Leadership

Bridging the Gap: Collaborative Approaches to Industry Education with Jake Carter – [The Tim Faller Show] S5 E20

April 15, 2024 0:41:36

On today’s episode of the Tim Faller Show, Jake Carter is a guest to discuss how the construction industry can address the challenges of a shortage of skilled trades workers and a lack of training opportunities. Jake advocates for a collaborative approach within local communities, with support from regional and/or national partners. Many local Home Builders Associations (HBAs) are playing a crucial role by offering scholarship programs to attract young people into the trades. Jake is currently exploring how Habitat can provide hands-on training through its volunteer program, where volunteers can complete most of the labor on construction sites.

Jake Carter started working with Kitsap Habitat 5 months ago. They are based in Bremerton, WA, and serve Kitsap County through our affordable new home construction. Jake has 12 years of experience in a variety of roles in property management, development, and construction, with his core competencies being in project management. Jake came to Kitsap Habitat with a desire to scale their home-building production to better serve our community. Along with his role at Habitat, Jake is passionate about recruiting and educating new tradespeople as he sees a direct correlation between housing affordability and the trade shortage. Jake is on the board of the Kitsap Building Association and co-chair of our Workforce Development Committee.

Jake, Tim, and Greg talk more about:

Experiences with volunteers
How Habitat works with trade schools to give the students real-life experience
And more…

The Art of Teaching with Paul Cardis – [Best of The Tim Faller Show]

March 25, 2024 0:37:58

Today on the Tim Faller Show, Paul Cardis of ON3, joins the show to discuss the enormous challenge of proper staffing in the remodeling industry and how proper education, teaching, and coaching can expand the pool of qualified employees and help you retain current ones. Paul states that one of the most effective methods of “training” is to combine digital learning with live mentorship.AI technology allows for this by allowing for the creation of customized learning paths for individual employees.

Paul Cardis is the co-founder and acting CEO of ON3 in Madison, WI. Paul came up with the idea for On3 following the sale of his previous company Avid Ratings. His goal was to solve a pervasive problem within the industry – creating a mobile, AI-based source of truth for construction knowledge serving builders, remodelers, and trade contractors.

Paul, Tim, and Steve talk more about…

Fixing the staffing challenges with training and coaching
Using a combination of AI with personal mentorship for the most effective training, teaching, and coaching
How to apply learning science to training and coaching
And more…

Preconstruction with an Independent Designer with Sarah Walker – [The Tim Faller Show] S5 E19

March 18, 2024 0:39:48

In today’s competitive business world, preconstruction is a crucial process that can make or break a company’s success. Tim and Greg, in their numerous podcasts, have shared valuable insights on how companies can achieve better results by improving their preconstruction process. One of the key factors, they point out, is having in-house designers, which allows for efficient management of the process. However, what if you use subcontracted designers? To address this, Sarah Walker is joining the show today to share her perspective as an outside designer.

Sarah Walker is the owner and principal designer of Nuance Interior Design in Seattle, Washington. She has close to 20 years of experience specializing in luxury and sustainable interior design, holding degrees in interior design, business, and art, as well as certification in construction management. Her full-service design studio is committed to streamlining the process through detailed construction documents, cutting-edge software, and collaboration with trades. Nuance’s showroom features 3,000 square feet of sustainable cabinetry, finishes, fixtures, window treatments, and furniture exclusively available to clients. Sarah’s award-winning, sophisticated interiors have been published locally and nationally. On a personal level, Sarah was born and raised in Dubai and loves to bring a global and holistic point of view to her projects.

Sarah, Tim, and Greg talk more about:

Why use outside designers
Design schedules and impact on the contractor
And more..

The CG&S Way with Sara Hadden and Nathan Morris – [The Tim Faller Show] S5 E18

March 11, 2024 0:37:04

Nathan Morris and Sara Hadden, seasoned professionals from CG&S Design Build, have crafted a unique approach to processes that helps management control the way things are done, named the CG&S Way. Tim and Greg delve into the origins of this innovative system and how these experts garnered widespread acceptance.

Sara Hadden is the Design Manager at CG&S Design Build, located in Austin, Texas. Sara and Nathan have both worked for CG&S for 10 years. Sara started as a project architect and was given the opportunity to manage the Design Studio about 5 years ago. Nathan and I were instrumental in bringing The CG&S Way to fruition.

Nathan Morris is the Production Manager at CG&S Design Build in Austin, TX. CG&S is a Residential Design-Build Firm that has been in business for over 65 years and is focused more on renovations than new builds. Nathan has been with the Company for 10 years this year. He started out as a Project manager and moved into the Production Manager role 7 years ago.

Sara, Nathan, Tim, and Greg talk more about:

Process that created the CG&S Way
Results from the CG&S Way
And more…

A New Twist on the 4-Day Work Week with Erich Van Cleave – [The Tim Faller Show] S5 E17

March 4, 2024 0:26:27

The four-day workweek is becoming a popular trend for companies, especially with the younger generation joining the workforce. While there are arguments for and against this idea, today’s episode features Erich Van Cleave discussing how his company has given a unique twist to the four-day workweek. Tune in to discover how this approach can benefit both employees and the organization.

Erich Van Cleave is the owner of Van Cleave Construction, Remodeling, & Design, located in St. Joseph, MO. Erich founded the company in 2006 where he wore all of the hats, including a tool bag, producing around $250k their first year. Today, Van Cleave has a team of 15 offering design build and construction services producing just north of $3m. The average tenure for our team is just over 7 years.

Erich, Tim, and Greg talk more about:

Implementation of a four-day workweek
Benefits and challenges of the change
And more…

Scheduling From Sales Through Completion with Eric Bain – [Best of The Tim Faller Show]

January 29, 2024 0:32:30

Scheduling has been a challenge for everyone over the last few years. Scheduling individual jobs is a challenge by itself but adding the sales design process, the job set up, and then the job itself makes the challenge grow exponentially.

Getting the sales design process scheduled is a growing trend in an effort to more accurately predict the start dates for clients. This process involves gaining the buy-in from designers, sales, and production which can be a daunting task. Our guest today is navigating these waters with success and is here to share his experiences with our listeners.

Eric Bain is the project manager of Innovative Construction and oversees projects as well as handles client relations. He previously worked for the City of Vail where he sharpened his site inspection, landscaping and heavy equipment skills.

Tim, Steve and Eric talk more about:

Working alongside sales and design teams
Utilizing a master schedule
Dealing with issues regarding supplies
And more…

Family Matters Part 2: Firing Family! with Craig Deimler – [The Tim Faller Show] S5 E12

January 22, 2024 0:35:41

Continuing last week’s episode, Join Tim, Greg, and Craig Deimler as they delve into the sensitive topic of firing family members. Learn about the common reasons why letting go of a relative may become necessary and discover invaluable tips from Craig on how to evaluate their performance impartially. Craig also gives advice on how to keep work-related issues from spilling into your personal life so that you can maintain healthy boundaries.

Craig Deimler is a Remodelers Advantage Roundtables Facilitator and salesperson for ALCO Products. Craig has been working in the industry since he was 12. He worked at my father’s company (located in Pennsylvania) first as a laborer, then carpenter and lead carpenter. In 1994, Craig joined the company full-time and headed the sales and design side of the company. I assumed the role of president and CEO in 2008. Shortly after this, Craig started facilitating Remodelers Advantage after being a member for many years before that. In 2019, he decided it was time to close the company and move on to something that was not full-scale design/build.

Craig, Tim, and Greg talk more about:

Ramifications for firing a family member.
Reasons for dismissing a family member.
And more…

Family Matters Part 1: Hiring Family – [The Tim Faller Show] S5 E11

January 15, 2024 0:37:31

Family members can sometimes bring valuable skills to a company that can help improve it. However, in some cases, it can be seen as favoritism by the owner (usually a parent), who tries to get their son, daughter, or spouse to take on a role without having the necessary skills or qualifications. While hiring family members can be a successful strategy for building a profitable business, it is important for business owners to ensure that their family members have the skills and the support of other employees. In today’s episode, Craig Deimler will share his experiences running a family business and provide some advice on making such hires successful.

Craig, Tim, and Greg talk more about:

Separation of work and family life
How can family employees impact the morale of other employees?
What should a business owner do if they want to hire family members?
And more…

Onboarding a New Team Member with Geoff Clark – [The Tim Faller Show] S5 E10

January 8, 2024 0:36:09

On today’s episode of the Tim Faller Show, Geoff Clark will join us to talk about the topic of onboarding new hires. He will share the story of how he and the team at Mac Renovations decided to improve their old hiring process and will walk us through the new onboarding process they have implemented. The episode will also cover the benefits of their new approach and how it has positively impacted their new hires.

Geoff Clark is the Production Manager at Mac Renovations located in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. He has been with Mac Renovations for almost two years, and in the production manager role for a year and a half. An accomplishment he is proud of is successfully making the transition from field to office. A piece of that success was the onboarding that Geoff was put through for the position.

Geoff, Tim, and Steve talk more about:

How the onboarding process changes for each position
And more…

A Fond Farewell with Steve Wheeler – [The Tim Faller Show] S5 E9

December 4, 2023 0:35:14

On today’s episode of the Tim Faller Show, we say goodbye to Steve Wheeler, who has been a Co-Host of the show since its inception. Steve shares his journey in the remodeling industry and how he started his own company. Additionally, Steve takes a trip down memory lane, reflecting on his time spent being part of the podcast.

Steve is the Executive Director of Roundtables for Remodelers Advantage. In this role, Steve oversees new membership sales and enhancing the Roundtables member experience to help them reach their financial and personal goals. Prior to joining R/A, Steve spent 12 years as a remodeling business owner in Wilmington, Delaware.

Steve, Tim, and Greg talk more about:

What Steve enjoyed most about remodeling
Steve’s remodeling horror stories
And more…