As companies experience growth, there are tipping points where changes need to be made. One of those points is when you realize you need additional management for the organization. Many remodelers are considering adding a General Manager, but are unsure how it will work in practice. The Cleary Company of Columbus, OH, reached this tipping point in the Development Department in the Fall of 2016. The company was changing rapidly, adding staff, and stressing the existing systems in place. Things were getting bogged down. Owner George Cleary promoted Aaron Enfinger from Production Manager to GM to step in the gap. He’s currently wearing both hats while searching for his successor as PM. In this episode, Aaron talks to Victoria and Mark about his experiences in taking over his new role and what it’s meant for the company. While Aaron oversees the operations, George has more time for business development and long-term planning. The decision to add an overlay of management was caused by three factors, says Aaron. The staff was stressed by the workload, they were having trouble getting projects through the different phases of the job, and steps were being skipped in previously reliable systems because of the rush to get jobs to production. He talks about what his job entails, and some of the challenges, including: Keeping the owner in the mix How to not overload a GM Managing people outside of your own job experience, like designers or marketers Creating new positions to help streamline processes Why to hire from within (if you can) Working with the owner (or CEO) The benefits of a walking meeting Small picture vs. big picture thinking And more… As promised in the podcast, here’s the link to Aaron’s appearance on The Tim Faller Show, where he outlined his approach to creating a master schedule to control the flow of jobs through the pipeline. The post How and When To Hire a General Manager with Aaron Enfinger – [Best of PowerTips Unscripted] appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

Today we are jumping back in time to the beginnings of the PowerTips Podcast.  For the past 20 years, Tim has worked with remodeling companies, large and small, to help improve profits by creating smooth, efficient production systems. As a Senior Consultant and “Master of Production” for Remodelers Advantage, Tim’s field and business ownership experience is vital to his additional role as facilitator for Owner and Production Manager Roundtables Groups. In Episode 8 Victoria and Mark welcome Tim Faller to the show as he covers a topic that he has been working on for the past 5-6 years as he tours the US & Canada, providing on-site production consulting – “Zero Punch List Production.” Tim provides a great overview of the zero punch list strategy and describes in detail how he has seen companies successfully implement this process. According Tim, all-too-often remodelers put the onus or responsibility of completing a punch list on the client, thereby creating the perception that the job is being presented as incomplete. As they explore the zero punch list theory and strategy, Victoria, Mark and Tim discuss: Steps to successfully implement this within an organization How this effects sales process, contracts, payment draws, etc. Production Techniques & Checklists How to handle Backorders How to handle the final walk-through Getting rid of Head Trash The post Zero Punch List Production with Tim Faller – [Best of PowerTips Unscripted] appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

In this episode of PowerTips Unscripted, host Victoria Downing chats with Jessica Lipson, Vice President of People and Culture at JBL Consulting, about building strong leadership within your remodeling business. Jessica, who brings over 20 years of HR experience, shares her insights on identifying high-potential leaders, developing effective mentorship programs, and fostering non-toxic, inclusive company cultures. Jessica explains the difference between high-performing employees, who excel in their current roles, and high-potential employees, who show the drive and emotional intelligence to lead in the future. She emphasizes the importance of utilizing tools like behavioral assessments and regular one-on-ones to spot these emerging leaders. Victoria and Jessica also dive into: The key skills future leaders should possess, such as emotional intelligence, resilience, and adaptability. How to balance formal training with real-world leadership experiences. Practical strategies for resolving workplace conflict and building a respectful, productive team culture. The post Developing Your Company’s Future Leaders with Jessica Lipson – [PowerTips Unscripted] S6 E6 appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

In this episode of PowerTips Unscripted, host Victoria Downing interviews Robert Gurinowitsch who shares insights on incorporating state-funded projects into a remodeler’s revenue stream. Robert explains how these opportunities can be lucrative but require navigating government regulations and compliance. Robert Gurinowitsch is the regional program manager for Best Bath. Best Bath has been providing over 25 years in Strategic Solutions for Home modifications and Home access. They work with Home and Community Based Service programs, Managed Care Organizations, Workers Comp, and Bank Trusts. Victoria and Robert talk more about: Challenges and benefits of state-funded work How to start doing state-funded work Examples of how state work has helped companies  And more… The post Adding State Funded Work to Your Revenue Stream with Robert Gurinowitsch – [PowerTips Unscripted] S6 E5 appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

Most remodelers start as the sole salesperson for their companies. Stepping out of that role is arguably one of the hardest things you can do — but you have to if you’re going to grow your company. Hiring, training, and managing a sales team is a challenge. Normandy Design Build Remodeling has a sales staff of 22, and all have design or architecture backgrounds. This is more important to the company than having pure sales experience. In this episode, Andy Wells talks to Victoria and Mark about hiring and training superstars at Normandy, where he’s the president and owner. Normandy has been in business for 40 years and does additions, kitchens, and whole-house remodeling throughout the Chicagoland area. Andy has been with Normandy for 21 years. Expanding and growing your company takes sales, and more sales, says Andy. His newer salespeople are selling $600,000 per year; some with more experience are doing $2 million, topping out at around $4 million sold by one salesperson. Andy talks about hiring and training the Normandy way, with information you can use to build your own sales staff, including: Why passion is the most important thing How to be a Sherpa for your clients The importance of being nimble Clicking with the customer Training in the culture The value of ride-alongs for sales Scaling the commissions and compensation Moving from salary to commission Meetings — what to cover and how often to hold them Why sales managers can’t do all their own selling And more… So much more, in fact, that we ran out of time. Since we didn’t even get to the management part, we’ll be bringing Andy back soon! The post Building a Remodeling Sales Team with Andy Wells – [Best of PowerTips Unscripted] appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

