Time-Tracking Hacks Every Construction Company Should Know | E263

EPISODE 326: Most construction business owners handle all aspects of their companies themselves: estimation, sales, project management, and more.

However, it is easy to overlook the need to develop business acumen alongside trade skills when running a construction business.

Jeff Bowers, our guest on this week’s podcast, understands this principle better than most. 

As the owner and CEO of Masterpiece Design Build, a full-service general contracting firm specializing in designing and building custom homes, major residential renovations, and additions along with commercial projects, Jeff brings decades of industry experience to the table.

During this conversation, Jeff shares on the podcast how businesses should navigate economic downturns, the value of systematizing your construction process, the importance of improving everyone’s experience throughout construction, and the strategic systems and processes that built his company to where it is now.

Let’s dive in!

Key Takeaways:

Introduction (00:00)

Meet Jeff Bowers (04:42)

From painting contractor to custom home builder (09:56)

Navigating economic downturns and the role of resilience (11:40)

Focusing on business systems over manual skills (21:40)

Common fears to overcome when growing a business (24:50)

The impact of systematizing your construction process (27:44)

How important is the experience during pre-construction and construction processes (32:13)

Systems that grew Jeff’s construction business (38:07)

Does construction always have to be chaotic? (45:51)

Jeff’s advice for construction owners (46:52)

The CEO Alliance and its impact to Jeff (53:32)

What separates great companies from good companies (59:02)

Advice to his old self (1:04:24)

Rapid-fire questions with Jeff (1:07:40)

Additional Resources:

- Download your FREE strategic planning guide HERE

- Schedule your business evaluation call with our team HERE

- Join the FREE Get Out of Your Construction Business Masterclass HERE

Keep up with Jeff Bowers’ Masterpiece Design Build:

- Check out Masterpiece Design Build’s website HERE

- Follow Masterpiece Design Build on Instagram HERE

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The Construction Leading Edge Podcast helps construction business owners maximize their revenue, eliminate chaos, systematize their work, and win back their time.

Follow us on your favorite podcasting platform so you never miss an episode!

EPISODE 325: Who doesn’t dream of expanding their construction business? We all do. Yet, along with expansion comes more significant challenges. Without the right systems, it’s easier to forget about scaling up. This was precisely the situation our guest found himself in.

In this week’s episode, Leyah Hostetter, our Director of Customer Success, sits down with Nolan Harris, the owner of Riviera Construction, who specializes in high-end custom homes and remodeling in Southern California. 

Nolan opens up about his bold decision to downsize and the driving force behind his re-expansion efforts. He also shares the transformative tools and systems he learned through our Systematize Your Construction Business (SYCB) program, how he effectively integrated these systems to streamline his business growth and much more.

Ready to grow your business? Let’s dive in!

Key Takeaways:

Introduction (00:00)

Meet Nolan Harris and his works at Riviera Construction (04:08)

Solving chaos through downsizing and saying no (05:37)

The transformative impact of systematizing the preconstruction process (10:32)

Team empowerment and redesigning the business (14:11)

Shifting from free estimates to paid preconstruction services (17:24)

Renewed excitement and growth strategy for the business (21:34)

Nolan’s office space expansion and hiring strategies (23:00)

Episode wrap-up (24:44)

Additional Resources:

- Download your FREE strategic planning guide HERE

- Schedule your business evaluation call with our team HERE

- Join the FREE Get Out of Your Construction Business Masterclass HERE

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The Construction Leading Edge Podcast helps construction business owners maximize their revenue, eliminate chaos, systematize their work, and win back their time.

Follow us on your favorite podcasting platform so you never miss an episode!

EPISODE 324: Are you spending most of your time putting out fires instead of working on your construction business?

Join us in this week’s episode as Leyah Hostetter, our Director of Customer Success, sits down with Charles Rogers, co-founder of Rethink Enterprise, a dynamic custom home builder company based in Colorado.

Today, Charles shares his transformative journey after signing up for our Systematize Your Construction Business (SYCB) program. From chaotic operations to streamlined success, Charles unveils how focusing on streamlining preconstruction processes and implementing rigorous accountability measures reshaped his custom home building business.

Ready to transform your business? Tune in now and learn more!

Key Takeaways:

Introduction (00:00)

Meet Charles Rogers and his works at Rethink Enterprise (04:34)

Charles’ challenges before signing up for the SYCB program (05:45)

How frustration affects his personal and business life (07:07)

Turning  point with the SYCB program (11:58)

Key benefits from the SYCB program (14:41)

Impact on the team and operational efficiency (18:05)

How life looks like after implementing SYCB program insights (20:27)

Episode wrap-up (22:30)

Additional Resources:

- Download your FREE strategic planning guide HERE

- Schedule your business evaluation call with our team HERE

- Join the FREE Get Out of Your Construction Business Masterclass HERE

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The Construction Leading Edge Podcast helps construction business owners maximize their revenue, eliminate chaos, systematize their work, and win back their time.

Follow us on your favorite podcasting platform so you never miss an episode!

EPISODE 323: Do you wish you could sit down with a successful construction business CEO and pick his brain? This week’s interview with 30-year veteran CEO Jonathan Orpin is something you don’t want to miss.

In this episode, I sit down with Jonathan Orpin, CEO of multiple profitable companies, including New Energy Works and Pioneer Millworks. 

Jonathan’s passion for energy conservation and sustainable building led him to establish multiple interconnected and profitable businesses.

Today, he shares how he transitioned his companies to 100% employee ownership by setting up an employee stock option plan (ESOP). He also explains how this plan ensures employees are well-invested in the company’s success, the best strategies for succession planning, and what businesses can achieve when prioritizing the triple bottom line approach.

If you’re intrigued by how businesses can drive positive change, this episode is a must-listen!

Key Takeaways:

Introduction (00:00)

Meet Jonathan Orpin and the businesses he built (02:26)

The inception of Jonathan’s New Energy Works (06:35)

The triple bottom line concept explained (08:50)

How to articulate the company’s mission & vision with your employees (12:44)

How to transition to 100% employee ownership (ESOP) (18:38)

Benefits and challenges of an ESOP (28:23)

Biggest mistakes most construction business owners make (37:16)

What are the top priorities of a CEO? (39:59)

The number one thing to look for when hiring an employee (46:11)

What people need to know when starting a business (48:27)

Rapid fire questions answered (53:22)

Keep up with Jonathan (55:37)

Additional Resources:

- Download your FREE strategic planning guide HERE

- Schedule your business evaluation call with our team HERE

- Join the FREE Get Out of Your Construction Business Masterclass HERE

Keep up with Jonathan’s works:

- Check out New Energy Works HERE

- Check out Pioneer Millworks HERE

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The Construction Leading Edge Podcast helps construction business owners maximize their revenue, eliminate chaos, systematize their work, and win back their time.

Follow us on your favorite podcasting platform so you never miss an episode!

EPISODE 322: Is your construction business not making any progress? Are you putting things on hold for so long? You could be stuck in one of these hidden and destructive thinking traps.

In this week's episode, I've invited Leyah Hostetter, our Director of Customer Success, and Monish Khadye, our Systematize Your Construction Business coach, to discuss the thinking traps holding back construction business owners. We uncover these pitfalls, how they affect your business and personal life, and some practical solutions to get out of these traps and unlock your business and life's full potential.

So, if you want a meaningful change in your life, whether it's relationships, health, or business, this episode is for you. Tune in now!

Key Takeaways:

Introduction (00:00)

Thinking trap #1: Fortune-telling (02:46)

Thinking trap #2: Fear as a major obstacle (09:16)

Thinking trap #3: Too busy or no time at all (14:39) 

Thinking trap #4: Micromanagement (19:34)

Thinking trap #5: Not trying something new (22:48)

Thinking trap #6: I can’t afford____ (27:56)

Thinking trap #7: Self-sabotage (35:06)

Thinking trap #8: The comfort trap (36:18)

Thinking trap #9: The shiny object syndrome (40:57)

Thinking trap #10: Perfectionism (46:43)

How to get out of these traps (57:42)

Final thoughts (1:07:04)

Additional Resources:

- Download your FREE strategic planning guide HERE

- Schedule your business evaluation call with our team HERE

- Join the FREE Get Out of Your Construction Business Masterclass HERE

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The Construction Leading Edge Podcast helps construction business owners maximize their revenue, eliminate chaos, systematize their work, and win back their time.

Follow us on your favorite podcasting platform so you never miss an episode!

EPISODE 321: Do you feel like you’re always falling short? Are you constantly comparing yourself to others? 

Here’s what most of us don’t realize: Comparing your current situation to an ideal outcome is a sure way to get yourself frustrated. Unfortunately, that’s how most of us are hardwired–focusing on what’s wrong and living in the gap. 

Measuring yourself against ideals is like measuring yourself against a moving horizon–you’ll never be contented or happy. The gap can never be satisfied externally. So, how does this affect you as a construction business owner? How do you break free from this deadly trap?

In this week’s episode, we’ll explore what it’s like living in the gap, how to break free from it, and how to start living in the gain and generate enjoyable profits. To better understand what it’s like living in the gain, our Director of Customer Success, Leyah Hostetter, sat down with Alex Thompson, owner and CEO of Monon Construction Group, for an insightful interview.

Don’t miss out on this one. Tune in now!

Key Takeaways:

Introduction (00:00)

Seven questions you have to ask yourself (01:25)

What happens when you’re in the gap? (02:52)

What is living in the gain? (05:50)

How to live in the gain (08:47)

What have you accomplished? (16:47)

Three options if you want to make a change (19:39)

Meet Alex Thompson of Monon Construction Group (23:22)

What does lack of accountability and systems look like (24:28)

The impact of having a CEO schedule (29:01)

What Alex learned from SYCB’s nailing the handoff process (31:08)

Generating enjoyable profits (36:07)

How’s life and business now for Alex (39:53)

Additional Resources:

- Download your FREE strategic planning guide HERE

- Schedule your business evaluation call with our team HERE

- Join the FREE Get Out of Your Construction Business Masterclass HERE

– Listen to Episode 298: Why 10x Is Easier than 2x HERE

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The Construction Leading Edge Podcast helps construction business owners maximize their revenue, eliminate chaos, systematize their work, and win back their time.

Follow us on your favorite podcasting platform so you never miss an episode!

EPISODE 320: Adversity and challenges are a part of life. It isn’t going away. However, most of us falsely think that adversity is bad and that we should hide or avoid it. What if I tell you that adversity is the key to your success?

You see, the adversity you’re dealing with is NOT the problem; it’s the story you’re telling yourself. 

In this episode of The Construction Leading Edge podcast, we’ll dive deep into how you can reframe adversity to help you power through life and your construction business.

Additionally, Leyah Hostetter, our Director of Customer Success, interviews Michael Thorp, one of our recent Systematize Your Construction Business (SYCB) program graduates, to share the business adversities and chaos he had to endure before signing up with our program and the most impactful lessons he learned that made the most significant change in his construction business.

Let’s dive in!

Key Takeaways:

Introduction (00:00)

The story of Admiral James Stockdale (01:41)

Facing and reframing adversity in life (03:43)

What most of us do when facing adversities (09:57)

Persevering through adversity is the key to success (15:07) 

What happens when you begin to embrace adversity (23:40)

Meet Michael Thorp (27:04)

Business challenges and chaos that Michael faced (32:21)

Most impactful lessons that Michael learned from the SYCB program (36:46)

Improving team efficiency and morale through open communication (40:14)

How’s life and business now for Michael (42:46)

Additional Resources:

- Schedule your business evaluation call with our team HERE

- Download your FREE strategic planning guide HERE

- Register for our FREE Get Paid for Estimates Masterclass HERE

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The Construction Leading Edge Podcast helps construction business owners maximize their revenue, eliminate chaos, systematize their work, and win back their time.

Follow us on your favorite podcasting platform so you never miss an episode!

EPISODE 319: Have you ever felt like your business is stuck in a loop, unable to break through to the next level? Do you ever wonder what’s missing?

In this episode of The Construction Leading Edge Podcast, I’ll discuss how crucial habits and systems are in transforming your construction business and achieving new heights.

We’ll dive deeper into the power of habit change, accountability, strategic planning, and leadership development in overcoming common business challenges.

Lastly, Leyah Hostetter, our Director of Customer Success, speaks with Charles Grant, owner of Seven Ridges Construction, who shares his journey of transforming his construction business by implementing new systems, and how it led to improved efficiencies and client satisfaction.

Let’s jump in!

Key Takeaways:

Introduction (00:00)

The seven old habits that are holding you back (01:40)

The concept of different results requires different habits (11:32)

Leadership skills and their development (13:42)

Story of Jake Browning’s success (18:00)

The 90-day challenge (22:37)

Interview with Charles Grant on business transformation (25:42)

Charles Grant’s realization of change (28:47)

Most impactful thing he learned from the SYCB program (31:31)

Additional Resources:

- Schedule your business evaluation call with our team HERE

- Download your FREE strategic planning guide HERE

- Register for our FREE Get Paid for Estimates Masterclass HERE

- Listen to Episode 276 HERE

Book Mentioned

- Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear

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The Construction Leading Edge Podcast helps construction business owners maximize their revenue, eliminate chaos, systematize their work, and win back their time.

Follow us on your favorite podcasting platform so you never miss an episode!

EPISODE 318: Referrals can hurt your construction business. Relying on referrals alone is certainly a risky business. They’re more like an anchor that’s holding you down. So, what does an effective construction marketing look like?

In this week's episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Spencer Powell, founder and CEO of Builder Funnel, a strategic marketing agency that helps remodelers and builders achieve sustainable business growth.

Spencer and I talk about all things marketing–what's working and not working and the problems with relying solely on referrals. He also shares some valuable tips on how to build your pipeline of prospects, the top three marketing metrics you need to track, what to do when updating your website, and more.

Let’s dive in!

Key Takeaways:

Introduction (00:00)

What’s working and not working in marketing (05:19)

Tips for building a pool of prospects (07:54)

The downside of being 100% referral-based (13:59)

Questions to ask when designing a marketing strategy (17:10) 

Common marketing mistakes that builders and remodelers do (30:23) 

Top three metrics you should be tracking (33:32) 

How to effectively use social media (37:24)

What builders and remodelers need to focus on in 2024 (42:54)

Tips when updating your company website (49:46)

How Spencer extracts himself from the daily operations (56:00)

Keep up with Spencer and Builder Funnel (1:00:43)

Additional Resources:

- Schedule your business evaluation call with our team HERE

- Download your FREE strategic planning guide HERE

- Register for our FREE Get Paid for Estimates Masterclass HERE

Guest Bonus: FREE copy of The Remodeler Marketing Blueprint

Grab a free copy of Spencer’s book, The Remodeler Marketing Blueprint: How to Attract Quality Leads, Increase Sales, and Dominate Your Competition, by emailing him at spowell@builderfunnel.com with “Todd” in the subject line.

Visit Builder Funnel for more information HERE.

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The Construction Leading Edge Podcast helps construction business owners maximize their revenue, eliminate chaos, systematize their work, and win back their time.

Follow us on your favorite podcasting platform so you never miss an episode!

EPISODE 317: How thoroughly have you outlined your business plan for the year 2024? 

If you want to get out of the day-to-day firefighting, spend more time working on the business, and take things to the next level, you’re in the right place.

In this week’s episode of The Construction Leading Edge Podcast, I’ll share the four (4) crucial steps to level up your construction business in 2024.

I’ll discuss the three reasons why you need a strategic planning process for the next twelve (12) months, how to craft a well-thought-out business plan (plus a FREE strategic planning guide), and some of our top resources designed to help propel your construction business forward.

Let’s jump right in!

Key Takeaways:

Introduction (00:00)

Why you need a strategic business plan (02:03)

#1 question to ask during the strategic planning process (07:55)

Benefits of developing performance specifications for your business (09:42)

How to extract yourself from day-to-day firefighting (16:24)

Decide on what you’re going to do next (25:36)

A top resource to help you get started (33:33)

Episode wrap-up (35:05)

Additional Resources:

- Schedule your business evaluation call with our team HERE

- Download your FREE strategic planning guide HERE

- Register for our FREE Get Paid for Estimates Masterclass HERE

- Listen to Episode 315 HERE

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The Construction Leading Edge Podcast helps construction business owners maximize their revenue, eliminate chaos, systematize their work, and win back their time.

Follow us on your favorite podcasting platform so you never miss an episode!