The Construction Leading Edge Podcast

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 -- 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. -- 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 -- 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 316: Are you a visionary leader? What does it mean to be one? Can being a visionary ensure success? This week, we'll revisit a podcast episode with Monish Khadye, a construction business owner and our very own Systematized Your Construction Business (SYCB) facilitator and coach. Monish, who's also a visionary, delves into the challenges, misconceptions, and myths that accompany this role on a daily basis. Join us as we explore the intricacies of a visionary's mindset, uncover practical tips, and delve into how a visionary can overcome obstacles to realize their visions and foster a thriving construction business. Tune in now! Key Takeaways: Introduction (00:00) What do visionaries bring to the organization? (01:58) What do inconsistencies look like for a visionary? (12:03) The organizational whiplash explained (13:36) Visionaries lack clear direction (19:20) Why are visionaries reluctant to let things go? (23:17) Visionaries have underdeveloped leaders and managers (24:30) The genius with a thousand helpers (26:32) Visionaries get a sense of value from being needed (32:32) Resistance to following standardized processes (37:56) Visionaries get easily bored (39:32) On having no patience for details (43:30) Misconceptions and myths about being a visionary (44:39) What visionaries should do in their business (54:36) What happens when visionaries fully embrace their role? (1:06:15) Additional Resources: - Schedule your business evaluation call with our team HERE - Download our FREE strategic planning guide HERE Books Mentioned: - Rocket Fuel by Gino Wickman and Mark C. Winters - Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business by Gino Wickman - Good to Great by Jim Collins -- 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 315: How clear are you on your strategy to be successful over the next twelve months? In this week's episode, I'll share three valuable business-building lessons that you can learn from Lockheed P-38 Lightning, a.k.a. the U.S. fighter plane that won WW2, and how you can apply those lessons in your construction business. We'll discuss how to determine what you really want for your business, the process of creating a vision and delegating results, what it looks like when you have clarity in business and more. Let's jump in! Key Takeaways: Introduction (00:00) The birth of the Lockheed P-38 Lightning (02:15) Business lesson #1 (05:12) Ask yourself what you want (07:08) How to determine what you really want (10:35) Business lesson #2 (12:15) Creating a vision and delegating results(15:25) What does a good handoff look like? (16:46) How to nail the handoff (22:37) Business lesson #3 (28:21) Questions to consider when developing a business strategy (29:02) How to have clarity on your plan for the future (32:51) Additional Resources: - Download our FREE strategic planning guide HERE - Schedule your business evaluation call with our team HERE - Listen to my interview with Wes Palmisano HERE - Hear our clients' success stories HERE - Visit Construction Leading Edge for more information HERE -- 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 314: Are you losing money even if your job cost reports look profitable? Then, you could have fallen into a bad financial trap that most construction CEOs fall into. In this episode, I sit down with Luke Holcomb, operations manager at Apparatus Contractor Services. Apparatus is a bookkeeping firm that helps construction business owners get their financial systems in place and optimize them. Today, Luke and I discuss some of the financial misconceptions that construction business owners have, the common problems that arise from them, and how crucial it is for CEOs to start understanding their finances. Luke also shares why and how you could lose money from your construction business, even if your reports look profitable, and what it looks like when you finally have your financial system in place. Let's dive right in! Key Takeaways: Introduction (00:00) Meet Luke and how he got into business finance (03:30) Financial misconceptions construction business owners believe in (06:28) The fear of managing business finances (14:26) When is the right time for a CEO to start managing finances? (18:41) Common problems from believing in financial misconceptions (24:48) How crucial is job costing (28:55) Critical financial statements CEOs should be looking at (32:31) What does a balance sheet tell you? (39:00) Why do you need to know your business financial numbers? (40:31) How you can sell yourself out of business (43:12) Biggest problem with DIY-ing your business finances (47:28) On hiring family, friends, or local bookkeepers to do your books (50:36) What does it look like when you have your financial system in place? (57:16) Keep up with Luke and his team (1:04:39) Episode wrap-up (1:08:58) Additional Resources: - Join our FREE Get Paid For Estimates Masterclass HERE - Hear our clients' success stories HERE - Schedule your business evaluation call with our team HERE Guest Bonus: 50% Discount on Services - Use discount code "ToddDawalt" to receive 50% off on services from Apparatus HERE - Check out Apparatus Contractor Services, LLC for more information HERE -- 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 313: Are you slaving away working in your construction business 70-80 hours per week? Is it possible to own a successful business and work fewer hours? In this replay episode of The Construction Leading Edge Podcast, we'll revisit my interview with our Systematize Your Construction Business (SYCB) client turned coach, Monish Khadye. Monish and his wife Michelle own Khadye Design & Construction in Brisbane, Australia, specializing in renovations, extensions, and house remodelings. Between juggling construction and a baby on the way, Monish decided that he needed to systematize his business to spend more time with his family while keeping the business running and his people employed. And so he signed up for our Systematize Your