There are some counter-intuitive things you should be doing, and some mistakes to avoid during this recession. There's also one thing you should do that your banker might not like... What you'll get out of this construction podcast episode: The "ambulance chasers" that could come out in a few months, and how to prepare for them now. How to recession proof your resume if you're an employee. One thing you should consider doing right now that your banker might not appreciate. Avoiding "air bubbles"...
Apr 21, 2020•56 min•Ep. 164
What's one thing you should do at the beginning of a crisis that your banker might not like? How can you make your business a "hard target" for failure? Spencer Padgett and I discuss... What you'll get out of this construction podcast: Advice from a couple of guys who have been through financial disaster before. A few things you can to set up a proper baseline to deal with all the chaos. Some advice that your banker might not appreciate. Five lessons you can learn from a financial crisis, and wh...
Apr 16, 2020•1 hr 17 min•Ep. 163
What stimulus funds are available, and how can you request them?How can you manage finances during this crisis so you survive AND are in a better position when things start returning to normal? Get your questions answered by Nicole Landau, who specializes in providing CFO (Chief Financial Officer) services to a variety of construction businesses. Contact Nicole Landau - www.landauconsultingsolutions.com Resources mentioned in this construction podcast episode: FieldChat - Get 15% off by going to...
Apr 13, 2020•56 min•Ep. 162
Here's a different way to to look at the Coronavirus pandemic. What you'll get out of this construction podcast episode: - What are some of the new problems being created by COVID-19 that could turn into projects? - How to "flow to problems." - How to take this opportunity to "sharpen the saw." - Answer the question, "how much of the profit in your backlog do you want to keep?" Resources mentioned in this construction podcast episode: FieldChat - Get 15% off by going to www.fieldchat.com/edge Co...
Apr 06, 2020•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 161
Why did Scott Wentz set up a nonprofit to get young people into the construction trades, and how is the Builders Bridge program working? Here's what you'll get out of this construction podcast episode: The overlooked group of people whose misconceptions about the construction industry are keeping young people away. What's missing from the typical approaches many are using to try to attract young people to the trades? What is a "homebuilding immersion trip?" What's in it for homebuilders and trad...
Mar 16, 2020•53 min•Ep. 160
What if you hire all the right people and your company still breaks. What if filling all your openings actually makes things worse? Here's what you'll get out of this construction podcast episode: Would you vote yes or no to raise the dam? Why you may not actually have a labor shortage. (What is it then?) How hiring more people could be the worst thing you can do. Details on the "other" skilled labor shortage that's much worse than ours, and what they're doing about it. What is load shedding, an...
Mar 10, 2020•37 min•Ep. 159
Looking for ways to make your field crews more productive? The "Lynyrd Skynyrd Principle" and a few other productivity hacks will help. Resources and tools mentioned in this construction podcast episode: The ADVANCE: Bottom Line Growth Hacks & Secrets for Builders and Contractors - Live Event - https://constructionbusinessaccelerator.com/advance How to Build a Healthy Backlog of High Margin Work - Get your free copy of my video course - https://constructionbusinessaccelerator.com/backlog...
Mar 02, 2020•49 min•Ep. 158
When their business almost failed in 2016, Rob, his brother and his Dad realized some weaknesses that needed to be fixed, and it set them up for growth. What you'll learn from this construction podcast episode: How their near failure in 2016 set them up for success. Keys Rob has learned to running a business with his dad and brother. The question Rob would ask you if you tell him you're thinking about starting your own business. How one person can be a cancer to your team. There are no shortcuts...
Feb 25, 2020•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 157
A lot of contractors are busier than ever before, but are making less money than before...even losing money. Why is that? In this episode you'll learn about eight profit bleeds that cause really busy contractors and builders to lose money. You might be surprised to see how much these profit bleeds add up to at the end of the year. Resources mentioned in this construction podcast episode: Resources and tools mentioned in this construction podcast episode: Companycam - Get your free trial + 50% of...
Feb 18, 2020•34 min•Ep. 156
What are systems you can use to eliminate tire kickers, close more sales, eliminate chaos, and boost profits? Here are 5 questions from podcast listeners that will help you. Questions I answer in this construction podcast episode: How do we do job cost tracking so we can check it with our original estimate and know if we are estimating correctly and making a profit? I want to polish our whole business up. Where should I start? We need a process for how to pass projects from sales to project mana...
Feb 13, 2020•33 min•Ep. 155
How did Joel make the jump from electrician to business owner?How did an "epic failure" set him up for success? How can commitment be infectious? What you'll get out of this construction podcast episode: What does Joel mean, "the only way out is through?" How your commitment level can be infectious. One question that's better than, "what can I do?" The difference between crockpot and microwave thinking. Why you can never really be fully prepared to own a construction business. The surprising par...
Feb 10, 2020•1 hr 19 min•Ep. 154
The Vietnam war, and one commanding officer in particular, had a great influence on Greg Howell, one of the founding fathers of Lean Construction. What you'll get out of this construction podcast episode: How the Lean Construction movement got started. Greg's experience as a Navy SeaBee, and how that influenced Lean. The impact of one commanding officer's leadership style, and how it changed Greg's approach to leadership. The books he recommends that you read A few paradigm shifts that construct...
Feb 04, 2020•1 hr 24 min•Ep. 153
What's going to happen if your business shuts down for a week? How much would that cost you? Would it be an extinction level event? How can you plan for, or better yet prevent, that from happening? What you'll get from this construction podcast episode: Are you a "single point of failure" in your business? If so, what can you do about it? Some of the biggest potential interruptions in your construction business. How to start developing your business continuity plan. A few potential risks to the ...
Jan 30, 2020•31 min•Ep. 152
Information Bulemia and Resultophilia are two common thinking traps that cause a lot of entrepreneurs to screw themselves over. What you'll get out of this construction podcast episode: What are the symptoms of "Resultophilia" and how to get cured from it. How Information Bulemia causes overwhelm and anxiety. How you could be screwing yourself over repeatedly at one particular part of a project. Common thinking traps that business owners can avoid...and make projects and life a lot smoother. Res...
Jan 27, 2020•41 min•Ep. 151
A deadly combat situation Todd Forsman experienced offered some powerful leadership lessons that apply to the construction industry. What you'll get out of this construction podcast episode: Leadership lessons Todd learned during his military experience. The story of a deadly situation Todd experienced in the Middle East, and the leadership lessons he learned from it. A communication problem he faced in combat, the solution he developed for it...and how that has influenced the work he's doing no...
Jan 21, 2020•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 150
What’s going on behind the scenes of the skilled labor shortage…that nobody’s talking about? How is Kassidy Hazelton attacking the labor crisis in a brilliant way? What you’ll get out of this construction podcast episode: How to own your weaknesses, and why you want to do this. How to develop confidence. What’s going on behind the scenes of the skilled labor shortage that nobody’s talking about? How should we be talking about the construction industry differently? What is Kassidy doing to attack...
Jan 13, 2020•57 min•Ep. 149
"Place your army in deadly peril, and it will survive; plunge it into desperate straits, and it will come off in safety. For it is precisely when a force has fallen into harm's way that is capable of striking a blow for victory. Out of options and faced with death, troops execute at an extremely high level." Sun Tzu What you'll get out of this construction podcast episode: What is the Death Ground Strategy, and how does it apply to business and leadership? What is "Desperate Ground" according to...
Jan 06, 2020•39 min•Ep. 148
Why do megaprojects fail, and how does that affect you...regardless of what size project you're doing? What you'll get from this construction podcast episode: One surprising reason megaprojects fail. What is the "quadruple bottom line?" A few red flags Gaf looks for when selecting a contractor. Why do Navy SEALs make good project managers? Gaf's advice to make your next presentation or sales pitch more successful. Resources mentioned in this construction podcast: The ADVANCE live events - https:...
Jan 03, 2020•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 147
You might be holding yourself back...even sabotaging yourself and your finances. Learn how in my interview with Jill Thomas. What you'll get out of this construction podcast episode: How you could be sabotaging your financial health. Why is stress induced anxiety a "learned" response...and what you can do about it. Positive thinking is useless unless you do something specific. The importance of looking at why you're doing something. The "no problem" problem. What does self-sabotage look like? Ho...
Dec 16, 2019•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 146
If I had spent more time analyzing my weaknesses and less time building alibis to cover them, I would be much further along. I'll bet you would too. Which of these 57 Famous Alibis are you using to cover your weaknesses? IF I had money... IF I had a good education... IF I only had time... If I did not fear what THEY would say... IF I had the talent some people have... IF I could just get started... My challenge for you: Listen to the entire list of 57 Famous Alibis and see which ones you are usi...
Dec 12, 2019•14 min•Ep. 145
The construction industry is being disrupted, and you might end up going the way of Blockbuster if you're not aware of what's going on. Resources mentioned in this construction podcast: The ADVANCE Vegas 2020 - https://constructionbusinessaccelerator.com/advance Systematize Your Construction Business - The free training video series Todd's website - www.constructionleadingedge.com...
Dec 09, 2019•36 min•Ep. 144
"It can't get here fast enough." Why would Rob Strobel, President of a large concrete contracting business say that about the next recession? Listen to Jonathan Slain, coauthor of the book Rock the Recession explain.... What you'll get from this construction podcast episode: Learn how everyone is a few days away from their own recession. What is a "non-economic" recession, and what yours might look like. How can you create wealth during the next recession? What are some leading indicators, or re...
Dec 02, 2019•57 min•Ep. 143
What's in it for you to join a mastermind? What's the "Explainer Effect," and what are some of the most common challenges that being part of a mastermind could solve? Resources mentioned in this construction podcast episode: The Construction Business Accelerator
Nov 20, 2019•30 min
This conversation between two pilots led to a tipping point in the war in the South Pacific during WW2, and also illustrates how to start putting your business into overdrive. What you'll get from this construction podcast episode: Four steps to start putting your business into overdrive. The most often overlooked question that you need to answer first. Why shouldn't everyone get an estimate from you? You should be selling on ________ instead of ________. If you shouldn't build your business aro...
Nov 18, 2019•50 min•Ep. 141
Boost profits, shorten schedules and even reduce jobsite supervision with the untapped potential of your supply chain. Plus one thing you can do to help the skilled labor shortage. What you'll get out of this construction podcast episode: How to boost profits by communicating with your suppliers differently. One strategy from the war on terror that could help you reduce your jobsite supervision. Who or what is the actual enemy you're fighting against? One thing builders and GCs can do this week ...
Nov 13, 2019•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 140
How is your time worth $1,000 per hour? Here are ten things you can and should be doing that are worth $1,000 per hour. What you'll learn about in this construction podcast episode: How to start thinking differently about your time. If your job isn't to reduce cost...what is your job? What is opportunity cost, and how might it be hammering your bottom line. My #1 business development strategy. How most productivity problems are foreseeable...and how to prevent them. How a few phone calls saved m...
Nov 04, 2019•49 min•Ep. 139
How are you accidentally driving away first time customers? What does Google REALLY care about? How can you get more good online reviews? What you'll get from this construction podcast episode: What you may be doing to drive away first time customers. What does Google really care about? (It's not whether you're a big or small business...in fact it has little to do with you.) What you can do to get more positive online reviews. How can you erase bad online reviews? One strategy that will incentiv...
Oct 28, 2019•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 138
You can get difficult clients, bosses and employees to do what you want...even if they don't like you. What you'll learn in this construction podcast episode: The surprising thing you should try to catch your employees doing. How to turn difficult clients into fans. Keys for getting difficult employees to step it up. "When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at begin to change." What does that mean? The psychological principals you want to use for good and not evil. What k...
Oct 22, 2019•37 min•Ep. 137
Two leaders of organizations with billions in real estate assets sat down recently and talked about how they solve problems, grow their businesses and the future of construction. What you'll learn in this construction podcast episode: Why Lisa Picard, CEO of EQ Office, isn't interested in sending out any more RFP's. What does business travel at the speed of, and how does that affect you? What the developers of billions of dollars of commercial real estate assets are looking for from their contra...
Oct 14, 2019•38 min•Ep. 136
What shows up when you're committed, and how can adversity be a good thing? Thomas Andrews, electrical construction business owner explains. What you'll learn in this construction podcast episode: How did Thomas and I find ourselves in Quebec trying to order a weird drink to a french speaking bartender. What happens (that's a little hard to explain) when you stop trying and commit? "When you know your Why, the How comes naturally." What has Thomas done in 2019 to dramatically change his business...
Oct 07, 2019•1 hr 21 min•Ep. 135
