Management

Exploring the Decent Human Being Theory with Nick Slavik – [Best of The Tim Faller Show]

July 18, 2022 Hiring, Management, Production, The Tim Faller Show, Uncategorized 00:39:21

Many remodelers, builders and business owners make resolutions or commitments to create Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and then they get caught up in the daily grind and it never happens. 

Another challenge for many companies we work with is attracting and hiring people, especially new people to the industry, and getting them trained to “do things our way.”

Our guest today, Nick Slavik, has done an outstanding job of developing SOPs for his company and then implementing training to meet those internally. It turns out he has some other views of the world that are extremely helpful in running a business, as well.

Nick is the Proprietor of the Nick Slavik Painting & Restoration Co., Host of Ask a Painter Live, and contributes to This Old House. He has been a national and international speaker on topics such as entrepreneurship, trades reformation, working with millennials, harnessing technology for trades business, financial benchmarks, and industry standards. Nick has been a craftsman for more than 25 years. His company has been awarded more than 5 National awards for craftsmanship over the last 3 years. He has created a rigorous apprenticeship program where he finds, trains, and mentors young people in his craft. In 2018, he was made a family member at This Old House.

Tim, Steve and Nick talk more about:

  • Background and description of the Decent Human Being Theory.
  • Creating & developing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
  • Holding teams accountable and getting them to adhere to SOPs.
  • Balancing the demand for work, growing the business and training new personnel.
  • And more…

 

Best of the Tim Faller Show: Ep. 128: Onboarding New Staff with Chris Beck

July 5, 2022 Hiring, Management 00:46:34

When we discuss the labor shortage, we are often talking about how to find or develop good talent.

What we are now hearing from our Roundtables members is that they are finding people, getting them on the team, and then they fail. In many cases, these aren’t catastrophic failures, but slips in net profit or schedules or proper estimates, etc.  We can write this off to “they misrepresented themselves” during the interviews. Or, we can take a closer look at our own onboarding process to ensure we are setting our new hires up for success, not failure.

To dive deeper on this topic, Tim and Steve welcome Chris Beck to the show to talk about how he and his team at Normandy Remodeling handle the onboarding process.

Chris has been with Normandy Remodeling in Hinsdale, IL for 14 years; eight as Superintendent, two as the Production Manager and four as Director of Production. Normandy has added five Superintendents over the past five years to cover increased production and they are on pace to set another annual Produced Sales record, their 5th year in a row.

Tim, Steve and Chris cover:

  • Definition and background of onboarding.
  • Documentation and checklists.
  • And more…

Ep.198: Becoming a Memorable Leader with Howard Prager

June 27, 2022 Hiring, Management, Operations 00:36:35

Howard Prager joins the show to talk about how memorable leadership can help retain good employees, increase productivity and improve customer service.  He outlines his VIP model of leadership, which is easy to apply, proven effective, and will help create a company with which customers will want to do business and employees will want to work.

Howard Prager is president of Advance Learning Group, the author of the book Make Someone’s Day Becoming a Memorable Leader in Work and Life, speaker, executive coach, and consultant who helps managers become memorable leaders.  He has worked extensively with Fortune 500 companies as well as numerous small businesses and has won multiple professional awards for his work. 

Tim, Steve, and Howard talk more about:

  • Characteristics of a leader
  • Leadership vs. Management
  • And more…..

Ep.197: From Project Manager to Production Manager with Morgan Thomas

June 20, 2022 Management, Operations, Production, The Tim Faller Show 00:32:21

Join Tim and Steve as they talk to Morgan Thomas about her role as a production manager at Leff Design Build.  Morgan discusses how she had to shift her focus from individual projects to looking at the business on a global level, and from solving problems herself to coaching others on how to solve them.

Morgan was born and raised in Sonoma County, and after moving out of state to pursue a degree in Journalism from Gonzaga University, she returned to Sonoma County and landed in a career in commercial construction management.  She then found her way LEFF, where she worked her way up to become the company’s production manager.

