Here's what you'll get out of this construction podcast episode: - What is the #1 mistake small business owners make when recruiting for a new employee? - Questions you can ask to determine culture fit. - What is the #1 mistake small business owners make during the first week? - Why is the first week for an employee so critical? - What's the 80/20 on onboarding? - When and how do you introduce objectives and performance metrics to new hires? - How to keep your good employees. - How can companies...
Jan 20, 2021•1 hr 15 min•Ep. 194
An interview with Corina Burton, Co-Owner of CPR Construction Cleaning, which currently serves the Arizona, Utah and California markets. This is a great conversation where we discuss topics including: - Why Corina says it's important to expect nothing in life. - What it was like starting a business as a single mom. - Transparency and authenticity. Most people shy away from these, but Corina has leveraged them to grow her business. - How she manages doubt and fear. - Her approach to maintaining a...
Jan 11, 2021•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 193
Pitfalls to avoid when promoting your people and creating job titles for them. What you'll get from this construction podcast episode: The Law of Crappy People Avoiding the Peter Principle in your company. How to (and why you should) think about job titles. The pitfalls of promoting people, and how you can skip them. How to set up a low stress promotion process for your team. Resources mentioned in this construction podcast episode: The Hard Thing About Hard Things: Building a Business When Ther...
Jan 04, 2021•29 min•Ep. 192
What you'll learn about in this construction podcast episode: - Benefits of getting out over your skis. - How Eric thinks about failure. - Why You DO need the practice. - What does "branding" mean? - The fine line of pushing your team just enough, without being reckless. - Specializing, and when it makes sense NOT to specialize. - Overhead creep and aggressive growth. Resources mentioned in this construction podcast episode: LL Flooring - http://www.llflooring.com/pro 3 Questions to Help You Get...
Dec 14, 2020•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 191
What you'll learn about in this construction podcast episode: - How Travis Gardner ended the practice of doing free estimates. -The surprising response from the first prospect he pitched a preconstruction services agreement to. - How much he collected in the first month doing this. - The unexpected side effect on his business after he made this shift - How getting a "No" from a prospect is now a win for him. Resources mentioned in this construction podcast episode: LL Flooring - http://www.llflo...
Dec 10, 2020•33 min•Ep. 190
"It was an incredibly powerful object lesson about what our unchecked negative self-talk can turn into and just how toxic it can be for all of us." What you'll learn about in this construction podcast episode: What the "Inner Critic" sounds like, and how it can become toxic. How it's self-sustaining and what it says can become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Beating ourselves up, what the inner critic does, is a preemptive gambit to inoculate ourselves from external shaming. 8 Strategies for Managin...
Nov 30, 2020•44 min•Ep. 189
What you'll learn from this construction podcast episode with Jeff Sawyer of TruNorth Construction: - How unhappy customers can be a symptom of gaps in your processes. - How Jeff's team uses TQM, total quality management, to make customers happier and get buy in from his team. - How Jeff looks at red flags and flaws in his processes. - We go deep into how to create processes for your business, and Jeff's advice for how and where to get started. - Jeff's unconventional approach to punchlists. - G...
Nov 23, 2020•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 188
Paddling his canoe to a flooded jobsite, Byron didn't realize disaster would turn into opportunity. What you'll learn from this construction podcast episode with Byron Brooks: - The "Builders and Brews" program he's been working on to bridge the gap between builders, designers and architects. - The mindsets that keep construction business owners from networking and sharing resources. - His background has helped him deal with controlled chaos, including a time he visited his jobsite in a canoe, a...
Nov 16, 2020•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 187
What you'll learn from this construction podcast episode with David Procida: How "money is a scorecard" and how David thinks about money. How does action cure fear? Biggest mistake to avoid when selling a business His favorite failure in business How being leveraged is like walking a tight rope How the purchase price for a construction business is determined How buyers will look at your business. David's advice if you want to start a business. Resources mentioned in this construction podcast epi...
Nov 09, 2020•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 186
How is the construction industry set up to lie to each other, and what does a "dirt to dishes in 4 weeks project" look like? Listen to my interview with Anthony Amunategui to find out. What you'll get from this construction podcast episode: The importance of taking care of and getting buy-in from the front line site workers. Why are projects headed toward "dirt to dishes in 4 weeks?" Why does Anthony said, "our industry is set up to lie to each other?" Productivity killers on jobsites. The impor...
