PowerTips Unscripted

Most people would consider a company jumping from $1.5 million to $3 million in revenue a growing organization. However, when we look beyond gross sales, those numbers don’t necessarily mean it grew. It could even mean the company is less profitable — and ultimately less successful — than it was before.  Michael Hodgin says planning for, and implementing, tiered advances are a better strategy for deliberate, healthy growth. In this episode, Michael discusses his tiered increase growth strategy with Victoria and Mark. For healthy growth, he says you have to set and meet certain goals for sales, job costs, systems and performance before taking the next step. Michael was an owner of a successful remodeling company for over 22 years. He has since left and is the owner of Maestro’s Toolbox, where he works with owners of design-build companies across the country to help them build better companies and, therefore, better lives. In addition, Michael has been part of the roundtables as an owner, a facilitator for roundtables meetings, and part of the Remodelers Advantage Business Coaching team. Micheal says that your company’s gross sales should bump up to the next milestone only once your teams have mastered sales, pre-construction, and production systems at their current revenue level. That puts a company in a stronger position to handle the inevitable increase in workload. He talks about how to accomplish healthy, tiered growth for you remodeling company, including: The infrastructure milestones to hit Taking deliberate steps The importance of setting goals  Focusing on hitting those goals Proving your success  Nailing down all your job costs Managing slippage Building the foundation for growth The metrics that tell you that you’re ready for the next step Stepping away and delegating And more … The post Tiered Growth: Understanding Metrics and Recognizing Signs to Set Profitable Sales Goals with Michael Hodgin – [Best of PowerTips Unscripted] appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

Many people believe that innovation comes from a sudden “aha!” moment, but, that is rarely the case.  So, guest Ben Bensaou is here to share how to continuously embed innovation into your company using a systematic approach. Ben Bensaou is a professor and former Dean of Executive Education at INSEAD. As an innovation consultant, he has helped some of the world’s leading companies build innovation into their corporate DNA. He has been a visiting professor at Harvard Business School, and a research fellow at Wharton. Victoria, Mark and Ben talk more about: The types of companies that benefit most from this approach Who is responsible for innovation in a company Shifting from a supplier-side view to a customer-side view And more… The post How to Embed Innovation into Your Remodeling Company with Ben Bensaou – [Best of PowerTips Unscripted] appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

Guest Jeff Borovitz joins Victoria and Mark to discuss how to be an efficient negotiator and avoid the seven deadly sins of negotiation. They cover topics like recognizing and dealing with black out negotiators, investing in marketing and training, the importance of being busy and listening in negotiations, and the power of silence and unilateral decisions.

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 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 – [PowerTips Unscripted] S5 E7 appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

More and more remodeling and home building contractors realize the value their design services bring to their clients, and it is becoming a profit center for many companies.  Guest Dan Baumann is here to share the many reasons why you should be charging a fair price for your design services. Dan is the founder of Chief Experts Academy, a resource-packed treasure trove of information that provides ongoing training, support, and content for contractors and designers involved in the sales and development of plans for residential and light commercial buildings. Victoria, Mark and Dan talk more about: Compensation for design services Why some contractors may not charge for these services How design services can save clients money on their projects And more… The post Design Services as a Profit Center For Your Business with Dan Baumann – [Best of PowerTips Unscripted] appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

As an FBI Special Agent and Chief of the FBI Counterintelligence Behavioral Analysis Program, guest Robin Dreeke built relationships and confidential human sources across 22 nationalities during his career. These days, he works with companies of all sizes, helping newly promoted leaders, executives, and teams succeed and grow.  In this episode, he shares expert insight on how to move beyond transactional relationships and build mutually beneficial relationships and partnerships.  Robin is the founder of  People Formula, a Leadership and Communication Strategy company.  People Formula was formed on the premise that missions, goals and objectives cannot be achieved without relationships and partnerships based upon communication and empathy. Mark, Victoria and Robin talk more about: Why trust is so critical How to build trust Implementing trust-building skills And more… The post How to Build Authentic Trust with Robin Dreeke – [Best of PowerTips Unscripted] appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

Steve Barkhouse joins PowerTips Unscripted to discuss how to create a culture of mental health support in the remodeling industry. In the post covid era, Mental health has affected many employees and business owners, so Steve and his team created a framework for dealing with the added stress that comes from covid. This support framework includes a video and a full-day training session to help employees work on and improve their mental health. Steve talks about how this initiative of offering additional support has helped his company build a healthy culture. Steve is the owner of the award-winning remodeling firm Amsted Design-Build in Ottawa, Canada. Over the past 33 years, Steve has grown Amsted into a 50-person team with over $20 million in revenues. He is a past Impact Award winner. Steve, Victoria, and Mark talk more about: The impact of mental health on the employees Why mental health is crucial right now Mental health in the remodeling industry And more… The post Building a Culture of Support in Construction with Steve Barkhouse – [Best of PowerTips Unscprited] 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 – [Best of PowerTips Unscripted] appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

Wayne Ottum joins us to talk about the 9 components of extraordinary leadership and outlines some basic steps to help businesses owners become more effective leaders. Wayne discusses the importance of creating a company vision, building the right culture, and the difference between leadership and management. Wayne is a senior consultant at Remodelers Advantage and is the president of his own consulting firm Ottum Enterprises LLC. Wayne has over 30+ years of consulting experience and has over 15 years of experience working with Remodelers Advantage. Victoria, Mark, and Wayne talk more about: Creating a vision  Leadership in the Remodeling Industry  And more….. The post The 9 Components of Extraordinary Leadership with Wayne Ottum – [Best of PowerTips Unscripted] appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.