Modern Craftsman

Your jobsite sits inside someone else's daily life—treat the neighbors like stakeholders or they'll turn into adversaries. Tyler breaks down parking, noise, intros, and real-world fixes (including a septic test-pit fiasco) so the job finishes strong and the street still waves when you drive off. Show Notes:00:04 Why this matters beyond the client 00:36 Fence down, new neighbor, new stakes 00:39 First impressions: pregnant neighbor & empathy 01:14 If neighbors had a bad time, you didn't win 01:31 Control noise, disruption, and expectations 01:35 Neighbors: allies vs. adversaries 02:07 Return client context & scope 04:40 Parking, habits, and daily routines 07:23 Bringing the dog over (reading the room) 15:28 "You don't own the road"—but you own the impact 17:28 Owning it: apology, phone number, solutions 22:37 Septic test-pit fiasco & fallout Video Version: https://youtu.be/uvtgv-WybYw Partners: Andersen Windows Buildertrend Harnish Workwear Use code H1025 and get 10% off their H-label gear The Modern Craftsman: linktr.ee/moderncraftsmanpodcast Find Our Hosts: Nick Schiffer Tyler Grace Podcast Produced By: Motif Media

Money solves problems, but it doesn't buy peace—and the squeeze is real. We get into the cost-of-living crunch, time freedom, and how builders decide between making more or needing less. Show Notes: 00:00 Money's weird: easy to make, hard to keep 02:45 Cost of living vs "money buys happiness" 05:07 Is the problem money—or imbalance? 07:13 Personal equity, real-world numbers 11:15 Make more or need less? 11:54 Would zero money stress equal happiness? 13:23 Trips, houses, and what money can't fix 14:38 If I had cash, here's what I'd change 16:02 Anxiety about the kids' future 16:32 Maslow on the jobsite (security vs purpose) 22:02 Life's more expensive—so where's your time go? 24:36 System pressure: mortgages then vs now 27:44 Starter homes, rates, and fewer choices 28:37 Debt out of college = treadmill life 31:20 Generational shift and the cost of well-being Video Version: https://youtu.be/a3QQw8RXT7Y Partners: Andersen Windows Buildertrend Harnish Workwear Use code H1025 and get 10% off their H-label gear The Modern Craftsman: linktr.ee/moderncraftsmanpodcast Find Our Hosts: Nick Schiffer Tyler Grace Podcast Produced By: Motif Media

Tyler gets honest about the seasons that beat you up - money stress, mistakes, and imposter syndrome, and why those are the moments that actually forge better builders. This one's about leaning on your people, pushing through, and coming out with more grit and clarity. Show Notes: 00:00 Cold open — don't fear the struggle 00:13 Intro: midweek + skipping the "state of the world" 01:59 Housekeeping: YT comments & newsletter 02:44 Why hard seasons become our favorite memories 08:16 Self-taught, scared to ask, imposter syndrome 09:38 Mistakes that cost time & money → growth 10:05 Becoming an adult, cresting the hill 12:53 Overwhelm and "this too shall pass" 15:36 Story #1: gaming school vs learning the lesson 21:09 Story #2: second kid, house sale, septic fail 22:30 Perspective: gratitude after the pain 23:09 Struggle builds closeness: marriage & friends 24:41 Why Modern Craftsman exists: find your people 30:40 Podcast as therapy/journaling 35:39 Two questions for you + wrap-up Video Version: https://youtu.be/ldiHi0aC2-Y Partners: Andersen Windows Buildertrend Harnish Workwear Use code H1025 and get 10% off their H-label gear The Modern Craftsman: linktr.ee/moderncraftsmanpodcast Find Our Hosts: Nick Schiffer Tyler Grace Podcast Produced By: Motif Media

The guys cut through the noise and talk about staying positive when the world, and the jobsite, feels stacked against you. They hit spirals, sleep-as-a-reset, self-care without guilt, and building a team that actually buys in so you can keep momentum. Show Notes: 00:00 Cold Open: No BS 00:50 Chaos vs Control: What You Can Control 09:09 When the Spiral Starts (and How to Stop It) 11:29 Arrival Fallacy & Hedonic Adaptation 15:54 Hard Stop + Sleep as a Reset 26:49 Drop the Guilt: Make Space for Hobbies 32:56 Toxic Positivity vs Real Resilience 46:16 Punch-List Wins: Momentum from Small Finishes 59:44 Cut the Cancers: Protect Team Energy 65:42 Vision & Agency: Let People Own the Win 72:56 Weekly Inventory: Check Your Mind & Business Video Version: https://youtu.be/MLgkNEzR-_s Partners: Andersen Windows Buildertrend Harnish Workwear Use code H1025 and get 10% off their H-label gear The Modern Craftsman: linktr.ee/moderncraftsmanpodcast Find Our Hosts: Nick Schiffer Tyler Grace Podcast Produced By: Motif Media

Tyler breaks down how fixed bids had him bleeding on projects and why switching to Time & Materials, vetting hard, and charging for everyday hiccups kept the business alive. He gets into a real day-in-the-life, how he stays motivated when the work is repetitive, what younger trades are valuing now, and how being a dad changed his decisions. Show Notes:00:00 Back in the studio & why this one matters 01:23 A builder's daily reality (no fluff) 05:29 The early mistake that cost me—switching to T&M 09:15 Picking jobs and saying no (on purpose) 12:29 The client vet list that saves profit 16:13 Charge for hiccups (yes, even tool jams) 20:04 Staying motivated when the work's repetitive 22:44 What the next generation values (and the wage squeeze) 27:51 How being a dad changed how I run the business 32:50 1:1 help, next steps, wrap-up Video Version: https://youtu.be/8m_ur5LCHYI Partners: Andersen Windows Buildertrend Harnish Workwear Use code H1025 and get 10% off their H-label gear The Modern Craftsman: linktr.ee/moderncraftsmanpodcast Find Our Hosts: Nick Schiffer Tyler Grace Podcast Produced By: Motif Media

Danielle Gutelli, co-founder focused on business, family strategy and wellbeing. Michael Gutelli, co-founder with hands-on construction and lean, subcontractor-driven leadership. They discuss moving communications off text into threaded tools. They explain running a nearly fully subbed model to protect margins. They cover sobriety, routines, meditation, and setting boundaries for clearer work and home life.

Some days the hardest work is in your own head—Tyler gets into anxiety, pressure, and the habits that keep him steady on and off the job. He talks rock bottoms, drawing lines, and choosing family over every extra dollar so he can build for the long haul. Show Notes: 00:00 Not broken—just built different 03:15 Dirt bikes, wrestling, and finding an outlet 07:55 Marriage, space, and being a better partner 11:00 Serving clients without losing yourself 17:30 Anxiety, fear, and doing it anyway 19:45 Cutting out the party to get clear 24:30 Fatherhood raised the stakes 30:26 Catching myself in a manic spiral 34:59 Deadlines, profit, and pressure 38:30 Time management and saying no 40:45 Choosing family over extra dollars 44:30 Leaning into the flaws (and why that works) Video Version: https://youtu.be/7JjBgOU8E1g Partners: Andersen Windows Buildertrend Harnish Workwear Use code H1025 and get 10% off their H-label gear The Modern Craftsman: linktr.ee/moderncraftsmanpodcast Find Our Hosts: Nick Schiffer Tyler Grace Podcast Produced By: Motif Media

Nick strips it down—who he is off camera, how the brand formed, and the hits that shaped him. We get into rock-bottom cash flow, building a leadership team, and why being the same guy online and on site actually matters. Show Notes: 00:00 Getting into it 03:27 How my kids vs. clients see me 04:22 Same guy on social and on site 15:06 High school to the trades 17:33 College or straight to work 20:24 Chasing the "best version" 26:41 Pressure: internal vs. external 29:07 Owning screwups and moving forward 32:10 Building a leadership team 35:13 First home reno (and meeting my wife) 37:34 Rock-bottom cash-flow crunch 49:39 Social media's upside for builders 53:55 Do hard things; be your best Video Version: https://youtu.be/YipKlJk6t6I Partners: Andersen Windows Buildertrend Harnish Workwear Use code H1025 and get 10% off their H-label gear The Modern Craftsman: linktr.ee/moderncraftsmanpodcast Find Our Hosts: Nick Schiffer Tyler Grace Podcast Produced By: Motif Media

Tyler lays out why you choose risk over the gray area, stack small reps, and show up even when you're nervous. From the Cleveland build with Fine Homebuilding, Loctite, and Habitat to what's next on YouTube, it's straight talk on owning the outcome. Show Notes: 00:00 Victory vs. Defeat Mindset 09:37 Small Reps → Real Confidence 15:56 The House We Couldn't Afford 22:06 Risk vs. Failure: Decide and Move 27:13 Managing Pre-Game Anxiety 32:20 YouTube & What's Next Video Version: https://youtu.be/xu0aUSEbGTo Partners: Andersen Windows Buildertrend Harnish Workwear Use code H1025 and get 10% off their H-label gear The Modern Craftsman: linktr.ee/moderncraftsmanpodcast Find Our Hosts: Nick Schiffer Tyler Grace Podcast Produced By: Motif Media

Nick and Tyler get into Jeff Bezos's original playbook from '97 and pull out what actually works for the trades. It's about taking the best ideas, tossing the fluff, and making them fit our world. Show Notes: 00:00 From Broke to $178M 07:18 It's Always Day One 13:06 Obsess Over Customers, Not Competitors 20:25 Stubborn on Vision, Flexible on Details 25:40 Build for the Long Term 37:02 Focus on What Won't Change 46:36 Use Data, Trust Your Gut 49:38 Innovate, Even When It's Risky 54:59 Be Frugal — Constraints Breed Resourcefulness 61:01 Move Fast — Speed Matters 67:08 Adopt High Standards 74:38 Outro — Thanks & What's Next Video Version: https://youtu.be/YxEmNxrbqJE Partners: Andersen Windows Buildertrend Harnish Workwear Use code H1025 and get 10% off their H-label gear The Modern Craftsman: linktr.ee/moderncraftsmanpodcast Find Our Hosts: Nick Schiffer Tyler Grace Podcast Produced By: Motif Media