Tim, Steve, and Morgan talk more about:

  • The differences between Project and Production managers
  • Tools needed by a Production Manager
  • And more…….

Ep.196: Inventory Management on the Go With Selema Lawson-Jack

June 13, 2022 Management, Operations, Production, Technology, The Tim Faller Show 00:33:57

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

 

Selema works for Schroeder Design Build of Fairfax, VA and is the Director of Production, where she oversees all projects in the construction phase.  She is the first point of contact on job sites and leads 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……

Ep.194: Encouraging Diversity

May 23, 2022 Hiring, Management, The Tim Faller Show 00:28:27

Join Tim and Steve as they talk to Nicole Warren about embracing and increasing diversity in the trades, and in this case, with women.   Tim makes the case that professionals in the remodeling industry must be more proactive in reaching across traditional boundaries in order to attract high preforming talent.  Nicole is a great example as her strong work ethic has helped her outperform her male colleagues to secure a number of promotions in her career.  Crossroads had the insight to encourage diversity and has reaped the rewards of that with Nicole.

Nicole, along with her father, is a carpenter for Crossroads Contracting  in Londonderry, NH.  She has always liked working with her hands, and once she had a child, she needed family friendly work hours. Becoming a carpenter allows her to work in a fulfilling career, but have the work-life balance she needs for her family. 

Listen as Nicole, Tim, and Steve discuss:

Creating the awareness that there are opportunities for everyone

How to ensure that the wording in communication does not exclude anyone

And more…

Episode 189: The 5 Statements You Should Not Make

April 18, 2022 Management, Production 00:38:58

What we say is a reflection of what we think, and as clinical counselors will tell you, what we think will dictate how we act. So, how we act will of course dictate success. 

Following this logic, words are very powerful factors in our success.  But do we pay attention to those words?  We tend to be concerned about what we say as it affects others, but what about the effect on ourselves?

What we say is often said without thinking of their potential consequences.  They can be seen as excuses or statements of desperation, or they can be simply things we say when nothing else seems to fit. But all of them can have a negative impact on us and our work, so Tim and Steve share specific examples and how to avoid them.

Tim and Steve talk more about:

  • Encouraging new thought processes
  • Rephrasing the things we say
  • And more…

Ep.186: Thoughts on Leadership with Wayne Ottum

March 23, 2022 Management 00:37:37

One of the consultants here 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…

Ep.179: The Secret to Successful Bonuses and Incentives with Doug Panozzo

January 24, 2022 Hiring, Management, Production, The Tim Faller Show 00:38:50

Join guest Doug Panozzo as he helps us wrap up our 4-part series on Bonuses and Incentives.  Doug shares the many facets of incentives and ways he has been successful in motivating his team.

Doug is the production manager at Hogan Design and Construction and joined their team in 2017 after several years managing projects for a technology company.  He brings leadership, communication, organization, and attention to detail to his job and we hear all about it in this episode.

Tim, Steve and Doug talk more about:


4-Part Series on Bonuses and Incentives:

Ep.177: The Secret to Successful Bonuses and Incentives with Eddie Casanave

January 10, 2022 Finance, Management, Production 00:36:47

This is PART 2 of a 4-part series focused on Bonuses and Incentives. 

Eddie Casanave, Owner of Distinctive Remodeling in Raleigh, NC joins Tim and Steve to talk about the bonus and incentive program he and his team use.

In business 1987, Eddie has seen and tried many different bonus plans, and they seemed to all have limited life.

The current plan he uses seems to have the elements to make it long lasting.

Tim, Steve and Eddie talk more about:

  • Financial bonuses vs. incentives
  • The origin of the bonus program and how has it developed over time
  • Which part makes it appealing to their team
  • Customer Satisfaction issues
  • And More


4-Part Series on Bonuses and Incentives: