David Lupberger of remodelforce.com returns for an eye-opening episode on how to grow your business, diversify your income, AND create clients for life at the same time! David is a speaker, author, and consultant on the national stage. He’s also a brilliant mind for developing this deceptively simple strategy. Enjoy the episode! Show Notes: [1:55] - The overview of David’s Clients for Life program. [9:50] - Some mechanics of how it works....
Dec 09, 2019•24 min
Speaker, author, and owner of remodelforce.com , David Lupberger, joins us to discuss the different margins in new homes vs remodels as well as the benefits of developing architects as a primary referral source. This is the first of a three part series with David. We will also be featuring interviews with him over creating clients for life and selling your why. Be sure to check out David’s site, remodelforce.com to learn more about his suite of products to help you in your business. And if you a...
Dec 01, 2019•20 min
Curious what's new in the smart home space? Dave LaMere indulges us. Dave is the owner of Smart Homz , with locations in both Ramsey and Beach Haven, New Jersey. Dave's company offers the whole suite of home automation and technology services, so he's just the guy for today's episode. Show notes: [1:45] - What's new in the smart home space. [5:55] - What can you accomplish without a huge budget. [8:30] - The most popular things Dave is asked to install. [17:06] - David's recommendation to builde...
Nov 22, 2019•24 min
Kirsten Danielle is the owner of award-winning Alma Homes in Minnesota. In addition to being a talented builder, Kirsten has a strong brand in the industry for her designs. We talk to her about her selections program, working better with designers, and the design trends she is seeing in the market. This is the third and final episode featuring women leaders in the industry. However, I want to have a better balance of guests in the future between men and women, so if you have anyone you think wou...
Nov 13, 2019•33 min
Christine Williamson is one of the top minds in the field of building science. She travels the continent consulting for architects and developers and also forensically investigating building failures. A few of her projects include the restoration of Belvedere Castle in New York City’s Central Park, forensic investigations of building failures at the air traffic control tower of LAX and the Wheeler Opera House in Aspen, Colorado. Not a bad place to get called out to. And of course, her other proj...
Oct 31, 2019•36 min
Ultra-luxury home developer, Joanna Lily Wong, discusses her journey, her $15 million spec home, and her ideas for better design and marketing. Joanna brings a deep insight of home buyers into all elements of her projects, and she shares some of these with our listeners on this special episode, the first in a series of women in the industry. Joanna is a rising star. This was a lot of fun to record, and I hope you all enjoy it as much as I did! You can find Joanna on Instagram or at Ennate , her ...
Oct 25, 2019•30 min
Here’s a short, nine-minute episode on how to manage your project pipeline to keep cash coming in faster than it’s going out. Cash is the source of many stresses for builders, so fix this and life gets a little easier! Enjoy, and more importantly, be sure to implement!
Oct 21, 2019•9 min
Liability insurance is one of the most complicated aspects of your business. Unfortunately, poor or deficient coverage is much more common than we know, and the consequences for your business can be severe. Treacy Duerfeldt, an insurance expert who runs The NationWide Contractors’ Alliance and also WISE Insure, covers some of the top issues in today’s interview. Learn what can go wrong and how to protect against these things, so you can focus on building your business with confidence. If you are...
Sep 19, 2019•56 min
Who hasn’t had a client try to negotiate their fee down? Spend a short amount of time in this business, and it’s going to happen. Here’s what I’ve found as the best approach to avoid those discussions altogether.
Sep 14, 2019•12 min
Adam Conley understands the dynamic between builders and contractors in a hot market. He wrote a post on social media that originally caught my attention and spurred our conversation. We talk about his views on building stronger builder/trade partner relationships, even covering a few specific recommendations. Adam is the President of Glass Expanse , a company that manufactures and sells directly to builders innovative, architectural glass door systems for luxury homes. You can also follow them ...
Aug 28, 2019•36 min
Welcome to a mini-episode, the final of three with business coach and construction consultant, Shawn Van Dyke. Shawn is a national speaker and author of Profit First for Contractors , available on Amazon. We covered ‘Attracting Talent’ and ‘Getting Paid for Pre-Con’ in our first two episodes. This time, we cover a few random topics from common bad advice he hears to preparing for the next recession. You can find Shawn and his menu of offerings at shawnvandyke.com , and also on social media, @sha...
Aug 07, 2019•10 min
Welcome to the second of three episodes with business coach and construction consultant, Shawn Van Dyke. Shawn is a national speaker and author of Profit First for Contractors , available on Amazon. In this episode Shawn outlines plan to help you get paid for your pre-con work. If you’re not doing it already, this is worth a listen! And if you are, well Shawn may have a few ways to enhance your program. Stay tuned for our third installment with Shawn coming next. It’s a good one. You can find Sh...
Jul 29, 2019•37 min
Shawn Van Dyke is a business coach and consultant to the construction industry. He travels the county speaking, and he even has authored a book, Profit First for Contractors , available on Amazon. This episode covers attracting talent. We’re doing two more episodes with Shawn, one on getting paid for your pre-construction work, and the other, an episode on bad advice and other timely musings such as thoughts about the economy. You can find Shawn and his menu of offerings at shawnvandyke.com , an...
Jul 23, 2019•25 min
It’s an admittedly idiotic name for the episode that we couldn’t resist, in honor of the Seinfeld Soup Nazi, an appropriate flag bearer for this final episode on happy client hacks. This is a reading of our recent article published in our Building Optimal Journal. You can read it HERE .
Jul 12, 2019•4 min
This is a reading of our recent article published in our Building Optimal Journal. You can read it HERE .
Jul 05, 2019•5 min
This is a reading of our recent article published in our Building Optimal Journal. You can read it HERE .
Jun 15, 2019•8 min
Joel Block is a long-time venture capitalist and hedge fund manager who is one of the foremost authorities on creating real estate funds and syndications. Joel joins us to talk about creating syndications and funds for home builders. Be sure to check out Joel’s website, syndicatefast.com . He’s got some great videos on there as well as other helpful services. Also, be sure to check out Joel’s podcast, Profit from the Inside , where he discusses strategies to give your business the inside track. ...
Jun 06, 2019•37 min
This conversation with tiny home builder, Bob Clarizio, ranges from hilarious to enlightening. Bob, of Bantam Built Homes , takes us on his journey into the tiny home business and shares some of his hardest lessons and greatest achievements. If you missed Bob’s first interview with us, check it out: https://buildingoptimal.com/25 Show Notes: [1:40] – Bob’s journey into tiny homes. [7:40] – Bob’s early struggles in his transition. [13:30] – The seasonality of tiny homes. [15:45] – The making his ...
May 28, 2019•46 min
We’re talking to Vicki Suiter, President and CEO of Suiter Business Builders about everything from interviewing and hiring best practices to managing margins in a difficult industry. Vicki is a speaker, consultant, and coach with more than 28 years helping contractors succeed in their businesses. She’s also an author. Her most recent book is The Profit Bleed: How Managing Margin Can Save Your Contracting Business. Vicki’s special offer here. Show Notes: [1:25] – The biggest mistakes in hiring. [...
May 13, 2019
Healthy homes are by no means a new concept, but as of recent they have entered more of the mainstream conversation as the “green” movement has evolved. In this episode, we are visiting with Caroline Blazovsky, a national expert on healthy homes, to learn more about what’s going on and the market opportunities for builders who want to capitalize on the trend. Caroline is the President and Founder of My Healthy Home . She has over 17 years in the space as a public educator, media personality, and...
May 09, 2019•41 min
Sheri Allshouse is back to share a few commonly overlooked financial accounts that could be costing you money. Sheri is a CPA with an expertise in home building and construction. Her firm is The Allshouse Group in Houston, Texas. If you missed Episode 8: Common Tax Questons with Sheri, be sure to check it out! If you’re interested in the financial book Sheri recommends, visit: https://amzn.to/2ZkRGPq And finally, if you want The Allshouse Group’s financial checklist, they have generously offered...
