Most entrepreneurs have overcome one, if not all, of the following four things at some point in their life: bankruptcy, depression, the highest level of anxiety, and a traumatic experience. The most difficult thing to overcome is the inherent competition in the world of building businesses. Justin Breen dives into the secrets behind having a collaborative mindset and how you should only spend time and energy with people who get it. Show highlights include: Just having a colossal bank can make you miserable if you don’t put things like family first (6:07)  The 4 biggest and most common problems for 7 to 10 figure business owners (and the one skill that flips these into advantages) (10:14)  Is entrepreneurship lonely? Here’s how to connect with others going through the same struggles you are (12:36)  The “investment, not cost” mindset tweak that helps you pick the best partners, mentors, and mastermind groups (14:36)  The “Top People” technique that grows your company like a wildfire (without using gimmicks, tricks, or worrying about your competitors) (22:04)  How to find the perfect relationships for your business in a fraction of the time (32:42)  If you’d like to learn more about Justin and connect with you, you can find his website here: https://www.brepicllc.com/ and his LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinbreen1/  To get the most out of this podcast, or connect with Duane and Dave, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.

Building a successful business can provide you the freedom to do other things and spend time doing what you love. And that may just be starting other businesses. Our guest Sean Sullivan started out as a remodeler and subcontractor that took on various small projects. His persistence and appetite for continuous learning transformed his business, Living Stone Design + Build, into the award winning custom home and renovation firm that it is today. Show highlights include: Transformation from a small remodeler and subcontractor to an award-winning custom home builder (3:43)  Learning to build beautiful custom homes doing nothing more than watching This Old House reruns (7:52)  The “Triple H” formula for identifying and attracting top talent to work for you (12:32)  Why hiring new employees based on their skills kills your momentum (and the two “odd” traits to investigate instead) (13:50)  3 simple application questions for instantly vetting if someone’s a good fit for your company (16:20)  How the scientifically-proven “Predictive Index” test prevents your team members from burning out (18:00)  Free time allowed for the idea behind the “Design District” secret for rejuvenating a town and its businesses (22:45)  If you’d like to learn more about Sean, you can find his website at https://www.livingstoneconstruction.com To get the most out of this podcast, or connect with Duane and Dave, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.

Most of us, at some point, have lost valuable team members. Our guest this week is a familiar voice, and he's going to explain the change in mindset that's needed to hold onto the people you already have. Join us as Steve Barkhouse shows us why valuing your people as individuals can create freedom for them and your whole team. Let's jump into the retention business. Show highlights include: How treating your team members like your clients will help you drown in applications (5:12)  Why letting your teammates leave early is one of the best retention “hacks” you never heard of (7:35) The “Small Investment Strategy” for your staff that makes them jump out of bed to work for you every day (10:35)  How something as simple as reading testimonials to your team makes them never want to work for someone else (11:38)  Why sharing your finaicals with your team attracts smarter and more talented people (even if being 100% transparent seems scary) (15:07)  How a simple 15-minute “Tailgate Talk” with your team members shows them you care about them (23:51)  The “hidden” question to add to your employee surveys taty makes them want to refer you to their friends and family (34:44)  If you’d like to learn more about Steve and how to build a company culture your staff loves, check out his website at https://www.amsted.ca/.  To get the most out of this podcast, or connect with Duane and Dave, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.

Thank all of you so much for being a part of our first year! Before we kick off a new season we have one last show to do for 2021. Let's take a look back at what has been most popular with our listeners, and hear a few of our favorites as well. As a thank you for all your support we want to kick-off 2022 with some new surprises for how Builder Nuggets can help you build freedom, elevate your team, and how you can become more involved! Show highlights include: The “Golden Retriever Puppy” hiring secret that gives you a massive competitive advantage (7:03)  The most fundamental missing ingredient in your business that’s hindering your growth (13:37)  Why passion is the single most important “skill” your projects managers need (19:10)  The “Gathering Data with Your Eyes” trick for raising your pieces (without getting backlash from your clients) (23:15)  How to remove yourself from your day-to-day operations so you can sell your company for a fat paycheck (30:01) The weird way writing your eulogy lets you take 14 weeks of vacation every year (33:00)  How to figure out your unique ability and create the ultimate team fabric in your business (42:52)  The simple “Relational, not Transactional” mindset shift that makes success inevitable (48:58)  The counterintuitive way massive growth can bankrupt your business (aand how to grow the right way) (1:02:35)  To get the most out of this podcast, or connect with Duane and Dave, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.

It’s not what can you get but what can you give? When you're passionate about what you do it shows and giving back is one of the best ways to Level Up! Show highlights include: The “Tortoise” mindset shift you need when joining a Home Builders Association for making it worth your investment (7:48)  How the people inside different builder organizations help you 20x (or more) your business (13:23)  Why writing down your goals with pen and paper “activates” your subconscious to achieve them for you (14:55)  How teaching your expertise gives you unrivaled positioning and makes you better at your job (17:07)  Why growing your business without system in place bankrupts your company, your freedom, or both (18:05)   If you want to learn more about Paul and Ed and the hiring services they provide, you can visit https://www.contractorstaffingsource.com. Or hit us up through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.   To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.

