US Homebuilder 'From Good to Great': Recent Episodes
Gerard Ball
The From Good to Great podcast series from US Human Capital delves into the inner-workings of the US homebuilding and developer market, through interviews with leading industry players who share their experience and insights into what it takes to compete with the best.
We discuss the tactics, habits and strategies of effective leaders from discipline managers to company presidents.
If you lead a team or business or you aspire to, US Human Capital can help you overcome your challenges, recover from the lows and inspire you to reach your full potential.
Welcome to The US Homebuilder "From Good to Great" podcast series, brought to you by US Human Capital.
In our latest episode, Gerard Ball, US Human Capital President, is in conversation with Joel Shine, the former CEO of Woodside Homes who led the company through the 2008 financial crisis. After joining Woodside as a consultant to help restructure the company after it filed for bankruptcy, he was later asked to become CEO to implement the turnaround strategy.
During this fascinating conversation, Joel details the order and execution of his strategy: from focusing on identifying the right team members, communicating openly with employees, fixing major problems while capitalizing on small wins, and spreading work across different teams - all while keeping the homebuilding divisions focused on building homes.
Joel also shares his advice for young homebuilders, and his captivating career since leaving Woodside.
As your host Gerard Ball describes - Joel is, without doubt, a class act and tier-one leader and operator.
There are plenty of leadership learnings and heaps of value to be taken from this episode that are highly relevant for today’s tough market.
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If you enjoyed this episode - be sure to like, follow and subscribe for more!
Contact host and President of US Human Capital, Gerard Ball, at gerard@ushumancaptial.com
Thank you for listening, The US Homebuilder “From Good to Great” Series is brought to you by US Human Capital.
This podcast is a Loaded Hype production.
Welcome to The US Homebuilder "From Good to Great" podcast series, brought to you by US Human Capital.
In this episode, we are joined by Rob Hutton, ex-Texas Area President of homebuilding powerhouse, Lennar, whose region generated over $ 3 billion in revenue in 2021.
Growing up fascinated with finance and mergers and acquisitions (M&As), Rob discusses his early ambitions and how he transitioned from real estate into the homebuilding sector.
Rob’s story is one of resilience and determination. Starting from humble beginnings, he embraced every opportunity to grow professionally, even taking a pay cut to gain invaluable experience which would propel his career forward.
Throughout his first eight years in the homebuilding industry, the experience Rob gained enabled him to rise through the ranks in his first company, eventually becoming division president. Eventually, Rob would make the switch to Lennar after speaking with CEO of Lennar, Richard (Rick) Beckwitt, where he would ultimately become Texas Area President.
Rob helped pioneer change within homebuilding during his time as Area President - with millions of households in the United States unable to purchase a home, Rob realized that affordability for homeowners was a crucial subject that needed tackling. Rob’s innovative ideas were crucial in creating well-needed change in the industry and ultimately helped many homeowners be able to afford their first home.
Whilst discussing Rob’s illustrious career, we will also be exploring the importance of Rob's mentors and how influential they were in helping shape his career into the incredible success that it is today.
But that’s not all - we will also be discussing Rob’s shift into becoming a career coach and how his recently released book, ‘Think. Map. Do.’ can help ambitious leaders accelerate their careers.
From finding the right footing within the industry, discussing how to retain talent, through to pioneering the way for change within the industry, this episode is hosted by President of US Human Capital, Gerard Ball.
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If you enjoyed this episode - be sure to like, follow and subscribe for more!
Contact host and President of US Human Capital, Gerard Ball, at gerard@ushumancapital.com
Thank you for listening, The US Homebuilder “From Good to Great” Series is brought to you by US Human Capital.
This podcast is a Loaded Hype production.
Welcome to The US Homebuilder "From Good to Great" podcast series, brought to you by US Human Capital.
In this podcast, we are joined by Jim Rosewater, ex-chief executive of Arthur Rutenberg Homes, arguably the United States’ most well-known luxury custom home franchise.
Jim originally got into the homebuilding industry in the 80s, thanks to his father-in-law who hired him on the basis of his marketing expertise, to help market a mixed-use project in Broward County, Florida.
After several successful projects with his father-in-law, a desire to move to Charlotte saw Jim reach out to his connection and industry legend, Arthur (Art), to understand more about the market there; and the rest, as they say, is history.
Eventually, Jim would become instrumental in expanding and diversifying the company's footprint, transitioning AR homes from being very much an entrepreneur vision driven business, to being a more professionally managed company and w. All whilst maintaining Art Rutenberg’s spirit and drive
As well as exploring Jim’s career, we discuss building an executive management team of discipline experts that can execute strategy, building a culture and an environment that attracts and retains world class talent - including one of the best employee referencing strategies that I have come across.
And of course, there is an insight into working with one of home buildings true legends, Art Rutenberg.
From the learning curve like as a newbie in the industry right through to actionable advice on hiring the right people, adapting to the shift an online marketplace and being world-class within your business, this episode is hosted by President of US Human Capital, Gerard Ball.
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If you enjoyed this episode - be sure to like, follow and subscribe for more!
Contact host and President of US Human Capital, Gerard Ball, at gerard@ushumancaptial.com
Thank you for listening, The US Homebuilder “From Good to Great” Series is brought to you by US Human Capital.
This podcast is a Loaded Hype production.
Welcome to The US Homebuilder "From Good to Great" podcast series, brought to you by US Human Capital.
In this episode, we welcome not just one, but two very special guests. Your host and President of US Human Capital has had the pleasure to work with them on senior-level recruitment positions, and can attest their reputation in Florida, specifically in the Orlando Market is second to none.
This reputation is in part thanks to their father, William “Bill” Orosz. Bill moved to Central Florida in 1981 to run a small homebuilder in the early 80s, before starting one of the largest private homebuilders in Central Florida (Cambridge Homes)
Steve, Matt and their brother Andrew have continued this legacy; in a five-year period, they built sold their homebuilding business, Hanover Family Builders, to Lancy Homes in a deal worth $250 million.
Most people would say that's pretty good going.
But, this is not their only successful business sale.
In 2014, they sold their first homebuilding company Royal Oak homes to AV homes in a deal worth $65 million. They then continued in the business as CO Division Presidents and built it up to a 1,300-unit business - astounding for guys in their mid-40s.
In this episode, we talk about their “Lightning in a Bottle” formula for success, how to grow a robust quality homebuilding business, fast, and their leadership style which attracts and retains the very best talent within the central Florida market.
They are truly leaders within homebuilding and inspirations in what can be achieved with hard work a few brains and genuine care for their people and clients.
If you enjoyed this episode - be sure to like, follow and subscribe for more!
Contact host and President of US Human Capital, Gerard Ball, at gerard@ushumancaptial.com
Thank you for listening, The US Homebuilder “From Good to Great” Series is brought to you by US Human Capital.
This podcast is a Loaded Hype production.
Welcome to The US Homebuilder "From Good to Great" podcast series, brought to you by US Human Capital.
In this episode, we're thrilled to welcome Jerry Abbott, owner and founder of the leading home builder in Flagstaff, Arizona: Capstone Homes. Jerry's story is one of amazing luck, timing and perseverance. Working his way up through the industry from framing contractor to Superintendent, to an incredible break which saw him become a division president, he then decided to take the vital knowledge and experiences gained from working his way up to establish his own successful homebuilding business, Capstone Homes.
Jerry's career has crossed paths with a number of industry heavyweights, from whom he took many lessons in leadership to develop his own style. In turn, he himself has become a role model for what it takes to "make it" within the homebuilding sector. Never happy with the status quo, a constant iterative approach to making processes smoother and faster - this is the philosophy which has taken Jerry through his entire career and is explored in this episode of The US Homebuilder “From Good To Great” podcast.
From the Warranty Wall Walk of Fame and the importance of thorough checks, to why there is no such thing as a stupid question and the importance of investing in the right people to build your business; Jerry is a man of initiative and common sense, driven by a ballsy, can-do, make-it-happen approach.
If you enjoyed this episode - be sure to like, follow and subscribe for more!
Contact host and President of US Human Capital, Gerard Ball, at gerard@ushumancaptial.com
Thank you for listening, The US Homebuilder “From Good to Great” Series is brought to you by US Human Capital.
This podcast is a Loaded Hype production.
In this episode, we’re delighted to welcome Larry Webb, retired homebuilding Hall-of-Famer, who is in discussion with Gerard Ball, US Human Capital President.
It’s safe to say that Larry Webb knows a thing or two about not only surviving but thriving in harsh economic conditions. He founded the New Homes Company, a west-coast focussed public home builder, during the depths of the financial crisis in 2009. Larry was CEO for just over a decade, before selling to Apollo private equity in a $338 million deal.
Prior to forming The New Home Company, Larry was the CEO of John Laing Homes where he was instrumental in growing the business to be the second-largest private homebuilder in the US, selling the firm in 2006 in the largest private residential transaction in US history.
It’s these headlines which make Larry both a fantastic and timely guest on the US Homebuilder “From Good To Great” podcast. From why the devil is in the detail with thorough surveying to how some of your biggest personnel gains can be made by hiring in down markets; this podcast contains insights and wisdom in abundance thanks to Larry’s willingness to share.
If you enjoyed this episode - be sure to like, follow and subscribe for more!
Contact host and President of US Human Capital, Gerard Ball, at gerard@ushumancaptial.com
Thank you for listening, The US Homebuilder “From Good to Great” Series is brought to you by US Human Capital.
This podcast is a Loaded Hype production.
In discussion with US Human Capital president Gerard Ball, Paul lets us into his 20-year experience working in the homebuilding industry and how the daily challenge of heading up a homebuilder franchise network keeps his passion for the industry burning.
Previously holding leadership roles in NVR and serving as group VP at Arthur Rutenberg Homes, Paul joined Epcon Franchising in 2018. The Dublin, Ohio-based business has around 90 franchisees at the time of publishing, having almost tripled its number since Paul took the helm.
In this interview, Paul talks about the benefits that homebuilders reap by being part of a franchise, such as the experience and knowledge-sharing of a larger group, problem-solving support from a wide network, national brand recognition and access to comprehensive resources and training.
He also highlights Epcon’s technology adoption and push to move their plan collection and option choices online in an effort to move towards instant visualization and eventually, a ‘buy now’ ability on their website.
Jason Forrest is a US-based, best-selling author and founder of leadership training company Forrest Performance Group. In this episode Forrest hones in on cashflow strategies and mindsets as he discusses what it takes to maintain sales of new-build homes in this ongoing pandemic-affected climate.
Jason has two decades of experience in sales and homebuilding and here he shares his four keys to success. They include: developing the right leadership and team mindset; identifying the right skillsets in your new-build sales team to drive forward in a challenging market; how to successfully sell your homes online and dominate the competition; and what new KPIs you should be focussed on during a crisis.
This podcast was created from a webinar recorded during 2020 in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
This podcast looks at how the right language can create an assertive and resilient homebuilding workforce and the benefits of flattening hierarchical structures. Gerard’s guest is best-selling author and key-note speaker, former US navy captain and submarine commander, David Marquet. His autobiography, Turn the Ship Around highlights the power of giving rather than taking control within a team. From his follow-up book Leadership is Language, Marquet shares with us key communication techniques for leaders to empower thinkers and decision makers within your business, to increase employee engagement, create resilient teams, improve succession planning and develop a mentally strong workforce.
US Marketing guru, author and keynote speaker Gerry O'Brion is a regular keynote speaker at the US National Association of Home Builders amongst many others. His presentations and guidance have driven major growth in businesses from the small up to billion dollar brands such as Proctor & Gamble, Tide and Coors Light.
In this podcast, recorded as part of a webinar series for HumanCapital’s Business Resilience Hub, Gerry highlights how differentiation, influence and added value are key to making your business stand out, but can be equally as tricky to understand, outline and implement. Here, he introduces a new way of approaching sales by understanding buying psychology and how you can use it to attract and influence your customers. To access the accompanying slideshow visit www.whatbigbrandsknow.com/hcg