Human Resources

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.

The Partnership Between Owner and Production Manager With Clark Harris and Eric Bain – [The Tim Faller Show] S4 E1

September 26, 2022 00:28:22

Season 4 Starts With This Special Episode Recorded Live at The Remodelers Summit!

Listen to this episode and get tips on creating an effective and highly functional relationship between company ownership and the production team. Clark Harris and Eric Bain of Innovative Construction discuss how they have built an open, trusting, and team-based relationship that allows them to work effectively together while creating a culture for innovation, growth, and change.

Innovative Construction is a high-end design firm in Atlanta, GA, with the goal of improving lives through design, craftsmanship, and teamwork. Clark and Eric run their organization with a philosophy of “do it badly and improve.” They do this with a relationship of openness and trust.

Join Clark, Eric, Tim, and Steve as they discuss:

Radical Candor
Failure as a growth opportunity
Overcoming challenges and fears
And more…

Active Listening in the Job Interview with Christine Miles – [Best of The Tim Faller Show]

September 6, 2022 00:36:25

In the interview process, actively listening is key. But how? And how do we change if we “really need someone”? Then, of course, there are all the other times that when we look back at a difficult situation, whether a client or an employee, we see all the signs of the challenge were there, but we did not listen. Guest Christine Miles is here to share some insight and answers on how to avoid that situation.

Christine Miles is the author of What Is It Costing You Not to Listen?: The Power of Understanding to Connect, Influence, Solve & Sell, a professional keynote speaker, consultant, executive coach, thought leader, entrepreneur, and radio show host. She is the founder and CEO of EQuipt. Additional information on her may be obtained here.

Tim, Steve, and Christine talk more about:

The importance of learning to listen
Other situations we can benefit from actively listening
And more…

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

July 18, 2022 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…

Ep.193: Unlimited Vacation Time – [The Tim Faller Show]

May 16, 2022 00:34:46

Join Tim and Steve as they talk to Clark Harris, who recently implemented an unlimited vacation time policy at his company, to see how it is working. Although some might find this idea radical, it fits right into the strong culture that Clark has built within his company. He runs an open book organization, where he shares performance numbers with all team members, fosters an environment of open communication, trust, accountability, responsibility, freedom, and developing an owner’s mindset.

Clark, a carpenter by trade, started his company, Innovative Construction, in 2000 and serves the Atlanta, GA metro area. He initially grew the company slowly until he found Remodelers Advantage, where he said he found the “right way to run a business”. He has grown Innovative Construction into a multi-million dollar business with 17 employees he endearingly refers to as team members.

Listen as Clark, Tim, and Steve discuss:

Using unlimited vacation to attract and retain the BEST talent
How responsibility and freedom are interdependent
And more…

Remodelers Summit is a remarkable educational event designed specifically for the remodeling community. This year we will feature:

3 inspirational and entertaining keynotes
4 education tracks with 36 industry leading speakers with strategies to help you grow a better business
Networking with Ask Anything sessions
80s party, a happy hour
And more…

This year the Remodelers Summit will be held at the beautiful Gaylord National Harbor, near Washington DC.

You do NOT want to miss it!

Ep.167: Hiring for the Future with Jim Reardon

October 11, 2021 00:31:51

Without a doubt, hiring is a huge challenge in any field, but especially in design build and remodeling.

A large aspect of that challenge is that instead of consistently working to improve the hiring process, teams often wait too long, and find themselves in a situation where a position needs to be filled immediately.

Host Tim Faller thinks that there are ebbs and flows in the intensity and energy put into the hiring process, and that not enough focus is dedicated to hiring at all times.

Guest Jim Reardon, Production Manager at Rhode Island Kitchen and Bath joins this episode to talk about a practice of being staffed for an upcoming growth spurt, and how to project that kind of growth.

Jim has been with the company for 5 years and has been part of the transition from a $3.5M company, to a $7.5M company, producing over 80 projects per year. He oversees a production office staff and various trade partners all while continuing to grow the business.

Tim, Steve and Jim talk more about:

Projecting growth
Setting goals
Working alongside a consultant
And more…

New Project Manager Roundtables Group Forming Now

Due to ongoing demand, we will be taking new members into our 7th Roundtables Group, specifically for Project Managers, in January 2022. Developed and led by our Senior Consultant and “Production Guru,” Tim Faller, this special Roundtables™ Program focuses on all aspects of production management; People Management, Technology, Training & Development, Customer Service and more.

For more information about this great program, click here.

Ep.153: Using a Talent Management Test for Hiring with Ben Reynolds

June 7, 2021 00:34:27

The hiring process is a big challenge for, well, all of us.

One way to assist in this process is by having a good set of interview questions, and the skills to actively listen to the responses given. Without these tools, you may find yourself later on wondering how you missed red flags in an employee’s interview and hiring process.

Guest Ben Reynolds joins this episode to teach you how to avoid that very situation.

Ben is the production manager at Kawartha Lakes Construction in Lakefield, Ontario, a design build company that has implemented a hiring process that has proved to be successful, and promotes employee retention.

This process includes a required skills assessment made up of practical tasks that a potential employee in a specific position would be faced with on a regular occurrence. By adding this to their hiring process, they are able to ensure that prospective employees are proficient and efficient when operating in remote and hard to access areas, a large part of their business.

Tim, Steve and Ben talk more about:

Who should be participating in the interview process
What positions require this demonstration of talent
Hiring based on drive and aptitude
And more…

How Much Does a Bad Hire Cost Your Business?

The Remodelers Advantage Hiring Edge Program helps you hire key team members more effectively using a unique combination of TriMetrix DNA Assessment Tools and experienced, hands-on business coaching. Our mission is to improve your hiring process and help you attract the talent your company needs and deserves.
[Click Here for More Information]

Ep.125: Motivating & Engaging Employees With Consistent Performance Reviews With Selema Lawson-Jack

November 2, 2020 00:32:43

We have heard contractors say, “This would be a great business if it weren’t for the people!”

Many remodelers get into the business to build and create… the unfortunate reality is that they can’t build things without people…yet!

One big challenge owners and managers face is the annual employee review. It seems ineffective at creating change and is often just a platform for an employee asking for a raise.

The Owner feels in a bind and grants the raise, often against their better judgment or without any data to back up their decision.

Tim and Steve welcome Selema Lawson-Jack to the show to talk more about how she has assessed each of her company’s Production staff, through periodic performance reviews, and has determined a growth path for them.

Selema Lawson-Jack is the Director of Production at Schroeder Design Build in Fairfax, VA. and has had great success with their performance review process that has resulted in more promotions from within the department than they have had in the past.

Tim, Steve and Selema talk more about:

Selema’s overall experience with job reviews in the past and currently.
The thought behind holding performance reviews every 3 months.
What the reviews consist of and what content is used.
The goal of each interaction.
Dealing with requests for raises and promotions.
Getting the ownership, management and team on board.

Register as a Sponsor Guest for Summit & Recieve Coupon Code

When it comes to attending this year’s Annual Remodelers Summit, you have two choices. You can either pay the $99.00 general admission fee or register as a Sponsor Guest and receive a Coupon Code for $99.00 off your registration fee.
[Click Here for More Information]