PowerTips Unscripted

Guest Andy Haste is among one of Remodelers Advantages most successful members, and he attributes that success to consistency and profitability.  But, how does one achieve consistent profits in such an unpredictable, and inconsistent industry such as remodeling?  This episode shares tips, tactics, and techniques to effectively set the goals and budgets to reach, and maintain consistent profit in such an inconsistent industry. Andy is the president of Riverside Construction in West Lafayette, Indiana, and has been part of the Remodelers Advantage Roundtable community for many years.  He has 15 years of experience in the business supplies industry and values the privilege of working alongside homeowners, exploring creative ways to turn their homes into personal living spaces that will be loved for years to come. Victoria, Mark and Andy talk more about: Why remodelers may have problems maintaining consistency Embedding a good philosophy with your team The challenges that come with maintaining consistency And more… The post How to Achieve Consistency in Revenue and Profit with Andy Haste – [Best of PowerTips Unscripted] appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

Working with just a few Realtors can bring additional jobs to your remodeling company. It’s not about appealing to the masses, but about developing relationships with several realtors who appreciate how you work, your quality, attention to detail, and exceptional client experience.  In this episode, Kathi Fleck discusses working with Realtors with Victoria and Mark, and how to establish and maintain relationships that can get more jobs for your company, help them sell more homes, and take care of your shared clients.   Kathi is co-owner of LoneStar Design Build in the Dallas-Ft. Worth, TX, area, where she leads a team and their clients through the design-build experience. Kathi has a long-term relationship with Coldwell Banker Real Estate, and other Realtors who send business her way. Realtors go out of their way to support the seller/ buyer experience, says Kathi. Helping their clients with remodeling and providing referrals is part of their daily routine. As remodelers working with realtors, understand how Realtors work and make them look good as they support their client. It can be challenging, but Kathi says a few simple tricks can pay off with easy referrals, including: Finding partners who fit your company and market How to make their lives easier Getting the right referrals Dealing with bad leads Avoiding the bid process How referrals can go in the other direction How much to invest in marketing to Realtors The power of free food And more … The best way to start is by contacting real estate offices and setting up a presentation, calling an agent who works in the same neighborhoods you do, and taking advantage of networking groups. The post Connecting with a Few Good Realtors with Kathi Fleck – [Best of PowerTips Unscripted] appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

Business processes are absolutely crucial in today’s business landscape. It’s almost impossible to operate a business without them. Today on PowerTips Unscripted, we’re joined by Adi Klevit, Founder of Business Success Consulting, to explore the ROI of implementing systematic processes in your business. Adi has been helping businesses create, document, and implement processes and procedures for over 30 years. Adi and her team have helped hundreds of fast-growing companies lacking consistency, scale and grow and achieve their goals. Adi, Victoria, and Mark talk more about: What are the main obstacles that businesses run into when they try to document their processes? What changes have you seen in companies that have good documentation? And more… The post What is the ROI of systematizing your business? with Adi Klevit – [PowerTips Unscripted] S5 E11 appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

Our Roundtables members share their financial metrics at every meeting, in what we call the composite report. But there’s one field that’s almost always reported as zero. It’s the proactive outbound sales call metric. It’s confusing to many, not just as a field on a spreadsheet, but as an activity. Abe Degnan says this metric is valuable to all remodeling companies, and making those calls builds his own company’s sales pipeline. In this episode, Abe joins Victoria and Mark to explain the proactive outbound sales call, how to track it, and what it can do for your company.  Abe is president, problem-solver and life changer at Degnan Design Build Remodel in DeForest, WI. He also manages day-to-day business operations — and as a long-time Roundtables member, Abe knows how important it is to measure what is managed. This statistic isn’t just for replacement companies with a call center, says Abe. A proactive outbound sales call also doesn’t have to be a phone call. It occurs any time you follow up on your sales process in a way that is outside of your established sales routine or is something your client isn’t expecting you to do. Abe talks about what those follow ups can be, and how to track them, including: Why sales needs to do it, not marketing Sending handwritten note cards Calling on cold leads Contacting a lead that fell off your radar Networking for leads The number of activities you should do The ROI on the effort Who you should reach out to Including it in your marketing plan How long it can take to convert And more … Making proactive outside sales activities a part of your business can get, and while it’s a marketing activity, it has to be carried out by the sales staff to be effective. The post Unraveling the Undervalued “Proactive Outbound Sales Call” Metric with Abe Degnan – [Best of PowerTips Unscripted] appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