Nov 03, 2020•57 min•Ep. 185
"Why did they pick THAT contractor? How are those decisions made?" This episode with Jean Brownhill will help answer those questions. What you'll get out of this construction podcast episode: - Some red flags your customers are watching out for with you. - What is the ideal contract delivery method? Lump sum, cost plus, GMP, T&M? - Common trends in customer feedback that you need to be aware of. - Key expectations you want to set with your clients up front. - How to re-establish productive c...
Oct 22, 2020•56 min•Ep. 184
Struggling with customer communication chaos? Here are 4 strategies. What you'll get out of this construction podcast episode: How to lead your customers with systems. A thinking trap to avoid that is the root cause of a lot of communication chaos. Why you're not a call center. How to "batch communication." Using your project management software as a funnel instead of a filter. How to anchor your customers' expectations, and what you want to anchor them to up front. Resources mentioned in this c...
Oct 15, 2020•32 min•Ep. 183
Why you should have the "Always Be The Buyer" mindset, and how clarity is the gateway to confidence. What you'll get out of this construction podcast episode: Why you should approach every transaction with a "buyer" mindset...even when you're the seller. Why you need to narrow down the clients you work with, and what to expect when you start doing it. How clarity in your numbers leads to confidence, and the interesting ripple effects that come along with that. Common bookkeeping mistakes you cou...
Oct 05, 2020•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 182
What Adam Rushing means, "Money isn't real," and how his time as building ships, servicing wind turbines and running a sawmill set up him to own a construction business. What you'll get out of this construction podcast episode: - What Adam means when he says, "money isn't real," and how that perspective helps him in business. - Where all growth happens. - Adam's favorite failure, and how he looks at failure (if he would even call it that.) - How his background building ships, running a sawmill, ...
Sep 29, 2020•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 181
What is the most overlooked part of the sales process, and why is the 55+ market a "blue ocean" for builders? This is an interview with Paul Hanson, President of Epcon Franchising, where he helps builders develop Epcon Communities’ luxury homes and communities that have proven very popular with 55+ homebuyers. What you'll get out of this construction podcast episode: - The most overlooked phase of the sales process. - How do you qualify leads into prospects? - Do emotions come into play in the s...
Sep 21, 2020•1 hr•Ep. 180
Who is the forgotten group that needs to be convinced skilled trades are a good career? How do you find good people? David Broomhead created Tradehounds to help solve the skilled labor issue. What you'll get from this construction podcast episode: - The forgotten group of people that need to be included if we're going to get young people into the trades. - What you can do to help solve our perception problem that's behind the skilled labor shortage. - How is COVID going to affect the labor pool ...
Sep 14, 2020•46 min•Ep. 179
6 mindsets that are connected to profit bleeds, and how free estimates are costing you more than just your time. What you'll get from this construction podcast episode: How the "as little and as late as possible" mindset is behind a surprising number of profit bleeds, and what you can do about it. "Your thoughts tend to clothe themselves in reality." Does the scarcity mindset lead to scarcity of money, or vice versa? How the poverty mindset can screw you over when you have a surplus of resources...
Sep 01, 2020•48 min•Ep. 178
We don't have a skilled labor shortage. We have a productivity crisis. Some of the root causes could surprise you. What you'll get out of this construction podcast episode: Why productivity problems aren't really problems. How to uncover the root cause of any issue you're dealing with. Advice from Dr. Wu. What "mental malware" is, how how it could be affecting you. The surprising effect your mindset has on their productivity. Resources mentioned in this construction podcast episode: 32 Productiv...
Aug 04, 2020•27 min•Ep. 177
Use this 3 pronged approach to reduce the profit bleeds, chaos and loss of will to live from the punchlist phase. What you'll get from this construction podcast episode: How to set up your agreements so your punchlist process causes fewer profit bleeds. Systems you can put in place during construction to reduce rework, unsolicited charity, and opportunity cost. How to anchor your customers to the right expectations. A step by step process you can use for your punchlist phase that puts it all tog...
Jul 31, 2020•40 min•Ep. 176
Boost your sales by learning some insider secrets only bankers usually know about. What you'll get from this construction podcast episode: - Insider secret about financing that contractors need to know about. - Two things lenders care about. There are only two. - Why Giri Addanki says "Zero percent interest cards are just kicking the can down the road." - How can contractors use financing to increase sales...even commercial contractors? - The three different financing models that are out there, ...
Jul 27, 2020•58 min•Ep. 175
There's gold in the dysfunction at your jobsites. Here are 9 proven hacks you can use to boost productivity at your jobsites. Here's what you're going to get out of this construction podcast epsisode: - Nine proven hacks you can use to boost productivity on your jobsites. - Why you should Stay Out of Stores. Period. - What can you do about personal phone usage on the jobsite? - Two questions to cover every morning in a 5 minute huddle. - What does it mean to "batch communication?" - What does a ...
Jul 20, 2020•29 min•Ep. 174
What are some of the challenges of an $800M renovation project? What about "herd knowledge" and "training fatigue" when it comes to new software? What you'll get out of this construction podcast episode: - Insider perspective from two the Bear Construction team working on the $800 million renovation of the Old Chicago Post Office. - Some of the surprising challenges Nick, Tony and their team faced during this massive project. - What are some of the most interesting tech solutions out there right...
Jul 09, 2020•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 173
What you’ll learn in this construction podcast episode: What are private capital groups and how do you find them? The difference between debt lenders, private equity and private capital groups The basics of how a real estate deal (multi-family or land development) gets financed. One of the not-so-well-known tax credits available to homebuilders Common misconceptions about financing real estate deals. The mindset of loan committees who decide on financing deals “The balance sheet and property doe...
Jul 01, 2020•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 172
Learn from the mistakes Mike McCallum made the first time he started his drywall business, and the adjustments he made the second time around. What you'll get out of this construction podcast episode: - The quickest way to go out of business is to do work based on someone else's numbers. - Everybody has a boss - The mistakes he made the first time around as a drywall construction business owner. - The danger of not charging enough for your work. - Why the term cash flow may be a misnomer. - The ...
Jun 24, 2020•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 171
Leadership and business lessons from a retired Army General now running a construction business. Don't miss this one. What you'll get out of this construction podcast episode: - What disappointed Larry Harrington the most when he transitioned from the military into the construction industry. - Larry's "4 E's" - Leadership lessons from leading troops in the war on terror. - This is essentially a leadership masterclass from a man with 40 years experience leading large teams and initiatives in a va...
Jun 08, 2020•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 170
What if you could create your own economic stimulus package and get a refund on your worker's comp policy? Here's what you'll get from this construction podcast episode: - How to potentially get a refund from your worker's compensation policy. - The financial upside of a training program. - A few questions your accountant needs to be asked. - What is a "mid-term audit" of your GL policy, and why right now is a really good time to do it. - Why you want to put a good timesheet tracking system like...
Jun 02, 2020•44 min•Ep. 169
What you'll hear in this construction podcast episode with Tom Reber of The Contractor Fight: - Your mindset and why it's where the game is won or lost. - How to get out of your comfort zone. - Time is the fuel for fear. - A few great questions you can ask to sell at higher margins. - A few things you absolutely need to think about as you come out of the COVID-19 pandemic. Resources mentioned in this construction podcast episode: The Contractor Fight - https://thecontractorfight.com/ Eliminate P...
May 18, 2020•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 168
When Kelly Hollatz left her corporate event planning career to start a construction safety business, she was turned down by every bank she met with. What lessons from beauty pageants kept her going? What does she mean "the weak weed themselves out of her team?" What you'll hear in this construction podcast episode with Kelly Hollatz owner of First Star Safety: - How a conversation with a man in a restaurant affected her entrepreneurial journey. - The lessons she learned from participating in bea...
May 11, 2020•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 167
How does your marketing affect your employees, and what does it mean to turn your organization inside-out? What you'll get from this construction podcast episode: How does your marketing affect employee attraction and retention? What does it mean to "give it all away to keep it?" Tips for generating more leads Common mistakes and misconceptions about your website The entrepreneur mindset How to get found by Google What happens if strangers land on your website? Resources mentioned in this constr...
May 05, 2020•1 hr•Ep. 166
Listen to a master class on contract law with construction attorney Bruce Inosencio. Common mistakes to avoid and contract "red flags" to run from. What you'll get from this construction podcast episode: Some of the risks you should be looking at, but probably aren't. The biggest risks to watch out for in your contracts. How to prevent disputes. The most common mistakes Bruce sees various contractor types making from a legal standpoint. A few red flags in contracts that should be non-starters fo...
Apr 27, 2020•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 165
