Leadership

Growing a High Volume Remodeling Business with Jake Schloegel- [Best of Powertips Unscrpited]

September 1, 2022 Business Management, Financial Management, Marketing, Production, Sales 00:24:49

Many remodelers dream of one day building a high-volume remodeling company. Others aren’t sure it’s worth the effort.

In this episode, we talk to Jake Schloegel about what it takes to grow a high-volume remodeling business. Why build it? Who should be involved? What are the expectations?

Jake is the Founder of Schloegel Design Remodel, an award-winning Design/Build firm in Kansas City. He started in 1980 as a one-person company and has grown it, with the help of his team, to an operation exceeding $14 million in revenue annually. The company is now managed by Jake’s son, Charlie Schlegel, and his business partner, Chris Peterson.

Jake has been a facilitator and instructor for Remodelers Advantage for years and is very active in the remodeling community, having served as president of NARI from 1990 through 1992.

Victoria, Mark, and Jake talk more about:

  • Jake’s business and what prepared him for growth.
  • Who helped Jake in building the company?
  • The key components necessary for sustainable growth.
  • Why Jake wanted to achieve high volume.
  • What Jake would do differently if he could have some do-overs.

Recession-Proofing Your Company with Dave Edwards- [Best of Powertips Unscripted]

July 28, 2022 Business Management, Financial Management 00:42:24

It’s easy to be successful in a great economy. You can get away with a lot of bad habits, lack of systems, and high overhead when jobs are large and margins high. But when the economy contracts, job sizes shrink, and margins erode, those bad habits can have a huge affect on the health of your company. Focusing on the right things when times are good are key to recession-proofing your business.

In this episode, Dave Edwards talks to Victoria and Mark about the lessons he learned and the changes he made to create a healthy company following the last recession, and how that positions it to survive and even thrive in the next downturn.

Dave is the founder and president of Earth Bound Homes, a home-building and remodeling company in San Jose, CA. Before he joined Remodelers Advantage Roundtables in 2014, Dave spent 12 years learning all the different ways to not build and run a profitable construction company. 

His path to recession-proofing his company came after watching other remodelers and builders go out of business in the last recession. After his company almost went bankrupt in 2011, he joined Roundtables and also went to counseling. He talks about his path to success in business and in his personal life, and how he has built a company that can withstand an economic downturn, including:

  • His metrics for success
  • Recognizing when someone else has better ideas, and running with them
  • The Stop/Start meeting to improve the company
  • Making project management a source of income
  • Identifying bad habits and how to fix them
  • How unbilled labor can cut into your profits
  • Why he cut his field staff to boost his revenue
  • And more …

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

July 21, 2022 Business Management, Company Culture 00:36:29

If you’ve ever visited any Disney theme park across the globe, you may think nobody does customer service and experience like Disney. Although the execution is complex, the baseline concepts are quite simple. 

In this episode, Pete Blank shares customer-service strategies from Disney with Victoria and Mark, and shows you 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, 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 at Disney World. He, his wife and family moved back to Alabama and he took  what he saw as a temporary job in local government, where he still uses his customer-service strategies. 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. You have to align your clients’ 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 you mission statement
  • Looking for what “above and beyond” looks like in the future
  • How emotional connections create relationships
  • How to measure your customer-service success
  • The power of follow-up surveys
  • And more …

Best of Powertips: Ep. 117: The Six Habits That Can Change Your Life with Laura DiBenedetto

July 14, 2022 Business Management, Company Culture, Human Resources, Personal Development 00:24:41
 

“The Six Habits are behaviors that we act out every day, minute to minute. These are the habits that define our relationship with ourselves, and our relationship with the world around us.”

 
Remodelers Advantage is dedicated to helping remodeling business owners become more successful, while creating an environment that allows them to lead a more balanced and satisfying life.

Victoria and Mark welcome best-selling author, Laura DiBenedetto, to the show to share the truths that reveal the pathway to the truest freedom a person can have.

TEDx Speaker and author of The Six Habits, Laura teaches us how to create the life of our dreams without sacrificing what we love. As Founder and CEO of Vision Advertising, she has helped hundreds of companies build and grow profitable enterprises. Laura lives on Maui with her husband.

Victoria, Mark and Laura talk more about:

  • How entrepreneurs can find the time to nurture, heal and grow themselves
  • The kind of habits that determine our journey through life
  • How we can begin to master those habits
  • What actions you need to take to begin to change your life
  • Building your business around yourself, not the other way around

Mentioned in this episode:
Laura’s Website
The Six Habits

Ep. 189: The 9 Components of Extraordinary Leadership with Wayne Ottum

June 23, 2022 Business Management, Company Culture 00:26:11

Wayne Ottum joins us to talk about the 9 components of extraordinary leadership and outlines some basic steps to help businesses owners become more effective leaders. Wayne discusses the importance of creating a company vision, building the right culture, and the difference between leadership and management.

Wayne is a senior consultant at Remodelers Advantage and is the president of his own consulting firm Ottum Enterprises LLC. Wayne has over 30+ years of consulting experience and has over 15 years of experience working with Remodelers Advantage.

Victoria, Mark, and Wayne talk more about:

  • Creating a vision 
  • Leadership in the Remodeling Industry 
  • And more…..

Best of PowerTips: Creating your Business Exit Roadmap with Ashley Micciche

June 16, 2022 Business Management, Financial Management 00:28:59

Did you know that 81% of business owners want to stop working in their business in the next 10 years?

Yet, most business owners are paralyzed and doing nothing about their exit, because the process seems overwhelming to the point that they don’t know where to begin.  So, how does one focus on their business while planning an exit?  Guest Ashley Micciche has the answer.

Ashley Micciche is the co-owner and CEO of True North Retirement Advisors in Clackamas, Oregon. She specializes in designing, building, and implementing custom-designed exit plans to help her business owner clients secure their final and most important business decision – the exit from their business.  

Victoria and Ashley talk more about:

  • Understanding how to pick an ideal successor
  • Determining post-exit financial needs
  • Establishing a target departure date
  • And more…
 
Finish Big, by Bo Burlingham, is the book Victoria referenced during the show.

Are You Ready for Remodelers Summit '22?

This highly celebrated event is the remodeling industry’s premier educational conference, and it sells out EVERY YEAR!

Join over 700 high performing remodeling professionals and experience the Power of Summit, including:

  • 3 Distinguished Keynotes
  • 40 Visionary Speakers
  • 36 High-octane Workshops
  • 28 Industry Leading Success Partners
  • A Legendary Welcome Party. This Year it Will Have an 80s Theme!
  • And Much, Much More…
Click Here To Register

Ep.185: Getting To An 8-Figure Remodeling Business With Ben Juncker

May 19, 2022 Business Management, Hiring, Human Resources, Marketing 00:24:49

Special guest Ben Juncker discusses the lessons he learned and actions he took to go from a roofing employee to the owner of a multimillion dollar business and a best-selling author.  After being in business for a while and buying out his partner, he realized that profits are more important than revenue and that he needed to start looking at his business at the macro level.  He started focusing proper staffing and creating processes, which led to meaningful growth.

Ben started his company, Craftsman’s Choice, in 1998 and became a James Hardie siding contractor in 2000. Since that time Craftsman’s Choice has grown continuously to become one of the nation’s top James Hardie Remodelers, completing over 175 jobs per year. They have won James Hardie’s prestigious President’s Club award every year since its inception in 2015.

Ben, Victoria, and Mark discuss the importance of:

  • Knowing what is happening on job sites
  • Building accountability into all processes and systems
  • Leveraging technology, specifically Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tools
  • And more…

Ep.174: How to Build Authentic Trust with Robin Dreeke

January 27, 2022 Business Management, Company Culture, Personal Development 00:26:27

As an FBI Special Agent and Chief of the FBI Counterintelligence Behavioral Analysis Program, guest Robin Dreeke built relationships and confidential human sources across 22 nationalities during his career. These days, he works with companies of all sizes, helping newly promoted leaders, executives, and teams succeed and grow. 

In this episode, he shares expert insight on how to move beyond transactional relationships and build mutually beneficial relationships and partnerships. 

Robin is the founder of  People Formula, a Leadership and Communication Strategy company.  People Formula was formed on the premise that missions, goals and objectives cannot be achieved without relationships and partnerships based upon communication and empathy.

Mark, Victoria and Robin talk more about:

  • Why trust is so critical
  • How to build trust
  • Implementing trust-building skills
  • And more…

Ready to Stand Out, Attract the Best Clients,
and Win Every Sale that Comes Your Way?

Lobster audio Twitter

Ep.170: Helpful Tips on Hiring with Mike DiFabion

December 23, 2021 Business Management, Company Culture, Hiring, Human Resources 00:30:58

Hiring is on everybody’s mind these days.  But, utilizing the proper tools in the hiring process is key to ensuring you’re creating a great team.  Guest Mike DiFabion is here to share over 20 years of experience in the remodeling industry and the tips and tricks to creating a smooth, efficient hiring process.

Mike started DiFabion Remodeling, Inc. in 2000 with the goal of becoming the best local mid-sized remodeling firm in the Charlotte market. By providing superior customer service, combined with controlled growth, the company now boasts a reputation beyond reproach and is enjoying its 16th year in business.

Victoria, Mark and Mike talk more about:

  • Hiring timeframes
  • Character traits to look out for
  • Experience Vs. Ability to learn
  • And more…

Get a FREE Copy of
The Remodeler’s Definitive Guide to Successful Hiring

cover 2021
  • Creating an Accurate Job Description
  • Developing an Employee Handbook
  • Recruiting Consistently and Creatively
  • Qualifying Candidates Carefully
  • Preparing for the Interview
  • Interviewing for Aptitude and Attitude
  • And More!
Click Here to Get Your Hiring Guide

Ep.167: Answers to Questions You Didn’t Know You Had with Michael Anschel

November 18, 2021 Business Management, Company Culture 00:28:57

In a field filled with uncertainty, remodeling teams may find themselves asking an abundance of questions on a regular basis.  And, in many cases, there are questions that haven’t even come to mind yet! So, guest Michael Anschel is here to provide insight into topics that you may not have known you needed.

Michael is the founder, owner, and principal designer for Otogawa-Anschel Design-Build, and has built a company that focuses on using an appropriate amount of space for living, and building sound structures that will last. His goal is to continue to offer unique custom design, build great structures, and promote the use of green building techniques both to the industry and the general public.

Victoria, Mark and Michael talk more about:

  • Some of the biggest challenges that remodelers face
  • Approaching estimations, markups and profits
  • Utilizing the proper mindset
  • And more…

The Easy-to-Execute System for Dominating Your Service Market

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MASTER NAVIGATION

This website is part of the Remodelers Advantage Network.

Visit our other properties: