PowerTips Unscripted

The Great Recession gobbled up a whole slew of remodeling companies, but more of them fail during an economic expansion than during a contraction. Growth is great, but it’s risky, and knowing how not to grow will put you ahead of the game. In this hot market, there are so many opportunities, you can get ahead of yourself too quickly for the health of your company. And that’s where remodeling company owners get into trouble by growing the wrong way. There are potential downsides, and to avoid them, you have to keep you basic best practices — and customer satisfaction and net profits lie at the center, says Judith Miller. In this episode, Judith joins Victoria and Mark to talk about the ways to grow your company the right way. Judith recently retired but before that she been a facilitator for Remodelers Advantage Roundtables for more than 15 years. She’s a QuickBooks expert, the author of The Remodeler’s Ultimate Guide to QuickBooks, and has been a columnist for Remodeling magazine for more than 10 years. Judith isn’t just a financial guru, she’s a high-level strategist who understands that numbers prove your strategy.  When trying to grow, the biggest stumbling block is a lack of control, preparation, and not focusing on the best practices. Judith tells you what those best practices are, and how to grow the right way, while explaining the details, including: The critical need for leadership Why your financials have to be in order The Top 5 things you need to do to build a strong, profitable company The predictable stages of growth — and which is best to grow in How large you can get Why hiring a sales force is the riskiest transition How to build a company you can sell Why growing over 20% may be crazy And more… The post How NOT to Grow Your Remodeling Business with Judith Miller – [Best of PowerTips Unscripted] appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

Reviewing employees in the remodeling world is, at best, a struggle. It is often an employee’s opportunity to ask for a raise and an employer’s opportunity for frustration. Tim Faller joins Mark and Victoria to talk about the necessary fundamental shift in the employee review process. Tim makes the transition from podcast host to guest to talk about his efforts towards reworking the employee review process in this episode. Tim is a senior consultant here at Remodelers Advantage and known throughout the industry as the “Guru of Production.” Tim is a well-known author and works with remodelers and production teams across the US and Canada. In addition to being the lead facilitator for the R/A Production Manager Roundtables Groups, he is also the Co-host of the popular podcast, The Tim Faller Show. Victoria, Mark and Tim talk more about: The challenges of the “old system” The inspiration behind the reworking of the employee review process The parts that need reworking Objectives and goals of the rework Implementing the rework And more… The post Employee Reviews: It’s Time for a Change with Tim Faller – [Best of PowerTips Unscripted] appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

As a society, we spend nearly four hours daily on our smartphones, a 59% increase compared to just two years ago. The total amount of time each person spends in front of all media per day is 12 hours and 21 minutes, up 11% over two years, and the amount of time we spend socializing each day has dropped 18% compared to 2003.  So, if we extrapolate these trends, where will humanity be in just ten short years? Guest Rob Krecak is on a mission to positively impact the lives of one billion people with his company, Humans First, which aims to show people how technology impacts their mental health, relationships, and productivity at work. Victoria, Mark, and Rob talk more about: How technology impacts us in ways we are unaware of Technology’s role in our relationships Being more mindful of technology usage And more… The post How Technology is Impacting Your Mental Health, Relationships & Productivity at Work with Rob Krecak – [Best of PowerTips Unscripted] appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

The labor shortage has been a frequent topic on this show, and this episode is going to join the ranks.  Guest Andrew Schmidt is here to talk about AMEK’s apprentice and internship program, and the importance of investing in future generations. Andrew and his twin brother started their business as roofing installers in 1996, and have grown into a leading design-build firm in Minneapolis and St Paul. They have vacillated over the years, from employing and training carpenters to using all subcontractors. Currently, AMEK operates a hybrid model of carpenters and subcontractors when the job dictates it. Victoria, Mark and Andrew talk more about: Hiring the right people The training and development process Creating an engaged culture And more… The post Why It’s Critical to Invest in The Next Generation with Andrew Schmidt – [Best of PowerTips Unscripted] appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

Today on PowerTips Unscripted, Thomas Croessman joins the show to discuss the need for small business owners to plan for their company’s transition in their estate plan.  While your business might be humming along now, how will it perform if you’re not around? Unfortunately, most small businesses only survive the first generation because of estate planning and communication failures. Thomas explains Wills, Powers of Attorney, and Trusts, when those documents become effective. He also gives some practical tips to help the transition go smoothly. 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, Victoria, and Mark talk more about: What is an Estate Plan? What is Power of Attorney, and when is it used? And more… The post Estate Planning 101 with Thomas Croessman – [PowerTips Unscripted] S4 E15 appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

Do you know you can increase the effectiveness of your digital marketing with handwritten notes?  Jesse Stein joins the show to take us on a deep dive into the world of digital marketing. He discusses how using handwritten notes can help remodelers grow their business, and provides us help with improving our digital marketing. Jesse has an impressive background as a serial entrepreneur. He’s founded, grown, and sold multiple ventures throughout his career, including SportsMemorabilia.com, a skincare brand, and DietSpotlight.com. Jesse also holds an MBA from The Wharton School and a BA from UC Santa Barbra. He is currently the CEO and Founder of Audience.co. Victoria, Mark, and Jesse talk more about: Robotic handwritten notes Digital marketing strategies for remodelers And more…  The post Digital Marketing Hacks to Grow Your Business with Jesse Stein – [PowerTips Unscripted] S4 E14 appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

Are you worried about your business being the next victim of a cyberattack? Today on PowerTips Unscripted, Charles Hammett joins the show to give some advice on how to protect your business from cyberattacks. Charles breaks down some of the types of cyberattacks and how remodelers could be affected. He also talks about some of the benefits of having cybersecurity and the protection it brings to your business. For over 25 years, Charles Hammett has managed IT and cyber security initiatives for several businesses throughout the US. He has worked closely at the federal level, building secure data centers and at the public level protecting businesses of all types. Victoria, Mark, and Charles talk more about: Are small businesses at risk?   How does this impact the remodeling industry? How can you protect your business from cyberattacks? And more…  The post How Cybercrime WILL Impact Your Remodeling Business with Charles Hammett – [PowerTips Unscripted] S4 E13 appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

In this episode of PowerTips Unscripted, Iris Harrell discusses the importance of having women in key positions within remodeling companies. They make up half of the US workforce, so there is a sizeable recruitment pool, and they also relate on a deeper level with female customers, who often drive decision-making. Women are multi-taskers, organizers, collaborators, and task-oriented, making them assets to any organization.  Iris founded Harrell Design Build, a large, female-led, employee-owned, full-line remodeling company.  Harrell has consistently committed to high-quality design and craftsmanship and conscientious customer care since their inception in 1985. They also employ only people who share these ideals, including their reliable, rigorously selected subcontractors, and they are very proud of their commitment to women and diversity in the workplace. Iris, Victoria, and Mark discuss: Women in key positions in your company are a competitive advantage Overcoming internal (and inherent) biases And more… The post How To Double The Number Of Top Leaders In Your Remodeling Company: Hire And Train More Women, Featuring Iris Harrell – [Best of PowerTips Unscripted] appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

The Kaizen practice focuses on improving existing, standardized processes by eliminating waste and was first practiced in Japanese businesses after World War II.  Kaizen translates to “Change for Good,” and that can mean many great things for your growing remodeling company. The process of constant improvement, with every team member participating, allows your company to constantly raise the bar on its target metrics.   In this episode, Victoria and Mark learn more about the Kaizen practice of process improvement by welcoming Michael Sauri, CEO of TriVista USA, to the show. Michael and his wife Deborah started TriVistaUSA in 2005 with the goal of providing an outlet for creativity and a Ritz Carlton-level client experience. “Our Thoughtful Design Builds Fine Living,” is their mission statement and their mantra as they bring phenomenal, award-winning design to the Design/Build community in the Washington DC area. Victoria, Mark and Michael talk more about: The background of Kaizen and how TriVista got involved Hiring and developing a team within the Kaizen structure The differences between Kaizen and other process improvement practices And More… The post Using Kaizen to Improve Your Business with Michael Sauri – [Best of PowerTips Unscripted] appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

Do you remove your shoes when you visit a customer’s home?  How do I control others’ first impressions of me? Is it ever appropriate to begin eating before everyone is served?  Find the answers to these questions and more when Daniel Post Senning joins the show.    Daniel is the great-great-grandson of Emily Post and discusses the importance of etiquette and how you can use it while interacting with affluent clients who expect a certain standard of conduct.  He explains that etiquette is really a combination of manners (language), plus principles (consideration, respect, and honesty), and how they guide behavior and how that behavior impacts others.  Daniel Post Senning is from the Emily Post Institute, which is a fifth-generation family business that promotes etiquette tips and techniques based on consideration, respect, and honesty. Daniel is also an author and co-host of the Awesome Etiquette podcast.  In this informative and fun podcast, Victoria, Mark, and Daniel talk more about:  Table etiquette for any setting  Business advice that can help you control customer impressions  How good etiquette can be great for business  And more…  The post An Etiquette and Manners Guide for Remodelers with Daniel Post Senning – [PowerTips Unscripted S4 E12] appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.