Apr 19, 2019•57 min
Bob Clarizio, founder of Bantam Built Tiny Homes , has built a substantial audience across YouTube , Facebook , and Instagram . Bob has eight steps to going viral and making it big on social media. He shares these tips with us in this latest episode. Check it out! Show Notes: [2:00] – Bob’s history with social media. [6:58] – Eight things to make a post go viral. [37:20] – Should your social media be in your name or in your company’s? [47:40] – Hacks to get better photos and videos...
Mar 21, 2019•59 min
Fernando Pagés Ruiz is a builder, developer, and author of the popular book, Building an Affordable House . He has a deep knowledge of how to save money on your homes, including how to mine the code for savings and how to go beyond the plans to cut costs. Fernando has operations in Colorado, Nebraska, and internationally in Ecuador. You can see his work at hamptonlands.com and read more about his expertise with affordable homes at buildingaffordable.com Show Notes: [2:00] – Fernando’s background...
Feb 05, 2019•1 hr 16 min
Many people get this deceptively simple practice wrong, but it’s an easy fix. In this episode, Jared reads a recent article he wrote for our newly launched, Building Optimal Journal. If you haven’t yet, be sure to check out our new articles, such as Bulletproofing Against Downturns . Show Notes: [0:30] – The two most important reasons for customer deposits. [4:55] – The best way to do a customer deposit and the typical complicating factor. [11:12] – Less-than-ideal alternatives that the bank may...
Jan 10, 2019•13 min
They say you never get a second chance to make a first impression. Kyle Hunt shares a few pointers on how to make the “best” first impression we possibly can during that initial call with a potential client. Kyle is the owner of Remodel Your Marketing , a business coach focused on remodelers. For 10 years he’s helped his clients improve their sales process, implement proven marketing strategies, and take control of their operations. Kyle has spoken at the International Builders Show, and also ha...
Dec 29, 2018•29 min
If you thought we were going to let David Gerstel off the hook with a paltry two-episode series, well think again. He’s back with some tips to improve our relationships with our subcontractors (affectionately called trade partners). These are tips he’s developed over his decades of experience in the construction business. For those of you ne’er-do-wells who haven’t listened to Episode 19 or 20 with David, he is a best-selling author of several construction books, including his most recent, Nail ...
Dec 19, 2018•26 min
David Gerstel is back to talk about the decision between hiring in-house crews or subcontractors. We also discuss the advantages of employee-centered companies. For those of you who haven’t listened to Episode 19 with David, he is a best-selling author of several construction books, including his most recent, Nail Your Numbers: A Path to Skilled Construction Estimating and Bidding . He is also a well-known speaker, and will be featured at the JLC Live Show November 28-30 in Portland. In addition...
Nov 13, 2018•28 min
David Gerstel joins us to talking bidding, estimating, and achieving financial freedom as a builder. David is a best-selling author of several construction books, including his most recent, Nail Your Numbers: A Path to Skilled Construction Estimating and Bidding . He is also a well-known speaker, and will be featured at the JLC Live Show November 28-30 in Portland. In addition to being an expert on many things “home building,” David is also a model of success, having achieved financial independe...
Oct 29, 2018•56 min
This is the third episode in a mini-series exploring how to raise money for your projects. In this episode, we explore the logistics and other considerations of how to raise the money and structure your deals. Enjoy the episode! And one more thing…follow us on Instagram and Facebook for more tips and ideas to take your construction business to the next level! Show Notes: [1:48] – The number one priority: Talk to a securities attorney! [3:20] – Talking to accredited investors and building an inve...
Oct 15, 2018•16 min
It’s time to enter the wonderful, magical world of…security cameras. Our guest, Nate Carty, explains a simple, affordable system to help with theft deterrence, subcontractor management, client communication, and more. Nate and his brother Chris are the founders of Carty Custom Builders, an Austin-based residential home home builder. Nate is a CFA Charterholder and a graduate of the University of Texas. He’s also a smart dude and a tech whiz, as you will see in the interview. Show Notes: [2:32] –...
Sep 24, 2018•21 min
