing what you love. Enjoy the stories, strategies and tactics that have helped hundreds of contractors like you build better lives.
Every job candidate has a set of hard skills and soft skills. Hard skills can be trained, but soft skills are natural inclinations that are difficult to teach. This episode explores how the soft skills that veterans have cultivated in their service career translate well to working in the construction industry. Our guests are from a familiar company, 84 Lumber, and today Joe Jena and Jason Hinsken join us to share how 84 Lumber has thrived by recruiting veterans and retaining them through offering a true career path where they can rise through the ranks.
Show highlights include:
- 00:30 Introduction to 84 Lumber and Guests
- 02:30 Personal Journeys: From Military to 84 Lumber
- 05:30 The Culture of 84 Lumber: A Family Atmosphere
- 07:25 Recruitment Strategies: Attracting the Right Talent
- 09:20 Identifying the Right Candidates: Traits and Skills
- 14:50 The Value of Hiring Veterans
- 17:20 Differences Between Military and Civilian Work Environments
- 20:30 Advice for Small Builders: Attracting Veterans
- 24:40 Opportunities for Veterans in Construction
- 29:45 Looking Ahead: Future Growth and Personal Aspirations
You can learn more about Joe and Jason at https://www.84lumber.com/.
Social media:
Joe’s LinkedIn
Jason’s LinkedIn
Or hit us through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
HVAC design and indoor environmental quality is an often overlooked part of home design and construction. Code continues to sluggishly push forward, but doesn’t reach a high standard for comfort and efficiency in most home builds. Today’s guest is the founder and lead engineer of TE2 Engineering and he works diligently to educate others about how to design beyond code. Ross Trethewey joins us to discuss the key elements of HVAC design, the benefit of heat pumps, and what new technologies are going to drastically change the industry in the near future.
Show highlights include:
- 03;55 Introduction and Background
- 06:35 Building Science and HVAC Design
- 8:30 Indoor Environmental Quality and Comfort
- 11:00 What drives code? Efficiency vs Comfort
- 21:00 The Benefits and Future of Heat Pumps
- 30:00 Emerging Technologies in HVAC Design
- 32:50 Geothermal Systems and Solar Integration
- 34:45 What’s coming up next and how to connect
You can learn more about Ross at https://te2engineering.com/.
Social media:
Or hit us through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Today’s guest shares his journey from the family chocolate business to becoming a sought-after builder in Rhode Island. Jeff Sweenor, founder of Sweenor Builders, delves into the evolution of his business, the importance of intentional client selection, and the transformation of his company culture. This has led to attracting and retaining talented individuals and an incredible opportunity to be involved with This Old House. Through over 30 years of challenges and obstacles, Jeff has learned most lessons that any successful builder has to learn. Listen in and you can learn them too.
Show highlights include:
- 03:10 The Journey of Sweenor Builders
- 08:40 Intentional Client Selection: The Key to Building Success
- 12:35 Determining your ideal client
- 15:45 Where does the budget come from?
- 19:15 How to choose your projects?
- 20:55 Ways the business has changed
- 23:00 The Role of a Chief Performance Officer
- 26:00 The Negative Impact of Being Too Nice
- 32:45 Elevating the Workforce for Talent Attraction
- 38:00 This Old House
- 43:30 The best advice - use social media
- 46:35 What’s coming up next and how to connect
You can learn more about Jeff at https://sweenorbuilders.com.
Social media:
Or hit us through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Human-centric, sustainable, green, high-performance and fully-supportive are the buzzwords of the last few years in custom home design. Today’s guest has been incorporating these elements into her home designs for decades - before there were labels to define the trend. Jenny Pippin, founder of Pippin Home Designs, shares what it means to incorporate the specific needs of clients with the natural harmony of location and space. The popularity of bringing the outdoors in and maximizing efficiency in new homes is only growing in demand. Listen in as we hash out the building science behind the trend.
Show highlights include:
- 02:05 Introduction to Jenny Pippin and Pippin Home Designs
- 06:00 Early days of full supportive homes
- 07:10 Creating Fully Supportive Homes: A Human-Centric Design Approach
- 11:30 How do clients figure out their priorities in how a home supports them?
- 14:00 How important is the lot?
- 14:53 Ideal clients and finding each other
- 16:50 What surprises people about a Supportive Home?
- 18:40 The standard must be met
- 20:00 Building Science in homes and the trends
- 24:00 Examples of client experiences
- 29:55 Navigating Rising Construction Costs and Budgeting Challenges with great design
- 35:25 The Importance of Team Collaboration in Home Design
- 40:00 What excites you about the next year 45:35 How to connect
You can learn more about Jenny at https://www.pippinhomedesigns.com/.
Social media:
Or hit us through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
We’ve invited back a special guest to give our annual economic update on the housing industry. Danushka Nanayakkara, Assistant Vice President for Forecasting and Analysis at the NAHB, joins the podcast again to share the annual outlook. Listen in to learn the trends for the next 18 months, where the industry is struggling most, and the direction the interest rates are headed next.
Show highlights include:
- 02:45 Introduction and Background
- 4:40 What was surprising economically this year?
- 07:55 Interest Rates and Inflation Outlook
- 14:35 Affordability Challenges and the Need for More Affordable Housing Units
- 24:55 Creative housing solutions and zoning
- 32:00 Economic trends for the next 18 months
- 38:40 Getting young buyers into the market
- 41:15 What does the industry look like 5 years down the road?
- 44:00 What excites you about the next year
- 45:35 How to connect
You can learn more about Danushka at https://eyeonhousing.org/.
Social media:
Or hit us through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
These two childhood friends took a leap of faith and started their own custom home building business over two decades ago and never looked back. Weathering the turbulent Great Recession in ‘08 and, now, Covid, these two home builders have joined us to share the hard lessons they’ve learned and the tools they’ve used to build success. Chris Ehrenfeld and Jason Dell cover the trends that are taking their market by storm, and how they keep their customers happy.
Show highlights include:
- 02:30 Childhood Friends Turned Business Partners
- 07:35 Bold Construction the journey
- 09:01 Navigating the Great Recession and Pivoting
- 11:15 Implementing Systems and Processes with EOS
- 18:30 The behavior of buying habits and what clients what
- 22:15 The Impact of Remote Work and Commuting
- 25:37 The Importance of Customization and Design
- 30:20 Navigating the Overwhelming Choices in Home Building
- 34:40 Current trends in homes
- 39:45 What excites you about the next year
- 44:50 How to connect
You can learn more about Jason and Chris at https://buildboldnc.com/.
Social media:
Or hit us through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
2024’s SORCI Report is an incredibly useful source of data that our guest today helped design at The Association of Professional Builders. Russ Stephens joins us for another year to go over the annual report and share the new industry trends he’s seeing, along with the biggest challenges facing builders and remodelers this year. This is an episode you can’t afford to miss.
Show highlights include:
- 01:15 Introduction of the Guest
- 02:32 Importance of Participating in the SORCI Survey
- 05:45 Highlights from the 2024 SORCI Report
- 07:30 Marketing Challenges for Builders
- 13:00 Content Creation and Marketing Strategy
- 19:55 Importance of Accurate Financial Reporting
- 22:25 Trends in Talent Acquisition and Employee Retention
- 25:55 Trends in the Residential Construction Industry
- 35:55 Accessing the SORCI Report
- 36:45 Exciting Developments in the Industry and Personal Life
You can learn more about Russ at https://associationofprofessionalbuilders.com/.
You can download this year’s SORCI report here.
Social media:
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-association-of-professional-builders/
Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCx3f5Njk_SkTIh7zEbg7qcA
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/apbbuilders/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/apbbuilders
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/associationofprofessionalbuilders/
Or hit us through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Doors and windows complete every home, and today’s guest knows first hand how competitive the market is for selling these products. Alan Lockuff, Business Development Manager with Andersen Windows and Doors, shares the benefits of a good company culture, building a strong team, and investing in business development. Even large companies had to build a strong foundation in order to thrive.
Show highlights include:
- 04:00 Alan’s Background
- 06:55 Andersen Windows and Doors: Changes and Focus
- 10:15 Identifying Ideal Customers
- 11:35 Providing Value Beyond Price
- 14:30 Delivering a World-Class Customer Experience
- 18:20 Building a Strong Team
- 25:00 The Importance of Involvement in Associations
- 31:00 Moving for Your Job
- 35:35 Outlook for 2024 and Beyond
- 37:35 Excitement for the Year Ahead
- 40:22 How to connect and what’s coming up next?
You can learn more about Alan at alan.lockuff@andersencorp.com or at ttps://www.andersenwindows.com/.
Social media:
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/feed/
Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/@andersenwindows
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/lockcuff.alan
Or hit us through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Distribution partners are integral to the custom home building and remodeling industry, and today’s guest is no exception. Scott Thomas, Director of Sales at Parksite, originally started in the industry as a Tyvek specialist before working his way up. Today he joins us to share his thoughts on the value of distribution partners, the newest industry products, and the importance of building strong relationships.
Show highlights include:
- 00:00 Introduction and Background
- 02:34 Scott's Journey in the Building Industry
- 03:24 Transition to Consulting and Salesforce
- 05:00 Starting and Selling a Consulting Company
- 06:00 Entrepreneurial Roots and Education
- 09:20 Return to Parkside and Reasons for Coming Back
- 11:02 Overview of Parkside and Scott's Role
- 12:45 Value Provided by Distributors
- 21:20 Trends and New Products in the Industry
- 23:43 Focus on Sustainability and Green Products
- 26:40 Impact of the Pandemic on Distribution
- 29:52 Importance of Face-to-Face Relationships
- 32:40 Building Loyalty and Allegiance
- 34:48 Creating a Strong Team and Delivering a Great Experience
- 36:18 Future Plans and Excitement
- 39:50 How to connect and what’s coming up next?
You can learn more about Scott at https://www.parksite.com/.
Social media:
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/today/author/scottthomas08/
Or hit us through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Standing out in a crowded industry, especially one that struggles with a poor reputation is an age old problem for business owners in the construction field. Building a brand is the foundation for growing your business into something that employees are proud to work for, and clients are proud to work with. Today, Natalie Harper joins the show to share her best tips for success when it comes to not only standing out - but standing up for something bigger.
Show highlights include:
- 2:50 Natalie’s start in PR and all about hockey
- 5:50 Getting started in marketing
- 8:50 Fundamentals of building a brand
- 11:25 How to build a foundation
- 14:11 Investing in knowing who you are early on
- 17:22 Like attracts like
- 21:14 Five C’s
- 26:20 Identifying which communities are important
- 30:05 What have the best brands done well to be successful?
- 32:14 Is it what you build or how you build it?
- 34:30 Your personal brand vs. the company brand
- 42:20 What have you learned from working in the custom construction industry?
- 51:20 Appreciate each other and your partners
- 54:35 How to connect and what’s coming up next?
You can learn more about Natalie at https://www.harperpr.com. Get inspired at alairmagazine.com.
Social media:
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalieharperpr/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/harper_pr/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/HarperPR/
Or hit us through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Today’s episode features a familiar voice. To kick off Season 4 we’ve brought back the annual favorite - Steve Barkhouse, owner of Amsted Design|Build. This year we’re treating you to his company’s step by step process for delivering the ultimate customer experience during a custom home building or renovation project. If you’ve been struggling as the industry has shifted from the ease of the pandemic building boom to what it is today - this is an in-depth look at what’s working and why it works.
Show highlights include:
- 2:00 What’s happened in the last year?
- 3:00 Homebuilders and remodelers are no longer order takers
- 4:05 Shifts in the permit market
- 6:10 Defining the client experience plan
- 11:00 How did you design the experience?
- 12:55 The first real touch
- 16:33 The In Home Consultation
- 22:45 A modest investment of time and professionalism
- 25:22 Diving into development
- 27:00 Presenting to the client and design agreement
- 29:37 Helping clients understand budget in the current economic climate
- 35:15 Having fun and signing the contract
- 36:48 Handoff process
- 39:30 Discovery After Demolition
- 41:30 Trusted advisors and solid teamwork
- 44:10 Electrical walk throughs are important
- 44:50 Critical 10 - the last ten percent
- 47:10 Completion date, payment, and celebration meeting
- 53:50 How to connect and what’s coming up next?
You can learn more about Steve at https://www.amsted.ca/.
Social media:
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevebarkhouse/?originalSubdomain=ca
Or hit us through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
It’s the end of 2023 and today Duane and Dave recap some of the most memorable moments from Season 3. This highlight reel revisits a few of the best nuggets from this year. We hope to hear from our Builder Nuggets community what you took away, and what you’d like to hear more of in the future. Reach out on our social links below or visit our website.
Show highlights include:
- 3:15 Ep 146 with Sam Rashkin
- 7:15 Ep 145 with Steve Arneson
- 11:05 Ep 109 with PJ Antonik
- 13:15 Ep 120 with Rob Cecil
- 16:50 Ep 122 Sabrina Starling
- 20:10 Ep 105 with Steve Barkhouse
- 22:40 Ep 126 with Gord Cooke
- 25:55 Ep 152 with Cheryl Hickey and Justin Thompson
- 30:05 Ep 140 with Mark Richardson
- 33:40 Ep 140 with Meghan Billings
- 37:50 Ep 155 with Chris Thomson
- 41:22 Reach out with your thoughts for Season 4
You can learn more about the show at https://buildernuggets.com.
Social media:
LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/duanejohns
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/buildernuggets/?hl=en
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/buildernuggets/
Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-builder-nuggets-podcast/id1532287154
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Becoming successful doesn’t happen alone. It often takes support and mentorship - two things which can be difficult to find and cultivate. Our guest today is Chris Thomson, Head Coach at Student Works, who helps young entrepreneurs become successful business owners. He joins us to share his goal of creating 1000 millionaires, and his building blocks for making it happen.
Show highlights include:
- 3:05 Chris’s background
- 4:38 Studentwork’s mission
- 7:13 How to collaborate and build a mastermind
- 11:05 How do we hold people accountable?
- 16:30 Is there ever resistance?
- 19:45 Recruiting to attract top talent
- 25:47 Success stories and 1000 Millionaires
- 30:00 How do you start on this path?
- 34:45 What do graduates go on to do?
- 38:50 Where do your coaches come from?
- 42:20 Has the program ever negatively impacted a student’s schooling?
- 45:50 How to get in touch and What’s coming up next?
You can learn more about Chris at https://www.studentworks.com or at cthomson@studentworks.com.
Social media:
LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-thomson-swp/
Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/leaders-of-tomorrow-podcast/id1448651718
Or hit us up through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
It’s a fact that women and minorities are underrepresented in the construction industry. Our guest today has been working to change that and making waves across the country. Today, Nora El-Khouri Spencer, founder and CEO of Hope RenovationsRenovations, joins us to talk about taking on the difficult task of breaking norms, creating change, and tackling the hard stuff. Her model was the first of its kind, and has been instrumental in positively impacting her community. If you’ve been wondering how to make your own business more inclusive, it’s time to learn from NAHB’s Woman of the Year for 2023.
Show highlights include:
- 3:24 How Nora got started in the industry
- 5:00 Deciding to build a business
- 6:00 What was the reception from Nora’s circle
- 7:56 Who were some of the first women hired?
- 10:00 What are some of the most exciting opportunities available?
- 11:45 Teaching women there are opportunities in the trades is rare
- 13:45 What does Hope Renovations do?
- 15:50 How do women feel about participating in the construction industry?
- 17:35 Will Hope Renovations grow into other disciplines outside of trades?
- 19:35 How big is the organization?
- 21:45 What ways can other leaders get involved in this?
- 24:11 What conversations are being had with younger kids?
- 25:15 Who all wants to join?
- 27:30 A memorable student experience
- 30:20 What has the older generation thought about you and what do they need?
- 35:20 How to get in touch and What’s coming up next?
You can learn more about Nora at https://www.hoperenovations.org.
Social media:
LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/company/hoperenovations
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/hoperenovations
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/hoperenovations
Or hit us up through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed with the amount of new technology available daily. AI is taking the world by storm and it’s not always clear how it can be used to help the building sector. Today Jonathan Porter-Whistman with Perception Predict AI and Whohire.com joins us to explain the way AI is built, the purposes it can serve, and how builders, remodelers, and tradespeople can use it to better their businesses. If you’re still sifting through resumes trying to find the best talent, yet seeing turnover stay consistently high - it’s time to learn the way of the future.
Show highlights include:
- 2:30 Jonathan’s background
- 4:00 How do you determine how to find the right people and then scale it?
- 9:00 How should we perceive where AI is today?
- 12:45 AIs are already starting to behave more like humans
- 15:20 How can the building industry get more involved with AI?
- 17:45 How do you know what areas to focus on and who to trust?
- 21:00 What is the hiring problem that AI can solve?
- 23:00 How does Perception Predict AI work?
- 30:00 AI can be a filtration tool for employers and a resume writer for employees
- 36:00 How to give immediate satisfaction to potential employees
- 39:50 What are current AI solutions that builders and remodelers can use now?
- 41:25 How to get in touch and What’s coming up next?
You can learn more about Jonathan by emailing him at jon@whohire.com or check out ttps://www.perceptionpredict.ai/.
Social media:
LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanwhistman/
Or hit us up through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
The relationship between a builder and their client is the most important part of a build or renovation project. Cultivating trust and practicing positive communication are invaluable skills in a builder’s arsenal, and are the two most important factors in creating a successful builder-client relationship. Today, we interview Cheryl Hickey and Justin Thompson, a client and a builder, on their relationship and the incredible collaboration they shared. Completing a whole house renovation while supporting the Hospital for Sick Children (Sickkids), this partnership created a unique opportunity to support their local community. For anyone who wants to use their skills or their business to give back to others - this is the episode for you.
Show highlights include:
- 3:00 Housing collaboration turns to community collaboration
- 9:35 Knowing it’s time to renovate and stay in the neighborhood
- 11:35 The confidence to share a build publicly
- 16:08 What was surprising about your renovation?
- 18:41 Appreciating the trades
- 19:50 How to be a good neighbor during a reno
- 22:20 Sharing a true renovation journey on social media
- 26:00 A successful builder/client relationship
- 30:20 The Sickkids initiative
- 36:50 What kind of feedback have you been getting?
- 40:40 What’s coming up next?
- 44:20 How to get in touch
You can watch Cheryl’s home renovation collaboration with Alair here.
Social media:
Cheryl
Tiktok- https://www.tiktok.com/@cherylhickey?lang=en
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cherylhickey/?hl=en
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/CherylHickeyETCanada/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/cherylhickeyetc?lang=en
Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxDXsbH3Ib8754f8izXUckjKllQzyYg27
Justin
Linkedin: ttps://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-thompson-1671a031?originalSubdomain=ca
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alairhomes.ontario/
Or hit us up through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
For many, the term luxury is a matter of status. Ted Bainbridge with Build Magazine joins us today to discuss not just the meaning of the word luxury, but what he sees trending across the board in the luxury market with both consumers and builders. Technology and sustainability might have the edge in luxury products, but what creates a true luxury experience for consumers building their custom homes? It’s all about relationships.
Show highlights include:
- 2:50 Lessons from podcasting
- 4:35 How Ted got to where he is today
- 6:00 What is luxury today?
- 9:10 The technology disconnect
- 12:00 What experiences are people planning for in their homes during the design phase?
- 14:00 New products and features in luxury homes
- 16:40 Healthier home trend
- 20:40 Sustainability is popular but so are fossil fuels
- 25:30 Differences in the luxury experience of building a home
- 35:30 Customer/builder relationships can be difficult but successful
- 40:00 Unique and unexpected luxury markets
- 42:00 What’s coming up next?
You can learn more about Ted at www.buildmagazine.com.
Social media:
LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/ted-bainbridge-293b16168
Or hit us up through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
It’s that time of year again when we bring you an economic update from the National Association of Home Builders. Danushka Nanayakkara, Assistant Vice President for Forecasting and Analysis at the NAHB, joins us to share the details of where the housing market is headed as we close out 2023 and head into 2024. We tackle the big questions surrounding interest rates, supply and demand, regional market differences, and whether a recession is still on the horizon.
Show highlights include:
- 2:30 Automotive to home building
- 4:15 The pulse: taking a recession off the table for now
- 5:25 Increases in costs and interest rates
- 11:00 What could the new mortgage rate be in the future?
- 12:34 Inflation and home prices
- 14:35 Locked into low interest rates and unable to move
- 16:50 The income gap and the shrinking middle class
- 19:30 Will wages continue to rise?
- 21:50 Demand will stay strong because of millenials
- 26:40 Multi-generational family living and the hurdles for creating affordable housing
- 32:55 What should builders/remodelers do in their business to prepare now
- 36:35 Regional differences seen at the national level
- 38:50 What’s coming up next?
- 40:05 How to get in touch
You can learn more about Danushka at https://eyeonhousing.org/author/dnanayakkara/.
Social media:
LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/danushka-nanayakkara-234a2223/
Or hit us up through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Planning for retirement is often a low priority among younger business owners. There are even established builders and remodelers that think retirement is a far off reality they don’t have time to prepare for. The truth is that there are many steps, beyond the financial, that can help prepare a person for a fulfilling retirement that are often overlooked. Today, our guest breaks down retirement planning into 8 simple steps you can work towards that will help you feel comfortable. Kevin Walsh joins us to share the roadmap he’s created, and how it felt to accomplish it himself.
Show highlights include:
- 2:10 Meeting and providing industry resources
- 6:00 Financially preparing for retirement
- 9:45 #1 Start saving money for retirement when you first start working
- 17:50 Invest in your employees with 401ks
- 19:05 #2 Focus on your health
- 23:20 #3 Make time for your family
- 29:20 #4 Figure out your career desires
- 35:10 #5 Self-Development is important
- 40:40 # 6 Giving back to your community
- 44:10 #7 Social experiences are crucial
- 46:35 #8 Have core values in your life
- 50:30 What’s coming up next and how to get in touch
You can learn more about Kevin and discuss the topics of today’s episode by emailing him at kevinmwalsh1962@gmail.com.
Or hit us up through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
The adage of robbing Peter to pay Paul has been a part of the building industry for far too long. It’s eroded the trust of customers and trades who are constantly fearful of their bottom line. Builders and remodelers who manage their finances this way are floundering. Today, our guest is Jake Harris, the Founder and CEO of BuildWallet, who is challenging the industry norms by investing in the technology of the future. Listen in as he shares a new way to partition project money that reinstills trust in everyone involved.
Show highlights include:
- 2:10 Attending the International Builder Show
- 3:20 How Jake got into the industry and starting his own company
- 9:45 Why builders shouldn’t be bankers
- 13:45 Inception and how BuildWallet began
- 22:25 How does BuildWallet work?
- 24:20 How does access work?
- 28:00 The perspective of the homeowners, the builders, and the lenders
- 34:30 Are users finding success?
- 37:00 What happens when parties disagree about the money?
- 43:14 What’s coming up next and how to get in touch
You can learn more about Jake at https://www.buildwallet.com/.
Social media:
LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/jake-harris-985a565/
Youtube- https://www.youtube.com/@buildwallet
Or hit us up through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
The business of recruitment has changed dramatically in the last few years. The talent pool has shifted, and inevitably the employers must shift as well. David Fisher, Director of Talent Acquisition at 84 Lumber, joins us to share how they foster a company culture that retains and attracts talent. Today we talk about the difference between jobs and careers, and how to innovate in a field that can determine the success of a business.
Show highlights include:
- 2:10 Starting out in sports management
- 4:50 Getting into 84 Lumber
- 6:00 Why recruiting?
