company culture

An Etiquette and Manners Guide for Remodelers with Daniel Post Senning – [PowerTips Unscripted S4 E12]

March 9, 2023 Business Management, Customer Service 00:33:11

Do you remove your shoes when you visit a customer’s home?  How do I control others’ first impressions of me? Is it ever appropriate to begin eating before everyone is served?  Find the answers to these questions and more when Daniel Post Senning joins the show.   

Daniel is the great-great-grandson of Emily Post and discusses the importance of etiquette and how you can use it while interacting with affluent clients who expect a certain standard of conduct.  He explains that etiquette is really a combination of manners (language), plus principles (consideration, respect, and honesty), and how they guide behavior and how that behavior impacts others. 

Daniel Post Senning is from the Emily Post Institute, which is a fifth-generation family business that promotes etiquette tips and techniques based on consideration, respect, and honesty. Daniel is also an author and co-host of the Awesome Etiquette podcast. 

In this informative and fun podcast, Victoria, Mark, and Daniel talk more about: 

  • Table etiquette for any setting 
  • Business advice that can help you control customer impressions 
  • How good etiquette can be great for business 
  • And more… 

Selling to Design, Not Designing to Sell with Jan Neiges – [Best of PowerTips Unscripted]

February 23, 2023 Design 00:27:01

In this episode, we take a closer look at the sales process. We are always looking for fresh ideas and concepts that apply specifically to remodelers and those in the building community.

Our guest Jen Neige is adamant that you should be selling to design, NOT designing to sell, and she shares how you can improve your closing ratio, gain more control of the sales cycle and earn a design fee within two hours.

Jan Neiges is a National Kitchen and Bath certified Kitchen Designer and on the nine-member board for NKBA. Jan brings her 20 years of experience as a kitchen and bath designer and her 40 years of sales experience to share the selling process that she has developed.

Victoria, Mark and Jan talk more about:

  • Background on how Jan began working on this process.
  • Why this process is so important for remodelers to consider.
  • What some of the issues are within the industry faces that drives the need for using this process.
  • And more…

Exploring a Large Project Sales Process with Lane Cooper – [PowerTips Unscripted S4 E11]

January 26, 2023 Business Management, Sales 00:28:14

Today on PowerTips Unscripted, Lane Cooper joins the show to discuss the large project sales process. Price is a process like design. Setting our clients up for a successful pricing process is critical to large remodeling projects moving forward through design into construction. Lane walks us through his pricing process to manage clients’ price expectations.

Lane Cooper is the President and founder of COOPER Design Build in Portland, OR., and is a valued Roundtables member. COOPER Design Build specializes in large remodeling and addition projects.

Victoria, Mark, and Lane talk more about…

  • Scope Creep
  • Challenges of selling and pricing major additions and whole house remodels
  • Determining if the project is suitable for your company
  • And more… 

Solving the Challenges of Leadership Development in Remodeling Companies with Wayne Ottum – [PowerTips Unscripted] S4 E10

January 19, 2023 Business Management, Hiring, Personal Development 00:25:25

As remodeling companies grow, owners face the challenges of deciding when leaders are needed, how to find them, and train them to be good leaders. In this episode of PowerTips Unscripted, Wayne Ottum discusses these challenges and provides tools and methodologies for facing these challenges head-on. In addition, he talks about how he helps owners create a business that works for them.

Wayne Ottum is a senior consultant at Remodelers Advantage. Wayne has over 30 years of experience, with 15 of those years specializing in the remodeling industry. He helps create clear and compelling paths for owners to meet their goals.

Wayne, Victoria, and Mark talk more about:

  • Checklist of leadership skills
  • How to know when to develop or hire leaders
  • Managers vs. Leaders
  • And more…

Using the Financial Review to Pivot to Profitability with Michael Hodgin – [PowerTips Unscripted S4 E9]

January 12, 2023 Financial Management 00:38:49

Today on PowerTips Unscripted, Mark and Victoria are joined by Michael Hodgin to discuss using the financial review to pivot to profitability. A complete understanding and review of your company’s financials is a practice that requires a disciplined effort. However, with this practice in place, an owner will be able to use the information from these reviews to pivot when and where necessary to be more profitable year over year. Using his expertise as a former business owner and a business coach, Michael talks about how he examines a company’s financial statements, including what KPIs to review and whom to review the financials with.

Michael was an owner of a successful remodeling company for over 22 years. He has since left and is the owner of Maestro’s Toolbox, where he works with owners of design-build companies across the country to help them build better companies and, therefore, better lives. In addition, Michael has been part of the roundtables as an owner, a facilitator for roundtables meetings, and part of the Remodelers Advantage Business Coaching team.

Victoria, Mark, and Michael talk more about:

  • When is it best to review financials
  • What should be getting reviewed
  • What is the next step after reviewing
  • And more…

The Magic of Disney’s Customer-Service Strategies with Pete Blank – [Best of PowerTips Unscripted]

January 5, 2023 Business Management, Company Culture, Customer Service 00:36:27

In this episode, Pete Blank shares customer-service strategies from Disney with Victoria and Mark, and discusses how to apply these lessons to your remodeling company to boost your own team’s customer-service performance. 

Pete has been developing leaders and improving service levels of organizations for the past 25 years — 13 of those with the Walt Disney Co. and the past 12 in local government. He loves inspiring others with ways to enhance their organizational culture. You can learn more about Pete Blank at his website: www.peteblank.com, or on his LinkedIn page. 

Growing up near Disney World in Orlando, FL., Pete says he knew he always wanted to work there. After a few years as a sportscaster in Alabama, Pete went to Florida and began working for Disney. After 13 years, he and his family moved back to Alabama so he could start working in the local government.

Blank said that the biggest challenges to providing outstanding customer service and experiences are speed and expectations. Technology has changed the speed and convenience with which goods and services can be delivered, so you have to align your client’s expectations with what you can actually deliver. 

Mark, Victoria, and Pete talk more about:

  • The difference between customer service and customer experience
  • How social media amplifies all experiences —good and bad
  • Making customer service part of your mission
  • How emotional connections create relationships
  • How to measure your customer-service success
  • The power of follow-up surveys
  • And more …

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Fighting the Labor Shortage with In-house Training with Dan Hurst – [Best of PowerTips Unscripted]

December 22, 2022 Business Management, Hiring, Recruiting 00:27:59

The demand and absence of skilled labor is a huge challenge for remodelers across North America. We hear it from our Roundtables Members as well as from our associates, sponsors and Podcast guests.

In this episode Victoria and Mark explore different ways to tackle the issue, and welcome Dan Hurst to the show to talk about how his firm effectively creates a culture and career path that provides opportunities for his staff to learn and develop new skills.

Dan is the President / General Manager of Hurst Design Build Remodel in Westlake, OH and is actively involved in NARI as well as a Master Certified Remodeler and Certified Lead Carpenter.

Dan, Victoria and Mark talk more about:

  • Things you can do to create a culture and provide a path to grow your own skilled workforce
  • Why there is a need to develop your own staff vs. hiring
  • Creating opportunities for your employees to learn and develop new skills
  • What a typical career path might look like
  • Managing and helping your staff achieve their career goals
  • The fear of investing time and energy into developing someone, only to have them leave

How To Double The Number Of Top Leaders In Your Remodeling Comapny: Hire And Train More Women, Featuring Iris Harrell – [PowerTips Unscripted] S4 E8

December 15, 2022 Business Management, Company Culture, Human Resources, Personal Development, Recruiting 00:23:46

In this episode of PowerTips Unscripted, Iris Harrell discusses the importance of having women in key positions within remodeling companies. They make up half of the US workforce, so there is a sizeable recruitment pool, and they also relate on a deeper level with female customers, who often drive decision-making. Women are multi-taskers, organizers, collaborators, and task-oriented, making them assets to any organization. 

Iris founded Harrell Design Build, a large, female-led, employee-owned, full-line remodeling company.  Harrell has consistently committed to high-quality design and craftsmanship and conscientious customer care since their inception in 1985. They also employ only people who share these ideals, including their reliable, rigorously selected subcontractors, and they are very proud of their commitment to women and diversity in the workplace.

Iris, Victoria, and Mark discuss:

  • Women in key positions in your company are a competitive advantage
  • Overcoming internal (and inherent) biases
  • And more…

Listen…

Strategy Isn’t Enough with Brian Gottlieb – [Best of PowerTips Unscripted]

November 17, 2022 Business Management, Company Culture, Personal Development, Productivity 00:30:45

A successful remodeling business isn’t only dependent on tactics or the larger strategy behind them. A company’s culture plays a crucial role in executing any business strategy. 

In this episode, Brian Gottlieb discusses the key steps needed for a business to implement their desired strategy with Victoria and Mark.

Brian Gottlieb is the founder and CEO of Tundraland Home Improvements, which serves all of Wisconsin. He started his business on a plastic folding table, with just $3,000 in cash. Today, Tundraland employs more than 220 people, and revenues  are in excess of $42 million. 

He defines strategy as an integrated set of choices an organization makes to position against the competition, add value to their customers, and add value to the company. Brian’s “a-ha” moment came last summer, when he understood that when a community is at its full potential, we’re all in a better place; and when an organization is at its full potential, we’re all in a better place.

He calls Tundraland a training organization — developing an employee to his or her full potential is a key point of the company’s  strategy. Brian describes the four ways to define your culture, and how to make it stronger, including:

  • How building a strong culture is like building a ship
  • How realizing potential depends on others
  • Examples of the wrong strategies
  • And more …

Will Your Personnel Files Survive a Legal Trial with Jody McLeod – [PowerTips Unscripted] S4 E5

November 10, 2022 Legal 00:39:04

On this episode of PowerTips Unscripted, Jody McLeod joins the show to answer legal questions, including whether companies are set up to withstand a legal challenge. Jody discusses the best way to ensure having a complete personnel file for each employee, including documentation of conversations and key facts,  so that you can support yourself and your company during a legal trial. Jody also advises business owners to help them avoid lawsuits through a complete onboarding process and proper training for all managers.

Jody, an attorney, and former Fortune 500 legal executive is the Founder and Principal of McLeod Legal Solutions (MLS). MLS partners with business owners to protect their business during HR and employee relations disputes with direct access to litigators, employment lawyers, and legal executives from Fortune 500 companies.  Jody specializes in employment law, litigation and litigation management, compliance, investigations, and training.

Jody, Mark, and Victoria talk  more about:

  • Complete personnel files 
  • Best practices to avoid legal trial 
  • Inappropriate or incomplete personnel files 
  • And more… 
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MASTER NAVIGATION

This website is part of the Remodelers Advantage Network.

Visit our other properties: