The Construction Leading Edge Podcast

EPISODE 296: Adversity has a remarkable way of bringing out the best in you, which is exactly what happens when you start burning the ships. This act becomes a symbol of your unwavering commitment to your goals. When those ships go up in flames, all means of escape vanish, leaving no safety net or fallback plan behind. Through this situation, success becomes a matter of life or death, and the only way forward is through sheer determination, resilience, and perseverance. The question is: are you ready to go through this? So in today's episode, we will explore various misconceptions around stress, why you should be burning the ships, practical ways to manufacture adversity, and some tips on applying what you'll be learning today to your construction business. Make sure to tune in now! Key Takeaways: Introduction (00:00) The Johnny Cash song (00:53) Misconceptions about stress (02:39) How Navy Seals see adversity (07:09) Why you want to manufacture adversity (08:51) What does it mean to burn your ships? (14:09) Practical ways to manufacture adversity (18:19) Applying what you have learned (24:29) Great resources for you to bookmark (27:04) Additional Resources: - Listen to Episode 274 with Torrey Hawkins HERE - FREE training on how to get paid for estimates HERE - FREE webinar on how to make your business run without you HERE - Hear success stories from our clients HERE - Book a FREE call with our team HERE - Visit Construction Leading Edge for more HERE Books Mentioned: - Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill - The Art of War by Sun Tzu -- 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 295: Do you ever wonder if you can get paid for estimates even when doing small home building, remodeling, or commercial projects? In today's episode, we've invited one of our Masterclass students, Bobby Williams, president and CEO at BGW Construction in Indiana. Today, Bobby shares his experience after joining our Get Paid for Estimates Masterclass. He talks about some of the biggest problems with giving out free estimates, why it's high time you start charging for pre-construction work, and the transformative ripple effects it can have on your construction business. Tune in now to learn more! Key Takeaways: Introduction (00:00) Meet Bobby Williams of BGW Construction (04:38) What are the biggest problems that come with free estimates? (09:16) Ripple effects of providing paid pre-construction services (12:37) Don't compare yourself to your competition (21:24) The best of Get Paid for Estimates Masterclass (24:36) Why sign up for the Get Paid for Estimates Masterclass? (31:13) Episode wrap-up (34:29) Additional Resources: - FREE training on how to get paid for estimates HERE - Hear success stories from our clients HERE - Book a FREE call with our team HERE - Visit Construction Leading Edge for more 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 294: How resilient is your construction business? And what should you do as a business leader to mitigate the risks? There is a military and business strategy called red teaming. Basically, it allows an organization to expose its weak points and stress test plans and strategies to counter them. So in today's episode, we'll dive deep into what a red team is, why you should use it, and some tools to help you red team your construction business to make it more resilient. Plus, we also have Leyah interviewing John Hall, a construction business leader, on how the Systematize Your Construction Business (SYCB) program helped him reclaim his time and empower his team. Tune in now to learn more! Key Takeaways: What is a red team? (01:44) 5 reasons why a construction business needs to run a red team (05:43) The above-the-waterline or below-the-waterline analogy (09:46) The five-by-five risk matrix explained (13:22) Questions you need to ask as a business leader (18:57) Whose job is it to red team a construction business? (20:09) How to recession-proof your construction business (22:58) Leyah's interview with John Hall (25:11) Problems that led John to join the SYCB program (25:53) How the SYCB program helped John and his team (27:46) Life before and after joining the SYCB program (31:31) Additional Resources: - FREE webinar on how to recession-proof your business HERE - Hear success stories from our clients HERE - Book a FREE call with our team HERE - Visit Construction Leading Edge for more 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 293: Did you know your construction business could be entitled to a whopping six-figure check (or more) from the IRS? For others, that may sound too good to be true, but yes, construction business owners can get significant cash incentives from the federal government. Large companies routinely take advantage of these cash incentives, yet most small companies like yours don't even know these benefits exist. Why is it so? In today's episode, we are joined by Justin Rupple of Business Group Resources, a business incentive recovery firm, to talk about tax credits your CPA may not be telling you about. Today, Justin discusses the tax credits that are available for business owners like you, how much money most construction businesses are leaving on the table, and how you can qualify for these tax credits. Key Takeaways: Intro (00:00) #1 Most overlooked tax credit program (05:02) How much money is left on the table by construction businesses (07:43) Misconceptions about the research and