There are five stages of company growth, according to Judith Miller, one of our consultants and facilitators. Transitioning from Stage 3 to Stage 4 is one of the more complex. It takes a substantial shift in the owner’s responsibilities and skill sets. It can result in a much higher job satisfaction level, financial return, and working much less. In this episode, Jef Forward explains how he managed this tricky move to Victoria and Mark. It’s a process he planned and implemented over years, and it had challenges and surprises for everyone in the organization. Jef is the Owner of Forward Design Build located in Ann Arbor, MI. He has been a facilitator for Remodelers Advantage Roundtables for numerous years and has been a member of the Roundtables family for even longer. Jef is known as a visionary, an idea guy, and ahead of the curve in most things tech. Jef talks about how the process has worked for his company, and what it takes to get there. It demanded a great deal of self-reflection on his part, as he moved out of the role of doer to teacher and had to become a better leader. He talks about understanding your priorities and how they might shift, and getting buy-in from your team, including: Your company culture Working the plan Getting accurate feedback Letting people fail, and teaching from that Becoming a proactive, not reactive company Why it’s not all about you And much more… Regardless of the growth stage of your company, Jef’s got workable advice to make your business and life better and more rewarding. The post Growing a Company from Stage 3 to Stage 4 with Jef Forward – [Best of PowerTips Unscripted] appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

So, you’ve been thinking of starting a podcast for your business. While it is one of the best reasons to gain notoriety and establish value for your community of clients, starting a podcast doesn’t mean it will bring success all on its own. Guest John Corcoran is here to share his tips and tricks for how to make podcasts your most valuable marketing tactic. John Corcoran is the co-founder of Rise25, an agency that helps businesses generate qualified leads, referrals and strategic partnerships using podcasts, and lead generation using LinkedIn and content marketing.  He is also an author, a former Clinton White House writer, and is on a mission to make the world a smaller place, through connections. Victoria and John talk more about: Building relationships and creating connections Generating content The value of podcasts And more… The post How to Make Podcasts Your Most Valuable Marketing Tactic with John Corcoran – [Best of PowerTips Unscripted] appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

As a remodeling business owner, you have likely heard of demographics and you have probably looked at it solely in the context of marketing and lead generation. But, the power of demographics lies much deeper than that, and in this episode, Ken Gronbach will share the subtle yet profound effect of shifting demography in the United States, the Americas and the world, and we will hear what that means to your business now and in the future. Ken is President/CEO of KGC Direct and is an internationally respected demographer who has been able to forecast societal, commercial, economic, cultural and political phenomena with uncanny accuracy. Victoria, Mark and Ken talk more about: Ken’s transition from Marketing into Demography The relationship between markets and demographic data The effect Covid-19 will have on the demographic landscape in the United States The generations in the US that will be the most influential in the next 20 years The categories/sectors of commerce that will suffer and which will flourish demographically going forward The post Demography is Destiny with Kenneth Gronbach – [Best of PowerTips Unscripted] appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

Are you concerned that college tuition fees will deplete your savings? In today’s episode of PowerTips Unscripted, we have Brad Baldridge on the show to assist business owners in planning for their children’s college education without sacrificing their retirement funds. Brad discusses how owning a business can impact college finances and whether there are any benefits that business owners can leverage to aid in paying for college expenses. Brad Baldridge is one of the nation’s leading college financial experts. He teaches families the best ways to plan, save, and pay for college so they can make their children’s college dreams come true without wiping out their finances or their retirement. Brad, Vicotria, and Mark talk more about: Are things different for business owners when it comes to planning and paying for college? And more… The post How Business Owners Can Tame the High Cost of College with Brad Baldridge – [Best of PowerTips Unscripted] appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

The remodeling industry is highly competitive and some may be tempted to break the rules. Although some may do it intentionally, others may start with good intentions, but over time the line between right and wrong becomes blurred. Thomas Croessmann will be joining the show to discuss the consequences of breaking the rules, which in some cases can result in jail time. Thomas Croessmann is the Managing Partner of Croessmann & Westberg, P.C., a construction law firm in the DC area. The firm is a full-service law firm for construction contractors. Thomas has worked with many of the Remodelers in the Metro D.C. area. Thomas, Victoria, and Mark talk more about: What are the dangers of hiring an undocumented worker? What are the legal concerns with a contractor front-loading the payments of a project? What is a Captive Trade Contractor? The post The Fine Line: The Legal Consequences to Questionable Business Practices with Thomas Croessmann – [Best of PowerTips Unscripted] appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.