Construction Business (SYCB) program in 2021; the rest was history. Today, Monish shares what led him to seek help with our team and the systems and processes he implemented to grow his construction business to where it is today. He also talks about his regular workweek back then and what it looks like now, stressing about taking quality time off and focusing on his CEO tasks instead of wearing many hats. Whether you're starting or have been in this business for a long time but want to scale up your business, this episode is everything you need to hear. Let's dive in! Key Takeaways: Introduction (00:00) Meet Monish Khadye (02:48) Why Monish wanted to become an SYCB coach (04:27) What has Monish experienced after joining the SYCB program? (09:10) The mindset shift if you want to systematize your business (12:08) Challenges that lead him to connect with our team (16:14) What does working 70-80 hours a week look like? (21:03) On dealing with anxiety, fear, and rejection (26:37) When Monish realized that the SYCB program was working (30:43) Most impactful systems and processes that really moved the needle (34:02) What does life and business look like now for Monish? (38:42) Surprising effects of systematizing your construction business (47:41) Advice for construction business owners (52:30) Additional Resources: - Join our FREE Get Paid For Estimates Masterclass HERE - Hear our clients' success stories HERE - Schedule your business evaluation call with our team HERE -- 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 312: Here's the reality: Most small construction businesses have unintentionally designed their failure. Surprising, right? And that's why eight out of ten construction companies find themselves where selling becomes nearly impossible. So, what mistakes should you avoid if you dream of selling your business and enjoying retirement? In this latest episode of The Construction Leading Edge, I unravel the six mistakes that could render your business unsellable. We'll also dig into the symptoms signaling trouble under the surface. Lastly, I also share four actionable steps to make your business sellable and why planning an exit strategy shouldn't be the first thing on your list. Let's dive in! Key Takeaways: Introduction (00:00) Why 80% of small construction businesses can't be sold (01:02) Symptoms that your business is designed to fail (03:54) Mistake #1 that makes businesses unsellable (10:04) Mistake #2 that makes businesses unsellable (13:02) Mistake #3 that makes businesses unsellable (14:08) Mistake #4 that makes businesses unsellable (17:50) Mistake #5 that makes businesses unsellable (19:42) Mistake #6 that makes businesses unsellable (21:01) Four actionable steps to make your business sellable (23:43) Why planning an exit strategy should be last on your list (28:02) Additional Resources: - Watch the replay on How to Recession Proof Your Business HERE - FREE training on how to get out of your business and make it run without you HERE - Hear our clients' success stories HERE - Schedule your business evaluation call with our team HERE -- 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 311: How can you make your business resilient in the face of challenges? Forget the traditional definition of a recession as a financial crisis–it goes beyond that. When I say recession, it could be when your star employee jumps ship to a competitor. It could also mean something happens to you, and your business can't run without you. As a CEO, what's your game plan when those happen? In this episode, I'll be sharing ten (10) foolproof strategies to recession-proof your business so it can weather any storm that comes its way. I'll be sharing some practical and actionable steps you can implement as early as possible, highlighting some of the great resources we have at your disposal so you'll be better equipped with the knowledge to run your construction business through any rough waters. Ready to recession-proof your business? Let's dive right in! Key Takeaways: Introduction (00:00) The many faces of recession (02:25) Drive your cash flow (04:24) Focus on maximizing your bottom line (06:24) Make your team more agile and efficient (11:39) Monitor your trade partners in your supply chain (17:27) Establish a go/no-go date on all of your projects (24:05) Upsell to current and past clients (28:43) Focus on your core competencies (30:51) Jim Collin's The Hedgehog Concept explained (32:10) Lead your team well (33:34) Operate as the CEO (37:26) Leverage the 80-20 principle (40:44) Quick recap (42:14) Great resources for you to check out (43:22) Additional Resources: - Watch the replay on How to Recession Proof Your Business HERE - FREE training on how to get out of your business and make it run without you HERE - Hear our clients' success stories HERE - Schedule your business evaluation call with our team HERE -- 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 310: Most of the time, our goals remain goals–forgotten and collecting dust. That's what usually happens when you operate in left-to-right thinking. But what if you could turn those business, life, or health goals into reality? In this week's episode, I'll discuss what right-to-left thinking is all about and walk you through the five ways to make it work for your construction business. We'll also talk about the problems with left-to-right thinking (what most of us are stuck with), what it looks like when you apply a right-to-left thinking approach to your construction business, and so much more! Let's jump right in! Key Takeaways: Introduction (00:00) The problem with left-to-right thinking (01:24) What is right-to-left thinking? (04:13) How to apply right-to-left thinking in big-picture strategic planning (04:43) What does financial right-to-left thinking look like? (08:52) Applying the right-to-left thinking in sales (13:56) How to nail the handoff (17:54) How to use right-to-left thinking when hiring (25:16) The Big Five Activities explained (28:52) Episode wrap-up (30:00) Additional Resources: - Join our FREE Get Paid For Estimates Masterclass HERE - Hear our clients' success stories HERE - Schedule your business evaluation call with our team HERE -- 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!