Ep 136: The ADU Whisperer

Distribution partners are integral to the custom home building and remodeling industry, and today’s guest is no exception. Scott Thomas, Director of Sales at Parksite, originally started in the industry as a Tyvek specialist before working his way up. Today he joins us to share his thoughts on the value of distribution partners, the newest industry products, and the importance of building strong relationships.

Show highlights include:

• 00:00 Introduction and Background

• 02:34 Scott's Journey in the Building Industry

• 03:24 Transition to Consulting and Salesforce

• 05:00 Starting and Selling a Consulting Company

• 06:00 Entrepreneurial Roots and Education

• 09:20 Return to Parkside and Reasons for Coming Back

• 11:02 Overview of Parkside and Scott's Role

• 12:45 Value Provided by Distributors

• 21:20 Trends and New Products in the Industry

• 23:43 Focus on Sustainability and Green Products

• 26:40 Impact of the Pandemic on Distribution

• 29:52 Importance of Face-to-Face Relationships

• 32:40 Building Loyalty and Allegiance

• 34:48 Creating a Strong Team and Delivering a Great Experience

• 36:18 Future Plans and Excitement

• 39:50 How to connect and what’s coming up next?

You can learn more about Scott at https://www.parksite.com/.

Social media:

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/today/author/scottthomas08/

Or hit us through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.  

To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.

Standing out in a crowded industry, especially one that struggles with a poor reputation is an age old problem for business owners in the construction field. Building a brand is the foundation for growing your business into something that employees are proud to work for, and clients are proud to work with. Today, Natalie Harper joins the show to share her best tips for success when it comes to not only standing out - but standing up for something bigger.

Show highlights include:

• 2:50  Natalie’s start in PR and all about hockey

• 5:50 Getting started in marketing

• 8:50 Fundamentals of building a brand

• 11:25 How to build a foundation

• 14:11 Investing in knowing who you are early on

• 17:22 Like attracts like

• 21:14 Five C’s

• 26:20 Identifying which communities are important

• 30:05 What have the best brands done well to be successful?

• 32:14 Is it what you build or how you build it?

• 34:30 Your personal brand vs. the company brand

• 42:20 What have you learned from working in the custom construction industry?

• 51:20 Appreciate each other and your partners

• 54:35 How to connect and what’s coming up next?

You can learn more about Natalie at https://www.harperpr.com. Get inspired at alairmagazine.com. 

Social media:

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalieharperpr/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/harper_pr/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/HarperPR/

Or hit us through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.  

To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.

Today’s episode features a familiar voice. To kick off Season 4 we’ve brought back the annual favorite - Steve Barkhouse, owner of Amsted Design|Build. This year we’re treating you to his company’s step by step process for delivering the ultimate customer experience during a custom home building or renovation project. If you’ve been struggling as the industry has shifted from the ease of the pandemic building boom to what it is today - this is an in-depth look at what’s working and why it works.

Show highlights include:

• 2:00  What’s happened in the last year?

• 3:00 Homebuilders and remodelers are no longer order takers

• 4:05 Shifts in the permit market

• 6:10 Defining the client experience plan

• 11:00 How did you design the experience?

• 12:55 The first real touch

• 16:33 The In Home Consultation

• 22:45 A modest investment of time and professionalism

• 25:22 Diving into development

• 27:00 Presenting to the client and design agreement

• 29:37 Helping clients understand budget in the current economic climate

• 35:15 Having fun and signing the contract

• 36:48 Handoff process

• 39:30 Discovery After Demolition

• 41:30 Trusted advisors and solid teamwork

• 44:10 Electrical walk throughs are important

• 44:50 Critical 10 - the last ten percent

• 47:10 Completion date, payment, and celebration meeting

• 53:50 How to connect and what’s coming up next?

You can learn more about Steve at https://www.amsted.ca/.

Social media:

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevebarkhouse/?originalSubdomain=ca

Or hit us through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.  

To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.

It’s the end of 2023 and today Duane and Dave recap some of the most memorable moments from Season 3. This highlight reel revisits a few of the best nuggets from this year. We hope to hear from our Builder Nuggets community what you took away, and what you’d like to hear more of in the future. Reach out on our social links below or visit our website.

Show highlights include:

• 3:15 Ep 146 with Sam Rashkin

• 7:15 Ep 145 with Steve Arneson

• 11:05 Ep 109 with PJ Antonik

• 13:15 Ep 120 with Rob Cecil

• 16:50 Ep 122 Sabrina Starling

• 20:10 Ep 105 with Steve Barkhouse

• 22:40 Ep 126 with Gord Cooke

• 25:55 Ep 152 with Cheryl Hickey and Justin Thompson

• 30:05 Ep 140 with Mark Richardson

• 33:40 Ep 140 with Meghan Billings

• 37:50 Ep 155 with Chris Thomson

• 41:22 Reach out with your thoughts for Season 4

You can learn more about the show at https://buildernuggets.com. 

Social media:

LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/duanejohns

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/buildernuggets/?hl=en

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/buildernuggets/

Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-builder-nuggets-podcast/id1532287154

To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.

Becoming successful doesn’t happen alone. It often takes support and mentorship - two things which can be difficult to find and cultivate. Our guest today is Chris Thomson, Head Coach at Student Works, who helps young entrepreneurs become successful business owners. He joins us to share his goal of creating 1000 millionaires, and his building blocks for making it happen.

Show highlights include:

• 3:05 Chris’s background

• 4:38 Studentwork’s mission

• 7:13 How to collaborate and build a mastermind

• 11:05 How do we hold people accountable?

• 16:30 Is there ever resistance?

• 19:45 Recruiting to attract top talent

• 25:47 Success stories and 1000 Millionaires

• 30:00 How do you start on this path?

• 34:45 What do graduates go on to do?

• 38:50 Where do your coaches come from?

• 42:20 Has the program ever negatively impacted a student’s schooling?

• 45:50 How to get in touch and What’s coming up next? 

You can learn more about Chris at https://www.studentworks.com or at cthomson@studentworks.com.

Social media:

LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-thomson-swp/

Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/leaders-of-tomorrow-podcast/id1448651718

Or hit us up through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.  

To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.

It’s a fact that women and minorities are underrepresented in the construction industry. Our guest today has been working to change that and making waves across the country. Today, Nora El-Khouri Spencer, founder and CEO of Hope RenovationsRenovations, joins us to talk about taking on the difficult task of breaking norms, creating change, and tackling the hard stuff. Her model was the first of its kind, and has been instrumental in positively impacting her community. If you’ve been wondering how to make your own business more inclusive, it’s time to learn from NAHB’s Woman of the Year for 2023.

Show highlights include:

• 3:24 How Nora got started in the industry

• 5:00 Deciding to build a business

• 6:00 What was the reception from Nora’s circle

• 7:56 Who were some of the first women hired?

• 10:00 What are some of the most exciting opportunities available?

• 11:45 Teaching women there are opportunities in the trades is rare

• 13:45 What does Hope Renovations do?

• 15:50 How do women feel about participating in the construction industry?

• 17:35 Will Hope Renovations grow into other disciplines outside of trades? 

• 19:35 How big is the organization?

• 21:45 What ways can other leaders get involved in this?

• 24:11 What conversations are being had with younger kids?

• 25:15 Who all wants to join?

• 27:30 A memorable student experience

• 30:20 What has the older generation thought about you and what do they need?

• 35:20 How to get in touch and What’s coming up next? 

You can learn more about Nora at https://www.hoperenovations.org.

Social media:

LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/company/hoperenovations

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/hoperenovations

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/hoperenovations

Or hit us up through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.  

To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed with the amount of new technology available daily. AI is taking the world by storm and it’s not always clear how it can be used to help the building sector. Today Jonathan Porter-Whistman with Perception Predict AI and Whohire.com joins us to explain the way AI is built, the purposes it can serve, and how builders, remodelers, and tradespeople can use it to better their businesses. If you’re still sifting through resumes trying to find the best talent, yet seeing turnover stay consistently high - it’s time to learn the way of the future.

Show highlights include:

• 2:30 Jonathan’s background

• 4:00 How do you determine how to find the right people and then scale it?

• 9:00 How should we perceive where AI is today?

• 12:45 AIs are already starting to behave more like humans

• 15:20 How can the building industry get more involved with AI?

• 17:45 How do you know what areas to focus on and who to trust?

• 21:00 What is the hiring problem that AI can solve?

• 23:00 How does Perception Predict AI work?

• 30:00 AI can be a filtration tool for employers and a resume writer for employees

• 36:00 How to give immediate satisfaction to potential employees 

• 39:50 What are current AI solutions that builders and remodelers can use now?

• 41:25 How to get in touch and What’s coming up next? 

You can learn more about Jonathan by emailing him at jon@whohire.com or check out ttps://www.perceptionpredict.ai/.

Social media:

LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanwhistman/

Or hit us up through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.  

To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.

The relationship between a builder and their client is the most important part of a build or renovation project. Cultivating trust and practicing positive communication are invaluable skills in a builder’s arsenal, and are the two most important factors in creating a successful builder-client relationship. Today, we interview Cheryl Hickey and Justin Thompson, a client and a builder, on their relationship and the incredible collaboration they shared. Completing a whole house renovation while supporting the Hospital for Sick Children (Sickkids), this partnership created a unique opportunity to support their local community.  For anyone who wants to use their skills or their business to give back to others - this is the episode for you.

Show highlights include:

• 3:00 Housing collaboration turns to community collaboration

• 9:35 Knowing it’s time to renovate and stay in the neighborhood

• 11:35 The confidence to share a build publicly

• 16:08 What was surprising about your renovation?

• 18:41 Appreciating the trades

• 19:50 How to be a good neighbor during a reno

• 22:20 Sharing a true renovation journey on social media

• 26:00 A successful builder/client relationship

• 30:20 The Sickkids initiative

• 36:50 What kind of feedback have you been getting?

• 40:40 What’s coming up next? 

• 44:20  How to get in touch 

You can watch Cheryl’s home renovation collaboration with Alair here.

Social media:

Cheryl

Tiktok- https://www.tiktok.com/@cherylhickey?lang=en

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cherylhickey/?hl=en

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/CherylHickeyETCanada/

Twitter - https://twitter.com/cherylhickeyetc?lang=en

Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxDXsbH3Ib8754f8izXUckjKllQzyYg27

Justin

Linkedin: ttps://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-thompson-1671a031?originalSubdomain=ca

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alairhomes.ontario/

Or hit us up through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.  

To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.

For many, the term luxury is a matter of status. Ted Bainbridge with Build Magazine joins us today to discuss not just the meaning of the word luxury, but what he sees trending across the board in the luxury market with both consumers and builders. Technology and sustainability might have the edge in luxury products, but what creates a true luxury experience for consumers building their custom homes? It’s all about relationships.

Show highlights include:

• 2:50 Lessons from podcasting

• 4:35 How Ted got to where he is today

• 6:00 What is luxury today?

• 9:10 The technology disconnect

• 12:00 What experiences are people planning for in their homes during the design phase?

• 14:00 New products and features in luxury homes

• 16:40 Healthier home trend

• 20:40 Sustainability is popular but so are fossil fuels

• 25:30 Differences in the luxury experience of building a home

• 35:30 Customer/builder relationships can be difficult but successful

• 40:00 Unique and unexpected luxury markets

• 42:00 What’s coming up next? 

You can learn more about Ted at www.buildmagazine.com.

Social media:

LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/ted-bainbridge-293b16168

Or hit us up through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.  

To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.

It’s that time of year again when we bring you an economic update from the National Association of Home Builders. Danushka Nanayakkara, Assistant Vice President for Forecasting and Analysis at the NAHB, joins us to share the details of where the housing market is headed as we close out 2023 and head into 2024. We tackle the big questions surrounding interest rates, supply and demand, regional market differences, and whether a recession is still on the horizon.

Show highlights include:

• 2:30 Automotive to home building

• 4:15 The pulse: taking a recession off the table for now

• 5:25 Increases in costs and interest rates

• 11:00 What could the new mortgage rate be in the future?

• 12:34 Inflation and home prices

• 14:35 Locked into low interest rates and unable to move

• 16:50 The income gap and the shrinking middle class

• 19:30 Will wages continue to rise?

• 21:50 Demand will stay strong because of millenials

• 26:40 Multi-generational family living and the hurdles for creating affordable housing

• 32:55 What should builders/remodelers do in their business to prepare now

• 36:35 Regional differences seen at the national level

• 38:50 What’s coming up next? 

• 40:05 How to get in touch 

You can learn more about Danushka at https://eyeonhousing.org/author/dnanayakkara/.

Social media:

LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/danushka-nanayakkara-234a2223/

Or hit us up through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.  

To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.