Remodeling Mastery by Mark Richardson

Thank you for listening to Remodeling Mastery! Become one of our 50,000 listeners by subscribing today—just search for ‘Remodeling Mastery’ on your podcast app of choice. (1:05) In This Episode: Softening in the Market Preparation is key to the success of every business. We've experienced 10 years of growth in the remodeling industry, so it's only sensible to start preparing for an eventual softening of the market. In this episode of Remodeling Mastery, Mark gives suggestions and insights that will help you prepare for a softer market. Tune in to learn 7 tips that will help increase the resilience of your business. (12:59) Thought Leader Interview with Anthony Mathews, Transitions Expert Do you have a plan for an exit or transition out of your business? If not, then Employee Stock Ownership Plans or ESOPs might be the answer to this problem. When you own a productive asset like a business, one of the principal ways that it changes ownership is through inheritance. However, this family transition is becoming less common. Join Mark and Anthony as they discuss how ESOPs can be a good option for business owners who have reached the end of their career. “Something that I'm really concerned about, as an advisor to businesses, is the number of businesses, especially small to mid-sized ones, that I see where the intent is just to liquidate the company... That for me is very troubling because it means that not only are we losing a productive asset from our culture but we're losing jobs, we're losing a tax base...One of the things that we've been working a lot with was this notion of letting companies continue but in the form of an employee-owned venture.” —Anthony Mathews Subscribe to Remodeling Mastery: iTunes | Google Play | SoundCloud | Stitcher In 2019, Mark G. Richardson is taking his popular podcast series to the next level with a fresh new format in store for listeners. Mark will be integrating interviews with thought leaders who have experienced tremendous success in the industry and growing their own businesses to share snippets of wisdom to help you achieve the same. Additionally, Mark is bringing in some experts to share key indicators that they’re seeing out there in the marketplace that could have a monumental impact on your business.

If you’re looking to grow your business or carry it through an economic downturn, few things are as valuable as understanding consumer behavior and learning from the experience of other successful remodelers. We’ve got both in this episode of Remodeling Mastery. Don’t miss out! In this episode: (0:55) In This Episode: Questions A lot of times we're moving along so fast and so furious, that we don't spend enough time thinking about things as opposed to doing things. In this episode of Remodeling Mastery, Mark explains the importance of asking yourself the right questions. Good questions allow you to reflect on subjects and come up with new ideas and perspectives. Tune in to find out the 7 questions you should be asking yourself to help you focus and work more effectively. (9:34) Thought Leader Interview with Erika Taylor, Director of Content for Professional Remodeler Erika Taylor is the chief of content for one of the top construction and remodeling trade publications in the country. She joins Mark today to share some of her insights into the latest trends and issues in the industry. Tune in as they discuss the increased investment of private equity companies in the home improvement space, franchising and how more remodelers are focusing their social media efforts on Instagram. “People with a lot of money to invest are seeing the industry as a really good place to get the ROI that they want, and I see it as a positive sign for all of us.” —Erika Taylor

Thank you for listening to Remodeling Mastery! Become one of our 50,000 listeners by subscribing today—just search for ‘Remodeling Mastery’ on your podcast app of choice. (1:58) In This Episode: Risk How do you think about risk and apply it to your day-to-day process? If you're a builder or remodeler, then it's important for you to be in the wave, not ahead of it and not behind it. Learning how to deal with risk can help you achieve that. In this episode of Remodeling Mastery, Mark goes over seven tips about risk to help you integrate risk into your decision-making process and explains how this can help you be more successful. (12:56) Thought Leader Interview with Eric Minkiewicz, President and CEO of Huff ‘N Puff Eric grew his family's business that had under a million in revenue to over 20 million in revenue. He applied the sound business principles from his career in finance and technology to give Huff ‘N Puff the consistency, standards and reliability of a Fortune 500 company. Tune in as he and Mark discuss the importance of focusing on what your company does best, developing your people, and more. “I would say the single most important success factor for me has been surrounding myself with the best people that I possibly can...Surround yourself with the best people that you can, in every relationship that you have.” —Eric Minkiewicz

Thank you for listening to Remodeling Mastery! Become one of our 50,000 listeners by subscribing today—just search for ‘Remodeling Mastery’ on your podcast app of choice. (0:51) In This Episode: Business Themes to Live By You’re constantly hearing about businesses having to evolve at breakneck speeds to keep up with market changes, but what of the things that should be held constant? Without an overriding framework—a ‘Ten Commandments’ of sorts to keep you rooted in the fundamentals—it can be easy to lose sight of your core values and vision for your company. In this episode of Remodeling Mastery, Mark explains why increasingly complex businesses don’t need bigger playbooks, but a better understanding of certain core themes. Tune in to find out what those themes are and how they can help keep your team in sync as you grow. (15:35) Thought Leader Interview with Kermit Baker, Chief Economist for the American Institute of Architects and Project Director of the Remodeling Futures Program at Harvard University Kermit Baker returns to our Thought Leader segment with yet more up-to-date insights into what’s going on in the world of remodeling. He identifies three key issues that suggest where the industry at large is heading—issues contractors would do well to keep an eye on! Tune in to hear what he has to say about remodeling growth numbers and the growing uncertainty around an economy that feels, as Mark puts it, “a little bit herky-jerky.” Subscribe to Remodeling Mastery: iTunes | Google Play | SoundCloud | Stitcher In 2019, Mark G. Richardson is taking his popular podcast series to the next level with a fresh new format in store for listeners. Mark will be integrating interviews with thought leaders who have experienced tremendous success in the industry and growing their own businesses to share snippets of wisdom to help you achieve the same. Additionally, Mark is bringing in some experts to share key indicators that they’re seeing out there in the marketplace that could have a monumental impact on your business.

Thank you for listening to Remodeling Mastery! Become one of our 50,000 listeners by subscribing today—just search for ‘Remodeling Mastery’ on your podcast app of choice. (0:51) In This Episode: Business Themes to Live By You’re constantly hearing about businesses having to evolve at breakneck speeds to keep up with market changes, but what of the things that should be held constant? Without an overriding framework—a ‘Ten Commandments’ of sorts to keep you rooted in the fundamentals—it can be easy to lose sight of your core values and vision for your company. In this episode of Remodeling Mastery, Mark explains why increasingly complex businesses don’t need bigger playbooks, but a better understanding of certain core themes. Tune in to find out what those themes are and how they can help keep your team in sync as you grow. (15:35) Thought Leader Interview with Kermit Baker, Chief Economist for the American Institute of Architects and Project Director of the Remodeling Futures Program at Harvard University Kermit Baker returns to our Thought Leader segment with yet more up-to-date insights into what’s going on in the world of remodeling. He identifies three key issues that suggest where the industry at large is heading—issues contractors would do well to keep an eye on! Tune in to hear what he has to say about remodeling growth numbers and the growing uncertainty around an economy that feels, as Mark puts it, “a little bit herky-jerky.”

Thank you for listening to Remodeling Mastery! Become one of our 50,000 listeners by subscribing today—just search for ‘Remodeling Mastery’ on your podcast app of choice. (0:51) In This Episode: Business Themes to Live By You’re constantly hearing about businesses having to evolve at breakneck speeds to keep up with market changes, but what of the things that should be held constant? Without an overriding framework—a ‘Ten Commandments’ of sorts to keep you rooted in the fundamentals—it can be easy to lose sight of your core values and vision for your company. In this episode of Remodeling Mastery, Mark explains why increasingly complex businesses don’t need bigger playbooks, but a better understanding of certain core themes. Tune in to find out what those themes are and how they can help keep your team in sync as you grow. (15:35) Thought Leader Interview with Kermit Baker, Chief Economist for the American Institute of Architects and Project Director of the Remodeling Futures Program at Harvard University Kermit Baker returns to our Thought Leader segment with yet more up-to-date insights into what’s going on in the world of remodeling. He identifies three key issues that suggest where the industry at large is heading—issues contractors would do well to keep an eye on! Tune in to hear what he has to say about remodeling growth numbers and the growing uncertainty around an economy that feels, as Mark puts it, “a little bit herky-jerky.”

Thank you for listening to Remodeling Mastery! Become one of our 50,000 listeners by subscribing today—just search for ‘Remodeling Mastery’ on your podcast app of choice. (0:27) In This Episode: Google Insights Google’s access to millions of American homeowners gives them unparalleled insight into who your consumers are, what they do, what they care about and how things are changing. If you’re a builder or remodeler looking to attract more and better-quality leads, they are a resource you can’t afford to ignore. In this episode of Remodeling Mastery, Mark goes over five Google insights that should inform your messaging, your marketing focus, and even your product or service offerings. (17:16) Thought Leader Interview with Larry Green, CEO and Co-founder of System Pavers Larry’s story as a business owner is one of resilience and adaptability. Having started two home improvement companies and carried each through major economic recessions on both sides of the Atlantic, he has a unique understanding of what it takes for a business to survive the worst. Tune in as he and Mark discuss the value of taking action, making tough decisions, having a Plan B, and more. “You have to have a system of processes to be successful… Trying to scale anything without good systems in place guarantees failure.” —Larry Green

Thank you for listening to Remodeling Mastery! Become one of our 50,000 listeners by subscribing today—just search for ‘Remodeling Mastery’ on your podcast app of choice. (1:17) In This Episode: Why We Struggle Running a remodeling business isn’t easy. In an industry full of challenges and potential missteps, it can be easy to fall into the trap of thinking that struggle is just another fact of life. But what happens when conditions are favorable and everyone else seems to be thriving? How do you explain the struggle then? In this episode of Remodeling Mastery, Mark urges businesses to take a closer look at the common denominators between floundering businesses and what you can do to catapult yourself out of the struggle and into success. (13:49) Thought Leader Interview with Michael Anschel, President of Otogawa-Anschel Design+Build Few remodelers understand the value of transparency quite like Michael, whose company is known for their atypical approach to pricing—one that emphasizes what he calls PHAT: profit, honesty, accuracy and transparency. Now that it’s become such a big buzzword in construction circles, we ask: how can we become more transparent, and are we really going to see returns? Find out in this episode’s Thought Leader Interview. “We actively promote the fact that we’re fully transparent… that they get to see everything. They get to see how the sausage is made, and that’s huge. They love it. They love the fact that they can proceed with confidence and never feel like they’re stuck with a black box.” —Michael Anschel

Thank you for listening to Remodeling Mastery! Become one of our 50,000 listeners by subscribing today—just search for ‘Remodeling Mastery’ on your podcast app of choice. In this episode... (1:18) In This Episode: Transparency It’s a quality two-thirds of homeowners look for when researching remodelers, but one many contractors are uncomfortable demonstrating. With customers demanding that transparency be the norm in business, and companies feeling forced to give away their secret sauce, can we find a middle ground that satisfies and delivers value to both? In this episode of Remodeling Mastery, Mark explains the ins and outs of disclosing some information traditionally kept private—think pricing structures, internal processes and profit margins—and why meeting homeowners’ expectations of transparency is to everyone’s ultimate benefit. (12:28) Thought Leader Interview with Brian Gottlieb, CEO of Tundraland Home Improvements If anyone deserves to be called a thought leader, Brian Gottlieb is it. It takes a special kind of thinking to be able to start a business in the middle of the Great Recession and then grow it into a brand with an almost unheard-of conservative goal of $50 million. In this riveting interview, Mark and Brian talk about the value of hanging out with other growth-focused individuals, how genuine community service builds business, Tundraland’s out-of-left-field approach to solving a communication crisis, and more. Stick around; you’re in for a treat! “When the conversation of competition comes up, we don’t pay much attention to it—because if our competition wants to copy our performance, they first have to copy what goes on inside of our people’s heads.” —Brian Gottlieb

Keep your finger on the pulse of your business and that of the larger remodeling industry by tuning in to this episode of Remodeling Mastery, with Mark Richardson and special guest Erika Taylor. Thank you for listening to Remodeling Mastery! Become one of our 50,000 listeners by subscribing today—just search for ‘Remodeling Mastery’ on your podcast app of choice. (1:42) In This Episode: Digital Fitness One inevitable effect of technology revolutionizing the remodeling industry is that digital fitness is now a key aspect of overall business health. No “unfit” brand can expect to thrive in a complex, competitive market in the digital age. But how do you know you’re fit enough to compete? In the same way physical fitness is a function of strength, flexibility, balance, speed, mobility and endurance, digital fitness is a product of multiple factors. In this episode of Remodeling Mastery, Mark Richardson uses the analogy of a bike wheel to break down the seven essential “spokes” a business must maintain in order to achieve optimal digital fitness. (16:13) Thought Leader Interview with Erika Taylor, Director of Content for Professional Remodeler As chief of content for one of the nation’s leading construction and remodeling trade publications, Erika has an unequaled vantage point into the hottest trends and issues moving and shaking the home improvement space. Tune in to this Thought Leader Interview, where she and Mark take the pulse of the market and give us a closer look into what today’s homeowner wants and expects from remodelers like yourself.