In part 3 of our 6 part series on the Myths of Recruiting Ed Earl and Paul Sanneman explain why setting up systems that can be run by others who specialize in those systems can save you money and help you become more efficient. It can be difficult to find the right candidates, but it's imperative to scale your business.  Show highlights include: The “Recruitment Subcontractor” method for attracting top talent to your company without lifting a finger (2:27) Why recruiting by yourself eats up at least half of your work week (and why it’s more expensive than outsourcing) (6:26)  The “World-Class Lens” for filtering all your major business decisions through to make sure any project is worth your time and money (8:10)   How to find the perfect recruiter for your company using the same process you use for booking hotels (13:30)  The surefire way for only hiring employees that align with your company culture (18:27)  If you want to learn more about Paul and Ed and the hiring services they provide, you can visit https://www.contractorstaffingsource.com. Or hit us up through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.   To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.

In part 2 of our 6 part series on the Myths of Recruiting we tackle why believing employees are expensive is a very short-sighted way of looking at things. If you're hiring the right people, they should be more than paying for themselves. Hiring is an investment you're going to want to make, and we'll tell you why. Show highlights include: Why all your employees pay for themselves (even your office staff) (1:46)  Are you worried about hiring more team members? Here's why you’re committed to working more for less money (3:02)  Why the most successful, wealthiest, and free entrepreneurs always have the biggest teams (4:16) The simple “investment” mindset tweak for hiring that attracts top level talent to your business (6:15)  The 3 key characteristics that make a bad employee (and why each of them is your fault) (11:47)  The counterintuitive reason having a 6-month (or longer) waitlist for new projects is stealing your money (12:46)  How always interviewing potential candidates helps you attract top talent and makes your teammates more effective (16:57)  If you want to learn more about Paul and Ed and the hiring services they provide, you can visit https://www.contractorstaffingsource.com. Or hit us through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.   To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.

It’s one of the biggest topics in the industry today. How to find good people. Everyone’s competing for talent, but who’s doing it right? Well, our guests on this episode certainly are. These guys have cracked to code on how to reach top construction professionals all across North America. In a six part series, we are going to lay out the myths and truths of what you need to do to win the Talent race. Show highlights include: The “24/7” mindset shift required if you want to recruit top talent to your team (3:16)  The 6 biggest hiring myths that paralyze your growth, make your business exhausting, and can even bankrupt your company (7:32)  How always recruiting can help you poach the #1 project manager from your fiercest competitor (10:28)  The “Building Your Bench” strategy that prevents your business from falling apart if an important teammate leaves (11:04)  Why treating recruiting like your sales pipeline gives you an unfair advantage at attracting all-stars (14:14)  How building a personality-driven construction company puts recruiting on “expert mode” (and how adopting a process-driven approach makes your life easier) (20:31)  If you want to learn more about Paul and Ed and the hiring services they provide, you can visit https://www.contractorstaffingsource.com. Or hit us through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we’ll make a personal introduction.   To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.

An easy and affordable way to remove chaos from your business is to engage the services of a VA (Virtual Assistant). Stop being overwhelmed by the volume of work left undone in your business. Remote team members can help your organization climb higher. Show highlights include: The 4 accountability keys that ensures your virtual assistant stays productive instead of eating your profits (4:57)  Do you struggle with asking for help in your business? Here’s a simple way to get the help you need (8:58)  The “Protect Your Calendar” strategy that prevents you from missing date nights or your kids’ soccer games (9:44)  How to get a vetted list of top contractors and vendors in your area in 48 hours or less (without lifting a finger) (17:36)  Why hiring a VA is an easy way to add a full-time employee (without any of the extra headaches or financial commitments) (24:15)  How to finally achieve the level of freedom you craved when you first started your business (33:03)  If you’d like to learn more about how a virtual assistance can create more freedom in your business, check out BELAY here: https://belaysolutions.com/  To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.

Our guest on this episode comes from a long line of builders who have been in the industry for over 110 years, dating back to his great-grandfather. He has proven his expertise in helping hundreds of builders, remodelers, and contractors in the USA and Canada, generate leads and close more sales by using the power of their own online presence. He’s an expert at turning websites into lead generating machines that work 24/7. Show highlights include: Why focusing on marketing tactics like SEO is like lighting your money on fire (and how to embed various tactics into a full strategy) (5:29)  How a marketing engine helps you consistently make more revenue year after year instead of riding the revenue roller coaster (7:35)  Why relying on word-of-mouth marketing alone will put your construction company in an early grave (especially if it’s worked in the past) (11:08)  How growing too fast during this red hot market can break your business (and how to sustain your level of growth as demand cools off) (11:53)  The simple “FAQ Method” for creating content that drowns you in high-quality leads (15:43)  How video sells your ideal client on you before they even consider a custom home — obliterating your competitors (23:26)  The “Marketing Moat” strategy that can book you out for the next 2 years (29:19)  If you’d like to chat with Spencer and see how his team can turn your website into a lead generation machine, go to https://builderfunnel.com.  To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.