Business Management

Ep.24: How to Build Strong Partnerships with Architects with Kyle Lissack

July 11, 2018 Remodelers Advantage Business Management, Sales 0:33:23

One of the toughest things for remodelers and builders to do is work with architects or designers and still stay profitable. It can be done, says Kyle Lissack — but it’s a specific business model, and it doesn’t depend on bids, but on the strong partnerships.

In this episode, Victoria and Mark find out how Kyle builds and nurtures relationships, the importance of partnering with architects for the long haul, and how it can benefit your business.

Kyle owns Pinemar Builders, a second-generation full-service remodeling and home-building company just outside of Philadelphia, and is a Roundtables member. Kyle describes Pinemar as a design-driven company where every project involves at least an architect or designer, and often both. “We want to build beautiful homes for nice people,” he says.

Victoria, Mark and Kyle talk about how he adapted his business model from building spec homes to partnering with design professionals in remodeling and building projects, including:

  • Identifying architects, interior designers and landscape architects to approach
  • How to build value for you and your partners
  • Juggling different personalities and approaches throughout a project
  • Treating your partners as customers
  • And more…

This episode gives you insight into how to successfully work with architects, and you’ll find out what Kyle would do with a frozen penguin. Click through to find out more about Pinemar Builders.

We’re excited to have Kyle as a “Power Talks” speaker at the 2018 Remodelers Summit in New Orleans in September. He will be presenting “Cultivating & Nurturing Mutually Beneficial Relationships With Design Professionals” at 2:35pm on the Main Stage.

Summit is on track to sell-out early this year so make sure you REGISTER TODAY!

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Ep. 23: Managing Your Customers with Chip Doyle

June 27, 2018 Remodelers Advantage Business Management, Human Resources, Production, Sales 00:35:53

As a business owner, it seems like you manage everyone — your staff, your crews, your kids, your pets. But if you — and especially your designers — aren’t managing your customers, says Chip Doyle, you’re wasting time and losing out on potential profits.

In this episode, Victoria, Mark and Chip discuss how to break up bottlenecks and speed up the process of handing off from Design to Production. By effectively managing client expectations, setting clear goals and deadlines, and guiding clients intentionally, you can avoid having projects park for too long in design and selections. “Time kills deals,” says Chip.

Chip has been in the sales industry for 28 years, and training with Sandler for nearly 16 years. He’s a sought-after speaker, and will be on the main stage at our Remodeler’s Summit in September, and co-authored Selling to Homeowners The Sandler Way. Chip has a licensed training center and trains companies of all sizes in Pleasant Hill, CA, helping them reach their full potential, exceed expectations and continue to grow.

Empowering designers to guide, and ultimately lead, clients through the design process can increase your profits by 25%, Chip tells our hosts. Some of the ways to get there include:

  • Cutting design time in half, without cutting corners
  • Giving designers the right role models
  • Managing “genius attacks”
  • Setting clear meeting goals and timely next steps
  • The importance of deadlines — for clients
  • Getting projects through that would otherwise stall
  • The traits to look for in a designer — toss the DISC assessment
  • And, as always, much more…

To learn more about Chip and what he can do to help you grow your company, check out his website at www.chipdoyle.sandler.com.

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Ep. 22: How to Make Huge Profits Without Clients with Andrew Schroeder

June 20, 2018 Remodelers Advantage Business Management 00:36:51

Many remodeling companies buy an office, rent it to themselves, and hold it — and that’s where their real estate investment stops. Andrew Schroeder, a second-generation remodeler and Remodeler’s Advantage member, takes real estate investment farther.

In episode 22, Victoria and Mark talk to Andrew about how to use your remodeling experience to grow your business by profitably flipping houses, minimizing the risks and maximizing the benefits, and the challenges of acting as your own client.

Andrew, a Mentor-level Roundtables Group member, bought his ownership stake in Schroeder Design/Build with the money he made flipping houses on the side. Now, as the general manager of the northern-Virginia firm, he’s expanded on that experience to bolster his remodeling business. He’s also the youngest to receive the Master Certified Remodeler designation and is also a Universal Design Certified Professional.

Victoria, Mark and Andrew discuss how to develop key strategies to incorporate real estate investment into your business model, and how expanding into real estate can propel your business forward without needing to acquire new clients.

This episode includes:

  • Where to invest your time and money to get your best returns
  • How to fill your production pipeline without getting new clients
  • Determining your profit margins in real estate
  • The benefits of hiring your own Realtor
  • The secret sauce of pricing for flipping
  • And more…

Like that time Victoria saw Andrew in a diaper. Even without that detail, it’s a high-energy look at a business extension that you, as a remodeler, are already well-equipped to handle.

Spread the Word about PowerTips Unscripted!

As always, if you have a topic that you would like us to cover or know of an industry contact, author or thought-leader that you think others would like to hear from, let us know.

If you’re enjoying our PowerTips Unscripted podcast, please spread the word and post reviews on iTunes and Stitcher.

 

Don’t Miss the Chance to Be a Part of Our LIVE Audience
on Friday, June 22 at 11:00am ET

“How to Build an Award-Winning, Successful, Profitable Remodeling Company With Jeremy Martin”

Join us LIVE as Victoria & Mark talk with Jeremy Martin about the secrets of his success as an award-winning, successful remodeler.

  • Get your questions answered
  • Hear Q&A from the LIVE audience
  • Exclusive access to this episode that airs late-Summer
  • Free Download of our new Lead Aging Report ($20 value)

https://www.remodelersadvantage.com/live

 
 

Ep.21: How Powerful Beliefs Can Transform Your Business with Ari Weinzweig

June 13, 2018 Remodelers Advantage Business Management 00:30:54

Stepping outside the world of remodeling for a moment and we couldn’t be more excited to welcome a an entrepreneur, author, speaker and a visionary to Episode 21 of PowerTips Unscripted.

Ari Weinzweig is a founder and co-owner of Zingerman’s– an amazing company that started as a single location deli 36 years ago and has grown into a $60 million dollar organization based in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Rather than replicating their deli through the franchise model, Ari and his business partner chose to develop new, independent businesses, all rooted in their local community that work together as one organization.

The Zingerman’s Community of Businesses (ZCoB) is a family of ten businesses, each operated by one or more managing partners who share ownership and put their particular expertise to work in the day to day running of their business.

The idea for the ZCoB was laid out in Zingerman’s 2009 vision, written by Ari and Paul in 1994 and highlighted in Bo Burlingham’s 2003 article for Inc. Magazine, “The Coolest Small Company in America.”

Victoria, Mark and Ari touch on many of the things that make Zingerman’s known for their unique culture, for company growth, and for their ability to bring out the entrepreneur in every employee.

In addition to a quick summary of Ari’s background and overview of the different businesses within the ZCoB system, Ari covers just a few of the philosophies that have built the unique culture at Zingerman’s:

  • Visioning, getting clear about the future you want to create.
  • Servant leadership – leader’s job is to serve the organization, treating employees as customers
  • Teaching everyone to think like an owner and the practices used to drive that mindset
  • Open book management, open meetings, etc.
  • Treating people as intelligent individuals and asking their opinions and getting input

“When you are an owner, your personality and your values, if you live them, become the culture of your business…” – Ari Weinzweig

If you are looking to improve your business, change your company’s culture or simply want to hear from an experienced and dynamic thought-leader, don’t miss this episode.

If you would like to learn more about the Zingerman’s Community of Businesses you can visit their website: http://www.zingermanscommunity.com

 

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Ep.20: Constantly Improving Your Business Using Kaizen with Michael Sauri

June 6, 2018 Remodelers Advantage Business Management, Production 00:34:44

Kaizen means (literally) “Change for Good,” and that can mean REALLY good things for your growing remodeling company. This process of constant improvement, with every team member participating, allows your company to constantly raise the bar on its target metrics.

In Episode 20, Victoria and Mark learn more about the Kaizen practice of process improvement by welcoming Michael Sauri, CEO of TriVista USA, to the show.

Michael and his wife Deborah started TriVistaUSA in 2005 with the goal of providing an outlet for creativity and a Ritz Carlton-level client experience. “Our Thoughtful Design Builds Fine Living,” is their mission statement and their mantra as they bring phenomenal, award-winning design to the Design/Build community in the Washington DC area.

The Kaizen practice focuses on improving existing, standardized processes by eliminating waste and was first practiced in Japanese businesses after the World War II.

Michael provides some great insight on how TriVista has adopted Kaizen throughout his business and includes:

  • The background of Kaizen and how TriVista got involved
  • Hiring and developing a team within the Kaizen structure
  • The differences between Kaizen and other process improvement practices
  • 3 metrics of measurement to measure client satisfaction
  • What a Kaizen Event is and what the goal of the effort is
  • Issues and examples where Kaizen improved their business
  • Managing team buy-in into the process
  • And More…

To learn more about TriVistaUSA, visit their website at https://www.trivistausa.com/

 

Tell everyone you know about PowerTips Unscripted!

As always, if you have a topic that you would like us to cover or know of an industry contact, author or thought-leader that you think others would like to hear from, let us know.

If you’re enjoying our PowerTips Unscripted podcast, please spread the word and post reviews on iTunes and Stitcher.

 
 

Ep.19: Sales Compensation Plans & Impact on Company Culture with Ciro Giammona

May 31, 2018 Remodelers Advantage Business Management, Sales 00:27:34

When it comes to compensating remodeling sales professionals, there are so many different models or plans; each with its own set of incentives and sales performance metrics.

But have you ever considered the effect that your sales compensation plan has on company culture? We work so hard to create and maintain the right culture fit for our employees but something as simple as how we pay our salespeople can throw off that critical balance.

In Episode 19 Harrell Remodeling’s CEO, Ciro Giammona, joins Victoria and Mark to talk more about their award-winning firm’s unique approach to sales compensation and how it has impacted their company’s culture.

Since joining Harrell Remodeling as an estimator in 1996, Ciro’s attention to detail, exemplary customer focus and commitment to the company’s employee-ownership culture eventually led him to the role of General Manager in 2006, President in 2011 and CEO in June of 2014.

Harrell Remodeling is a very successful, 33-year-old, second generation full-service design + build residential remodeling company based in Mountain View, California. Harrell’s employee-owned company structure and culture is well-known and respected within the design + build and remodeling community.

Ciro shares some excellent points on how commission-based sales compensation plans can impact not only the bottom line, but company morale and culture as well. Harrell’s salary compensation for their design/sales team is explored and Victoria and Mark take a closer look at the sales management and tracking process.

A great episode for any remodeling firm looking to improve company culture, effectiveness of your sales payment plan and so much more… Enjoy!

If you would like to learn more about Ciro Giammona and his team at Harrell Remodeling you can visit their website here: https://harrell-remodeling.com

We love the feedback we have received so far!

As always, if you have a topic that you would like us to cover or know of an industry contact, author or thought-leader that you think others would like to hear from, let us know.

If you’re enjoying our PowerTips Unscripted podcast, please spread the word and post reviews on iTunes and Stitcher.

Ep.18: Adapt or Become Irrelevant with Mark Richardson

May 23, 2018 Remodelers Advantage Business Management 00:30:49

In Episode 18, Victoria and Mark Harari welcome author and industry adviser Mark Richardson and talk more about the changes that have impacted the remodeling industry and how companies today need to either adapt or risk becoming irrelevant.

Mark Richardson is the Former President and Co-Chairman of Case Design/Remodeling, a Senior Fellow at Harvard and the author of 4 books; 30 DAY Remodeling Business Fitness, How Fit Is Your Business?, Fit to Grow and Control Your Day; 7 Steps to Time Mastery. Mark is also the host of the Remodeling Mastery Podcast.

The hosts explore Mark’s background and the various ways he has been involved in the remodeling industry. From pioneering the Design + Build concept from the early days with Case, to the challenges and obstacles they were able to overcome when growing their business.

Mark talks more about how he and his firm were able to learn from others and from experience and how Case’s founder, Fred Case, created an environment where team members were free to test and try things to improve the business. “Most successful people are students of success,” said Richardson, and went on to explain and encourage today’s remodeler to “put in the time to learn, read, observe, think, etc.”

Victoria, Mark and Mark dig more into some of the different ways the industry has changed over the past several years, including:

  • Time; from the time needed to adapt and change to the response time now expected and demanded by clients
  • How technology is now an integral part of doing business vs. being optional in the past
  • The level of transparency now faced by businesses, where the client’s knowledge and cost of products may outpace your own and they have full access to your past performance, reviews on your business, etc.
  • How clients perceive or envision a project and how you sell or get them to commit
  • How companies can learn and know which ways to adapt themselves

How have you adapted or changed your business?

We would love to hear some constructive feedback on ways you have adapted your business to meet the changes in our industry. Use the comments section below to share your experiences.

We love the feedback we have received so far!

As always, if you have a topic that you would like us to cover or know of an industry contact, author or thought-leader that you think others would like to hear from, let us know.

If you’re enjoying our PowerTips Unscripted podcast, please spread the word and post reviews on iTunes and Stitcher.

 
 

Ep.17: Building a Sustainable Family Business with Wayne Rivers

May 16, 2018 Remodelers Advantage Business Management, Financial Management, Human Resources 00:38:27

According to the U.S. Bureau of the Census, roughly 90% of U.S. businesses are family-owned and the Remodeling industry is well represented by closely-held firms, typically started by a founder and then handed down through multiple generations.

Family-owned businesses often run into obstacles and challenges, usually driven by “soft issues” such as communication, emotions, past conflicts, bringing spouses into the business, etc. However, what many of these struggling firms lack is a common vision or mission from a business perspective.

In Episode 17, Victoria and Mark welcome Wayne Rivers, President of The Family Business Institute, to the show to discuss more about his unique approach in working with these types of businesses.

Wayne’s approach is very different and he talks about his tried and proven, step-by-step strategic planning method for maximizing BOTH the success of a business AND their family harmony.

Wayne is a well-known thought-leader, speaker and author on the subject of family-owned businesses; his latest book is Our Family Business Crisis: and How It Made Us Stronger. Wayne is a Wall Street Journal Expert Panelist and has appeared on the Today Show, CNN, MSNBC, CNBC and the Retirement Living Network.

Victoria, Mark and Wayne discuss the Institute’s unique way of working with their clients; topics include:

  • Identifying reasons why family-owned business struggle
  • Transitioning from one generation to the next
  • The importance of the founder establishing vision early and often
  • The dangers of working AT the business instead of working ON the business
  • “The Magic Bullet” – Business planning methodology and subsequent positive side-effects
  • Going in through the “business door” vs. “family door” when dealing with conflict
  • Dealing with and resolving “soft issues” families face when working together
  • Describing a few steps in the Institute’s 10 step process of working with businesses
  • And more…

A great episode regardless of whether your company is family-owned or not. Many of the concepts discussed about business planning methodology will apply to any business, regardless of ownership structure.

We loved having Wayne as a guest… and we’re even more excited to have him as a featured speaker at the 2018 Remodelers Summit in New Orleans in September.

If you are interested in working with Wayne, his Information is below:

Wayne Rivers
President, Co-Founder
The Family Business Institute
4050 Wake Forest Rd, Ste 110
Raleigh, NC 27609
877-326-2493
Website: www.FamilyBusinessInstitute.com

Ep.16: Keys to Developing an Impactful Leadership Team with Bob Gallagher

May 9, 2018 Remodelers Advantage Business Management, Human Resources 00:24:39

Can you define a good Leader vs. a good Manager? Are they the same, similar or completely different? How can having a strong leadership team affect the success or your business?

In Episode 16 Victoria and Mark welcome Bob Gallagher to the show to discuss how building the leadership team at Sun Design Remodeling Specialists has helped grow their business into one of the most successful firms in the Washington DC / Northern Virginia area.

Over the past 30 years, Bob has been instrumental in building and improving Sun Design’s operational procedures in all departments. Bob has been very involved in the industry, through his involvement in NARI, and has received four President’s awards and two Image awards from NARI National, as well as the Hall of Fame Award from the local NARI Metro DC Chapter.

Bob and his partner, Craig Durosko, are members of a Mentor-level Roundtables Group where they work with other large volume, successful firms from across the country.

Victoria, Mark and Bob explore the issue of not only identifying and hiring good leaders, but how to assemble them into a strong team that is focused primarily on making improvements within a company’s standards, systems and day-to-day operations.

Included in this episode:

  • Defining Leader vs. Manager – Improvements vs. Maintenance
  • Identifying leadership qualities, behaviors, etc.
  • Establishing goals for the team
  • Measuring the ongoing impact and success of the team
  • Building trust and working efficiently with open communication within the team
  • Facing challenges in building and training the team
  • Managing roles and personalities within the team
  • Developing leadership qualities into members of the team

Great insight from a very successful thought-leader among the remodeling industry… Don’t miss this opportunity to learn more about building the team that will help lead your company to the next level.

If you would like to learn more about Sun Design Remodeling Specialists you can visit their website: https://www.sundesigninc.com/

 

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Ep.15: Creating a Culture of Empowerment with Geoff Graham

May 2, 2018 Remodelers Advantage Business Management 00:28:24

Building a strong team can be a challenge to any business owner and creating a culture where employees feel trusted and empowered can be even more difficult.

In Episode 15, Victoria and Mark speak with Geoff Graham, Founder and CEO of GuildQuality, an award-winning firm based in Atlanta, GA.

More than 2,500 home builders, remodelers and residential construction firms currently rely on GuildQuality’s survey, measurement and marketing tools and they have recently been named a “Best Place to Work” in Atlanta for the 6th year in a row.

Geoff Graham started GuildQuality back in 2002 and now employs more than 100 team members, both full and part-time. Geoff’s firm has established a culture of empowerment, which starts as soon as an employee accepts a position with the growing firm.

Victoria, Mark and Geoff explore more about how to build a culture of empowerment, including:

  • Allowing the team to work remotely if needed
  • Building trust from the moment they join the company
  • Hiring and onboarding the right team members to support the culture
  • Sharing goals, objectives and results that are openly communicated
  • Identifying and measuring key metrics
  • Sharing financial statements and company performance metrics with the team
  • Offering a results-based vacation and leave policies

A great episode for any business owner looking to strengthen and improve their company’s structure and culture.

If you would like to learn more about GuildQuality, you can visit their website: https://www.guildquality.com

 

Don’t keep it a secret! Tell everyone you know about PowerTips Unscripted

As always, if you have a topic that you would like us to cover or know of an industry contact, author or thought-leader that you think others would like to hear from, let us know.

If you’re enjoying our PowerTips Unscripted podcast, please spread the word and post reviews on iTunes and Stitcher.