- 8:00 Creating the job description and developing recruitment
- 10:00 Borrowing from sports management and growing into the role
- 11:20 What does recruiting mean today?
- 12:50 What are candidates looking for?
- 14:25 Communicating the mission and the vision
- 17:25 How to build and amplify culture?
- 19:04 Fostering the right environment
- 20:45 Getting the story of 84 Lumber out in the world
- 25:00 How to make trainees want to stay
- 27:13 What’s the next innovation for attracting talent?
- 29:56 Changes in the workforce
- 31:30 What’s coming up next?
- 32:35 How to get in touch
You can learn more about David at https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-fisher-168142223 or apply to 84 Lumber at https://www.84lumber.com/careers
Social media:
LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/company/84-lumber/mycompany/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/84lumber
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/84lumber/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/84LumberNews
Youtube- https://www.youtube.com/user/84lumbervideos
Tiktok - https://www.tiktok.com/@84lumbercompany
Or hit us up through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
The myriad of problems facing the housing industry can sometimes feel insurmountable. The push towards high performance, the need for affordability, and the continuing rise of inflation and costs for business owners might leave you feeling like you’re getting left behind. The truth is, the answers are out there, and our guest today is here to share real examples of the direction other countries have taken, and where we might be headed next. Sam Rashkin, founder and author of Retooling the U.S. Housing Industry joins us to share revelations from his newest book, Housing 2.0.
Show highlights include:
- 2:30 Sam’s start in the industry
- 4:45 The upcoming housing industry disruption
- 8:50 How to look at the industry and solutions differently
- 11:20 How important is user experience in the industry?
- 15:30 Does the industry have to move towards off-site prefabrication?
- 20:30 How to translate the experience to the customer and provide value
- 24:45 The future of housing and examples around the world
- 28:45 Landscaping and architecture
- 31:45 Digitization in the industry’s future
- 37:45 New players in the industry
- 43:55 What can builders do to get ahead of the disruptions?
- 49:00 Where will AI come in?
- 49:42 What should builders prioritize?
- 57:40 How does the industry prepare the builder to prepare to the new level?
- 1:03 What’s coming up next and how to get in touch
You can learn more about Sam at https://srashkin.com/ or email him at sam@truhomefacts.com. If you’re interested to learn more about Housing 2.0 visit here.
Social media:
LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-rashkin
Or hit us up through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Trigger Warning This piece briefly discusses suicide and suicidal ideation, and some people might find it disturbing. If you or someone you know is suicidal, please, contact your physician, go to your local ER, or call the suicide prevention hotline in your country. More resources are available below.
There are times in life when you convince yourself things will never get better. You or your business may get knocked down, but it’s important to surround yourself with a community that can help to build you back up. Today’s guest has been through his own hard times, and he’s here to share his journey towards a mindset of abundance and how he built a foundation that won’t crumble when life sends him challenges. Steve Arneson, CEO of Synergy Mastermind in Canada, understands better than most how important it is to live with intention.
Show highlights include:
- 3:05 How Steve got into real estate
- 7:00 TRIGGER WARNING: Steve shares a heartbreak that drove him to suicidal ideation
- 11:45 How did depression/suicidal ideation affect work?
- 14:10 Did people know?
- 15:40 What happened and how did you move forward?
- 20:10 END TRIGGER WARNING: Being present and intentional
- 24:00 Becoming comfortable moving forward and steps to being successful
- 32:25 Building back up
- 36:15 Where do participants come from?
- 38:00 How to get in touch and upcoming event
- 39:50 What is the intention when trying to be your best self?
- 41:30 What’s coming up next?
You can learn more about Steve at https://synergymastermind.ca/.
Social media:
LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevearneson/
Facebook - https://facebook.com/groups/thereinvestors
Instagram - https://instagram.com/steve_arneson
Twitter - https://twitter.com/arnesonsteven
Youtube- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfN7ILS4mbSoYSRvQuDBGvQ
Or hit us up through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
If you or someone you know is dealing with suicidal ideation, please visit The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by dialing 988, or message the Crisis Text Line at 741741. Both programs provide free, confidential support 24/7. More resources can be found at Lifeline (988lifeline.org) and SAMHSA.
Taking over for a sick general contractor who was supposed to be building her home led today’s guest to become a general contractor and business owner herself. Meghan Billings talks about her unconventional journey into the industry, joining a Builder 20 Club, and the experience her company works to give their clients and their trades. Communication is key, and so are challenging assumptions about women in the industry.
Show highlights include:
- 2:30 Growing up in Alaska, settling in Idaho
- 3:50 How the pandemic affected Idaho and other snow stories
- 6:35 The journey into the industry
- 9:50 Starting a business
- 11:30 What were you trying to do to separate yourself?
- 14:15 Catching excitement for designing homes
- 17:30 Why design build?
- 19:52 What does the team look like?
- 23:05 What challenges have you overcome?
- 25:35 The importance of the client and the trades experience
- 33:40 Your experience as a woman in the industry
- 37:15 What’s coming up next and how to get in touch
You can learn more about Meghan at https://megconstruction.com/.
Social media:
LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/megconstruction
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/megconstruction/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/megconstructionandDesign
Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/MEGConstruction/
Or hit us up through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Neighborhood HOAs, high-density apartment complexes, and multi-use developments have become the new common practice in the last few decades as the answer to addressing housing concerns. Hard-fought changes in zoning restrictions and ugly battles that pit generational investments against community growth have crowded out the voices in the building industry that are clamoring for a different type of housing experience. Evan Bost joins us to share examples of success in land use reform and the steps he takes toward the topic in his family’s custom home building business.
Show highlights include:
- 3:00 A musician and a home builder
- 4:25 About Bost Homes
- 8:45 Evan’s journey into the industry
- 11:15 Stepping into larger roles
- 14:30 What was the reception from the team to bringing on family?
- 16:00 Getting licensed and future plans
- 18:50 Interest in land use reform
- 24:50 What is the vision for more lovable communities in the future?
- 28:50 The younger generations have different desires for communities
- 34:00 Changes in development feel out of reach
- 37:00 Examples and barriers of reimagined housing experiences
- 41:51 What’s coming up next and how to get in touch
You can learn more about Evan at https://bosthomes.com.
Social media:
LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/company/bost-custom-homes/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/do_you_even_baste/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/BostHomes/
Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/c/BostCustomHomesCary
Twitter - https://twitter.com/BostEvan
Or hit us up through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
When building a company, there are so many priorities and often, not enough trained people to delegate to. Today, our guest covers the best practices surrounding building a team, retaining that team, and preparing for what’s coming next. Sky Kolade, co-founder of The Association of Professional Builders, joins us as we talk culture, cowboys, and the upcoming industry reset.
Show highlights include:
- 3:20 How did the Association of Professional Builders get started?
- 9:10 What issues were you hoping APB could solve in the industry?
- 13:45 How are you seeing builders build culture?
- 19:25 Are current industry complications affecting culture?
- 23:00 What are common themes of good company culture?
- 30:10 Attracting and retaining talent
- 39:05 Team assessments for building better communication
- 41:24 What are the biggest headwinds in the industry in the next few years?
- 46:31 What’s coming up next and how to get in touch
You can learn more about Sky at https://associationofprofessionalbuilders.com/.
Social media:
LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/skycheristephens/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/apbbuilders/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/associationofprofessionalbuilders/
Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/c/associationofprofessionalbuilders
Twitter - https://twitter.com/apbbuilders
Or hit us up through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Any business owner in this industry has struggled to build a good team, to scale, or to step away from the daily grind. Today, a familiar voice joins us to share his personal struggles through his seemingly meteoric rise through the ranks as a young builder. Nick Schiffer of NS Builders breaks down where he’s chosen to invest, the pushback he’s received, and how he’s choosing to focus his energies moving forward.
Show highlights include:
- 2:00 You can love and hate what you do
- 3:10 Having a fourth child
- 7:00 How does perfection fit into scaling a business?
- 13:45 Innovation can make slow progress
- 18:40 The struggle to focus on one thing at a time
- 24:07 Risky business transitions
- 27:30 Reflecting during times of struggle
- 31:50 Where to invest for the biggest impact
- 34:00 Learning from a bad hiring mistake
- 37:15 Investing and building an A Team takes a lot of work
- 42:00 How to scale when your team isn’t behind you
- 45:45 It’s hard to stay in your own lane
- 48:15 To focus or not to focus?
- 51:00 What’s coming up next and how to get in touch
You can learn more about Nick at https://www.nickschiffer.com/.
Social media:
LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickschiffer/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/nickschiffer/
Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/c/NSBuildersLLC
Or hit us up through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Across the industry the consumer mindset has shifted immensely around remodeling and our guest today has lived through it all. Mark Richardson, author of How Fit Is Your Business, joins us to share his journey of helping set the standard for professional remodeling and his views on where the industry is headed. Today we tackle why bigger isn’t always better, avoiding potholes, and changing the common misconceptions that plague remodelers trying to grow their business.
Show highlights include:
- 2:25 An interesting last few years
- 5:20 A different consumer mindset
- 7:20 Mark’s journey through the industry
- 12:16 What makes a remodeler a professional?
- 16:00 Are there more professional remodelers now than in the past?
- 18:28 Shortage of skilled labor
- 21:52 How can a remodeler become more professional?
- 25:00 What does a healthy construction business look like?
- 29:20 Common business mistakes
- 34:00 Use the resources you have available - including AI
- 35:50 Who were your mentors along the way?
- 37:10 Mastermind groups
- 39:30 Where is the industry headed?
- 42:42 The difficulty of finding talent
- 46:30 What’s coming up next and how to get in touch
You can learn more about Mark by emailing him at mrichardson@mgrichardson.com.
Social media:
LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-richardson-54970255/
Or hit us up through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Building a business and building a business that’s attractive to future buyers are two different things - but they don’t have to be. Today’s guest, Mark Herrmann, walks us through the process of finding and retaining a quality business broker who can help you prepare for the transition out of business ownership. He tackles the mistakes and misconceptions that many entrepreneurs make when trying to sell their businesses. We all wish selling a business was a quick and easy process, but with the right preparation and the best professional assistance, success could be just around the corner.
Show highlights include:
- 3:00 The journey into business ownership
- 6:00 Building and selling the first business
- 10:25 The transition into a new business
- 12:30 What does a business broker do?
- 13:55 The process of valuing a business
- 18:10 What has the most effect on the value of a business?
- 19:30 The timeline of a sale
- 20:45 The value of a broker vs. selling on your own
- 24:55 How does a broker get paid?
- 28:35 How to make your business more valuable in advance
- 31:00 What is the process for selling a business?
- 33:34 Finding a good fit to buy your business
- 37:00 Can the seller and buyer meet?
- 42:40 Preparing for the transition after selling
- 49:25 What’s coming up next and how to get in touch
You can learn more about Alaina at http://www.carolinaadvisory.com.
Social media:
LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/markherrmann92/
Or hit us up through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Rewarding is the word often used to describe a career in the residential construction industry. Today’s guest once struggled to love her job until she transitioned to a career as a home builder. Now a founder and CEO of Garman Homes, Alaina Money-Garman joins us to share how she worked her way through the ranks and helped build a company she can be proud of. Her company’s values and their community outreach tell the story of how every home builder and remodeler can choose a path that brings fulfillment to not only the team, but to those less fortunate.
Show highlights include:
- 2:35 Life outside of work
- 3:20 Getting started in the industry - switching careers
- 6:10 How Garman Homes began
- 8:20 The 4 Garman Differences and why they matter
- 15:08 How did you grow a large team?
- 21:21 How do you guarantee a closing date?
- 25:35 How has Garman changed through the years?
- 27:45 Getting the business on track with changing leadership
- 32:45 Support groups, mentors, collaborators, inspirations
- 35:15 How a homebuilder can give back to the community
- 43:25 What’s coming up next and how to get in touch
You can learn more about Alaina at https://www.garmanhomes.com/.
Social media:
LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/alaina-money-garman-51388426/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/alainamoneygarman
Or hit us up through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Maybe you haven’t yet invested in a business coach, but it’s been on your mind. Today we invite back a familiar voice, James Pagano, to coach our listeners through some tough times. If you’ve been struggling to keep up with competitors, feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day to get it all done, and have been wondering why you wanted to be a business owner in the first place - you’re not alone. Today we analyze the common mistakes stressed entrepreneurs are making, and get some great advice for how we can all thrive in this fast-paced industry.
Show highlights include:
- 2:40 What impact did covid have on your coaching business?
- 6:50 How did you get into coaching?
- 9:15 What does your business look like?
- 12:50 Finding talent is straining business owners
- 16:30 What should business owners do first to alleviate this stress?
- 22:10 What should business owners stop doing?
- 25:20 Is it valuable to advertise your flexible benefits?
- 29:20 Generational metrics have changed and workers want new things
- 36:45 If you’re not healthy, you’re dying
- 39:25 Outsourcing is an option
- 42:20 Economic outlook
- 44:20 What’s coming up next and how to get in touch
You can learn more about James at www.jamespagano.com.
Social media:
LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamespagano/
Or hit us up through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Accessory dwelling units have been taking certain markets by storm, and as more zoning is rewritten, they could very well be the wave of the future. Today’s guests are familiar voices. Gregg Cantor and Rachel Walker from Murray Lampert join us to share how they were first introduced to building custom ADUs, and how they’ve quickly grown to be over 40% of their business. In this episode, we tackle the prominence these small dwellings have gained in the areas where cities are reinventing what a housing footprint can look like.
Show highlights include:
- 3:30 Team members who have had an impact on your business?
- 5:30 When did you first get involved building ADUs?
- 8:22 What makes it an ADU and why do people build them?
- 10:40 What makes an ADU different than an addition to the home?
- 14:24 What ways do people use their ADUs?
- 15:20 Innovation in tight spaces
- 17:17 Are there challenges from the community?
- 18:04 Are people asking for ADUs? Or are you suggesting them?
- 20:50 Architecture and Deisgn
- 24:00 Multi-generational family living
- 26: 22 Is there pushback?
- 29:10 Interesting features and requirements
- 32:40 Navigating ADU specific codes with design build.
- 34:00 Navigating pitfalls
- 39:48 What’s coming up next and how to get in touch
You can learn more about Gregg and Rachel at http://www.murraylampert.com.
Social media:
LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/greggcantor
Twitter - https://twitter.com/murraylampert
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/MurrayLampertDBR/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/murraylampert/
Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/c/MurrayLampertDesignBuildRemodelSanDiego
Or hit us up through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Businesses are meant to be profitable as a measure of success. Today we shine a light on the less celebrated achievement of builders and remodelers using their businesses to help their communities - and the feeling of empowerment their team members can feel by being involved. Our guest is Justin Thompson, a regional partner with Alair Homes, who shares all the ways he builds his team up and uses his resources to impact the people around him.
Show highlights include:
- 2:30 Becoming a helicopter ski guide
- 4:20 How did you get involved with Alair?
- 6:15 What have you learned from being a small business owner?
- 8:30 People, community, and impact
- 12:00 The positive impact a builder can make
- 14:30 How to make an impact on people through the building industry
- 21:00 Examples of how the building industry can give back to the community
- 26:40 Impacting your team by helping them help the community
- 35:30 What are you excited about in the next year?
- 37:30 How to get in touch
You can learn more about Justin at https://www.alairhomes.ca/.
Social media:
LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-thompson-1671a031/
Or hit us up through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
An experienced builder might feel equipped to recognize if a wall is load-bearing, but the true expert who can provide you with a detailed analysis of what it will take to remove that wall to provide an open-concept design would be a structural engineer. Our guest today is Marcel Papineau, owner of IDE Structural Engineers, who has joined us to share the process of becoming a licensed engineer, scaling his business, and all the services a structural engineer can provide a custom home builder. Listen in to learn the depth of what these professionals can contribute to the home-building process.
Show highlights include:
- 2:20 What is it about Canadians and hockey?
- 3:30 Getting involved with NARI
- 4:55 How did you become a structural engineer?
- 7:35 How did you start your own business?
- 10:30 What did scaling your business look like?
- 14:00 What does your training process look like?
- 18:50 What were some of your growing pains?
- 20:50 Coaching and networking
- 23:30 The services a structural engineer can provide
- 26:08 Relationships are important
- 27:50 Why changes from clients are so difficult for engineers
- 31:15 What should builders/remodelers consider that structural engineers can provide?
- 34:40 What are you excited about in the next year?
- 37:00 How to get in touch
You can learn more about Marcel at https://idestructuralengineers.com/.
Social media:
Youtube- https://www.youtube.com/user/IDEcharlotte
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/IDECharlotteNC/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/idecharlottenc/
Or hit us up through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
What did you picture in your head when you first thought of being a business owner? Affording a new truck? Endless vacations? It probably wasn’t administrative paperwork, putting out constant fires, or the difficulty of finding good employees. Today our guest is Cody Byrd, owner of Alair Homes Hickory, who shares his personal story of learning how to build a business he could let go of. By putting the systems and processes in place and investing in his team, Cody has been able to step away from his business for months at a time. Now he focuses on creating opportunities for others - and he wants to help you do the same.
Show highlights include:
- 2:20 Getting involved with your local and national HBA
- 4:25 What is it like to be the third generation in the industry?
- 5:20 How did you get started in the industry?
- 9:00 What are some of the biggest breakthroughs you’ve had in your business?
- 11:30 EOS and Kolbe
- 16:45 How did you let go of the vine?
- 21:46 What does the team think about you being gone more often?
- 31:00 A cancer diagnosis helped Cody let go of the non-essential tasks
- 35:25 How do you invest in your team?
- 43:00 How to get in touch and what excites you?
You can learn more about Cody at https://www.alairhomes.com/hickory/.
Social media:
LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/visiondbrcodybyrd/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Alairhomeshickory
Twitter - https://twitter.com/alairhickory
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/alairhomeshickory/
Or hit us up through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Building a network of like-minded people can seem daunting. There are so many different ways to make connections: attending trade shows, using social media platforms, or following referrals. Today’s guest joins us to discuss building a dedicated platform that makes connecting with others in the construction industry easier. Jeremy Owens is the 3rd generation in his family involved in the remodeling industry, and his habit of networking has helped him see a new way to encourage others to come together and tackle some of the industry’s most pressing problems. Join us as we dive into the value of surrounding yourself with people who know more than you.
Show highlights include:
- 3:00 Growing up on the job site
- 5:40 3 Generations improvements, how does it work?
- 8:20 Outside investments in specialty contractors
- 11:00 How has the business changed over the generations?
- 13:34 What challenges are you facing?
- 16:00 How and why to build a network of like-minded people?
- 22:25 Mental health awareness in the construction industry
- 26:30 Resources for tackling mental health
- 31:25 How do you approach professional growth?
- 36:45 Bringing lessons back into the business
- 39:00 What is coming up next?
You can learn more about Jeremy at https://usconstructionzone.com/.
Social media:
LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremy-owens-2786a32a/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/usconstructionzone
Twitter - https://twitter.com/usconstzone
Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/@usconstructionzone/featured
Or hit us up through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Building out the systems and processes in your business that facilitate a good experience for your clients is integral to a successful and sustainable company. Today’s guests have not only built these but want to share exactly what they’ve done to better engage their customers. Rachel Walker and Gregg Cantor join us to elaborate on their customer strategy, their team culture, and the journey their fourth-generation design build business has taken.
Show highlights include:
- 5:00 A fourth generation family business and how it all started
- 9:10 Personas can be created to help identify customers and better relate to them
- 13:24 It’s unusual for a customer to fit in one bucket, but it’s important to identify them to see if they align with the company’s values
- 16:21 The question that tells you the most about a customer
- 20:00 How do you identify your ideal customer?
- 24:20 Involve your team in learning about your customer
- 28:50 The company has transitioned to being younger and more diverse
- 34:20 Understanding who your customer is
- 35:45 Mistakes are avoidable with good communication
- 37:35 The next investment in the business
- 39:30 Creating a round table to compare business practices
- 43:50 What is it like being a fourth generation family business?
- 48:36 How to get in touch and what excites you?
You can learn more about Gregg and Rachel at https://murraylampert.com/.
Social media:
LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/greggcantor
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/murraylampert/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/MurrayLampertDBR/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/murraylampert
Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/c/MurrayLampertDesignBuildRemodelSanDiego
Or hit us up through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
The current climate in the building industry is likely to make many business owners feel risk averse. Today, hosts Duane and Dave take on the topic of risk management. How can entrepreneurs approach decisions that involve risk with confidence? How can risk be measured and planned for? If you’ve felt fear regarding business decisions either from lack of understanding or lack of support from peers, listen in to learn how to reverse course.
Show highlights include:
- 2:55 Risk Tolerance
- 5:50 You are the solution and the risk as a builder
- 8:10 In order to scale your business you have to take the risk of hiring and delegating.
- 10:30 Don’t let fear stop you from educating yourself on a risk. Embrace a culture of learning and collaboration.
- 15:00 Staying in the gap, measuring your business against what you haven’t accomplished
- 17:45 Tools that can help business owners prepare for risk - EOS
- 20:15 It’s a risk to not qualify your client
- 24:30 Plan your designs in advance.
- 29:30 You’re a builder, not a bank. Use your client’s money to build their home.
- 34:00 Taking construction agreements for granted, not hiring legal council, and forgoing proper insurance are three huge risks you should never take.
- 37:30 It’s impossible to completely eliminate risk in this business, but you can drastically reduce risk.
You can learn more about Duane and Dave at https://buildernuggets.com.
Social media:
LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/company/buildernuggets
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/buildernuggets/?hl=en
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/buildernuggets/
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
The building process incorporates many different types of designers, engineers and architects. On the cutting edge, implementing new technology into custom homes is a Technology Designer. These professionals can help shape the experience of living in that home in a myriad of ways. Our guest today has been doing this work for over a decade. Dan Ross joins us to define the challenges of incorporating smart technology into homes, breaks down how to future-proof for a return on investment, and shares his insights into this rapidly evolving field.
Show highlights include:
- 6:10 Builders were getting frustrated with the Internet of Things and that’s when the large control companies began providing solutions for a single ecosystem
- 10:05 Technology needs to be discussed early on for all new projects just as architecture, interior design, structural engineering, etc.
- 14:10 It’s important to capture and understand all of the subsystems of the home and how they all work together
- 16:15 It’s all about planning and futureproofing. It’s very hard to install smart home features near the end of the project - after the fact
- 27:24 It’s important to have conversations with the client, architect, builder and A/V company or integrator about all of the wants and needs and what can be done
- 28:58 Technology Design is sort of a new category and should be considered an important part of the design phase for any project
- 31:06 The local trade or technology installer will play a major role into the products used
- 35:17 There is a significantly perceived increase in value of a home that incorporates technology
- 42:05 The major manufacturers of smart technology play a pivotal role in educating builders, architects and the general public
- 43:20 The next frontier of smart homes is the ability to make all of the systems in the home talk to one another and work with one another
You can learn more about Dan at
https://www.responsiveliving.com.
Social media:
LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-ross-15a09246/
Or hit us up through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
The process of recruiting and retaining employees has rapidly changed in our post-pandemic economy. Today we invite back a seasoned guest to dive deep into the steps you should take to develop a process that puts your company ahead of the rest. Scott Beebe returns to tell us how to define your company culture, when to talk about money, and why onboarding and preparation for the role are even more important than you thought. For those who have struggled with not being able to recruit the talent you want, or constantly feel that talent hasn’t lived up to their potential - this episode will break down how to overcome missteps and pitfalls when building an A-List team.
Show highlights include:
- 4 Stages to Finding and retaining great talent
- Recruiting
- Hiring
- Onboarding
-
Ongoing
-
4:08 We need to like we market for business
- 7:06 Be careful when casting a big net when recruiting
- 7:50 Finding a headhunter that understands what you need can be very valuable BUT do not go this route until you have your roles and
- 9:01 Everyone on your team should be recruiting - take advantage of your existing networks
- 10:58 Write roles that are unique to your business
- 14:45 Build a culture that is focused on your vision, mission and core values then people won't leave
- 19:02 The difference between Nature and Culture
- 24:34 Throwing new hires into the fire is a recipe for disaster
- 26:55 Layout a week by week plan for any new hire based on their job role
- 32:20 Develop a culture calendar with regular check ins with your new team members
- 36:31 A great way to maintain culture, goal setting and keeping everyone engaged is to hold regular well run team meetings
- 39:18 The best training is the training that is already built through the job roles and through the process roadmap of your business
You can learn more about Scott at
http://www.mybusinessonpurpose.com.
Social media:
Twitter- https://twitter.com/scottbeebe
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/mybusinessonpurpose
Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbPR8lTHY0ay4c0iqncOztg
Or hit us up through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
The intersection of design, architecture, and affordability is where today’s guest likes to work. Seth Hart joins us to dive into some of the industry’s most challenging hurdles and shares his insight into how they might be overcome. His work with DTJ design has given him a unique perspective into community planning and the trends in one of the nation’s hottest housing markets - Denver. Join us as we explore the idea of attainability and what comes after shiplap.
Show highlights include:
- 2:52 I got started in Southern California in the production housing world
- 4:42 Environmental Design is all-encompassing
- 6:38 I saw an opportunity to bring art and design into the production-building world
- 11:21 It’s all about culture, culture, culture
- 15:40 Community amenities are changing
- 17:16 Communities are getting denser and denser
- 20:52 I focus on density and attainability
- 23:40 Without a great team there are no great projects
- 25:17 Getting the input of all parties in the beginning is a great way to bring a project together
- 27:09 Evoking some sense of emotion, love or hate, is very important in the design world
- 33:02 Industry trends are very different depending on location and price point however high end finishes and sophistication is something that is popular across the board
- 38:35 I am always excited about the next project - what’s next?
You can learn more about Seth at
https://dtjdesign.com
Social media:
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/seth-hart-5099b98/
Or hit us up through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
The term building science was born in the 80s, and today high-performance homes and energy efficiency are buzzwords used throughout the custom home building industry. Building science is the understanding of air, heat, and moisture flow. It’s been a journey to improve insulation and build tighter houses. Today, our guest shares his vast knowledge regarding energy efficiency and innovation. Gord Cooke joins us with a detailed breakdown of the opportunities facing the building industry and how we can overcome the hurdles in front of us when it comes to sustainability.
Show highlights include:
- 1:40 When I first got started in the industry “Building Science” wasn’t even a term. The early 1980’s was when it really started to get traction
- 4:27 We had to understand the science and the unintended consequences
- 5:59 Building Science is the study or air, heat, and moisture flow
- 9:44 Once we started adding insulation to homes we changed the drying capacity - that was the biggest change
- 11:52 Building Science should be viewed as another tool in the toolbag
- 17:40 You should make sure new products are properly tested and that you understand all installation guidelines and any inherent risks.
- Every builder should have a relationship with a building science expert/building envelope consultant
- 21:53 the goal should always be: Healthier, safer, more durable, more comfortable while making it energy efficient
- 23:30 It’s really difficult to sell building science as an option - it should be baked in to how you build every time
- 27:37 Builders and remodelers should always be looking to make homes tighter and tighter from an air infiltration standpoint
- 33:20 It’s time to recalibrate our thinking and approach to building science
- 43:53 Reducing the carbon footprint of each home will become a real necessity
You can learn more about Gord at
www.constructioninstruction.com.
Social media:
LinkedIn - ttps://www.linkedin.com/company/construction-instruction-inc./
Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/constructioninstructionapp/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/constructioninstruction/?hl=en
Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/c/ConstructionInstruction
Or hit us up through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Technology can be difficult to keep up with. The rate of change is incredible, and training can sometimes fall to the bottom of the priority list. Our guest explains the rewards a business can see by investing in this training. Dr. Joe Burgett joins us today to peel back the curtain on a technology most of us have barely scratched the surface of using – drones. More than just picture taking devices, we dive into all the uses these fascinating machines can have in our business and all the ways they might shape the future.
Show highlights include:
- 5:48 I help contractors, DOT’s, federal highways, consultants and other groups with drone technology and usage
- 5:56 I am known as Dr. Drone
- 15:32 Photo photogrammetry and 3D modeling is one of the best use cases for drone technology in residential construction
- 19:06 Thermography is another way drones are being used on new and existing structures
- 21:02 Like any other tool there is training needed
- 21:35 There are some risks and liability associated with drone usage as well
- 23:49 You need to be aware of privacy concerns
- 24:26 Ask permission or don’t fly the mission!
- 27:32 There are services available for hire is you only do occasional drone work
- 31:15 A drone is a data capturing device
You can learn more about Dr. Burgett at www.clemsondrone.com.
Social media:
LinkedIn - https://www.facebook.com/clemsondrone
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/clemson.drone.course/
Or hit us up through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
A home builder is often worried about efficiency and timeline, not design. That’s why it’s so important to involve an architect in your home-building process. Our guest today is an architectural designer that approaches the process with the eye of an artist. Tony Frazier of Frazier Home Design was inspired by modern architects to build the type of homes that make you stop and stare. To reach that level of success he’s had to tackle many industry issues such as incorporating a builder early, finding the right clients, and creating the processes that can grow and evolve with his business. Tony has never been satisfied with doing things the way they’ve always been done, and today he shares with us how he navigated pushing the envelope in an industry resistant to change.
Show highlights include:
- 5:06 I was very interested in art and the idea of home design
- 7:35 architects like Bobby McAlpine and their designs had a big influence on me
- 10:02 I want to response to my designs
- 15:02 I drew plans for my own house and it was a bit of a tipping point project for me
- 16:25 Instagram and other social platforms allowed be to broadcast my designs out to the world
- 19:40 I had some struggles at first trying to get some existing builders in my market to embrace new design ideas
- 23:10 As an architectural designer, what are the best questions you want to be asked as from a builder or client?
- 25:19 Getting a builder involved early is one of the most important steps
- 29:06 A more assembled team equates to a more successful project
- 27:36 By building my internal team it has allowed me to step away from some of the day to day functions and spend more time working on the big picture parts of the business
- 42:40 It’s not a process until you write it down
- 49:31 It’s really scary to think someone else can do what you do
- 53:02 I think that AI is going to start to have a huge impact on construction drawing and design
You can learn more about Tony at https://www.frazierhomedesign.com.
Social media:
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tony-frazier-39578711
Tiktok- https://www.tiktok.com/@frazierhomedesign
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/frazierhomedesign/?hl=en
Or hit us up through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
The school of hard knocks is a training program many in this industry are familiar with. Our guest today is no different. Will King, owner of High Cotton Homes, shares his journey from fireman turned contractor turned business owner and how he transitioned into a lifestyle that fit his family’s needs. The need for more flexibility in his schedule gave him the push he needed to change everything - but not without some bumps along the road. Join us as we delve into personal and professional growth in an industry that’s constantly evolving.
Show highlights include:
- 2:10 I never thought I would become a volunteer fireman
- 3:55 The ability to help people drew me to firefighting
- 6:03 My experience from working on a farm gave me an understanding of how to put things together
- 9:18 I had stability as a fireman but something was missing
- 11:25 When I started my construction business there was a lot of “What NOT to do!” experiences
- 12:53 In the beginning I was a builder and a firefighter and I quickly got to a point where I was killing myself from working too much - something had to give. I chose building
- 16:52 Firefighters do a lot of side work and can be a great resource for possible talent recruiting on the trade side
- 20:42 the ability to be flexible with my time was the biggest motivator for me to have my own business
- 23:02 I think a lot of builders are scared to hire
- 24:42 In the beginningIi had no idea I would become a design/build firm
- 28:55 At the end of the day control is the main benefit of design/build
- 31:33 When I find out I don't know something it kills me. I have to dig in and learn about it
- 40:48 My building science wingnut buddies are the mastermind for my construction knowledge but my Southern Living builder group is my mastermind on the business side
- 47:06 The craziest thing about this business is you never know what’s next
You can learn more about Will at https://www.highcotton-homes.com/ or @Willkinghomes on Instagram.
Social media:
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/willkinghighcottonhomes/
Youtube- https://www.youtube.com/@HighCottonHomes/about
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/highcottonhomes/?hl=en
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/HighCottonHomesInc
Or hit us up through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Investing in your business is not as common as you’d think. If you’re an avid listener of this show, you’re actually in the top 10% of business owners who are looking to improve themselves, their team, and their businesses. Today we invite Dr. Sabrina Starling to join us. A phenomenal coach, author, and psychologist, she helps draw back the curtain on the problems that plague builders and remodelers as they work to grow and scale their businesses. Learn how to find what’s breaking down, where you can focus for the most impact, and how to provide yourself and your team with a better quality of life. Stop trying to please everyone, and start learning how to surround yourself with an A Team.
Show highlights include:
- 4:34 There are high rates of burnout everywhere. 9 out of 10 entrepreneurs are burnt out
- 6:05 Less than 10% of construction business owners put energy and effort into working ON their business
- 11:22 The place to start is awareness
- 15:06 What got you here won’t get you there
- 18:55 Most of the burnout victims are the ones that are stuck doing it themselves.
- 19:17 Don’t be a do it yourself business owner
- 23:40 We need to focus on the $10,000 an hour activities - move the needle
- 26:03 Complexity is the enemy of profit
- 30:43 What’s the one result you need from any person in a given role? What is that key result?
- 41:56 The “Net Promoter Score” is the best way to see if you are pleasing your clients
You can learn more about Dr. Starling at https://www.tapthepotential.com/.
Social media:
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/drsabrina
Twitter - https://twitter.com/DrSabrina
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/drsabrina/?hl=en
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/tapthepotential
Or hit us up through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Reframing the concept of what it means to be a builder or a tradesperson has been difficult over the years. There are many common misconceptions, and the job of industry leaders is to challenge those misconceptions and shed light on the truth. Graeme Bell joins us today to share his take on changing perceptions through tackling culture shifts, providing educational opportunities, and constructing barriers of entry to build professionalism. What will it take to bring a new generation in and how can we help?
Show highlights include:
- 3:14 My love for the game of football and big challenges has moved into my career in construction
- 6:54 I love the intensity that comes with project management
- 7:38 Collectively, people in the construction industry weren’t looking to educate themselves
- 12:18 If we want to better an industry lets transfer all of our knowledge and make everybody better
- 16:42 It’s the people that understand victory and understand defeat that are going to persevere
- 21:32 We need to change the perception of: “Hey, you have failed at everything else so why not try construction?”
- 26:50 We need to raise the bar and work towards professional designations for our industry
- 35:50 Get your team in the game and always be working on self improvement and career development
You can learn more about Graeme at http://www.alairhomes.com/edmonton
Social media:
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/graeme-bell-83663726/
Or hit us up through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
If you are looking to attract the top talent, systematize your processes across the board, and expand your business, chances are you’re here to find out. Custom home building and remodeling can be very personal, and maybe you’ve never considered the idea that you should be building a business that could be sold - but our guest today is here to explain why this is exactly what you should be doing. Rob Cecil, President of Alair Homes, joins us today to shed some light on why joining your business with Alair Homes through their franchise model can provide the formula for scaling a profitable business that helps you work less.
Show highlights include:
- 2:58 I was in love with the startup game
- 4:20 As business owners and entrepreneurs we complicate stuff
- 5:57 The F-word “Franchise” - Really?
- 8:40 Franchising allows you to own 100% of your business
- 12:58 Consolidation allows for acceleration of innovation
- 17:08 The first question I am going to ask you if I am interested in buying your business is - Tell me what happens when you’re no longer here
- 22:28 You should strive to have an investment grade business
- 26:44 Just because you are in control doesn’t mean you are controlling your destiny
- 32:52 Those that win the talent race over the next 10 years are going to be the ones that succeed
- 35:10 The contributions from all team members to the group is what sets Alair apart from anything else
- 41:04 Think about what you could do if you had access to a mastermind like this
- 47:40 A business should always be treated as a vehicle to achieve what you want out of life
You can learn more about Rob at http://www.linkedin/in/rcecil.
Social media:
LinkedIn - http://www.linkedin/in/rcecil
Or hit us up through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Making smart investments is the most important action any business owner can take. Enter our guest, Cindy Cipriani, who uses her background in psychology and grief counseling to emphasize mental health and wellbeing in her remodeling company, Cipriani Remodeling Solutions. Shifting business decisions and implementing avenues for employees to grow and evolve can prove how meaningful these team members are to the business. Today we hear how investing in the wellness of your team can lead to dividends down the road.
Show highlights include:
- 2:58 Growing up I always wanted to be an architect
- 9:20 We’ve worked hard to get the business to where it is and now we want to be able to enjoy the rewards while continuing to support our team all while staying out of the weeds
- 11:35 It’s important to have a Life Plan for everyone on the team
- 14:25 Giving people the opportunity to talk about mental health is the first step to a healthier team environment
- 18:37 Mental health and balancing your life is a skill all leaders and managers need to work on and be able to train others on
- 26:32 Remote working has allowed people to maintain a better work/life balance
- 29:15 We had a fire at our office and our team really rallied together. That’s an indicator of a strong company culture
- 33:15 Unhappy employees are very likely to leave
You can learn more about Cindy at https://ciprianiremodelingsolutions.com/ or https://www.cindycipriani.com/.
Social media:
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/cindy-cipriani-92083814
Facebook -https://www.facebook.com/ClearPathByCindy/
Instagram -https://www.instagram.com/cindycipriani/
Or hit us up through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Company culture is the key that can separate your business from the competition. A positive company culture can align teams, retain talent, and support employees beyond the hours they spend at work. Today, Curt Janzen joins us to share the methods he’s used to build a company culture that stands apart. With help from mentors and learning his blind spots, he’s helped create a vision for his company, Beyond Foam, that he’s eager to share with others to compel an industry-wide shift that could change what we choose to value in our teams.
Show highlights include:
- 2:50 I have been on a journey to create something that lasts
- 3:36 Culture will eat strategy for breakfast
- 6:29 We wanted to diversify rto become recession proof
- 9:20 We had to sit down and really figure out who we were as a company
- 10:45 our staff came up with our DNA
- 18:05 The principals of each one of our team members let to the belief and buy in
- 22:30 Our ideal candidate for new team members are likely working somewhere else now but don’t know there is something better out there
- 26:25 We are constantly trying to help our team grow personally and professionally
- 35:08 We created a human scavenger hunt to help with our training and onboarding process
- 37:36 We’re like a high performance hockey team
You can learn more about Curt at https://www.beyondfoam.com/ or his personal Linkedin.
Social media:
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/beyond-insulation-group/?viewAsMember=true
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/BeyondFoam
Instagram -https://www.instagram.com/beyondfoam/ Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1AUkUK_0-s0b2MxdSHZT5A
Or hit us up through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Today we welcome back a special guest who always brings insight and passion on the topic of the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS). For our listeners that have adopted this game-changing tool in their businesses, we’re excited to bring you the steps to level up and use EOS outside your work. David Hickman shares the details of author Gino Wickman’s new book The EOS Life. He breaks down the simple steps you can use to create a better business and a better life.
Show highlights include:
- 3:32 Most business owners are exposed to EOS by hearing about it from others
- 5:47 EOS stands for the Entrepreneurial Operating System
- 6:35 Vision without Traction is Hallucination
- 12:04 The 5 things that make up the EOS life:
- Do what you love
- With people you love
- Make a huge difference
- Be appropriately compensated
-
Have time for other passions
-
17:35 Stop washing coffee mugs in the sink
- 18:32 You have to let go of the vine
- 19:50 We do what’s necessary, we do what’s comfortable instead of being intentional
- 24:01 We all need to hold each other accountable
- 28:26 The 10 Disciplines:
- 10 year thinking
- Take time off
- Know thyself
- Be still
- Know your 100%
- Say No often
- Don’t do $15 per hour work
- Prepare every night
- Put everything in one place
- Be humble
You can learn more about David at https://www.EOSworldwide.com/David-Hickman.
His email is tractionpartners@gmail.com.
The EOS Life book is available here: EOS Life - EOS Worldwide. You can email David at his email above for this or any other EOS book.
Social media:
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-hickman-eos-professional/
Or hit us up through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
This podcast has grown exponentially in the last two years, not just in viewership but in the amount of wisdom that’s been shared. The knowledge and transparency from our guests gives listeners the tools they need to command their own stories. Today, we flip the script and hear from hosts Duane and Dave on what they’ve learned since the podcast began, and the nuggets they’ve utilized to help grow their businesses. Both successful coaches in their own right, listen as they share what ideas have had the biggest impact and which strategies have created the most momentum in their careers.
Show highlights include:
- 3:10 Creating opportunities for others has been transformational in my life and my business
- 5:28 Time is arguably more precious than money. You can make more money but you can’t make more time
- 10:40 Identifying and dealing with frustration
- 15:05 I’m a business owner first…
- 22:58 The visionaries curse
- 26:20 Mental health is huge issue and we must all be aware and willing to talk about it
- 34:28 A good team will support each other
- 38:30 Keep pursuing personal growth and learn more about yourself
- 40:26 The more you learn about yourself the more you will be able to learn about others
Social media:
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/buildernuggets
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/buildernuggets/
Instagram -https://www.instagram.com/kyleryencehunt/
Episode Resources:
Clifton Strengths Assessment
Kolbe Assessment
Hit us up through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
What tools, systems, and processes does your business have in place to create a stress-free experience for your clients? What marketing strategy are you using to get those clients through the door? Our guest today is Kyle Hunt, owner of Remodelers on the Rise and host of his own industry podcast. Today, he joins the show to share the wisdom he coaches to business owners every day. From the clarity that is needed to qualify leads to tracking your sales pipeline, Kyle knows how to help business owners build confidence. Listen in to develop your knowledge and understanding of what it takes to lead a successful business.
Show highlights include:
- 4:26 Brick by brick I built my business to be very focused on the remodeling industry
- 5:49 Marketing is getting someone who has a need to Know, Like and Trust you
- 7:17 It’s important to have a strategy before implementing tactics when it comes to marketing
- 12:55 Builders and remodelers may have let their guard down when it comes to marketing over the last few years since everyone was so busy
- 17:56 Most builders and remodelers are not spending enough on marketing
- 21:10 It’s time to hone your sales skills again. The days of order taking are over
- 26:35 Get your mind right and get in the zone before you arrive to a sales call or site visit
- 29:45 Elegantly lead people through your process
- 34:25 When you struggle or fumble through your sales process it will be very tough to close the deal
- 37:10 It’s very important to build a clear vision for your team and get them engaged in the success of the business
- 41:50 You gotta know your numbers!
- 45:59 What gets measured gets improved
You can learn more about Kyle at https://remodelersontherise.com.
His private facebook group is https://www.facebook.com/groups/remodelerscommunity/
And visit www.remodelersvault.com for his resources.
Social media:
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kylehunt/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/remodelersontherise
Instagram -https://www.instagram.com/kyleryencehunt/
Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtglRBa18z2sSLLpP4YvvOw
Or hit us up through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Your marketing strategy and your marketing tactics can gain your business different things. A strategy is taking stock of where you are and where you want to go, then taking the steps to bridge the two. Tactics flow within a framework. Maybe you have a goal of bringing more people to your website – tactics would help you accomplish this goal. Marketing strategy and tactics are incredible tools in your arsenal, and our guest today breaks it all down in a way that’s easy to understand. Spencer Powell, CEO of Builder Funnel, is back to share valuable knowledge.
Show highlights include:
- 2:45 I got started in marketing out of curiosity
- 4:52 You have to identify the specific type of client you are trying to attract and then make sure your messaging resonates with that audience
- 6:50 Education can help bridge the gap between marketing and sales
- 12:59 Yes there has been explosive growth in social media but your website is still very important. Google searches are still king. Social media plays a role but it’s not the only platform
- 18:29 Once you define your ideal audience you can then focus on where or what platform that audience is using
- 24:10 What to think about when building a marketing strategy
- 29:25 Only about 4% of the people that view you online will actually take action
- 30:15 Active buyers are easy to convert. What you need to work on is how do you convert the top of the funnel people?
- 33:38 The email list is one of the most untapped tools or overlooked tools that can build your future pipeline
- 37:15 It is very important to have a marketing budget established and stick to it during ups and downs in the business cycle
You can learn more about Spencer at http://www.builderfunnel.com.
Social media:
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencerwpowell/
Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/c/BuilderFunnel/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/builder_funnel/
Or hit us up through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Growing up in a family that was part of the industry taught our guest today many valuable lessons before she decided to follow the same path. Now a successful custom home builder, Julie DuPree is here to share her journey. From hanging out with her dad on his job sites to becoming President of her local HBA, Julie has had a long and varied career throughout Tennessee. Now located in Knoxville, listen in as we learn the challenges of her market and how she’s built her business to overcome them.
Show highlights include:
- 4:26 I learned a lot from my dad at an early age
- 6:50 The proudest moment of my career was when I won builder of the year and could share that with my dad
- 9:42 In the beginning trades were hesitant to work for me, a woman in construction, but as I earned their respect they now look forward to working with me
- 15:45 I have made some great friends and colleagues from being a part of the homebuilders association
- 18:13 I am friends with everyone I have ever built a home for
- 19:15 I am a penny pincher and a money cruncher
- 24:16 I want to be the good story
- 34:50 Bad karaoke is a good thing
You can learn more about Julie at https://dupreehomes.net/.
Social media:
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-dupree-050a2937/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/dupreehomes/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/juliedupree/?hl=en
Or hit us up through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Pre-qualifying leads can be like unraveling a mystery, yet so many business owners skip this defining step in a successful process. Don’t waste your time, instead invest in discovering everything you need to know before you begin. David Lupberger returns to the show to help us understand how to think differently. It starts by being a trusted advisor, educating your client, and ensuring their values align with your company’s. Today we go beyond the basics and into the specifics for how to help your company stand out against the competition.
Show highlights include:
- 3:51 (8) questions to help you eliminate unqualified leads
- 7:15 You must sincerely listen to the prospective client. Be a trusted advisor and STOP SELLING
- 15:27 The best jobs sometimes are the ones you don’t get
- 17:40 The vast majority of client complaints are not about the product but about the experience
- 22:43 You need to let them know you are vested in their project
- 32:10 Structured meetings with the client are very important. It can't just be on a whim and unscheduled
- 36:15 You need to have exceptional and efficient communications
- 39:26 Whatever positive message around culture and core values you try to deliver to your clients you should also be delivering to your team
- 42:13 It’s important to understand what motivates your team
You can learn more about David at https://www.remodelforce.com and
https://www.contractorexitstrategy.com/.
Social media:
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/contractor-exit-strategy/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ContractorExitStrategy
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/contractorexitstrategy/
Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEne5Cui7IA4m2F8CBKmF4w
Twitter - https://twitter.com/davidlupberger?lang=en
Or hit us up through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
It’s very important in business to be able to benchmark against what is happening in your industry. The SORCI survey was created by the Association of Professional Builders to serve that exact purpose for builders and remodelers. This year over 1000 builders answered over 100 questions each to share their business’ data in order to compile a true look at the state of the industry. Our guest today, Russ Stephens, shares the results of the survey, highlighting the biggest challenges and successes from the past year.
Show highlights include:
- 2:25 Builder exhaustion, burnout and mental health issues were a big theme of 2022
- 6:05 It’s very important to be able to benchmark your business against others
- 8:20 Generating quality leads was overall a big challenge for builders and remodelers across the board
- 12:33 If you want to increase your margins you must increase your marketing. You should have twice the demand than you can supply so you can pick and choose the best projects for your business
- 17:15 Establishing a strong company culture and core values is a game changer
- 19:07 Only 50% of builders have a documented sales process and the 50% that did were 4x more likely to achieve strong margins
- 25:57 Even though 66% of business owners in our industry still don’t understand the difference between markup and margin the overall trend in financial understanding continues to improve each year
- 29:57 Across the board people were working more hours in 2022 than they did in 2021
- 32:05 With cost of living increases, if you are not raising your pay rates, they are ultimately making less money
- 35:52 Exhaustion, eroding profits and legislative burden is likely to drive more people out of the residential construction industry
- 38:42 There is still an overwhelming sense of optimism and opportunity for growth across the industry
You can learn more about Russ at https://associationofprofessionalbuilders.com/.
The 2023 SORCI Report should be available in March of 2023
Social media:
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-association-of-professional-builders/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/associationofprofessionalbuilders/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/apbbuilders/
Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCx3f5Njk_SkTIh7zEbg7qcA
Twitter - https://twitter.com/apbbuilders
Or hit us up through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
At some point, every business either ends or transitions to new ownership. Oftentimes, the reason a business ends is because an owner is unprepared or overwhelmed with learning how to transfer ownership. Enter today’s guest, Joshua Dean. He wasn’t always President of Precision Homecrafters, but through a well-thought-out exit strategy by the previous owner, he gained his new title. On today’s show, he shares not only how he did it the first time, but how he’s doing it again. It’s never too late to prepare to step down, and it’s never too early to learn how to step up.
Show highlights include:
- 3:12 Pretty early on I discussed the idea of taking over the business from my boss/mentor
- 4:20 It’s really hard for me to be told what to do
- 5:50 One of the most important things needed to be successful in taking over another business is TRUST
- 11:10 I honored the legacy of the relationships that George, the previous owner, developed in the business
- 13:11 For me, honoring the previous generation is very important
- 19:00 NUGGET - Make sure your business is NOT reliant on you. You have to let go
- 20:42 When you eat a turd sandwich you say man, I never wanna do that again!
- 22:57 You have to have the ability to put your ego to the side and receive constructive criticism
- 28:20 I now have my eye on expansion and possibility acquiring other businesses
- 33:50 There is an SBA program called Thrive
- 34:33 I am my company’s biggest problem…
You can learn more about Joshua at https://www.precisionhomecrafter.com/ or joshua@precisionhomecrafters.com.
Social media:
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-dean-b0b8608/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/joshua.dean.376
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/vicariousoutdoorsman/
Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRwKjWztVo_-og6EQV7R8WA
Or hit us up through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
The past two years have been difficult for everyone involved in the building industry with supply chain issues, labor shortages, and cost increases. Today we talk with PJ Antonik, a custom home builder with a successful television series documenting his projects. He shares how he overcame the challenges the pandemic caused his business, the mistakes he made, and what he’s learned to do differently. From difficult layoffs to bigger margins, this episode gets into the nitty gritty of running a successful home-building business.
Show highlights include:
- 5:46 Even though we are on TV we still have to run a construction business and deal with all of the issues the industry throws at you
- 8:50 When I am building a spec I am the customer so I have no avenue to ask for more money when material prices go up
- 11:11 I now build a big enough margin that if shit goes sideways I can get out clean
- 12:24 There were many things that my dad did with his business that I disagreed with. It hurt him financially and I learned from it
- 18:48 As a leader failure is not an option. I had to stay positive and get things back on track
- 22:50 When things are not going well you have to be transparent with your team
- 24:48 I had to assess all of my risks
- 30:32 You need to surround yourself with people that will support you
- 33:40 I am going to put more effort towards building long term wealth through long term real estate investment and passive income
- 40:08 I am excited to look forward and and work on a better work/life balance in the coming year
You can learn more about PJ at https://www.heartofoaktv.com/ or www.oakdd.com.
Social media:
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/pj-antonik-80248b14
Twitter - https://twitter.com/pjantonik
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/heartofoaktv/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/heartofoaktv/
Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMaHduC0ILG6lHJocNXK8aQ
Or hit us up through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Higharc is a homebuilding automation platform that helps builders sell, build, permit, and estimate their homes. Truly unique, this is a centralized model where changes are made in real time. Our guest today is Abe Drechsler, who shares how Higharc can streamline processes for home builders and provide the ability to move through the design phase at high speed. Having the right tools can often be the difference between a poor or incredible customer experience. Today we dive into a new tool that could provide immediate value to your business.
Show highlights include:
- 3:31 Documentary titled “Informal Cities”
- 5:55 A common thread throughout the world is that people want to play a part or have a stake in the design of their home
- 9:35 People always ask how to get started…my advice is to just do it
- 13:02 I have always been interested in technology and process improvement
- 15:48 In a nutshell HighArc is a homebuilding automation platform
- 18:15 The system can do in hours or days what used to take months
- 20:24 Our ideal client is the builder that is looking to do things differently
- 25:42 Think of it as a home in a box that you can take off a digital shelf and customize
- 32:09 When the end user can participate in the design they are much happier with the result
You can learn more about Abe at www.higharc.com.
You can watch his documentary Informal Cities here:
https://vimeo.com/198921254
Password: within
Social media:
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/abe-drechsler-aia-46214325/
Or hit us up through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Perception of the building industry is important to the overall health of the industry. What if young people were taught that the trades can offer a great salary? That they’re cutting-edge, exciting, and cool? Our guest, Tim Minton talks about how the Be Pro Be Proud program is spreading across the country. Its goal is to educate youth about the trades, change the perception of these careers, build excitement through technology, and solve the critical issue of a nationwide talent shortage in these fields. Through a virtual reality experience, kids can try their hand at a trade and learn how much it would pay them. And the benefits are already being seen in a rise in the percentage of young people who participate in the program joining a trade afterward. Learn about the unique solutions being offered to encourage kids to join the industry, and how you can bring it to your area.
Show highlights include:
- 3:01 The importance of a lobbying group for the construction industry
- 4:44 The housing affordability issue is at a crisis moment
- 9:42 How the Be Pro Be Proud program got started. A great collaboration between the industry, the public, the private sector, and government
- 11:54 Life is about connectivity and the connections you make
- 17:58 About 40,000 kids a year will spend time in these trucks in North Carolina
- 23:36 There has been tons of engagement from both the students and the teachers. It’s like a new way of learning
- 30:24 Keeping the momentum going and spreading the word to young people about all of the opportunities in the various trades
- 33:31 Once the trucks appear at a school all of the surrounding schools want to be apart of it as well
- 39:51 For me it’s one of the most honorable professions out there…somehow we’ve gotten away from recognizing that
You can learn more about Tim at https://www.nchba.org/goverment-affairs/government-affairs-staff/
and more about the Be Pro Be Proud program at www.beprobeproudnc.org.
Social media:
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-minton-39478310
Or hit us through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Giving back to the building industry can be done in many ways. Teaching what you know, donating your time and expertise, and creating projects that build community are all ways our guest today has chosen to give back. David Belman is a builder, developer, realtor, and podcast host who has dedicated his career to building a foundation for others in the industry. Today, he discusses how Belman Homes began, the family transitions that happened to get him where he is now, and where he’s looking to go in the future. Join us as we talk about succession planning, business coaching, and how to be an industry leader.
Show highlights include:
- 6:38 in the early days it was challenging working through the family dynamic of having both my father and brother transition out of the business
- 11:34 I made a commitment to helping veterans get access to new homes
- 12:37 In order to grow after the transition I had to get the business to a point where it could run without me. Working with a business coach really helped with this
- 15:24 When 2 people are in charge nobody is in charge
- 15:40 We built a vision, mission and culture for the team to embrace
- 16:58 I started my own podcast to position myself as a leader in the industry
- 24:30 I am now moving having a dedicated business coach to more collaboration with other builders and leaders in the industry
- 25:45 People don’t buy from the company they buy from the people behind the company
- 25:58 I have strived to achieve expert status in my market
You can learn more about David at https://www.belmanhomes.com or through his podcast Podcast | Belman Homes.
Social media:
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidbelman
Twitter - https://twitter.com/davidbelman2
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/belmanhomes
Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/belmanhomes
Or hit us through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
The building and remodeling industry has long avoided focusing on the mental health of its workforce. Often swept under the rug, there is a staggering number of suicide rates within our ranks, and thankfully it’s becoming a broader cultural priority to address it. With pandemic related challenges like historic supply chain shortages, record inflation, and a lack of qualified employees, it’s time to address the mental health needs of our rapidly changing industry. Luckily, we have Steve Barkhouse returning to the show to share how his company has led the charge to address the mental health needs of his team – and how it affected their productivity, profit, and culture. We hope to encourage you to address the topic of mental health with your team after hearing the benefits that Steve experienced.
Show highlights include:
- 7:10 The shocking statistics of suicide in our industry
- 8:44 We are leaders in our industry but on this topic we need to do more
- 12:01 Don’t bury your head in the sand about mental health
- 13:12 Consider bringing in a mental health professional to help with setting up a program for mental health awareness
- 24:45 Work became a sanctuary. It was the safe place during the upside down world of Covid
- 29:34 The first step is to just open the conversation about the importance of mental health
- 31:12 You can expect a healthy and more resilient team if you take some action and work to improve mental health in the workplace
- 35:06 We’ve had our best year financially after implementing this
Steve has generously offered to share his resources with our audience. Please use what’s helpful for you.
Team video:
https://youtu.be/y7KxXuadSnE
Taking Care of Your Mental Health
https://1drv.ms/p/s!AloiVq16FUGCiN5mKQf4i6QkLlRwSg?e=cnCTHc
Anxiety Depression
https://1drv.ms/p/s!AloiVq16FUGCiN9vqFBhWMeqMYHiRQ?e=dyb0Sp
Substance Use
https://1drv.ms/p/s!AloiVq16FUGCiN8eRBwfFiYY4w9Xqg?e=RRFRpT
lmportance of a Good Night's Sleep
https://1drv.ms/p/s!AloiVq16FUGCiN8d2CjlHth9KwSALA?e=q2qObh
Tools in the Wellness Toolbox
https://1drv.ms/p/s!AloiVq16FUGCiN1D6jRF2KoBQaU2Zw?e=2iESU7
You can learn more about Steve at https://www.amsted.ca/.
Social media:
LinkedIn - (99+) Steve Barkhouse | LinkedIn
Or hit us through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
In this episode, we take a look back through Season 2 of The Builder Nuggets Podcast. Which episodes were listeners' top picks? Which episodes were most memorable for hosts Duane Johns and Dave Young? Tune in to help us relive the best moments of 2022 and walk away with some nuggets to help you kick off the new year. We're so grateful to our listeners for tuning in every week, and your downloads help us learn what you're most interested in hearing about from our expert guests. We're looking forward to Season 3 and another great year of Builder Nuggets!
Show highlights include:
- 2:45 What was popular with listeners
- 3:05 Connor Lokar
- 8:25 Steve Sims
- 11:00 Mark Neave
- 15:35 Brad Leavitt
- 19:45 Russ Stephens
- 24:45 What was memorable for Duane and Dave
- 25:10 Steve Barkhouse
- 30:55 Tye Alroe
- 35:50 Warren Barry
- 41:15 Scott Beebe
- 45:00 Matt Livingston
- 49:50 Brandee Izquierdo
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
The remodeling industry is booming and our guest today shares how his company has capitalized on the demand. David Pollard has previously earned a coveted spot on ProRemodeler’s 40 Under 40 list, and now he’s focused on sharing his expertise with other young architects, builders, and remodelers. An architect by trade, he co-founded Liv Companies in Chicago and found his niche running his own design-build firm. Today we’ll cover his story, and where he thinks the industry is headed next.
Show highlights include:
- 2:10 Early on I had an appreciation for bringing the architect and builder together
- 9:35 Avoid the triangle of distrust
- 15:50 It’s important to walk your clients through the design-build process
- 17:40 The intent is to compress the timeframe of the design and pricing phases
- 22:55 Post covid and the future of what clients are looking for inside their homes
- 27:10 Using EOS to map out the future of our business
- 28:55 There are some significant changes coming to our industry
You can learn more about David at http://www.livcompanies.com.
Social media:
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/liv_companies/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/livcompanies/
Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2Jn4kgfv-Us0fh7IhuoRmQ
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidppollard/
Or hit us through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
There’s a struggle with every business owner that the passion and hours they put into their business is not always rewarded with more free time or profit. This often stems from not having the proper systems in place, and a lack of forward-thinking leadership. Our guest today is Tim Redmond, America’s Top Business Growth Coach, who shares how he helps business owners manifest their ideal business. Looking to take the next step to scaling your business in a sustainable way? This episode is for you.
Show highlights include:
- 6:43 This guy actually wants to buy my business
- 9:30 Creating a business that works for you instead of you working for your business
- 12:05 Building an investment grade business
- 14:43 When you are operating on slim profit margins in only takes one hiccup to go upside down
- 14:53 The real key is to keep things super simple
- 16:19 Complexity is the enemy to adoption
- 19:52 You’re either RED or GREEN
- 20:50 If more than one person is accountable then no one is accountable
- 25:58 You have to always be looking ahead in your business
- 42:56 You have to OWN your business
You can learn more about Tim at Home Page - Redmond Growth Consulting or check him out at https://www.linkedin.com/in/coachtimredmond/.
Or hit us through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Marketing can often seem like an unnecessary expense to a small business. As your business grows, marketing becomes more important, and our guest today reframes the conversation around marketing as the best investment you can make in your growth. Mindy Lepp is the marketing director for LEPPDESIGN - a full-service design and marketing firm that offers remote ongoing marketing services to companies in the building industry that have grown enough to need marketing help but are not large enough to justify hiring multiple marketing employees. If you’ve been keeping your marketing small and in-house or haven’t been seeing the gains your competitors have, it’s time to reconsider your approach.
Show highlights include:
- 4:56 If you are involved with NAHB in your area you may want to consider supporting the PWB (Professional Women in Building) council for your chapter
- 8:10 It’s important to establish a starting point or assessment to know what a builder needs for marketing before diving in
- 11:24 A common mistake we see with builders and remodelers is that they want to cast too big of a net. Their target market is simply too large
- 17:35 Your website should be clean and simple. Many businesses over complicate their sites and overwhelm the visitor
- 18:52 You need to let the viewer know what makes you stand out you can’t just state the facts
- 25:12 What goes into a comprehensive marketing plan
- 31:08 The audience wants the authenticity
You can learn more about Mindy at https://www.leppdesign.com/ or check her out at https://www.linkedin.com/in/mindylepp/.
Or hit us through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
We’re taught that failure is something to avoid at all costs, but our guest today is an example that trying and failing is just part of the learning process on your way to success. Meet Jeremy Delk, a serial entrepreneur and self-proclaimed industry disruptor who believes that taking any action is better than taking none. He may have learned his lessons the hard way, losing millions of dollars throughout his career, but he would argue that it has shaped him into who he is and created a more satisfying outcome in the long term. His best advice? Keep moving forward.
Show highlights include:
- 4:58 I made choices in life to take action
- 6:05 Just get going then get good
- 8:54 I do not believe that there is anything good or bad that happens to you
- 18:59 People do business with people…period!
- 21:13 What I don’t do is ever ask nor care how it’s BEEN done
- 30:25 Everyone needs to question why they do anything
- 31:29 You’re not a failure until you give up and stop
- 33:05 If it’s worth doing then do it now
- 34:59 People don’t care about you…they care about themselves so stop worrying about what other people think
- 36:10 Here are some easy ways to Just Get Started
- 38:06 You don’t value what you know because you know it
You can learn more about Jeremy and his business endeavors at https://www.jeremydelk.com. You can find him on social media under JeremySDelk. His book will be released on November 8.
Or hit us through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Anyone who’s been in the construction industry long enough knows that there can be a disconnect between architects and builders. Often this comes from a lack of education, communication, and differing expectations. Our guest, Jacob Brillhart, is an architect that has worked diligently to surround himself with a great team of builders and sub-contractors. Together they've built a strong relationship with each other and their clients, overcoming the normal industry struggles. These relationships, in conjunction with his tropical designs, have catapulted him to success. Today we hear where he started and how he built his business. A tenured professor, Jacob teaches us how improving on existing designs and being curious about new techniques can lead to a career in exotic places.
Show highlights include:
- 8:57 In the beginning I was patient and picked the projects I could be passionate about
- 9:51 My first real inspiration was for the mid century modern homes of the 1950’s and 1960’s that somehow got lost in south Florida
- 13:18 We were fortunate to get featured in some great publications early on along with a spot on Extraordinary Homes on Netflix. That really propelled our visibility and growth
- 16:11 Every one of our projects is original and site specific
- 17:30 I want to engage with a builder very early in the process and we establish a budget
You can learn more about Jacob and the Brillhart Architecture at https://brillhartarchitecture.com/.
Or hit us through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
098: Let’s Talk About Addiction with Brandee Izquierdo
The stigma of addiction is crippling our industry. There needs to be a path out of it. Our guest today is Dr. Brandee Izquierdo, a prior construction worker who has dealt with addiction in her own life. Now as the executive director of the SAFE Project, she shares a path toward normalizing this disease so we can solve the crisis. Creating awareness, starting important conversations young, and tackling this stigma head on is just the start. More than that, addressing this problem proactively is just good business. Hopefully soon, that will be the industry standard.
Show highlights include:
- 3:36 Addiction is not siloed. It can happen at work and at home
- 5:59 We need to have adult conversations without judgment
- 11:32 Addiction becomes a bigger problem when we ignore it
- 13:24 People are struggling and we need to show compassion
- 13:42 We know that construction workers represent about 25% of fatal opioid overdoses
- 17:45 So much success comes from believing in and supporting others
- 20:52 You need to provide a support mechanism within your company where people won't feel ashamed or scared to bring up the issue
- 22:56 We need to support but not solve
- 25:24 The things to look for in someone struggling with addiction
- 31:30 Some ways to support and offer help by starting the conversation
You can learn more about Brandee and the SAFE Project at https://www.safeproject.us/.
Or hit us through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
097: Avoiding Self Sabotage with Andrew Wagner
Creating a custom design build company is an undertaking. Running it with the goal of building great relationships with clients and changing the way the local industry culture operates is another level entirely. Andrew Wagner shares his personal journey as co-founder of Maison DesignBuild. With a background in engineering and project management, the learning curve of transitioning to business owner was huge. The value he has placed on taking care of the client above all else has created a constant stream of business without needing any budget for advertising. That has allowed him to grow and invest in all the right places. Andrew proves that leadership is a constantly evolving state of being that requires an investment in your team, your processes, and yourself.
Show highlights include:
- 4:30 In the beginning building was sort of a side job
- 9:40 How can we make a process that isn’t adversarial? How can we build a better experience?
- 17:34 You need to have a good procedure manual for everything. SOP’s are key to success
- 20:48 It’s very hard for me to let things go in the field…it drives my team nuts
- 31:46 The RAM matrix, for roles and responsibilities, helps everyone stay in their lane
- 36:10 Promoting a culture of continuous learning
- 37:48 It’s a great feeling when you see things being solved and improved without any input from you as the business owner or manager
- 46:52 Two versions of yourself; calm and stressed
- 47:33 Your clients can be your biggest advocates
You can learn more about Andrew at https://maisondesignbuild.ca or check him out at https://www.instagram.com/maison.design.build/?hl=en.
Or hit us through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
*Trigger Warning* This piece briefly discusses suicide and suicidal ideation, and some people might find it disturbing. If you or someone you know is suicidal, please, contact your physician, go to your local ER, or call the suicide prevention hotline in your country. More resources are available below.
If you're trying to get from Point A to Point B you need a map and a compass. If Point A is where you are now in your career, your relationships, and your happiness and Point B is where you want to be, then a Coach and Leadership Trainer are the map and compass you need to help you get from one to the other. Our guest today coaches others on how to live life on the offense. Jay Tiegs has traveled his own bumpy road, and through investing in his personal development he's learned to evolve and grow into the coach he is today. Fundamental change starts by fundamentally changing everything around you. The first step is often investing in yourself.
Show highlights include:
- 9:46 In order to grow I had to get out of my comfort zone
- 11:31 Maintaining a work/life balance in a chaotic environment is very difficult
- 14:02 Success does not equal happiness
- 15:19 Personal growth and coaching ultimately changed my life
- 18:30 If you have financial freedom you have more choices and more options
- 18:56: Big achievers get a lot of things done but high performance is getting a lot of things done without sacrificing your health and your relationships
- 20:17 The family board room concept
- 25:25 A mastermind group helps shorten the learning curve significantly
- 26:13 Every dollar that I have invested in my personal growth and development I have gained it back tenfold
You can learn more about Jay Tiegs at https://www.jaytiegs.com and Do Hard Things Apparel.
Or hit us through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.
If you or someone you know is dealing with suicidal ideation, please visit The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by dialing 988, or message the Crisis Text Line at 741741. Both programs provide free, confidential support 24/7. More resources can be found at Lifeline (988lifeline.org) and SAMHSA.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
The economy is shifting, and buying a home is becoming more difficult not just because of rising interest rates. Regulation, antiquated processes, and red tape have caused the home building process to become so expensive that building affordable housing is next to impossible. John DiMichele helps us wade through the issues the industry is facing and provides his expertise on how to solve them.
Show highlights include:
- 4:30 The continuation of more consumer access to information is inevitable
- 6:19 Technology can be an enabler as an information source but it is NOT knowledge
- 7:33 Consumers are swimming in data but starving for knowledge
- 14:25 Affordability and availability of new homes will be the next housing crisis our industry will face
- 17:55 We are seeing a trend towards multi-generational housing. People are living with their extended families again
- 18:38 What does it look like in10 years if 80% of the homes are rentals
- 21:40 Search is dead. AI will be able to provide you what you want before you have to actually go looking for it
- 25:30 The more information you provide the client, with education, the more you become viewed as the trusted guide
- 40:22 You must get involved at the local level to convince the municipalities that they have to get out of the way
- 44:10 Consider a lobby group to help you better communicate with your state/provincial and local governments
If you’re interested in connecting with our guest and learning more about him, visit https://trreb.ca/.
Or hit us through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Erika Mosse is a mother, a journalist, a speaker, and a facilitator who works diligently to champion small businesses and women in the trades.
Show highlights include:
- Why a slow down in the marketplace can position you for better growth (5:45)
- The threat of private equities buying up smaller companies (and what this means for the future of construction) (15:55)
- The two things that every construction company should focus on for exponential growth (21:00)
- This “Mindset” shift will build a company that thrives (without you being there) (20:00)
- How to avoid “The great resignation” from happening within your company (33:30)
- The “burnout prevention” technique to do with your team (and to have fun in the process) (35:20)
- 2X your response rates for maximum profit with this one trick (24:15)
To connect with our guest please visit our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Building a business takes discipline, determination and a vision for the future. Matt Livingston shares his history as an entrepreneur across several different fields and
what continues to drive him.
Show highlights include:
- The One book that will take you from a “technician” to a successful business owner (7:34)
- How to hire the right team members to carry out your vision (even if you’re a control freak) (8:13)
- The Vicious “Analysis paralysis” trap that keeps you from double digit growth (11:15)
- This one trait kills most startups (and how to not let it happen to you) (14:15)
- The “Customer First” strategy that makes any company thrive (in any market cycle) (23:14)
- The “Script” technique used to grow your construction business rapidly (without the headaches) (26:13)
- These “Timeless Classic” books can still be used to build your business for success (35:15)
To connect with our guest and to get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Susan & Paul Kadilak are a power couple that place their emphasis on authenticity and creative solutions. Their ability to market their businesses with transparency and personality has given them a growing following on social media which has led to some amazing opportunities.
Show highlights include:
- The most horrible experience can help catapult your dream career (4:20)
- When you focus on the work the money will follow (7:56)
- How to go from small “mailbox” projects to building homes (8:15)
- The “Reputation” technique that keeps opportunities coming your way (8:40)
- An “Engagement” formula in social media to build awareness and wildfire growth (32:00)
- How to easily convert customers at rapid speed (even without meeting them in person) (18:25)
- Many times clients won't ask questions because they are afraid to admit what they don’t know (27:37)
- Focus on the work and don’t worry about putting yourself out there. That’s what viewers and followers want to see (33:08)
- How to have your projects running like clock-work (without the headaches) (38:25)
If you want to learn more about Susan and Paull Kadilak, please visit https://kadilakhomes.com/
Or hit us through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Warren Barry is an award-winning pioneer in the field of human resources who studies the implications of counterintuitive work environments on individuals and organizations. Warren brings insights to employees, employers, and human resource professionals alike which leads to harmony, productivity, and profitability.
Show highlights include:
- Why hiring “smart and nice” people may set your team up for failure (6:15)
- The “Formula” for hiring happy, focused, and dynamic team members that elevate each other (7:12)
- The simple test that liberates you from constant struggle and frustration (9:05)
- How getting in trouble at school lead to massive success in business (13:05)
- How to use this “brain component” to increase team motivation and unlock faster growth (15:35)
- The “specialist” formula for scalability, profitability, and ultimate happiness (36:00)
If you want to learn more about Warren Barry, please visit https://www.instinctivesolutions.ca/
Or hit us through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Warren Barry is an award-winning pioneer in the field of human resources who studies the implications of counterintuitive work environments on individuals and organizations. Warren brings insights to employees, employers, and human resource professionals alike which leads to harmony, productivity, and profitability.
Show highlights include:
- Why hiring “smart and nice” people may set your team up for failure (6:15)
- The “Formula” for hiring happy, focused, and dynamic team members that elevate each other (7:12)
- The simple test that liberates you from constant struggle and frustration (9:05)
- How getting in trouble at school lead to massive success in business (13:05)
- How to use this “brain component” to increase team motivation and unlock faster growth (15:35)
- The “specialist” formula for scalability, profitability, and ultimate happiness (36:00)
If you want to learn more about Warren Barry, please visit https://www.instinctivesolutions.ca/
Or hit us through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Casting a wider net while focusing on a diverse culture can be a catalyst to grow a company. Buchanan Construction has achieved success over the last decade by combining the knowledge of their team to provide a broad range of services for their clients. Join us for a conversation with Jason Norton and Matt Keene Show highlights include:
- The “one stop shop” approach to get project results (without the delays) (15:50)
- Why creating “specialists” may decrease output and limit your growth (18:25)
- How to create a “team spirit” culture that boosts productivity (without the headaches) (19:25)
- Team building strategies for boosting morale and productivity (21:55)
- How this old fashioned mindset can poison your team culture from the inside out (27:00)
- The “invest in people” method which sets your company up for rapid growth (23:15)
If you want to learn more about Jason Norton and Matt Keene Clark, please visit https://buchananconstruction.com/
Or hit us through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Casting a wider net while focusing on a diverse culture can be a catalyst to grow a company. Buchanan Construction has achieved success over the last decade by combining the knowledge of their team to provide a broad range of services for their clients. Join us for a conversation with Jason Norton and Matt Keene Show highlights include:
- The “one stop shop” approach to get project results (without the delays) (15:50)
- Why creating “specialists” may decrease output and limit your growth (18:25)
- How to create a “team spirit” culture that boosts productivity (without the headaches) (19:25)
- Team building strategies for boosting morale and productivity (21:55)
- How this old fashioned mindset can poison your team culture from the inside out (27:00)
- The “invest in people” method which sets your company up for rapid growth (23:15)
If you want to learn more about Jason Norton and Matt Keene Clark, please visit https://buchananconstruction.com/
Or hit us through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Trent Clark is no stranger to winning. He has three WORLD SERIES rings as a coach. He is the Founder of Leadershipity.com and Courage Coach LLC. Having spent his adult livelihood among top 3% producers in sports and business, our expert is dedicated to empowering people to reach their goals and attain their dreams through measurable leadership and team development.
Show highlights include:
- Leadership secrets from Hall-of-Fame baseball coaches like Sparky Anderson which help your team get results quickly. (9:40)
- The most important attribute that make up a winning team that reduces distractions and confusion (17:50)
- How to get 100% contribution from every team member in your company (even if they’re natural slackers) (20:20)
- The simple “CARD” technique for finding and recruiting rockstars into your organization to scale and expand (28:00)
- How spotting the four "losing" behaviors of your team prevents you from making deal-killing mistakes (28:35)
- How to develop super star leaders to set your company for scalability (without hiring more teammates) (31:50)
- The “Grit” formula that trumps talent and sets your team up to win everytime (35:35)
If you want to learn more about Trent Clark, please visit https://leadershipity.com/
Or hit us through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Trent Clark is no stranger to winning. He has three WORLD SERIES rings as a coach. He is the Founder of Leadershipity.com and Courage Coach LLC. Having spent his adult livelihood among top 3% producers in sports and business, our expert is dedicated to empowering people to reach their goals and attain their dreams through measurable leadership and team development.
Show highlights include:
- Leadership secrets from Hall-of-Fame baseball coaches like Sparky Anderson which help your team get results quickly. (9:40)
- The most important attribute that make up a winning team that reduces distractions and confusion (17:50)
- How to get 100% contribution from every team member in your company (even if they’re natural slackers) (20:20)
- The simple “CARD” technique for finding and recruiting rockstars into your organization to scale and expand (28:00)
- How spotting the four "losing" behaviors of your team prevents you from making deal-killing mistakes (28:35)
- How to develop super star leaders to set your company for scalability (without hiring more teammates) (31:50)
- The “Grit” formula that trumps talent and sets your team up to win everytime (35:35)
If you want to learn more about Trent Clark, please visit https://leadershipity.com/
Or hit us through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
The residential construction industry is on the back side of the current business cycle. With a tightening market and softening demand you need to ensure you will have enough cash to cover jobs without relying on a Line Of Credit or constantly borrowing money. Guest Scott Beebe join us and says, “Yes...it CAN be done!”
Show Highlights:
- A well-known book that gives contractors an unfair advantage with their money management skills (9:05)
- A tried and tested money management system that anyone can learn and implement in their business today (9:16)
- How to create your own line of to credit to give you maximum “cash freedom” (without having to pay the bank back) (10:20)
- The “Banker Trap” contractors fall into that wastes 80% of their time (and how to fix it) (13:50)
- A fun little “kindergarten” exercise to do with your team to increase financial IQ (14:05)
- Why Gen-Y and Gen-Z do not want to work for you (and what you can do to attract the right talent) (20:30)
- Why you’ll waste all your money by hiring a mentor (and how to find one that actually grows your business) (25:20)
- How to use the “RPM” method to make it almost impossible for your team members to leave your construction company(34:50)
To learn more about Scott Beebe visit https://www.mybusinessonpurpose.com
To connect with Duane, Dave, or one of our show guests head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
The residential construction industry is on the back side of the current business cycle. With a tightening market and softening demand you need to ensure you will have enough cash to cover jobs without relying on a Line Of Credit or constantly borrowing money. Guest Scott Beebe join us and says, “Yes...it CAN be done!”
Show Highlights:
- A well-known book that gives contractors an unfair advantage with their money management skills (9:05)
- A tried and tested money management system that anyone can learn and implement in their business today (9:16)
- How to create your own line of to credit to give you maximum “cash freedom” (without having to pay the bank back) (10:20)
- The “Banker Trap” contractors fall into that wastes 80% of their time (and how to fix it) (13:50)
- A fun little “kindergarten” exercise to do with your team to increase financial IQ (14:05)
- Why Gen-Y and Gen-Z do not want to work for you (and what you can do to attract the right talent) (20:30)
- Why you’ll waste all your money by hiring a mentor (and how to find one that actually grows your business) (25:20)
- How to use the “RPM” method to make it almost impossible for your team members to leave your construction company(34:50)
To learn more about Scott Beebe visit https://www.mybusinessonpurpose.com
To connect with Duane, Dave, or one of our show guests head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Conversations have the power to inspire, engage-and even entertain. From late night talk show hosts to award-winning podcasters, great conversationalists can move an audience to laughter or tears, action or stillness, and always keep the crowd wanting more. And so can you.
Show Highlights:
- How watching your favorite movie magnetizes your ideal audience (7:23)
- The single greatest "skill" which transforms you into a great leader (10:10)
- The communication trap to avoid at all costs while you bridge the gap between the multi-generational workforce (18:58)
- How to “thrive” in your professional and personal life (and why it is not a one-size-fits-all magic formula) (30:44)
- Why helping others who are suffering can instantly bring you out of a dark place and rejuvenate you (33:17)
- Alternative tricks to avoid burning out (that does not involve meditation or mindfulness) (34:01)
- How simple conversations lead to life-long, mutually beneficial connections (38:30)
- A simple formula for preventing outbursts during heated emotional discussions (42:08)
To learn more about Lou Diamond visit https://www.thriveloud.com
To connect with Duane, Dave, or one of our show guests head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Conversations have the power to inspire, engage-and even entertain. From late night talk show hosts to award-winning podcasters, great conversationalists can move an audience to laughter or tears, action or stillness, and always keep the crowd wanting more. And so can you.
Show Highlights:
- How watching your favorite movie magnetizes your ideal audience (7:23)
- The single greatest "skill" which transforms you into a great leader (10:10)
- The communication trap to avoid at all costs while you bridge the gap between the multi-generational workforce (18:58)
- How to “thrive” in your professional and personal life (and why it is not a one-size-fits-all magic formula) (30:44)
- Why helping others who are suffering can instantly bring you out of a dark place and rejuvenate you (33:17)
- Alternative tricks to avoid burning out (that does not involve meditation or mindfulness) (34:01)
- How simple conversations lead to life-long, mutually beneficial connections (38:30)
- A simple formula for preventing outbursts during heated emotional discussions (42:08)
To learn more about Lou Diamond visit https://www.thriveloud.com
To connect with Duane, Dave, or one of our show guests head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
This fourth generation builder has done things the right way for a long time. That’s not to say they haven't made mistakes. Through trial and error and by building and nurturing lifelong relationships they have become one of the most sought after and respected builders in their market Show Highlights:
- How being on-the-job earns the respect and admiration of your co-workers (14:00)
- Why building relationships helps aspiring builders jump right in and lead a thriving business (even if you don’t have an in) (19:50)
- The single most important thing a legacy builder hesitates to give up as they contemplate passing the torch (24:20)
- How to avoid sacrificing quality when you move from a hands-on, craftsman approach to a long-term management operation. (27:26)
- Why the “touch everything” model hampers growth and prevents you from increasing volume. (28:30)
- How to avoid being a commodity with a simple common-sense idea (you are already doing anyway.) (31:30)
- The biggest fear your founder secretly has when business grows too fast (and how you can effectively deal with it) (32:03)
- How to convince your team you can run the show (even when you have far less experience) (33:30)
- How to give your trades people more responsibilities and why they might enjoy the extra work (33:30)
- How a simple tactical change can save you from taking redundant phone calls all day long (38:06)
To connect with Duane, Dave, or one of our show guests head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Brad Leavitt is our guest on this episode. He is President and Founder of “A Finer Touch Construction” - a Scottsdale based luxury residential and commercial builder. AFT Construction, is known throughout the industry, as an award-winning construction firm and has been nationally published in magazines such as: Fine HomeBuilding, Luxe Interiors and Design, and Professional Builder.
Show Highlights Include:
- How simply asking more questions turns any construction project into a collaborative effort (4:53)
- The “60% Rule” for determining if you should delegate your responsibilities (6:35)
- Why fearing your competitors may prevent your business from growing (11:25)
- Don’t be afraid to have some fun and make fun of yourself. It may just open up a world of new business opportunities (18:17)
- Build new relationships and find new clients by playing basketball and golfing (21:28)
- The social media secret for attracting and building a relationship with clients years before speaking to them (24:29)
- How to create an army of “Silent Salesmen” who promote your construction company for free (29:26)
If you’d like to connect with Brad, you can visit his website here: https://www.atfconstruction.com/. For more info on the next Contractors Coalition Summit visit this link: http://contractorcoalitionsummit.com/
To connect with Duane, Dave, or one of our show guests head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Sparking Interest in Construction & Maker Trades for Career-Choosing Women & Girls. She Built This City’s mission is to provide industry disruptive programming that sparks interest and builds pathways to lucrative careers in the skilled trades for youth, women and marginalized communities.
Show Highlights Include:
- Why marketing construction careers as an artistic trade will magnetize future talent to the industry (7:35)
- How the culture in construction companies repels women away from it (and how to fix this) (11:03)
- The powerful “Trick and Trading” secret for exciting young kids about the construction industry (13:09)
- A high schooler made $1,000 a month operating drones (and how this opens the door to the construction industry) (15:25)
- How to help more women enter construction (32:09)
If you’d like to connect with and support She Built This City, you can find their website here: https://shebuiltthiscity.org/
To connect with Duane, Dave, or one of our show guests head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
As a small business owner/builder there are always new challenges to face and overcome. Jennifer Hoffman shares with us her journey and growth over the last two years.
Show highlights Include:
- How to position yourself for growth (even during times of record-breaking inflation) (4:40)
- How to avoid stretching yourself too thin as the price of material and labor skyrockets (7:55)
- How to guide client’s expectations and manage overhead at the same time. (10:30)
- What to include in your preliminary estimate before signing a contract to ensure a happy relationship with your client (17:16)
- How to effectively pivot between a cost-plus and fixed price business model to better position yourself in today’s environment (18:35)
- Two reasons why hanging out with other peer groups can fast track your success (and where to find them) (30:40)
To connect with Jenny you can reach her at www.jhoffmanstudio.com
To connect with Duane, Dave, or one of our show guests head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Over the last 4 decades, The Great Game of Business has built a community of businesses that are committed to a better life for themselves and for their employees. People often tell us The Great Game of Business sounds wonderful, but they want to know if it really works. Will it work in a retail business, a Fortune 500 company, a union shop, or a nonprofit? The answer is a simple, yes. Any organization whose performance can be measured with financial statements can play The Great Game of Business. From one guy working in his basement to multinational corporations, The Game will work anywhere, provided you want it to work.
Show Highlights Include:
- The ancient business “secret” first discovered in 1494 responsible for the success of every business (8:19)
- The sneaky “forecast trick” which gamifies business for your teammates and unlocks another level of commitment from them (9:10)
- 3 keys for a great incentive program which ensures your team gets more bonuses (without paying out any unearned bonuses) (14:05)
- How to build a rockstar team of efficient and dependable leaders by asking them a few questions (21:19)
- The “Co-Invest Method” for scaling your business to unprecedented success alongside your best leaders in your company (27:02)
- Why reading this book protects your wallet and sanity whenever negative news cycles rear their ugly heads ( 36:38)
If you’d like to connect with Steve and become a Great Game practitioner, check out their website at https://www.greatgame.com
And you can get free goodies that will transform your business and life by going to https://www.greatgame.com/steve
To connect with Duane, Dave, or one of our show guests head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Having a solid set of core values and strong relationships with your clients and trades will pave the way for success in your business. Show Highlights Include:
- Why having no background in real estate development gives your construction company an unfair advantage (7:02)
- The weird way starting (and growing) a business in a recession is a blessing in disguise (9:00)
- The “School District” secret for never running out of new buyers (10:52)
- Why cultural fit is the #1 best way to find the perfect teammates to grow your business (even if they’re under qualified) (25:46)
- Why the remodeling business will boom over the next few years (31:35)
If you’d like to connect with Jenny and the Icon Builders Group, you can visit their website at https://www.icon-group.com/.
To connect with Duane, Dave, or one of our show guests head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
New England Design & Construction Founder and CEO discusses what it really means to be an Architect in today's world, and how we can change history to build a brighter future for the industry.
Show highlights include:
- The existing builder/architect relationship is set up to be adversarial (2:01)
- How an 1800s group of architects created the current status quo of building (and how you can improve it) (4:44)
- It’s not about picking sides it’s about how do we collaborate and communicate better (8:22)
- The odd way builders have lost their social status—and how our industry can get it back (8:34)
- The systemic reason why builders have a bad reputation—how it leaves clients worse off (17:29)
- A simple word-for-word script that makes your projects more successful for the architect, the client and yourself. (25:55)
- How to educate clients and architects on your value as a builder. (32:18)
If you’d like to connect with David Supple you can find him at www.nedesignbuild.com
To view his short video visit: https://youtu.be/bWUkAc66Q-4
To connect with Duane, Dave, or one of our show guests head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Show Highlights Include:
- The “Scrum Method” for managing every project in your company (without any project devolving into chaos) (5:50)
- How to add more cognitive diversity into every project in your construction company (without wasting everyone’s time) (12:22)
- Why unleashing a project's chaos onto a board helps every teammate tackle their responsibilities with clarity (20:35)
- How a visual system for project management ensures everybody knows where a project stands and what needs to be done (22:07)
- How to reduce your number of project-destructing “grenades” to zero (24:07)
- The “Backlog” trick for only working on important tasks instead of putting out fires every day (26:08)
If you’d like to connect with John, you can visit Alair Homes Calgary on Instagram here https://www.instagram.com/alaircalgary/ or Byron Brooks’ page here: https://www.instagram.com/byron_brooks_yyc.
To connect with Duane, Dave, or one of our show guests head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
When it comes to the economy you need to block out the noise and don’t be swayed by over-hyped headlines. Make your decisions based on data. Economic forecasting, using leading indicators, will better position your business to thrive over the next decade. Show Highlights Include:
- A peaking inflation rate could come as soon as Q3 this year (6:07)
- Housing construction growth will decline in the near term (14:54)
- Why the housing cycle is bending—but not breaking (and how to take advantage of it) (17:41)
- How the economic slowdown will help ease inflation and supply chain problems (23:58)
- The insidious reason you risk losing 30% of your workforce this year (and how to prevent it) (25:06)
If you’d like to stay up-to-date with Conner and ITR’s economic forecasts, visit their website at https://itreconomics.com/.
To connect with Duane, Dave, or one of our show guests head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Homeowners go through an emotional roller coaster while their home is being built or renovated.
It’s easy to see why. Their normal lives get turned upside down from the chaos of construction
When things go sideways, clients want to blame someone for their discomfort. And when that happens, you have to know how to respond.
In this episode, our guest is industry icon David Lupberger who’s here to show you how to turn problematic clients into raving fans of your business.
Listen now!
Show Highlights Include:
- How “parenting” your clients helps to avoid conflicts when they get upset with your job as a contractor (3:39)
- How facing problems at constructions brings you closer to your clients and raises client satisfaction (5:58)
- Why being empathetic is key for home builders ( even if the client is a nightmare to work with)(9:00)
- How the “Project Ground Rules” helps to set the expectations and avoid possible conflicts with clients (11:30)
- Why over communicating is always a good idea (even if you face difficult conversations) (13:14)
- Three ways home improvement shows mislead people (and the truth behind) (13:57)
To connect with Duane, Dave, or one of our show guests head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
As builders, we pride ourselves on doing good work for our community. We build the places that raise families, foster small businesses and enrich the lives of those around us. That’s why we invest in equipment that gets the job done right.
That’s why it’s so bad when equipment gets stolen. It’s unfortunate, but thieves exist in every place. But with the right precautions, you can prevent theft and keep your equipment safe.
In this episode, you’ll find out how to prevent bad actors from stealing your equipment and staying safe.
Want to make sure you keep your equipment and do the best job possible? Listen now!
Show highlights include:
- Why creating your inventory from photos can keep your insurance from reimbursing them in case of theft (14:51)
- The weird way putting a sticker on your tools can keep thieves’ hands off of them (18:32)
- How giving up control and making less money per project grows your business in the long term (23:30)
- Why integrity and passion is more important in team members than their specific skills. (28:07)
If you’d like to connect with Paul Bierman or learn more about Power Tool Safe you can visit https://powertoolsafe.com/
To get the most out of this podcast, or connect with Duane and Dave, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Our guest on this episode started out as a bricklayer from London, England. Learn how he developed a mindset, habits, systems, and relationships that have got him into some of the world’s most exclusive circles.
Show highlights include:
- How to attract wealthy, hassle-free clients by pushing 90% of your prospects away (3:52)
- Make more money by eliminating a popular payment method from your business (5:30)
- The “time waster” tells that let you avoid bad clients before they ever work with you (7:22)
- Draw in your ideal prospects on social media by turning your business profile into a “me” profile (16:09)
- How to almost guarantee business success by setting goals that seem unachiveable (18:02)
- The “ridicule” method that creates an environment of supportive entrepreneurs who turn your ideas into thriving businesses (22:17)
- How to design a market-disrupting business in under an hour (23:46)
- The two-minute rule that instantly makes your life more free and exciting (25:48)
- How to outsource and automate the most stressful part of your business by drawing three circles (30:19)
- The 1980’s advertising method that’s outperforming Facebook ads in the 2020’s (35:39)
To get the most out of this podcast, or connect with Duane and Dave, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
To connect with our guest Steve Sims:
Podcast is The Art of Making Things Happen https://www.stevedsims.com/podcast/
Book is Bluefishing https://www.stevedsims.com/book/
In this episode we talk with friend and colleague Brandon Bryant with Red Tree Builders in Asheville, North Carolina. Not only is he a past guest, he is one of the first to sport the Builder Nuggets flip flops that we started giving away during the show. We discuss why events like the International Builders Show are so valuable, mental health, and a few other topics.
Show highlights include:
- How the NHB’s new “DEI Initiative” will fill the labor gaps in the construction industry (3:32)
- The “Everybody’s Struggling” secret for improving the mental health for yourself and your team (9:37)
- The counterintuitive way giving your team members more half days off makes them more productive and profitable (11:09)
- How spending 30 minutes in the sun every day makes burnout impossible (12:23)
- Why forcing your teammates to ignore calls and texts after hours will keep them around longer than offering them more money will (14:00)
To get the most out of this podcast, or connect with Duane and Dave, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
When you know everything, nobody can help you. When you have the confidence to share your challenges you invite heroes to help you solve them. Shannon Waller shares the subtleties of how to use uncertainty to attract others to your mission. Show highlights include:
- The simple question to ask yourself which immediately wipes your mind of your worries (10:54)
- The counterintuitive reason uncertainty is your secret weapon for unlocking massive growth (12:33)
- How to be confident and uncertain at the same time to invite more teamwork into any given project (even with clients) (13:05)
- Why your arrogance will kill more deals than acting like you know nothing (17:49)
- How to become a better leader by doing the exact opposite of what people on TV do (20:58)
- Why being vulnerable repels clients sand how transparency attracts them like honey does bees (24:57)
- The weird “Flip The Script” trick which transforms your client relationships into partnerships (30:39)
If you'd like to connect with Shannon and discover how Strategic Coach will change your business, visit their website here: https://www.strategiccoach.com/. Or visit her website for free resources here: https://yourteamsuccess.com/.
To get the most out of this podcast, or connect with Duane and Dave, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Tye Alroe believes that building a Dream Home is a culmination of years of visualizing, idea sharing, & hard work...it's something very special & he treats it that way. We think he believes the same about building a dream business.
Show highlights include:
- Why hiring a business coach can catapult business growth and improve profits (6:23)
- How outsourcing your weaknesses can save your business from hidden problems (even if it seems like a waste of money) (9:04)
- Want to take a 6-week vacation without worrying your business will fall apart? Here’s how… (10:17)
- The sneaky “Quote Qualifier” trick for only attracting the best clients (13:10)
- Why investing in a mentor for your team members is the most effective way to grow your business (16:34)
- The counterintuitive reason hiring the most expensive contractors makes your construction business more profitable (24:48)
- Why business owners are the biggest roadblocks for growth (and how to get out of your own way) (29:23)
- How to “derisk” your building portfolio to protect your business before the market changes (33:30)
If you’d like to connect with Tye, you can follow his company on Instagram @alroeconstructions or visit his website at https://www.alroeconstructions.com.au/
To get the most out of this podcast, or connect with Duane and Dave, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Guest Jeffrey Feldberg discusses how to increase the value of your business by preparing it for a liquidity event. Show highlights include:
- The shocking reason why up to 90% of liquidity events fail (3:17)
- Why you’re leaving 50-100% of the value in your company on the table when you sell it (and how to get paid your company’s true value) (4:09)
- The “Paying It Forward” mindset you must embody today if you want to sell your business for 9 figures someday (5:45)
- The insidious way entrepreneurs get taken advantage of during liquidy events (7:31)
- Why less than 1% of of custom home builders and remodelers successfully sell their business (and how to be one of the few who does) (13:18)
- How the 2020 ciris created the perfect storm to sell your business for a fat chunk of change (18:01)
- Why selling your business like a realtor sells your home helps you get top dollar for it (23:54)
- The “9-Step Roadmap” for growth and liquidity which helps your business bring in boatloads of cash without your involvement (25:20)
- The single most important “X Factor” which multiplies the total value of your company (25:49)
- Why preparing to sell your business even if you never want to sell makes you more profitable and have more fun (40:55)
If you’d like to book a free strategy call with Jeffrey, email him at jeffrey@deepwealth.com or visit his site at https://deepwealth.com.
To get the most out of this podcast, or connect with Duane and Dave, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
A business developer shares how she took a top Salt Lake City Custom Home Builder to new levels by practicing, understanding her team’s value, and telling the right stories. Show highlights include:
- I really believe in what we do. That’s the most important part (9:15)
- The weird way the crisis made buyers okay with investing more for their home (17:14)
- The 3 critical ingredients for keeping sales coming in as you grow and scale your custom homes business (19:13)
- How simply saying your wildest goals out loud can magically help you manifest them (21:04)
- How to receive referrals like clockwork (35:42)
- In this kind of environment we are selective about what types of projects we do. We simply don’t have the capacity to work with everybody (45:01)
If you’d like check out the amazing homes Karen builds, follow Alair Homes Salt Lake on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/alairhomessaltlake
To get the most out of this podcast, or connect with Duane and Dave, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
We are in a new reality. We’re not going back to what used to be considered NORMAL. In this episode I talk with Business Coach and friend Scott Beebe from My Business on Purpose. Scott is a past guest and if you are a regular listener you will remember him from one of our most popular episodes, one of the early ones, episode 02 You Can’t Scale Chaos.
Show highlights include:
- The “People Decision” secret for thriving in the new reality while other construction owners flail (4:06)
- Now more than ever you have to embrace lifelong learning. It’s no longer an option (5:30)
- How being a counselor inside your business unlocks more growth than your best marketing campaign (7:25)
- The single most innovative tool in the business world over the last 12 months (and how to start using it this week) (10:12)
- Why you no longer have to worry about leads and sales to scale your construction business (17:17)
For more on Scott and his coaching programs for contractors, visit https://www.mybusinessonpurpose.com/.
To get the most out of this podcast, or connect with Duane and Dave, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodeler
A brand is an intangible marketing or business concept that helps people identify a company, product, or individual. People often confuse brands with things like logos, slogans, or other recognizable marks, which are marketing tools that help promote goods and services. We dive into what these intangible parts are and the impact they have. Show highlights include:
- How building a brand increases the value of your business and makes it way more attractive to potential buyers (7:49)
- Apple’s secret for dominating their industry even during tough times (and how to mimic this in your business) (10:22)
- Become an expert at what you do and then you become passionate about broadcasting it (15:10)
- The “Expert Secret” for never needing to sell someone again (15:34)
- Interview prospects and choose the right people to work with so you can avoid high-maintenance clients who give you endless headaches (17:55)
- Failing is ok…it’s healthy (even if failing makes you want to give up) (24:38)
If you'd like to check out Ted’s magazine, you can find it here: https://www.buildmagazine.com/. And you can tune into his podcast, Friends of Build Magazine, here: https://www.buildmagazine.com/podcast/
To get the most out of this podcast, or connect with Duane and Dave, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Our guest on this episode is Russ Stephens, the co-founder of the Association of Professional Builders (APB) which is a leading business coaching company dedicated to improving the residential construction industry for both builders and consumers. Join us as he discusses the 2022 State of the Residential Construction Industry.
Show highlights include:
- Do you get shoddy leads from your marketing? Here’s a simple way to fix it (without touching your ads) (2:57)
- Investing more in marketing actually increases your profit according to a multi-country survey from 720 builders (7:12)
- How turning off your marketing to save cash is like turning off your watch to save time (7:38)
- What percentage of your revenue should you dedicate to marketing to maximize your returns (12:49)
- The insidious “Curse of Knowledge” trap which prevents you from attracting new clients and teammates (15:30)
- How this simple, yet profound calculator helps you calculate your fixed costs and get higher margins from every project you take on (17:13)
- How waking up at 3 am can take your construction business from $3 million to $60 million in 4 years (or less) (24:34)
- Growing too fast can bankrupt your business and leave your family on the streets (25:50)
- The “Core Value” secret which enables rapid growth in your construction company (even as business-threatening problems arise) (30:28)
- Setting your business up for exit (and how this helps you achieve personal and financial freedom) (36:40)
If you'd like to check out Russ’s company, the Association of Professional Builders, you can find their website here: https://associationofprofessionalbuilders.com/. And you can download The State of Residential Construction Industry report mentioned on the show here: https://associationofprofessionalbuilders.com/sorci/
To get the most out of this podcast, or connect with Duane and Dave, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Have you ever wished you could clone yourself? A virtual assistant allows you to get more things done in less time. Think of a VA as an additional member of your team that is laser focused on helping you get your tasks done.
Show highlights include:
- How to get over the stigma around outsourcing and instantly regain 10 hours of your week (3:27)
- Why being unable to handle your business is actually a good sign (5:09)
- How to never have to look at your emails again (without missing a single business opportunity) (10:17)
- The “Multiplicity Method” for cloning yourself and getting twice the amount of work done in half the time (11:06)
- Grow your business by procrastinating more (14:55)
- Why something as simple as a VA bookkeeper takes you from the lowest paid person in your company to the highest in a matter of weeks (26:11)
If you’d like to learn more about how a virtual assistance can create more freedom in your business, check out BELAY here: https://belaysolutions.com/
To get the most out of this podcast, or connect with Duane and Dave, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Inflation is upon us, and probably here to stay. You can look at this as a negative or see it as an opportunity. It’s all about how you position your business for the future. Join us for a conversation with Spencer Powel from Builder Funnel Academy.
Show highlights include:
- Why treating your services like products makes it easier to raise your prices alongside inflation (5:47)
- How to make your construction business more profitable while accepting less projects and bringing in less revenue (6:28)
- The counterintuitive reason scaling your business can make you less profitable (7:15)
- How to fend off inflationary periods (without raising your prices) (9:11)
- It’s uncomfortable to tell your clients about price increases but it is a conversation that has to happen. You need to keep your business financially sound and profitable (12:50)
- The “Selfishness Secret” that provides more value to your customers and allows you to charge more (13:35)
- The “pricing into the future” model for to beat inflation (16:20)
- How remote work creates a massive opportunity for your construction business (24:36)
If you’d like to chat with Spencer and see how his team can turn your website into a lead generation machine, go to https://builderfunnel.com.
To get the most out of this podcast, or connect with Duane and Dave, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
People want to do business with People. What types of things are you doing in your business, or for your team, that could be shared with others? Join us for a conversation with returning guest Pamela Durkin as she urges all of us to do more storytelling and less reporting.
Show highlights include:
- One “sneaky” way for small business owners to reach their ideal audience faster (2:05)
- How to become comfortable speaking on podcasts by the end of the day (2:44)
- The weird way your social media captions repel your ideal clients (4:33)
- The “Storytelling Secret” which ensures you always have an overflowing pipeline of projects (5:28)
- How to easily pump out double the amount of content you do right now (without taking any extra pictures) (7:16)
- The “Story Magnet” System for never competing on price again (7:58)
- The “Infinite Ideas” technique for creating an infinite amount of content by adding 10 minutes to yoru day (10:49)
- This 3-step storytelling formula hypnotizes your ideal audience until they work with you (12:14)
- Why this “magical skill” skyrockets your marketing ROI, catapults yoru closing rate, and enchants top-tier talent and partners to your team (17:40)
If you’d like to read Pamela’s book, Elevate!, you can find it on Amazon here. If you’d like to set up an interview to see how she can help your business, send her an email at pam@pamela-durkin.com. And you can check out her website at https://pamela-durkin.com/.
To get the most out of this podcast, or connect with Duane and Dave, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Embracing technology to improve your business and elevate our industry.
Show highlights include:
- How making a two-day time investment in your construction software can add an extra month to your year (8:47)
- Why demanding that your team use a new software smashes their productivity (even if your new software increases productivity) (12:13)
- The “Slow Down to Speed Up” secret for implementing time-saving software when you don’t have time (13:36)
- Why simply purchasing more software and technology may actually hurt your team and bottom line (21:24)
- The little-known leadership role which raises your company’s professionalism in your client’s eyes overnight (25:56)
- Constantly raising your prices because of inflation is not the answer. You have to increase efficiencies in your business along with raising prices to stay competitive and profitable. (30:29)
If you’d like to connect with Paul, you can visit his website at https://www.pkbuilders.com/ or on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/paulkowalskibuilders/.
To get the most out of this podcast, or connect with Duane and Dave, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Building the workforce of the future is difficult. Everyone knows the struggles faced by the construction industry when it comes to finding skilled trades or hiring employees. Join us for a conversation with Christi Powell and Judy Dinelle from 84 Lumber and the things they are doing to bring change to the industry.
Show highlights include:
- How to do your part with the workforce emergency in construction before it becomes an even bigger disaster (2:42)
- How to convince parents to encourage their kids to get into construction instead of going to college (4:58)
- Why women have more fun building a career in construction than in accounting (8:29)
- How education and training in the construction industry can finally get rid of the stigma most men have towards women on the job site (16:28)
- The weird, yet powerful way to double the size of the labor force overnight by being more welcoming (21:57)
- The “Gentle Conversation” method for attracting more women into construction (without anyone feeling intimidated) (22:50)
- How being in the top 25% of gender diversity makes you 46% more likely to crush the industry average (27:35)
- Why women in a sales role in construction have an easier time than men (33:45)
- The “Elevation Secret” which makes the most misogynistic men appreciate women’s role in construction (36:23)
If you’d like to connect with Nick or NS Builders, you can find their website here https://ns.builders/ and their Instagram page here: https://www.instagram.com/nsbuilders/
To get the most out of this podcast, or connect with Duane and Dave, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Duane Johns sits down with Nick Schiffer from NS Builders for a live interview from the show floor at the 2022 International Builders Show in Orlando, Florida. Show highlights include:
- The weird way creating content in real time helps you avoid money-eating mistakes before they happen (3:14)
- How to become a “building celebrity” on Instagram using nothing other than your iPhone (4:37)
- The massive “Repurpose” secret for turning one piece of content into 80 in an hour (5:41)
- How creating content lets you change your niche with ease (without sacrificing your revenue) (9:26)
- Why rugged transparency and honesty prevents your competitors from poaching your talent (even if they offer them a 35% raise) (11:26)
- The counterintuitive way rooting for your biggest competitors makes your business more profitable (16:01)
If you’d like to connect with Nick or NS Builders, you can find their website here https://ns.builders/ and their Instagram page here: https://www.instagram.com/nsbuilders/
To get the most out of this podcast, or connect with Duane and Dave, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Being an entrepreneur can be a grind. Mike Malatesta learned this the hard way. He endured tragedy and failure - then shifted. Now a best-selling author - he’s on a mission to help other business owners get unstuck Show highlights include:
- Why a soul-sucking boss is a blessing in disguise (6:26)
- How knowing the 4 phases of building a business fast tracks your results and shrinks your hiccups (12:02)
- The insidious “Valley of Uncertainty” which can bankrupt your construction business (and how to avoid this trap) (13:18)
- 2 simple ways to have a breakthrough in your business that lets you “print” money and freedom (16:21)
- Why ruthless selfishness helps you unstuck yourself with any business problem you’re facing (19:08)
- The sneaky way selflessness is an excuse to justify your business failures (19:49)
- Why burying yourself in your business without seeking outside help is a recipe for a premature death (24:44)
- The counterintuitive reason asking for help actually gives you more control over your future (29:49)
You can grab Mike’s book, Owner Shift, and find more helpful content about building your business on his site https://mikemalatesta.com
To get the most out of this podcast, or connect with Duane and Dave, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Founders of construction and remodeling companies will tell you there are many different roads to starting a business. This week we hear how a self-taught sub-contractor transitioned to building a growing home remodeling company - and the difficult choice he made of building his business, instead of building for it. In the midst of launching a third company branch, Ken Combs sits down to talk us through his past mistakes and the bumpy road to scaling a successful business.
Show highlights include:
- The counterintuitive reason building your business the wrong way is the fastest way to build it right (1:52)
- How to find former executives to mentor you for free (9:24)
- Why a “businessman who builds” makes more money, has less headaches, and enjoys more free time than a “builder with a business” (11:57)
- The “Predictive Analysis” process for scaling your construction business in the future (without sacrificing your current workload) (17:24)
- Why you already have the business processes that can double your construction company this year (26:24)
- How being the dumbest person in your company gives you an unfair advantage (29:13)
If you want to connect with Ken, you can email him at ken@cqchome.com.
To get the most out of this podcast, or connect with Duane and Dave, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Everyone’s competing for talent, but who’s doing it right? Well, our guests on this episode certainly are. These guys have cracked to code on how to reach top construction professionals all across North America. We’re back with Ed and Paul from Contractor Staffing Source to bust myths 4, 5, and 6 on recruiting.
Show highlights include:
- Why wedding planners make great selections coordinators (4:26)
- How to double the number of applicants you get by changing one word on your job postings (12:33)
- The “Elevate then Delegate” secret for scaling your construction company with less headaches and hiccups (17:55)
- Why hiring from another industry can be a disaster if not planned properly (and how it can be a business and sanity-saving decision) (26:44)
- How hiring too fast is a surefire way to lose good people and sabotaging your company's morale (30:50)
- The “Setting the Hook” trick for guaranteeing you hire the best candidate (34:15)
- Why hiring the wrong employee is 15x more expensive than their annual salary (41:54)
- How success can dupe you into making crippling recruiting mistakes (1:02:59)
- The “Sports Team” mindset shift that keeps your team motivated and engaged and improving (1:06:58)
- How a culture based on love transforms every teammate into recruiting machines (1:12:02)
If you want to learn more about Paul and Ed and the hiring services they provide, you can visit https://www.contractorstaffingsource.com. Or hit us through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.
To get the most out of this podcast, or connect with Duane and Dave, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
If you are building a business you have undoubtedly felt the pressure, but that pressure is an opportunity to create more for yourself and the people around you. Our guest for this episode is Jayson Lowe, who shares his experiences around building a business that lasts, and the responsibility that comes with being successful.
Show highlights include:
- Why thinking of your business as your job is a surefire way to bankrupt it (2:40)
- How to implant an entrepreneurial hunger in your children with nothing more than a lawnmower (5:47)
- The “Pressure is a Privilege” mindset tweak that disarms your self-induced stress (10:23)
- How to be grateful in the face of stress and pressure (14:41)
- The “Take the Reins” method for empowering your teammates, ethically forcing them to reach their full potential, and skyrocketing their motivation (18:46)
- How to more than double your business growth (even when the economy halts) (20:42)
- The “lead without a title” trick that makes future leaders in your company crystal clear (26:23)
- The insidious “Arrival Syndrome” virus that haunts and slowly poisons your business from the inside out (29:21)
- The powerful “Disney Experience” technique that transforms random strangers into diehard loyalists for your company (31:11)
- The sneaky “Undercover Boss” secret for connecting with and inspiring every person on your team (40:33)
If you’d like to connect with Jayson, you send him a message on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/thebankernextdoor/, LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayson-lowe-11056620, or Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/learnwithjayson/.
To get the most out of this podcast, or connect with Duane and Dave, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Mark Neave from NSM Construction has gone on a 20 year journey to uncover his recipe for success. At times that journey was a grind when he couldn’t muscle through. He figured out that “Showing Up” was always a great starting point. Even a mindset. Now he’s on a predictable path to sustained growth.
Show highlights include:
- How finding the right cadence and culture in your company eliminates employee turnover (6:46)
- Why communication is the #1 cause of your business woes (and how to get better at it) (9:27)
- The “People Roadmap” strategy that attracts and retains the best teammates and puts scaling on “easy mode” (13:52)
- The deadly “ego communication” trap many entrepreneurs fall into that prevents them from scaling their construction business (16:46)
- How a common vocabulary brings your team members, clients, architects, designers, and trade partners in perfect harmony (18:43)
- The “Show Up” secret for developing a rock solid company culture (without wasting time “planning” your culture) (24:48)
If you’d like to connect with Mark, you can visit his website here: https://www.nsmconstruction.com/.
To get the most out of this podcast, or connect with Duane and Dave, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Most entrepreneurs have overcome one, if not all, of the following four things at some point in their life: bankruptcy, depression, the highest level of anxiety, and a traumatic experience. The most difficult thing to overcome is the inherent competition in the world of building businesses. Justin Breen dives into the secrets behind having a collaborative mindset and how you should only spend time and energy with people who get it.
Show highlights include:
- Just having a colossal bank can make you miserable if you don’t put things like family first (6:07)
- The 4 biggest and most common problems for 7 to 10 figure business owners (and the one skill that flips these into advantages) (10:14)
- Is entrepreneurship lonely? Here’s how to connect with others going through the same struggles you are (12:36)
- The “investment, not cost” mindset tweak that helps you pick the best partners, mentors, and mastermind groups (14:36)
- The “Top People” technique that grows your company like a wildfire (without using gimmicks, tricks, or worrying about your competitors) (22:04)
- How to find the perfect relationships for your business in a fraction of the time (32:42)
If you’d like to learn more about Justin and connect with you, you can find his website here: https://www.brepicllc.com/ and his LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinbreen1/
To get the most out of this podcast, or connect with Duane and Dave, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Building a successful business can provide you the freedom to do other things and spend time doing what you love. And that may just be starting other businesses. Our guest Sean Sullivan started out as a remodeler and subcontractor that took on various small projects. His persistence and appetite for continuous learning transformed his business, Living Stone Design + Build, into the award winning custom home and renovation firm that it is today.
Show highlights include:
- Transformation from a small remodeler and subcontractor to an award-winning custom home builder (3:43)
- Learning to build beautiful custom homes doing nothing more than watching This Old House reruns (7:52)
- The “Triple H” formula for identifying and attracting top talent to work for you (12:32)
- Why hiring new employees based on their skills kills your momentum (and the two “odd” traits to investigate instead) (13:50)
- 3 simple application questions for instantly vetting if someone’s a good fit for your company (16:20)
- How the scientifically-proven “Predictive Index” test prevents your team members from burning out (18:00)
- Free time allowed for the idea behind the “Design District” secret for rejuvenating a town and its businesses (22:45)
If you’d like to learn more about Sean, you can find his website at https://www.livingstoneconstruction.com
To get the most out of this podcast, or connect with Duane and Dave, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Most of us, at some point, have lost valuable team members. Our guest this week is a familiar voice, and he's going to explain the change in mindset that's needed to hold onto the people you already have. Join us as Steve Barkhouse shows us why valuing your people as individuals can create freedom for them and your whole team. Let's jump into the retention business.
Show highlights include:
- How treating your team members like your clients will help you drown in applications (5:12)
- Why letting your teammates leave early is one of the best retention “hacks” you never heard of (7:35)
- The “Small Investment Strategy” for your staff that makes them jump out of bed to work for you every day (10:35)
- How something as simple as reading testimonials to your team makes them never want to work for someone else (11:38)
- Why sharing your finaicals with your team attracts smarter and more talented people (even if being 100% transparent seems scary) (15:07)
- How a simple 15-minute “Tailgate Talk” with your team members shows them you care about them (23:51)
- The “hidden” question to add to your employee surveys taty makes them want to refer you to their friends and family (34:44)
If you’d like to learn more about Steve and how to build a company culture your staff loves, check out his website at https://www.amsted.ca/.
To get the most out of this podcast, or connect with Duane and Dave, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Thank all of you so much for being a part of our first year! Before we kick off a new season we have one last show to do for 2021. Let's take a look back at what has been most popular with our listeners, and hear a few of our favorites as well. As a thank you for all your support we want to kick-off 2022 with some new surprises for how Builder Nuggets can help you build freedom, elevate your team, and how you can become more involved!
Show highlights include:
- The “Golden Retriever Puppy” hiring secret that gives you a massive competitive advantage (7:03)
- The most fundamental missing ingredient in your business that’s hindering your growth (13:37)
- Why passion is the single most important “skill” your projects managers need (19:10)
- The “Gathering Data with Your Eyes” trick for raising your pieces (without getting backlash from your clients) (23:15)
- How to remove yourself from your day-to-day operations so you can sell your company for a fat paycheck (30:01)
- The weird way writing your eulogy lets you take 14 weeks of vacation every year (33:00)
- How to figure out your unique ability and create the ultimate team fabric in your business (42:52)
- The simple “Relational, not Transactional” mindset shift that makes success inevitable (48:58)
- The counterintuitive way massive growth can bankrupt your business (aand how to grow the right way) (1:02:35)
To get the most out of this podcast, or connect with Duane and Dave, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
It’s not what can you get but what can you give? When you're passionate about what you do it shows and giving back is one of the best ways to Level Up! Show highlights include:
- The “Tortoise” mindset shift you need when joining a Home Builders Association for making it worth your investment (7:48)
- How the people inside different builder organizations help you 20x (or more) your business (13:23)
- Why writing down your goals with pen and paper “activates” your subconscious to achieve them for you (14:55)
- How teaching your expertise gives you unrivaled positioning and makes you better at your job (17:07)
- Why growing your business without system in place bankrupts your company, your freedom, or both (18:05)
If you want to learn more about Paul and Ed and the hiring services they provide, you can visit https://www.contractorstaffingsource.com. Or hit us up through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
In part 3 of our 6 part series on the Myths of Recruiting Ed Earl and Paul Sanneman explain why setting up systems that can be run by others who specialize in those systems can save you money and help you become more efficient. It can be difficult to find the right candidates, but it's imperative to scale your business.
Show highlights include:
- The “Recruitment Subcontractor” method for attracting top talent to your company without lifting a finger (2:27)
- Why recruiting by yourself eats up at least half of your work week (and why it’s more expensive than outsourcing) (6:26)
- The “World-Class Lens” for filtering all your major business decisions through to make sure any project is worth your time and money (8:10)
- How to find the perfect recruiter for your company using the same process you use for booking hotels (13:30)
- The surefire way for only hiring employees that align with your company culture (18:27)
If you want to learn more about Paul and Ed and the hiring services they provide, you can visit https://www.contractorstaffingsource.com. Or hit us up through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
In part 2 of our 6 part series on the Myths of Recruiting we tackle why believing employees are expensive is a very short-sighted way of looking at things. If you're hiring the right people, they should be more than paying for themselves. Hiring is an investment you're going to want to make, and we'll tell you why.
Show highlights include:
- Why all your employees pay for themselves (even your office staff) (1:46)
- Are you worried about hiring more team members? Here's why you’re committed to working more for less money (3:02)
- Why the most successful, wealthiest, and free entrepreneurs always have the biggest teams (4:16)
- The simple “investment” mindset tweak for hiring that attracts top level talent to your business (6:15)
- The 3 key characteristics that make a bad employee (and why each of them is your fault) (11:47)
- The counterintuitive reason having a 6-month (or longer) waitlist for new projects is stealing your money (12:46)
- How always interviewing potential candidates helps you attract top talent and makes your teammates more effective (16:57)
If you want to learn more about Paul and Ed and the hiring services they provide, you can visit https://www.contractorstaffingsource.com. Or hit us through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
It’s one of the biggest topics in the industry today. How to find good people. Everyone’s competing for talent, but who’s doing it right? Well, our guests on this episode certainly are. These guys have cracked to code on how to reach top construction professionals all across North America. In a six part series, we are going to lay out the myths and truths of what you need to do to win the Talent race.
Show highlights include:
- The “24/7” mindset shift required if you want to recruit top talent to your team (3:16)
- The 6 biggest hiring myths that paralyze your growth, make your business exhausting, and can even bankrupt your company (7:32)
- How always recruiting can help you poach the #1 project manager from your fiercest competitor (10:28)
- The “Building Your Bench” strategy that prevents your business from falling apart if an important teammate leaves (11:04)
- Why treating recruiting like your sales pipeline gives you an unfair advantage at attracting all-stars (14:14)
- How building a personality-driven construction company puts recruiting on “expert mode” (and how adopting a process-driven approach makes your life easier) (20:31)
If you want to learn more about Paul and Ed and the hiring services they provide, you can visit https://www.contractorstaffingsource.com. Or hit us through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
An easy and affordable way to remove chaos from your business is to engage the services of a VA (Virtual Assistant). Stop being overwhelmed by the volume of work left undone in your business. Remote team members can help your organization climb higher.
Show highlights include:
- The 4 accountability keys that ensures your virtual assistant stays productive instead of eating your profits (4:57)
- Do you struggle with asking for help in your business? Here’s a simple way to get the help you need (8:58)
- The “Protect Your Calendar” strategy that prevents you from missing date nights or your kids’ soccer games (9:44)
- How to get a vetted list of top contractors and vendors in your area in 48 hours or less (without lifting a finger) (17:36)
- Why hiring a VA is an easy way to add a full-time employee (without any of the extra headaches or financial commitments) (24:15)
- How to finally achieve the level of freedom you craved when you first started your business (33:03)
If you’d like to learn more about how a virtual assistance can create more freedom in your business, check out BELAY here: https://belaysolutions.com/
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Our guest on this episode comes from a long line of builders who have been in the industry for over 110 years, dating back to his great-grandfather. He has proven his expertise in helping hundreds of builders, remodelers, and contractors in the USA and Canada, generate leads and close more sales by using the power of their own online presence. He’s an expert at turning websites into lead generating machines that work 24/7.
Show highlights include:
- Why focusing on marketing tactics like SEO is like lighting your money on fire (and how to embed various tactics into a full strategy) (5:29)
- How a marketing engine helps you consistently make more revenue year after year instead of riding the revenue roller coaster (7:35)
- Why relying on word-of-mouth marketing alone will put your construction company in an early grave (especially if it’s worked in the past) (11:08)
- How growing too fast during this red hot market can break your business (and how to sustain your level of growth as demand cools off) (11:53)
- The simple “FAQ Method” for creating content that drowns you in high-quality leads (15:43)
- How video sells your ideal client on you before they even consider a custom home — obliterating your competitors (23:26)
- The “Marketing Moat” strategy that can book you out for the next 2 years (29:19)
If you’d like to chat with Spencer and see how his team can turn your website into a lead generation machine, go to https://builderfunnel.com.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
From the beginning this builder/remodeler had the end in mind. He wanted to build a well respected, highly successful business that would be saleable in the end and allow for an exit strategy. The problem was he wasn’t sure how to do it? Show highlights include:
- The strange way too much prosperity disguises fatal problems lurking in your business (4:31)
- Why getting input from your peers gives you an unfair advantage if you want to sell your construction company some day (9:15)
- How joining a mastermind helps you close more deals, charge more for projects, and achieve sustainable and predictable profits (especially if it seems like a waste of money) (10:15)
- Why pride can bankrupt your whole business (12:27)
- The weird “partnering with your clients” strategy that lets you charge more (and makes your clients happy that you did) (14:17)
- Why encouraging clients to find another builder helps you land more deals (even if it feels like you’re building your competitors’ businesses) (18:05)
- The “Ownership Growth” recruitment tactic that steals higher-paid contractors from huge corporations to work for you (27:22)
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Before you can add value to others you need to come to grips with your own strengths and weaknesses. Having the right mindset can help you discover your unique abilities that will empower you to build freedom for yourself and your team. Show highlights include:
- Why ignoring your weaknesses makes you a happier and wealthier leader (4:34)
- 2 easy ways to figure out your unique ability in business by the end of the day (7:39)
- How wearing too many hats as an owner makes your team members search for another job (10:10)
- The “Kolbe Test” shortcut that relieves you of tedious work you hate and empowers your team to do what they love (11:34)
- The “Elevation Secret” that keeps your teammates loyal to you (even if they have better paying opportunities elsewhere) (21:51)
- Why hiring only based on someone’s resume is a recipe for lackluster results (and a better way to vet new hires) (29:36)
- The “Delegation Deathgrip” that forces you to do everything in your business by yourself (and how to avoid falling into this miserable trap) (36:08)
- The “4-Step Strategic Coach Process” for becoming a great leader, attracting rockstar teammates, and drowning in referrals (40:08)
If you'd like to connect more with Shannon, you can find her books at the Strategic Coach store here: https://private.strategiccoach.com/store/list or visit her website for free resources here: https://yourteamsuccess.com/
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
You don’t just walk away from your business...or at least you shouldn’t. You need to have a solid foundation in place so that the right people can step in and lead to your successful exit. Show highlights include:
- The psychologist’s secret for contractors that revolutionizes your business and adds zero’s to your bank account balance (3:03)
- The single most important question you must answer or you’ll never get a fat paycheck when you sell your business (5:31)
- Why 97% of construction companies have no chance at selling their business (and how to be in the 3% who do) (7:30)
- The “End in Mind” strategy that separates the most successful companies from the mediocre ones (9:26)
- How a basic math equation almost instantly frees you from doing mundane tasks in your business while generating an extra $250-500k in revenue (14:41)
- The “Blueprint Approach” for creating position descriptions for your company in 25 minutes or less (18:41)
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
In this episode we dive into the power of having someone like a fractional CFO (and fractional other titles for that matter) that can help you propel your business forward. Guest Michael Stier is an area President for FocusCFO of the Carolinas. FocusCFO is the leading onsite CFO services provider in the Southeast and Midwest, with over 125 professionals providing world-class fractional CFO support. Show highlights include:
- How to hire an executive level person to your team when your business isn’t big enough to afford a full time position for this (2:10)
- Why putting out fires every day in your company makes it impossible to work on your business so it grows (8:53)
- The one question you must answer if you want to sell your business someday (11:48)
- Here’s how to tell if your business is ready for a fractional CFO or not (15:27)
- Why a CFO makes getting bank loans or third-party investments a breeze (15:49)
- How connecting with a mentor lets you benefit from their biggest money-eating mistakes without making them yourself (21:41)
If you’d like to connect with Michael and discover if a fractional CFO can help your business grow, you can find more info on their website at https://www.cfo.com/.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Business owners across all industries are struggling to find talented people. Why is this? You have to take a look at yourself first and ask what makes you attractive to the workforce? Show highlights include:
- Why treating recruitment as a business development function helps you attract unicorn talent to your team with ease (3:22)
- How being even 1% better at recruiting than your competitors will help you dominate your market (6:07)
- Why hiring people before you need them and before their role even exists may the single best recruitment strategy (7:05)
- The “ABR” mindset shift for never worrying about finding all-star talent again (8:50)
- The #1 most effective, yet overlooked marketing strategy as a small business owner (and how to apply this strategy to recruitment) (10:19)
- 4 intangible things your teammates want more than a high paying job (10:52)
- How to build an inseparable team of employees who won’t want to leave you (even if there’s a better opportunity) (16:47)
- Why waiting for an annual review to check in with your teammates is a recipe for other companies to poach your people (26:57)
If you’d like to connect with James and discover how he can help your business grow, check out his website at https://www.jamespagano.com/.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
The success, or failure, of any organization depends on its ability to meet the challenges presented by growth and change, and to make healthy transitions from one stage of development to the next. But in order to do this you need to know where your business is in the business lifecycle?
Show highlights include:
- One of the biggest mistakes new founders make when starting their business that forever stunts their growth (3:43)
- The insidious way success seduces you into making lethal business mistakes (5:14)
- How the “Founder's Trap” prevents most construction companies from reaching their full potential (and how to avoid the “Founder’s Trap”) (11:21)
- The weird way managing a company with a laundry list of problems that can tank your business is easier than managing a successful company (12:22)
- Why having too many meetings in your construction business may be a sign your company’s heading towards a slow death (15:36)
If you’d like to take a business LifeCycle Assessment so you know exactly where your business is at, you can take a quick quiz at https://corplife.com and diagnose your symptoms.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
If two people are accountable no one is accountable. Roles and responsibilities have to be clearly defined. Our guest on this episode has personally helped many in the Builder Nuggets community. In Episode 13 he gave an overview of EOS (The Entrepreneurial Operating System) and it’s simple, proven format that will get everyone on your team behind your mission. In this episode we take a deeper dive into the Accountability Chart.
Show highlights include:
- If two people are accountable no one is accountable. Roles and responsibilities have to be clearly defined. (2:22)
- The counterintuitive way simplifying and reducing the responsibilities of your team members boosts their productivity (5:15)
- The 3 major functions every construction company needs to address to grow their business (8:42)
- The “Accountability Chart Exercise” that sets you up for your exit strategy and prevents an illness from wrecking your growth (12:57)
- Are you paying a $100 an hour person to do $20 an hour work? Here’s how to know if you are and fix it (19:02)
- How an accountability chart helps you stop bottlenecking your team and empowers them instead (20:28)
- 3 simple “GWC” questions to ask your teammates to instantly know if they’re the right person for the role (23:48)
- How “wasting” a couple of days on business planning prevents your business from running you (especially if you feel like you have no time to plan) (31:00)
If you’d like to learn more about EOS, you can send David an email at tractionpartners@gmail.com or visit his website here: http://yourtractionpartners.com.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
The best entrepreneurs have learned that you can’t do everything yourself. A builder-turned-business-coach walks us through his team and shares his insight into how building the right team has created freedom for his builder clients (and himself). Show highlights include:
- Why working on your weaknesses is terrible advice that traps you in your business instead of giving you freedom (6:16)
- 4 simple questions that reorganize your team so everyone’s working on their highest and best use (9:31)
- How building your company like a sports team creates a profitable, sustainable, and scalable construction business (15:19)
- Why putting the right people in the right seats can increase their income by 10x and grow your company’s revenue by 10x (23:45)
- We’ve seen 10x in all kinds of ways and it’s all due to putting the right people in the right seats (25:07)
- Most of our struggles are because we don’t have the right who (28:20)
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Show highlights include:
- How your Shiny Object Syndrome transforms your business into a profit-eating monster (1:20)
- 4 core principles of building a lean and mean business that can scale up or down with ease (2:30)
- The “Not a Bank” business model that keeps your company lean and mean (even as you scale) (2:41)
- The dirt-simple car analogy that makes potential clients want to give you their money before you start building instead of making you foot the bill (4:00)
- Why bringing marketing talent in-house is less effective and more gut-wrenching than outsourcing (12:57)
- How building your construction business like a doctor’s office maximizes your profitability and minimizes your headaches (14:26)
- The “Who, Not How” mindset that unlocks true freedom in your business (20:42)
- Don’t invest in what you don’t need (26:10)
- Why creating a lean and mean company puts your exit plan on “easy mode” (29:32)
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
In this episode we talk with Byron Brooks and Stefan Wright to hear the unique spin they are putting on builder events. It's a refreshing way to bring like minded builders, remodelers, architects, designers, and students together to work on their game and have a ton of fun while doing it. With your help, and some craft beer, these events can be hosted at a location near you.
Show highlights include:
- The “Craft Beer Secret” for collaborating with your competitors (without sabotaging your business) (2:35)
- How craft beer can help attract young people into the construction industry (9:59)
- Trying to break the mold of the old fashioned way of networking (12:05)
- The strange way drinking craft beer lets you charge your clients more and not be seen as a commodity (16:56)
- We want to provide local champions the autonomy to host local events in their community (26:35)
- It’s a new and refreshing way to network in a stodgy industry (28:12)
If you’d like to learn more about Builders and Brews, you can check out their website at https://www.buildersandbrews.ca/ and follow them on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/buildersandbrews/.
Or if you're interested in learning more about the Builders and Brews pilot program, you can reach out to Duane and Dave on the contact page: https://www.buildernuggets.com/contact/
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Join us for a conversation with custom home builder Andrew Black and learn how his quest to find a better way to run his business led to 500% growth, multiple offices, and a team that’s never been happier. We’ve featured other members of his team in Episode 21 & Episode 26 so thought it was time to talk to the guy who started it all. We were worried that he’d start feeling left out.
Show highlights include:
- Why focusing more on operations rather than production is the key ingredient to growing a successful business (3:09)
- The weird way growing too fast can bankrupt your business (10:41)
- How promoting your project managers to owners prevents them from bailing on your company for something else (and helps you keep your sanity as your grow) (18:32)
- The “Incubator Secret” that attracts the best builders to your team
- Constantly finding ways to improve in every aspect of the business (22:13)
- Truthfully it’s not that hard to have high revenue. What’s hard is to have an NOI at the end of the year that's positive (30:34)
- How your operations are the difference between a 7 or 8% NOI and a 0% NOI (even if you’re a multi-million dollar business) (31:14)
If you’d like to get in touch with Andrew you can email him at andrew.black@alairhomes.com or send him a DM on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/alairhomesforesthill/
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
In this episode we continue our conversation with industry consultant and training expert Joe Stoddard on what all of us can do to make training a key element in our business. With no end in sight to the high demand for housing, coupled with a tight labor pool and trade base, training will be a necessity for growth moving forward. It is essential in building the workforce of tomorrow.
Show highlights include:
- Investing in your business is the best way to become more profitable, have higher customer satisfaction, and deliver all your projects on time (0:50)
- How to turn your business into a valuable asset that that will be more attractive to potential buyers (2:05)
- Why growing too fast is a recipe for disaster that can bankrupt your entire business (4:30)
- The one common trait all custom builders who made the leap from craftsmen to business owner have (13:40)
- The “MSN” Strategy that helps your business become predictable and scalable (16:45)
- How to survive and thrive in business as interest rates grow (22:30)
- Whoever wins this talent and training game of the workforce is going to be way ahead of their competition (23:26)
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
TRAINING! It’s an absolute must. With no end in sight to the high demand for housing, coupled with a tight labor pool and trade base, training will be a necessity for growth moving forward. It is essential in building the workforce of tomorrow. Join us for a conversation with industry consultant and training expert Joe Stoddard on what all of us can do to make this a key element in our business. We owe it to the industry to get this right.
Show highlights include:
- Why you have to budget for training or your business will die a slow, painful death (3:10)
- How to take people with limited construction knowledge and transform them into leaders inside your business (8:16)
- The “Pre-Assess & Reassess” system that ensures your employees learn something from your trainings (12:54)
- Systems and process need to be in place before you can train anyone else to use them (14:50)
- How the commodity mindset can cost you time and money (17:43)
- The counterintuitive way paying your team members more turns them into profit generators (19:51)
- Why making your business simpler is more profitable, makes it easier to hire new people, and eliminates expensive waste (26:15)
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
A builder's mindful approach to building a better home. There’s more to it than just being green or eco-friendly. It’s about livability and understanding what’s important. You need to be the most interested builder. Show highlights include:
- Why getting involved with home builders associations is more profitable and fulfilling than only joining them (3:09)
- The “Mindfully Built” mindset that erases almost all of the stress from the building process (7:36)
- The “100 Years” method that helps you build homes that last decades (9:32)
- Green doesn’t have to mean ugly (9:37)
- Why poor air quality ruins otherwise beautiful and captivating custom homes (14:15)
- How a client first perspective makes it easy to build better homes (16:44)
- The “Tesla Secret” for educating the market about green homes (22:01)
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Our guests on this episode are true innovators with a get it done mindset. As representatives for Kohler, an iconic name in our industry, they embody the company’s belief that better business and a better world go hand-in-hand. Join us for a conversation with Amy Dyer & Megen Rapp who believe their company culture is what allows them to make things happen.
Show highlights include:
- How developing your brand and culture as a builder enables you to provide memorable experiences (4:22)
- Why getting complaints about a project can be a blessing-in-disguise that make your relationship stronger (9:56)
- How autonomy and empowerment make your team “power up” and never want to work for anyone else (15:56)
- The “Yes Mentality” secret that makes it almost impossible to fail (23:56)
- How to solve complex problems simply by listening (24:32)
- You need to have a culture of listening at all levels (25:01)
- You can come up with solutions just by listening (25:28)
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
A few years ago we read the book Never Split the Difference and it changed how we viewed conversations. Never Split the Difference is a deep dive into a former FBI hostage negotiator's field-tested tools for talking anyone into (or out of) just about anything. Join us for a conversation with Brandon Voss from The Black Swan Group and improve your emotional intelligence.
Show highlights include:
- The counterintuitive way you’ll get more customers by raising your prices (7:15)
- The “gather data with your eyes” trick that helps you vet if a client will pay what you’re worth in the first 5 minutes of talking with them (9:29)
- The only 3 types of negotiators and how to deal with each type in the middle of a negotiation (16:16)
- The “Verbal Mirroring” secret from an FBI hostage negotiator that helps you dominate any negotiation you’re in (21:23)
- How asking questions to analytical type negotiators are a surefire way to blow the deal (25:49)
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
If you’d like to beef up your negotiation skills, join Black Swan’s negotiation newsletter at https://www.blackswanltd.com/home or check out the Black Swan YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/c/Blackswanltd1
When it comes to business, profit should not be a dirty word. In fact, profit is one of the key elements of success and essential if you want to create financial freedom for yourself and others. Because it’s so important we simply can’t fit it all into one episode. We’re doing a series. We're kicking things off in this episode with a look at Billable Time.
Show highlights include:
- How to get up to 6% additional profit on billable time and transform what used to be overhead into a profit center (1:19)
- Why the most common pitfall for builders is giving away free money (and how to make sure you’re paid for your time) (2:25)
- Getting over the false belief that there is no way you can do this in your market (9:39)
- How educating your clients about your staff’s time lets you charge more (and makes your clients feel like they’re getting more value) (9:53)
- Stop building your client’s home with your money (and how to bill your clients for all the time it takes to it) (13:42)
- Don’t be afraid to show your people how valuable they are (26:43)
- You have to be able to deliver what you sell (27:08)
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
How do we turn the general adversarial relationship of builders and realtors into a two way street of collaboration and trust? In this episode our guest Kimberley Mackey shares real world solutions for just this. She has earned the reputation as being an expert in today’s competitive and rapidly changing sales environment. Her broad experience working directly with both builders and realtors brings a unique perspective on how all parts should work together to create the whole. Show highlights include:
- Why adversarial relationships with builders and real estate agents ruin home sales (5:07)
- How working with multiple realtors can multiply your business (if you know how to build great relationships) (8:18)
- The “Running Out the Back Door” process that allows you to pick and choose only the best clients to work with (15:10)
- Why understanding realtor commission structures can grow your own sales (23:42)
- How your broker registration policy can attract only the real estate agents you actually want to work with. (27:19)
- With realtors it’s all carrots and no sticks...sticks don’t work (35:20)
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
We all want to achieve personal and financial freedom through our business but it's not possible without really strong leadership. That leads us to this episode’s topic. Who should be leading your business? Join us for a conversation with international leadership and business coach Gregory Gray. He is the author of Business Owner Freedom: Transform Your Business To Create The Lifestyle You Desire. Greg is also a regular contributor to The Business On Purpose Podcast.
Show highlights include:
- Why defining the core values of your company culture skyrockets your leadership abilities. (3:30)
- Vision is where your going...Mission is why you're doing what you're doing...Values are how you’re going to do it. (4:18)
- How getting input from your key leaders develops the values of your company (8:07)
- The “Accept Leadership Concept” that turns skilled employees into powerful leaders (9:13)
- Why hiring a leader who’s strong where you’re weak grows your business like wildfire (12:47)
- How turning your values into action attracts the leaders you want for your company (18:43)
- 26:29 No change has ever been made without conflict. Good conflict will lead to positive change
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
The inspiration for this episode came from an email. A simple note from our guest, a Project Manager on the path to ownership, to the owners of his company. It’s one of those messages that as a business owner you hope to receive. And when you get an email like this, you realize that you’ve created something that is attracting the right people to your mission.
Show highlights include:
- Why it’s less stressful and more profitable to only run 2 projects a year instead of 30+ projects (9:41)
- How discovering your highest and best use instantly makes all your work more fun than your favorite hobby (14:53)
- The “4-Pronged Success Plan” that helps you attract top talent who are genuinely happy to work for you (21:08)
- The “Brake Pedal Method” to leadership that prevents your most gung ho employees from biting off more than they can chew and burning out (21:26)
- Why the best project managers in the world fail because of an impossible business model (23:25)
- How running your construction business like an undefeated criminal trial lawyer evaporates all your stress, headaches, and frustration (25:56)
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
There is a lot of noise out there these days. Making your business stand out from the crowd is no longer a benefit, it’s a necessity. Our guest Wade Wheeler is going to share with us the elements needed to be unique in your market.
Show highlights include:
- Broadcast your passion. Broadcast the quirky stuff!
- How humility robs you from finding more projects (and how to brag about yourself without being arrogant) (1:49)
- The “Double P Approach” that makes potential clients line up around the block to work with you (5:42)
- General Patton’s secret for creating a raving team that goes above and beyond (13:23)
- The “Picasso Policy” that makes money chase you down instead of you always chasing money (18:08)
- The vital importance of business coaching and outside influence (21:03)
If you’d like to connect with Wade to learn more you can find him at https://www.wadecic.com/.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
There is a lot of noise out there these days. Making your business stand out from the crowd is no longer a benefit, it’s a necessity. Our guest Wade Wheeler is going to share with us the elements needed to be unique in your market.
Show highlights include:
- The “Pig in the Dog Show” secret for standing out in an overcrowded market (1:14)
- How to make a niche develop itself around you (instead of drowning in broadness like most of the building world) (3:23)
- Why finding better hobbies makes your entire company happier and more productive (5:38)
- How an ancient Japanese term effortlessly solves your most pressing problems (without overloading your stress) (7:21)
- Richard Branson’s secret for creating billion dollar businesses by not focusing on products or customers (and how to use this in your construction company) (9:23)
- You can’t scale a chaotic culture (15:34)
- The weird way to grow your business faster by declining more jobs (even if you don’t have another project lined up) (17:27)
- The simple, two-second hack that instantly engages your clients, subcontractors, and team members (20:52)
If you’d like to connect with Wade to learn more you can find him at https://www.wadecic.com/.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Our guest on this week's episode is Jes Sanders from Studio S. After spending his early days as a residential framer he went on to study architecture and eventually open his own design firm a little over 5 years ago. In a recent conversation we challenge each other to answer the following question. What are the similarities between running a design firm and running a construction company? Our answer. Well, it’s complicated.
Show highlights include:
- How good design adds equity to a project (and how to leverage this phenomenon when you’re building homes) (5:52)
- It’s hard to overstate the value of having a good builder on your team (9:53)
- Why creating a better overall experience prevents you from falling into the commodity mindset trap (10:37)
- The “3 Leg Stool System” that helps you set expectations and avoid going over budget (12:54)
- How to get architects and designers to send in 50% (or more) of your construction clients (16:16)
- Why throwing architects, designers, or other builders under the bus is simply bad business (and how being an advocate for other parties gets you more high-quality referrals) (18:30)
- Grab coffee, have a beer, get to know and understand each other. That’s how to build a strong builder/designer relationship. (34:13)
- When architects or designers recommend a builder they are putting their reputation on the line (38:11)
If you’d like to learn more about Jes and his architecture business, head over to his website at http://www.studios-pllc.com/.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Few young economists present their insights with the authority, accuracy, and humor that this episodes guest brings to the stage. He delivers with charm and candor, rousing and enlightening all who attend his talks. Join us as we have a conversation with Connor Lokar from ITR Economics about leading indicators for the next decade that will position your business to thrive.
Show highlights include:
- How to know where the US economy is headed by looking at the single family construction industry (4:55)
- Why single family homes are still severely underbuilt compared to the pre-Great Recession peak (6:36)
- How COVID put the pendulum swing from multi family homes towards single family homes on steroids (8:16)
- Why it takes about 11 months for rising interest rates to take a bite out of the market’s momentum (9:43)
- When to expect the supply chain chaos to cool down and stabilize (11:19)
- The ability to attract and retain labor is going to be a massive competitive advantage in the 2020’s (20:27)
- Why we’re not in a “Housing Bubble 2.0” compared to an economist (even if it seems like we are) (21:55)
- The “Golden Retriever Puppy Mindset” that will make your construction business thrive throughout the 2020s instead of dying (23:11)
- Why the 2020s will mimic the Roaring 20’s from 100 years ago (and how to protect yourself from the potential 2nd Great Depression in the 2030s) (35:05)
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Our mission on Builder Nuggets is to help our listeners Build Freedom. In today’s episode we take that to a whole new level as we talk with an owner who’s managing the operations of a $10 Million a year/plus custom building and remodelling company - during a worldwide pandemic - from sunny Barbados.
Show highlights include:
- The “3S System” which gives you complete freedom while running your business remotely (2:39)
- I am my most productive when I am happy! (5:55)
- How moving thousands of miles away from your company injects steroids into your productivity levels (8:32)
- If it wasn’t for COVID we wouldn't have taken this step (13:58)
- Why “front-loading” your week makes you more productive and gives you more freedom to spend time with your family (19:39)
- How working remote forces you to be more human and vulnerable with your team. Our work is what we do not where we do it(22:14)
- The weird way testing your genomes helps build a more profitable business (28:40)
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
If you’d like to get in touch with Evelyn, check out her Instagram pages here: https://www.instagram.com/alairhomesforesthill/ and here: https://www.instagram.com/alairhomesmarkham/. You can also find her website at https://www.alairhomes.ca/forest-hill-toronto/
Bob Whitten is one of the home building industry’s most respected financial & business management consultants. With over 70 recurring clients in over 40 states and 4 Canadian provinces, his firm’s sweet spot is privately held builders doing 20-250 homes per year; although many have grown larger. Join us for a conversation with one of the industry’s most respected financial business management consultants. A lot of people know how to build houses but very few people know how to build good companies.
Show highlights include:
- The “5 Disciplines” that make building a good business easier than building a home (5:42)
- How your business can go belly up even if you have the best systems, fanciest software, and best trucks (7:48)
- How the “pre-construction period” helps you build homes more efficiently and more profitably (9:15)
- The single most important metric for long-term success that has nothing to do with how many houses you build each year (16:59)
- Building or remodeling fewer houses may actually make you more money (17:28)
- One of the biggest risks for custom builders and remodelers is spending too much on overhead and not making enough margin on the jobs we do (14:44)
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
If you’d like to learn how Bob’s consulting can help grow your business, send him an email at BWhitten@smaops.com.
Pamela Durkin has been a professional interior designer for more than 29 years. She has been a speaker at the IDS Southwest Florida Conference on how to help other industry professionals run a better business. Join us for a conversation on how to build a magnet that will attract the best clients, the best talent, and the best of everything else. Be Magnetic!
Show highlights include:
- How “Magnetic Marketing” attracts your ideal clients and forever eliminates the feast or famine part of contracting (1:36)
- Why processes instantly melt stress from you and your clients’ shoulders during projects (2:34)
- Does cold calling make you want to puke? Here’s how “social selling” puts sales calls on easy mode (4:28)
- How telling stories and setting expectations “ethically forces” your clients to value your services (8:33)
- First of all you have to be clear on who you want to attract (11:07)
- Why wasting thousands of dollars on a business coach is the most profitable investment you can make this year (23:18)
- Focus on 3 priorities for the day...then you’re in the bonus round (34:40)
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
If you’d like to read Pamela’s book, Elevate!, you can find it on Amazon here. If you’d like to set up an interview to see how she can help your business, send her an email at pam@pamela-durkin.com. And you can check out her website at https://pamela-durkin.com/.
You need to understand that business is more relational than transactional. In this episode we talk with James Pagano, Owner of Growth Coach of Charlotte. With over 30 years of business ownership experience, and various corporate positions, he is well respected as a leader in professional development. We have had the privilege of getting to know James personally and professionally over the last few years and were fortunate to have him speak at an event we hosted in 2019 around the Power of Delegation.
Show highlights include:
- Why trying to run a small business by yourself will burn you out (4:42)
- You need to understand that business is more relational than transactional (5:46)
- How shaking hands grows your business more than a website and Google Adwords ever could (7:45)
- The critical first step for developing meaningful business relationships (10:23)
- The secret to creating freedom in your business (18:00)
- Why hiring for skill set only is a recipe for mediocrity (and 2 traits to hire for instead) (20:24)
- Why hiring someone before you’re 100% ready can skyrocket your growth (21:48)
- The “70/30 Rule” of networking that builds authentic business relationships (26:43)
- If you can’t lead yourself you can’t lead others! (34:48)
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
If you’d like to connect with James and discover how he can help your business grow, check out his website at https://www.jamespagano.com/.
Project Managers will make or break your business. We expect them to do a lot. One of the biggest challenges in our businesses is the ability to attract, train, motivate, and retain top Project Managers. In this episode we hear from three exceptional professionals who came through the Project Manager ranks and now operate their own custom building businesses.
Show highlights include:
- Why working on unsuccessful projects is a blessing in disguise (4:34)
- 3 things your project manager needs to have to thrive in the role (5:28)
- Why encouraging your project managers to make mistakes makes them a better project manager (13:00)
- As a manager you deserve that title...you deserve autonomy (19:33)
- The weird way giving your project managers raises can make them complacent (28:07)
- How to create a roster of potential unicorn project managers lining up to work for you (35:49)
- You need to be genuine and vulnerable to create the proper culture (41:39)
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
To be the leader you want to be, you first need to work on yourself. How uncovering your inner strengths (and weaknesses) can propel your team.
As the leaders in our businesses we spend a lot of effort on the success and development of our team. In this episode we’re shifting the focus to you, and we’ve brought in a pro to help you unlock what’s already there.
High performance business and leadership coach Michael Dauphinee joins us to discuss how to recognize your true potential and remove the biggest obstacle in your way --- you!
Show highlights include:
- Who are the 6 people that will carry your casket? (3:01)
- Why achieving your dreams causes burnout (5:10)
- How neglecting your health slowly sabotages your business (8:25)
- The 4 types of fear that thwart you from reaching your full potential(and how rigorous honesty dismantles your fears) (12:57)
- DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOU ARE ON YOUR MAP? (11:24)
- Are you in touch with what actually scares you? (13:57)
- The “2030 You” mindset shift that frees you from guilt and shame that keeps your business stuck where it’s at (17:06)
- How reverse engineering your own obituary helps you 10x the impact you make during your life (18:50)
- There are spouses, children and families that are living in the wake of how well you run your homebuilding business (25.23)
- The simple 4-ingredient recipe that transforms disaffected employees into your most loyal followers (27:14)
- How clinging to past success suffocates your future growth potential (and how one question unlocks unfathomable growth) (36:31)
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Our guest Jenny Hoffman has a background in both architecture and construction, she founded her company, J. Hoffman Studio, in 2015 with a focus on designing and building custom modern dream homes.
Not only does she design and build some pretty cool homes and spaces, but this pro immerses herself in the industry. She currently serves as a national delegate on the NAHB Leadership Council and is an advocate for professional women in our industry.
Show highlights include:
- Are you a woman in construction? Here’s how to get support and create connections with other professionals in the field (2:20)
- Get over the idea that we need to “appear” that we know what we are doing (4:22)
- Turn sexism and mansplaining into an advantage as a woman working in construction (17:05)
- How to avoid feast or famine income when you’re spending all your time fulfilling current projects and can’t focus on generating new leads (21:56)
- Let’s figure out what you’re really good at... (25:22)
- Getting involved with a business coach was a game changer (28:44)
- Why appearing foolish gives you a competitive advantage over everyone else in your industry (32:19)
- How growing too quickly sacrifices your relationship with clients and can bankrupt your business (35:25)
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
In this episode we interview a builder who recently returned from a 3 week hunting expedition. He spent countless hours training to be able to hit one of his big bucket list items. He had no cell phone or internet access, yet, after being gone for 23 days his business was running better than when he left it.
This wasn’t always the case. There were times in the past when this builder would go on vacation and come home to a train wreck. He has discovered that if you want your business to run successfully you have to take yourself out of the equation.
The problem is most people simply don’t believe this can take place!
Show highlights include:
- The stark contrast between builders running their business versus managing their business (0:35)
- Why a rigid calendar gives you more free time (5:33)
- How putting yourself first allows you to be there for others (6:11)
- Why working out at the gym lets you get more work done in less time (7:07)
- The "Freedom Equation" get your freedom back (11:09)
- Discover how to get the right people on the bus, let them do what they love, and keep them focused (12:46)
- How writing in a journal can manifest your personal and professional goals (14:28)
Take action now and join the Builder Nuggets community. Go to www.buildernuggets.com, subscribe to the Builder Nuggets podcast, and follow us on Facebook and Instagram.
You have systems and processes in how you build your houses but do you have a great map for how to run your business? Learn the simple, proven format to get everyone behind your mission.
EOS & Traction can be the language of your business.
David Hickman is a lifetime entrepreneur who gained experience in the family business and, let’s just say, became aware of the challenges associated with that. He is passionate about your success. He’s worked with us in our businesses, and he understands builders.
Business Coach and Traction Implementer David Hickman, Founder and CEO of Traction Partners an EOS Implementation company.
Show highlights include:
- The “Entrepreneurial Operating System” that rapidly scales your construction business with less headaches, hiccups, and setbacks (6:07)
- The “L10 Meeting Approach” that erases all your time-draining meetings from your calendar (without sacrificing anything important) (10:12)
- How to put your organizational chart on steroids so you know every team members expertise and limitations with crystal clear certainty (13:12)
- The “5 roles method” that stops your team members’ egos from running rampant when they’re given a powerful job title (17:51)
- Hate managing your employees? Here’s how to get them to effectively self-manage (23:46)
- Why core values are your best tools for hiring the right people (28:21)
If you’d like to learn more about the traction system, David will send you a free book if you go to http://yourtractionpartners.com. Or you can send him an email at tractionpartners@gmail.com.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Most construction businesses never expand outside of their own market and community. While this strategy may provide you a decent living it limits your ability to scale dramatically.
In this episode, Blair McDaniel, owner of Alair Homes, joins us to reveal how you can scale your business so it makes money without you being the one wearing all of the hats.
He’s created the Ultimate Business Model. A model that creates the most valuable, lowest risk, most rewarding custom home building and remodeling businesses in the world.
Show highlights include:
- How transparency allows you to charge what your worth and remove uncertainty from your projects (8:44)
- Why the “build and they’ll come” business model can quickly bankrupt your business (even if it’s been successful so far) (10:46)
- Controlled growth builds a stronger long-term business than growing it as fast as you can (11:35)
- The “Mastermind Concept” that multiplies your business’s growth at warp speed (18:53)
- How to take an entire year off business without your business crashing and burning (19:48)
- The “Must Haves” that help you effortlessly scale your business into other markets (45:45)
If you’d like to learn more about how Blair can help your business scale, check out his website at https://discoveralair.com/.
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Building a business is no easy task. However, many builders never think about selling their business after they’ve built it.
Which means they have two options:
Scale it down or close it completely.
In this episode, we’re revealing the importance of creating an exit strategy from day one, so you can sell your business one day and create personal and financial freedom.
Show highlights include:
- How your business can be worth less than $50k even if you bring in millions every year (4:09)
- Why your team members make the best owners (and will get you the most money when you exit your business) (12:51)
- The “Portfolio Method” for selling your business without tossing and turning about how you’ll pay your bills every night (13:43)
- How to make your business attractive to potential buyers - even competitors. (14:18)
- 7 non-negotiable things your business must have or you’ll never be able to sell it (regardless of how much money makes for you) (17:52)
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Many people in the construction industry try and compete on price. Not only does this cause stress and headaches, but it causes you to become nothing more than a commodity.
By creating awareness, and leveraging social media, you can set proper expectations with your clients before you even have the first phone call. It’s about playing the long game.
This strategy may not drown you in new appointments tomorrow, but it will help you build a business that pays dividends for years and decades to come.
In this episode, Nick Schiffer, owner of NS Builders, and co-host of The Modern Craftsman podcast, joins us to reveal his noble approach to building his business.
Show highlights include:
- How harnessing video to promote your construction business sets the proper expectations and gets you the right clients (6:49)
- A “Local Pub” gig created awareness and led to a podcast (9:39)
- Giving away free estimates is wrecking your profit margins (18:30)
- By not playing the commodity game you can charge more than your competitors (and land the right projects) (19:53)
- A shift in mindset that frees you from your clients’ time and money constraints (29:19)
- Why sharing your shortcomings with clients actually increases your value (39:28)
- One simple question that prevents your clients from dictating the schedule (40:04)
If you’d like to connect with Nick or NS Builders, you can find their website here https://ns.builders/ and their Instagram page here: https://www.instagram.com/nsbuilders/
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Here’s an unfortunate truth about the construction industry: Building a workforce of highly qualified workers is a very difficult task.
It’s even harder finding young kids who decide construction is a better route for them than college — our culture and school systems have brainwashed kids from a young age that college is the only way to succeed. The reality is there are many forms of education, other than college, that can lead to a successful career.
That’s the problem Darren Ash, executive director at The Roc, is trying to solve. In this episode, he explains how to get young kids excited for construction — and how to hire young people for your construction business.
Show highlights include:
- Why a college degree doesn’t cut it in the “new economy” (and 3 things you need to land a high-paying job) (2:35)
- How construction jobs unlock freedom while college tuition may trap you in debt (5:11)
- The counterintuitive reason draconian labor laws hurt young ambitious people the most (and how to get exceptions to these rules) (7:53)
- How tough love builds can build a better company culture (14:50)
- The insidious way schools, and our culture, can brainwash young kids away from profitable opportunities (18:05)
- The “Each One Take One Approach” that helps you find highly qualified construction apprentices for your business (21:00)
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Building high end custom homes is a tough business. You could try to do it all yourself, but that won’t scale.
So how do you expand your business without sacrificing the quality you’re known for? You have to master the art of building relationships and surround yourself with the right people.
In this episode, custom home builder Jeff Smith discusses the importance of self-development, building bulletproof relationships with trade partners, mentoring the next generation workforce, and how all of this will allow you to scale your success.
Show highlights include:
- Why trade school may be a better option than college and how to take the next step for your career (4:01)
- The surprising reason skilled tradesmen may out-earn physicians in the future (4:56)
- How to maximize your contracting business by using romance (7:48)
- Why more “hustle and grind” may actually shrink your business (10:39)
- How to attract and keep the highest quality trade contractors and avoid working with those that don't meet your core values (26:42)
- The secret to forging rock-solid business relationships that go beyond getting paid (32:45)
- A simple question that will have trade contractors fighting each other to work for you (39:42)
- The “Two-Way Leadership” model that ensures your success (43:55)
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
If you’ve been in the building business for any length of time, you’ve experienced the hamster wheel of free estimating. It’s become standard practice because clients have become conditioned to expect it. Actually they expect 3 of them.
Unfortunately free estimates are killing the construction industry. They do a disservice to both the customer and the builder.
Design build professional Paul Kowalski joins us to discuss how free estimates can consume your time and how to elevate yourself above the competition.
Show highlights include:
- Why free estimates can put your business in the red (2:03)
- Free estimates can mislead clients and lead to missed expectations (3:04)
- The reason free estimates devalue the service you provide (7:05)
- The “Design-Build” method frees you from free estimates forever (8:35)
- 3 fundamental questions free estimates fail to address (11:36)
- Why free estimates can be stressful to your team and be cause for turnover (20:10)
- How free estimates open the door for competitors to steal your clients (27:52)
- The “Chunking” approach that makes clients excited to pay you for your work (40:32)
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
There are always excuses for not getting involved in your community. Time, money, effort. Builders also don’t want to be seen as greedy, just in it to make a buck.
But your community needs you. You can share your skills and talents in a way that benefits everyone.
In this episode, consultant and community manager Whitney Brown discusses how to find the right projects to get involved in, how to help your community without coming across as selfish, and how to motivate your team to make your community a better place.
Show highlights include:
- The Win-Win Method for local involvement that benefits the community and your business (4:33)
- How to give back to your local community without feeling like an opportunistic leech (5:58)
- Why publicly sharing the ways you give back is win for you and your community (6:20)
- The Community Marketing checklist every builder needs to successfully get involved with their local community (12:03)
- Why your budget doesn’t matter for genuine community involvement (29:21)
- The easiest way to start getting involved with your community even if you’re new to the area and have never done it before (32:58)
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
A construction business involves risk. Building on speculation, working with the wrong clients, and other traps that builders may fall into. Making the wrong decision can send you spiraling into debt, lead to fatigue, or put you out of business.
In this episode, building industry thought leader Matt Risinger discusses how to find the right clients, the importance of collaboration and how to avoid debt so your business can thrive.
Show highlights include:
- How to find the perfect partner that can propel your business forward faster than you could alone (6:58)
- The “Free Marketing” method to building a thriving business when you have no existing relationships (8:42)
- The prolific creator’s secret for pumping out great content that connects to the clients you want to work with (10:25)
- How video content lays the groundwork for successful client relationship while you sleep (12:25)
- Software that can help you get out of debt no matter your current financial situation (17:05)
- A bulletproof method for eliminating time-wasting clients from the start (20:40)
- How to build the team that lets you step out of your business and enjoy your life (28:05)
- The “Noble Builder” model that helps every company in your market succeed (37:45)
To learn more about Matt Risinger you can find him at the https://buildshownetwork.com or follow him on Instagram @risingerbuild
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Life goes by faster than you expect it to. If you don’t live intentionally, you’ll regret all the things you missed out on.
A life plan helps you avoid regret. Better still, your life plan also helps you create the business you’ve always wanted.
In this episode, award-winning remodeler Steve Barkhouse joins us and we discuss how your eulogy may be the key to the life of your dreams, the importance of company culture, and how to ensure you meet all your goals in life and business.
Show highlights include:
- The busy contractor’s secret to finding time to enjoy life when you run an all-consuming business (5:13)
- What writing your own eulogy teaches you about your life (even if you’re still alive) (6:53)
- A simple way to attract employees that will help you build your business legacy (9:41)
- Why misunderstanding priorities harms your life and business (11:40)
- The surprising reason a life plan is better than a business plan to achieve professional success (17:28)
- How to find the peers and mentors who will push you to levels of success you could never reach alone (23:08)
- A radical way to stop your cell phone from controlling your life (31:51)
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
You started your business because you’re the best at what you do. Even if you have a team, you’re probably still the best at most tasks in that business.
But if you spend time doing things that don’t directly grow your business, you’re wasting time. Worse, you’re setting up your business to fail.
You have to determine the highest and best use of your time.
In this episode, we discuss how to figure out the tasks you’re best suited for and how to train a killer team to take care of the rest, so your business can dominate your market.
Show highlights include:
- How finding your HABU makes you and your team run like a well-oiled machine (1:28)
- How the “Delegate & Elevate” chart helps you rekindle your love for work (5:06)
- The secret to spending all your time following your passions (and still getting all the work done) (6:23)
- A shockingly simple way to get your employees to treat your business like it’s their own (8:35)
- Why doing less leads you to accomplish more in your business (11:40)
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Many builders and remodelers start their own company because they’re good at what they do. It makes perfect sense… until you realize everything involved in running a business.
There aren’t enough hours in a day, and you find yourself completely overwhelmed as the business descends into chaos. Your dream has become a nightmare.
Employees can help, but throwing the wrong employees into the mix can make things worse. So how do you lift yourself up out of the chaos?
In this episode, author and business coach Scott Beebe discusses the importance of vision and a roadmap, the things that are holding your business back, and a bulletproof hiring process for bringing on rockstar employees.
Show highlights include:
- Why the project management role in your business is prone to chaos and how you can restore order (4:34)
- The counterintuitive reason you shouldn’t start a company doing something you’re good at (4:53)
- 4 terrifying words that can kill your business instantly (5:57)
- Why principles trump strategies for sustainable business growth (8:31)
- How the “Spinach Factor” can calm a chaotic company (35:21)
- Two essential success tools you need to implement from day 1 to build a thriving business (10:44)
- Why employee failure is your fault and how to turn every team member into an A player (18:29)
- How the 1-page Master Process Roadmap will transform your business forever (25:26)
Why trying to 10X your business will destroy it (36:21)
For more on Scott and his coaching programs for contractors, visit https://www.mybusinessonpurpose.com/
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Entrepreneurship can be a lonely and difficult journey. But it doesn't have to be!
The Builder Nuggets community is composed of successful industry leaders like yourself. Award winning builders, remodelers, business coaches, industry experts, and fellow podcasters have come together to share their secrets of success. Our mission is to improve our businesses, our lifestyles, and to move the industry forward by focusing on collaboration over competition.
In this premiere episode of the Builder Nuggets podcast, we discuss the importance of creating a business that thrives using less of your time and why trying to do it all yourself may lead to fatigue and frustration.
Show highlights include:
- The power of the mastermind and sharing with like minded peers
- Negative elements steal your time and steal your focus (5:09)
- How to achieve the breakthroughs that lead you to the business of your dreams (9:10)
- A mission to help fellow builders (18:50)
- We continue to discover and share new elements of success all the time (21:05)
It’s all here if your willing to put in the work (22:15)
To get the most out of this podcast, head over to buildernuggets.com and join our active community of successful builders and remodelers.