Management

Getting Some Help with Alan Hendy – [Best of The Tim Faller Show]

June 26, 2023 0:28:43

One of the biggest challenges for contractors, other than labor shortages, is the fact that many face the process of building a business in isolation and their experience is often graded as pass or fail.

When they pass they are happy, but when they fail it causes many issues for them and the families that they support. But where do they turn for help? Using the Power of Peers or hiring a consultant are both great approaches, and guest Alan Hendy joins this episode to help listeners explore the possibility of bringing a consultant in to assist in their business.

Alan is the CEO of Neals Design Remodel in Cincinnati, Ohio, a company that offers full-service design, estimating, and production of projects that transform their clients homes. He graduated from Miami University and spent time working in the insurance industry until 28 years ago when he returned to the family business to become the second generation owner of Neals Design Remodel.

Tim, Steve and Alan talk more about:

The benefits of hiring a consultant
Receiving and utilizing a consultants advice
Advice for those considering hiring a consultant
And more…

Remodelers Advantage Consultants Standing by to Help You…

Thoughts on Leadership with Wayne Ottum – [Best of The Tim Faller Show]

June 12, 2023 0:37:37

Wayne Ottum, a consultant at Remodelers Advantage, specializes in company leadership development. So, we asked him to join us on the show to help us understand what leadership is and perhaps help start the shift from “how to manage people” to “how to lead people.”

Wayne Ottum is a consultant, author and speaker dedicated to creating extraordinary businesses and leaders and is President and Founder of Ottum Enterprises, LLC in Kirkland, Washington. Now in his 19th year, Wayne is especially proud of the work he has done to guide owners of remodeling companies to create a clear and compelling direction, purpose, and culture for their companies.

Tim, Steve and Wayne talk more about:

Leadership V. Managing
Leadership across roles
And more…

Inventory Management on the Go With Selema Lawson-Jack – [Best of The Tim Faller Show]

June 5, 2023 0:33:57

Selema Lawson-Jack joins the show and discusses how she found a technology fix to solve an inventory management issue but expanded its capabilities to create efficiencies across the organization and generate revenue simultaneously. She talks about how Sortly, the affordable app she implemented, operates and how she integrated it into the organization successfully.

Selema worked for Schroeder Design Build of Fairfax, VA, and was the Director of Production, where she oversaw all projects in the construction phase. She was the first point of contact on job sites and led a team of project managers, project developers, and carpenters. She was recently named to Pro Remodeler’s top 40 under 40.

Tim, Steve, and Selema talk more about:

Organizing inventory using Sortly
How Sortly improves the processes for the team
And more……

The Locus of Control with Jef Forward – [Best of the Tim Faller Show]

May 30, 2023 00:39:01

The Locus of Control is a concept that highlights one’s ability to control the outcomes and events in their lives. When applied in a business, The Locus of Control can increase productivity, and breed ownership and support.

The Tim Faller Show welcomes back guest Jef Forward, to share his experiences surrounding the locus of control in his remodeling business.

Jef is the founder and co-owner, with his wife, Monica, of Forward Design Build Remodel in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Over 23 years, the company has grown to a team of 30+ engaged, positive, and supportive employees, and their path towards continued success is heavily focused on team and leadership building.

Tim, Steve and Jef talk more about:

Background and overview of The Locus of Control
The five dysfunctions of a team
Building a trustworthy team
Reaching goals
And more…

Costly Mistakes in Renovation with Michael Upshall – [Best of The Tim Faller Show]

May 22, 2023 00:30:41

From the vault, this episode was recorded because of a suggestion from one of our faithful listeners. Enjoy!

Get ready for an insightful episode as we dive into the topic of mistakes—specifically, the ones that cost remodelers and renovators more than just a few shims. We’re not talking about technical slip-ups; we’re tackling the errors that hit remodelers where it hurts the most.

Introducing Michael Upshall, the Founder of Probuilt Design + Build in Bolton, Ontario. Michael’s reputation precedes him, with appearances in design and home/lifestyle magazines, as well as regular speaking engagements at GTA Home Shows. With over 35 years of experience as a master carpenter turned renovator and builder, Michael has garnered numerous awards and accolades. In fact, PROBUILT holds the distinction of being the first two-time recipient of the prestigious BILD “Renovator of the Year” Award in 2002 and 2006.

In this episode, Tim, Steve, and Michael discuss:

Most common business mistakes contractors make
The importance of detailed specifications
Designing projects within client budgets
Pros and cons of competitive bidding vs. design/build approach

They also tackle the three biggest mistakes in production:

Sales to production hand-off packages
Tracking job costs during production
Timelines and scheduling intricacies

Michael also shares what it is like to build a house in 9 days to be featured in a trade show.

We value our subscribers and listeners, and we appreciate your suggestions for future guests. If there’s someone you’ve heard on another podcast or an author of a book who made a lasting impression, please reach out and let us know. Your input matters to us!

Join us on this enlightening journey and gain invaluable insights from the knowledgeable Michael Upshall.

Stay tuned and stay inspired!

How to Build Morale and Culture During a Transition with Jason Willet – [Best of The Tim Faller Show]

May 1, 2023 00:34:56

On a recent episode of The Tim Faller Show, Jason Willet, a partner and now vice president at Willet Construction, shared his experience on how he kept his team engaged during a company transition that ultimately led to growth for the company.

Willet Construction faced a challenging transition, but instead of letting it bring the team down, they came up with a creative solution called “Vision Day.” The main goal of this event was to get everyone on the same page regarding the transition’s how, what, when, where, and why.

Through this event, Willet Construction not only brought their team closer together, but they also raised morale and reinforced their company’s culture. By involving the team in the decision-making process and soliciting their opinions, the team felt valued and empowered.

Jason, Tim, and Steve delved deeper into the strategies that Willet Construction used to make Vision Day a success. They discussed the importance of creating a well-planned agenda, prioritizing goals, and utilizing team opinions.

As a partner at Willet Construction, Jason’s role involves estimating and design, as well as being an exterior consultant. With his experience and insights, he offers valuable advice on how to keep a team engaged and motivated during challenging times.

Overall, this episode offers practical advice and real-life examples of how to create a positive company culture and navigate challenging transitions. It’s a must-listen for anyone who wants to build a successful team and grow their company.

Hitting a Schedule Every Time With April Bettinger – [Best of The Tim Faller Show]

February 27, 2023 00:35:55

Hitting a schedule every time in construction is possible if you pay proper attention to planning and have a purposeful attitude.

In this episode, April Bettinger joins Tim and Steve to talk about the best practices and the common pitfalls to avoid when creating and managing an on-time project that ends with delighted clients.

April is the founder and owner of Ni p Tuck Remodeling in Snohomish, WA. For more than 30 years, she’s carved out a respected niche in the construction industry. Her father was a custom homebuilder, so April grew up watching and learning about excellent customer service, and what it takes to complete a high-quality project. April has held key roles in finance, budgeting, customer service, team building, and sales management — preparing her to own and operate her own company. Nip Tuck Remodeling was founded in 2010, with a vision and determination to create a construction company with extraordinary craftsmanship and a focus on professionalism.

April and her estimator create the master schedule, then it’s turned over to the production manager, who is responsible for creating and managing the job schedules on BuilderTrend. One huge factor in staying on track once you’re in production is getting the schedules done and materials ordered a month before the project starts. She talks about why that works, and other aspects of keeping your jobs on schedule, including:

Why the project manager has to create and own the schedule
Setting pivotal goals for each week in the schedule
Using goals for client satisfaction
Helping everyone buy in to the system
Handling change orders in the schedule
Getting clients to think ahead during selections
Building in reasonable wiggle room
Handling design changes and heading them off
And more …

Click here to listen

How to Engage Your Staff to Help Train Each Other With Ned Trimming – [Best of The Tim Faller Show]

February 20, 2023 00:41:55

Training, training, training!

Business owners, general managers, and production managers often get caught wondering how to do it all.

So, we turned to a former guest and a member of our production manager roundtables, Ned Trimming, to share his efficient training process involving current and new employees.

Ned Trimming is the Production Manager at Crescent Builds in Seattle, WA. Ned and his team at Crescent are dedicated to building high-quality spaces for people to live and work in, while creating an employee review process that continues to morph into new training areas.

Tim, Steve, and Ned talk more about:

Active cross-training
Training opportunities within a company
Establishing lateral service goals
And more…

Building a Team, Not a Family with Jef Forward – [Best of the Tim Faller Show]

January 23, 2023 00:40:45

While having a family-like culture is a well-intended premise, it is oftentimes impractical.

Companies may notice that one or two employees are intolerant of the family-like culture in place and leave the “family” dysfunctional.

Creating an environment where there is a structure that resembles a team, rather than a family, is a way to avoid intolerance, and grow as a company. In this episode, guest Jef Forward describes how he was able to achieve a team-like culture in his business, and why it has been successful.

Jef has a Masters Degree in Architecture from the University of Michigan and started Forward Design Build in 1997, focusing on a design and build method to ensure successful projects. He defines a successful project as a happy homeowner with a beautiful, functional home completed within ‘stated’ expectations of cost, service and schedule from the beginning of design to the end of construction.

Tim, Steve and Jef talk more about:

The “locus of control”
How to address and correct the path of someone who is trending sideways
How to efficiently communicate with different team members
And more…

Culture! with Mitch Gray – [The Tim Faller Show] S4 E11

December 12, 2022 00:47:01

On this episode of The Tim Faller Show, Mitch Gray joins the show for the second week to talk about culture and how you can improve your company’s culture. Mitch says that many employers don’t know how to vocalize culture, and employees don’t know how to connect with it. He defines a good culture as how we live, move, and exist within a family or company. When a company creates a good culture, the energy and synergy are palpable, thus creating a better workplace where employees are held accountable.

Mitch Gray is the owner of Mitch Gray Media in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Mitch started the media company in 2015, and over the past 20 years, he has worked with and coached over 10,000 leaders and clients worldwide.

Tim, Steve, and Mitch talk more about

Four questions to measure your culture
Description of bad company culture and how to change it
And more….