Every remodeling business owner wants to add more money to the bottom line. Reducing slippage is the lowest-hanging fruit to pick in your quest. In this episode, Tim Faller talks to Victoria and Mark about reducing slippage in your remodeling company. Slippage occurs when your estimate is lower than the real costs of the job. Reducing it takes a change in mindset throughout the organization. For 17 years, Tim has worked with hundreds of remodeling companies to 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. He’s also a published author, a Member of the Remodeler Hall of Fame, and the recent recipient of the Harold Hammerman “Spirit of Education” Award. Tim is co-host of The Tim Faller Show, a weekly podcast focused on “Improving The Bottom Line Through Production Training.” The biggest challenge in reducing slippage is getting your whole team involved in the effort. Tim says slippage is too often brushed off with “It is what it is.”  That’s where the change in mindset comes in — the attitude should be “It is what we make it.” Slippage is controllable, but it takes a company-wide awareness and work to corral it through realistic and accurate estimating,  job scheduling, and building in time to de-bug a job before it starts. He talks about the ways to reduce slippage in your processes, including: Finding the slippage The perfect planning process Building in time, and how much Developing a critical eye, not a critical attitude Why realistic estimating geared to your team is key Why you need long-term, short-range, and daily planning Killing schedule creep for better net profit Building extra time into the schedule Figuring out days-per-job overhead Controlling the client Doing change orders properly And more … The post Kicking Off Slippage Awareness Month with Tim Faller – [Best of PowerTips Unscripted] appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

Today on Power Tips Unscripted, Arlin Sorensen, the CEO of Oak Road Consulting joins the show. Understanding the art of creating value within your business is pivotal, especially in the context of planning your exit strategy. It’s all about setting clear goals for your personal wealth and translating that into a business value target that can drive your success. Arlin is here to share invaluable insights on how you can craft a robust value-creation strategy and harmonize it with your long-term financial goals. Arlin Sorenson is a simple Iowa farm boy who fell in love with technology and has spent the past 40 years in the IT industry. His passion is helping business owners and leaders achieve their definitions of success. Arlin, Victoria, and Mark talk more about: How to create a value-creation strategy Legacy/succession planning What things can derail value? And more… The post Creating Value: A Guide to Maximizing Your Company’s Worth with Arlin Sorensen – [PowerTips Unscripted] S5 E10 appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

We talk about the J Curve a lot around here — picture a lower-case J. When you apply change principles to your business — new people, systems, and processes — they can initially send your business on a downward trajectory before soaring with your success. If you want to grow your company, listen carefully! Our guest today breaks this process down into four stages of development: Forming: The getting to know you stage Storming: When conflicts arise (the bottom of the J) Norming: Common goals are defined, an agreement is reached Performing: Working toward a common goal and looking forward In this episode, Kathy O’Brien talks to Victoria and Mark about how to manage your growth strategies and the importance of being a strong leader in challenging times. Kathy was the founding CEO of the St. Louis Alzheimer’s Association for over 25 years and then served as Senior Vice President of the National Office in Chicago. She received numerous awards and recognition for her work.  Kathy says those four stages of development apply to making positive growth in professional development, organizational development, and personal development. You go through the stages in every business relationship, personal relationship, and client relationship. She breaks down the stages, and how they present themselves in the remodeling business, including: How it plays out with employees Why it’s a continuous process Getting through the storming stage successfully How one person can cause a storm Why leadership and core values are important through all the stages Making it okay to disagree, and fostering honest dialog What to do when you’re still sinking And more … The post Positive Growth in Difficult Situations with Kathy O’Brien – [Best of PowerTips Unscripted] appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

Join Paul Kowalski of PK Builders as he discusses implementing LEAN principles in his business with Victoria and Mark. They cover overcoming growing pains, streamlining design processes, collaboration benefits, and more. Discover the journey to improved efficiency and profitability!

If everyone in your remodeling business feels like they’re invested in your company — so invested that they think and act like owners — they’ll make better decisions, solve more problems, and make it more profitable. But how do you get there? In this episode, our own Steve Wheeler talks to Victoria and Mark about how to get your employees to think and act like owners. It’s a process he started when he had his own remodeling business for 12 years, and then he dove deeper into the subject through his work with R/A. As Executive Director of Roundtables for Remodelers Advantage, Steve is responsible for helping business owners find the program or product that will help them reach their financial and personal goals.  Getting employees to think and act like owners is one of the biggest challenges for our Roundtables members, and for every remodeler we talk to. Steve developed his approach by trying to get his team to care about his company as much as he did, based on the cycle of accountability and the TOADS steps developed by Linda Galindo in The Accountability Experience. There are actions that can cause real change. He talks about the keys to the process, how to get there, and the benefits, including: The power of delegation Reducing owner stress Transforming through transparency Getting beyond the to-do list to higher thinking Talking about the big picture Enabling decision-making power Thinking of employees as renters or owners Allowing employees to fail And more … The post How to Get Employees to Think and Act Like Owners with Steve Wheeler – [Best of PowerTips Unscripted] appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

Joe Smith discusses the benefits of having a showroom, including better margins, client retention, and time management. He highlights the importance of showroom events and how they can shape the business's processes. Joe's experience in the industry adds depth to the conversation, showcasing the strategic advantages of incorporating a showroom in a contracting business.