development tax credit (08:47) How construction businesses can qualify for the R&D tax credit (12:57) Why does the R&D tax credit program exist? (14:58) Tax incentives: big corporations vs. small businesses (16:21) Reasons why CPAs don't go after R&D tax credits (18:32) Examples of how much construction businesses get from tax credits (21:40) Who can qualify for this tax credit? (27:22) Episode wrap-up (34:33) Additional Resources: - Recover your tax overpayments HERE - Book a FREE call with our team HERE - Sign up for our FREE training HERE - Visit Construction Leading Edge for more HERE Connect with Justin: - Check Justin out on LinkedIn HERE - Check Business Group Resources for more 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 292: What is it like to be a woman in construction? In this empowering episode, our Director of Customer Success, Leyah Valgardson, sits down with Sunkota Construction's Marketing and Business Development officer and co-business owner, Amy Rans. Today, Leyah and Amy delve into the fascinating role of women in the construction world and the truth about what it's really like to be a woman thriving in a traditionally male-dominated field. Amy also shares how she rebranded Sunkota Construction using her marketing expertise, tips for creating a great customer experience as a commercial contractor, and how our Systematize Your Construction Business (SYCB) program simplifies their handoff process. Make sure to check it out! Key Takeaways: How Amy got into the construction world (01:39) Biggest challenges construction business owners face (05:16) Lessons that Amy learned being in the construction industry (06:54) How to be an attractive employer (09:41) The main transformation that Amy did with Sunkota Construction (16:11) What the business looks like before joining the SYCB program? (17:47) How to create a great customer experience as a commercial contractor (25:36) On retaining and attracting top-quality talents (38:39) The changes that SYCB did to their construction company (39:48) How to wow your customers (41:26) What it's like to be a female business owner in a male-dominated industry? (47:37) Advice to women who are interested or currently in the construction industry (49:49) The future of women in the construction industry (59:17) For those who want to start a construction business (1:00:18) Additional Resources: - Book a FREE call with our team HERE - Sign up for our FREE training HERE - Visit Construction Leading Edge for more HERE Connect with Amy Rans - Check Amy out on LinkedIn HERE - Visit Sunkota Construction for more info 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 291: Do you feel like you're in this endless burnout cycle? Our guest for today indeed felt that way. He was getting used to taking a mini break and then coming back into the same rut repeatedly. But he has finally decided to get away with it. How was he able to break that cycle after sixteen long years? Well, you're about to find out. In this week's episode, Systematize Your Construction Business (SYCB) coach Monish Khadye sits down with Josh Fravel of Fravel Home Improvements. Today, Josh talks about how he transitioned from wearing many hats to finally delegating tasks and letting go of control. He also shares how he empowers his construction team, the main problems he faced that led him to join the SYCB program, and its ripple effects on his business and personal life. Tune in now to learn more! Key Takeaways: Meet Josh and his works at Fravel Home Improvement (00:56) Failure that set Josh up for later success (03:16) From doing everything himself to delegating tasks (08:43) On letting go of control (12:42) The growth catalyst for his remodeling business (17:24) On working with subcontractors and setting standards (19:50) How to set up your employees for success (23:41) One piece of advice he would give to his younger self (27:28) Part of the business that Josh has cracked on (29:12) What made him join the Systematize Your Construction Business (SYCB) program (32:57) Ripple effects after joining SYCB on his business and personal life (39:29) Episode wrap-up (47:52) Additional Resources: - Book a FREE call with our Construction Leading Edge team HERE - Learn how to get out of your business and make it run without you HERE - Visit Construction Leading Edge for more HERE Check out Fravel Home Improvement - Follow Josh and his team on Instagram HERE - Visit their website 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 290: The reason you're not making any progress toward your goals is that you're trying. And I'm not saying you're trying too hard, but the problem is that you're trying, period. You may not know it, but trying will not turn your construction business into a $50 million business a year. What you need to do is to stop trying and start training. In today's episode, I'll share the key differences between trying and training, action items that move the needle, and the power of the "until attitude". And to prove that training rather than trying to be a better CEO of your construction business can stop profit bleeds, we have Ashley Fleschner to share his Systematize Your Construction Business (SYCB) program success story. Tune in now to learn more! Key Takeaways: Introduction (00:00) What is trying? (03:16) Difference between trying and training (04:07) Questions to ask yourself (17:33) The if attitude vs. until attitude (19:34) Quick recap (22:39) SYCB success story with Ashley Fleschner (24:38) Final question (30:50) Additional Resources: - Book a FREE call with our Construction Leading Edge team HERE - Learn how to get out of your business and make it run without you HERE - Visit Construction Leading Edge for more 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 289: There is one part of your construction business that could lead to profit bleed, but they never show up on an invoice. That is your customer experience! Focusing on creating a great customer experience roadmap could differentiate you from your competitors. But where do you start? In this week's episode, Leyah Valgardson, our Director of Customer Success, and I will discuss why customer experience matters whether you're a homebuilder or a commercial contractor. Today, Leyah and I talk about the symptoms of customers having a bad experience, the three steps to creating a good customer experience and journey, and action items you can do today to improve your customer journey and make it a company culture. Let's jump right in! Key Takeaways: Why customer experience matters (03:08) Your customer is buying an experience (09:06) Reasons to have a customer experience strategy (15:06) Symptoms of a customer having a bad experience (18:53) Customer experience vs. customer journey (25:06) Have a clear customer journey roadmap (26:39) Setting expectations clearly and consistently (38:26) Seeking ways to wow your customers (48:06) Positive ripple effects of providing great customer journey (1:00:57) Action items you can do today (1:07:21) Additional Resources: - Apply to work with the Construction Leading Edge team HERE - Learn how to get out of your business and make it run without you HERE - Visit Construction Leading Edge for more 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 288: How do you attract top talents to your construction business? You'd be surprised that it isn't just about the money; it's something else. So in this week's episode, I sat down with Isaac Barlow, the CEO of busybusy, a top-ranked GPS time tracking software that provides what every construction business owner wants in a tracking app. Today, Isaac and I talk about what high performers really want and how having this in place will help you recruit top talents in the industry, improve your company's productivity, increase your profitability, and create a culture of excellence. He also shares some tips on handling obstacles and resistance in construction businesses and the role of faith and persistence in getting to where his company is today. Tune in now to learn more! Key Takeaways: Intro (00:00) How busybusy started out (02:52) Describing the business roadmap and handling obstacles (11:52) Does construction have to be chaotic? (19:24) Root causes hiding underneath the construction chaos (21:24) Why should you invest in a good pre-construction system? (24:45) Common misconceptions about a construction manager's role (27:47) Some of busybusy's best features (31:37) How important is having access to job site data (34:06) How to improve productivity in construction businesses (40:46) Construction business trends that might surprise people (45:54) Cultivating company culture with busybusy (49:23) Episode wrap-up (57:55) Additional Resources: - Schedule a FREE breakthrough session now with our team HERE - Learn how to get out of your business and make it run without you HERE - Visit Construction Leading Edge for more HERE Connect with Isaac Barlow: - Connect with Isaac on LinkedIn HERE - Check busybusy 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 287: Here's what no one is talking about - good construction companies are actually good pre-construction companies. Instead of giving away free estimates, they charge for doing them to bring great value to their clients, even at the early stage of the construction process. So in this week's episode, Construction Leading Edge's Systematize Your Construction Business (SYCB) coach Monish Khadye speaks with Daniel Hickey, owner and project manager at Hickey Construction. Daniel shares how his construction business went from earning $550k to $2M in just a few years - all thanks to solid pre-construction and rigorous handoff processes. He also talks about how he was kicked out of his business in a good way, the positive ripple effects that his customers and team have seen after putting in the right systems and processes, how the SYCB program impacted his business and family life, and more. Let's get this started! Key Takeaways: Meet Daniel Hickey of Hickey Construction (03:17) What helped Daniel grow his construction business? (06:51) On delegation and accountability (12:12) The advantages of having a pre-construction process (14:56) From working 10-12 hours a day to 5 hours or less (17:06) On having clarity on what to achieve (26:59) "If you've got that drive, you can do it." (32:17) Handoff and pre-construction tips (34:17) The ripple effects of a rigorous handoff and pre-construction process (45:22) Life after doing all the work in the SYCB program (56:48) How to systematize your construction business (1:20:31) Additional Resources: - Schedule a FREE breakthrough session now with our team HERE - Learn how to get out of your business and make it run without you HERE - Visit Construction Leading Edge for more HERE Connect with Daniel Hickey: - Reach out by sending your email to daniel@hickeyconstruction.ca - Check Hickey Construction 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!