Titans of the Trades | Straight-Talk for Scaling Your Construction Business

Jay Carter shares his journey of starting a roofing company, facing challenges, and finding success. He emphasizes the importance of failure, mindset, and purpose in business. He also discusses the transition from being a tradesman to a CEO and the significance of self-reflection and mindset for business success.Keywordsroofing company, business challenges, failure, mindset, purpose, CEO mindset, self-reflection, systematizing mindset, business successTakeawaysThe importance of failure and the lessons learned from it.The significance of mindset and purpose in business success.The transition from being a tradesman to a CEO mindset.The role of self-reflection for business success.Sound Bites"The day I stopped waking up and thinking about money was the day I started making more than I needed.""How do you become that leader? You be the leader of yourself first."Chapters00:00 The Journey of Starting a Roofing Company03:00 The Power of Failure and Mindset in Business Success07:01 Transitioning to a CEO Mindset and Self-Reflection10:04 Lessons Learned and Business Evolution13:00 Systematizing Mindset for Business SuccessConnect With Jay:Website: https://jaycarterroofing.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jay-carter01/ Support Titans of the Trades: If you found this episode insightful, please subscribe, share, and leave a review for Titans of the Trades. Your support goes a long way in helping us bring more impactful discussions your way.

SummaryJason Noel, Director of Advisement at CEO Warrior, shares his insights on building successful companies and teams in the trades industry. He emphasizes the importance of focusing on people and surrounding yourself with great individuals who possess skills and passions that complement your own. Jason highlights the need to genuinely care for employees and be present and available to them. He also discusses the value of apprenticeship programs in attracting and training the next generation of tradespeople. Jason emphasizes the significance of creating clarity, setting expectations, and investing in employee development to improve retention.Keywordstrades industry, building successful companies, building great teams, hiring great people, focusing on people, surrounding yourself with great individuals, genuinely caring for employees, apprenticeship programs, attracting and training the next generation, creating clarity, setting expectations, investing in employee development, improving retentionTakeaways·Focus on people and surround yourself with great individuals who possess skills and passions that complement your own.·Genuinely care for your employees and be present and available to them.·Implement apprenticeship programs to attract and train the next generation of tradespeople.·Create clarity, set expectations, and invest in the development of your employees to improve retention.Sound Bites"Caring for people is not a weakness. It actually shows that you're stronger.""Investing in them is more than just caring. It's training, understanding, and helping them develop a career path."Chapters01:22 Surrounding Yourself with Great People03:27 The Power of Genuine Care and Presence07:23 Attracting and Training the Next Generation13:04 Improving Retention through Clarity and Development19:26 Opportunities with CEO WarriorConnect With Jason:Website: https://ceowarrior.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-noel-16967b30 Support Titans of the Trades: If you found this episode insightful, please subscribe, share, and leave a review for Titans of the Trades. Your support goes a long way in helping us bring more impactful discussions your way.

In this conversation, Matt discusses Dynapower, a global manufacturing business specializing in custom equipment for various markets. He emphasizes the importance of company culture, purpose-driven work, and the impact on the global community. Matt also shares insights on attracting and retaining talent, connecting with customers, and the company's future direction.Keywordsmanufacturing, company culture, purpose-driven work, talent retention, customer relationships, global impact, energy independence, market integration, clean energyTakeawaysCompany culture and purpose-driven work are essential for attracting and retaining talent.Connecting with customers as partners and friends, rather than just customers, creates a strong bond and loyalty.The younger generation seeks purpose and impact in their work, making it important to connect the work to a larger, meaningful outcome.Global expansion and market integration require hiring locally and building relationships within the market.The future of Dynapower involves helping legacy manufacturing businesses become energy independent and adapt to the changing world.Sound Bites"We talk about our customers as family and friends and partners.""People don't buy on logic. They buy on emotion.""The generation changed. We're income driven, but we're also emotionally driven."Chapters03:00 Cultivating Purpose-Driven Work and Company Culture in Manufacturing06:47 Connecting with Customers as Partners and Friends09:50 Attracting and Retaining Talent in the Manufacturing Industry12:03 The Future of Dynapower: Energy Independence and Market IntegrationConnect With Matt:Website: https://dynapower.com/ Support Titans of the Trades: If you found this episode insightful, please subscribe, share, and leave a review for Titans of the Trades. Your support goes a long way in helping us bring more impactful discussions your way.

SummaryKristen Scutella, Regional Service Vice President at Comfort Systems USA, discusses the labor challenges in the trades and how her company is overcoming them. She emphasizes the importance of building a strong company culture and investing in employees. Kristen also highlights the need to attract more women to the trades and shares success stories of women who have excelled in the industry. She encourages women to pursue opportunities in the trades and emphasizes that there are no roadblocks for women in her company. Kristen concludes by expressing her pride in the work done by Comfort Systems USA and the impact they have on buildings and infrastructure.Keywordstrades industry, labor challenges, company culture, investing in employees, attracting women to the trades, success stories, Comfort Systems USATakeawaysBuilding a strong company culture is essential for attracting and retaining great employees in the trades.The trades are recession-proof and offer opportunities for career growth and fulfillment.There is a need to attract more women to the trades and provide them with equal opportunities.Investing in mentorship programs and creating development paths can help address the labor shortage in the trades.Comfort Systems USA is actively working to open up opportunities for women in the trades and has seen success in hiring more women technicians.Sound Bites"You need to have the people to execute it, but you need to have the people to do it safely.""People leave companies a lot of times for money, but they'll stay for a culture.""The most recession-proof jobs out there are the trades."Chapters01:01 Labor Challenges in the Trades Industry05:59 The Trades as Recession-Proof Jobs09:32 Empowering Women in the Trades12:53 Success Stories of Women in the Trades15:34 Creating Opportunities for WomenConnect With Kristen:Website: https://www.comfortsystemsusa.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristen-scutella-3224444/ Support Titans of the Trades: If you found this episode insightful, please subscribe, share, and leave a review for Titans of the Trades. Your support goes a long way in helping us bring more impactful discussions your way.

SummaryStephen Rhyne shares insights on attracting, training, and retaining good salespeople. He emphasizes the importance of treating the recruiting process like a marketing and sales funnel, focusing on attraction and signaling opportunity to the right candidates. He also discusses the significance of setting proper expectations and belief-building during the onboarding process. Stephen highlights the value of training salespeople in a gamified manner, providing micro-learning experiences and quizzes to reinforce knowledge. He also mentions the importance of automation in freeing up time for more meaningful interactions with salespeople.Keywordssalespeople, recruiting, onboarding, training, attraction, marketing funnel, expectations, belief building, micro-learning, automationTakeawaysTreat the recruiting process like a marketing and sales funnel to attract the right candidatesSet proper expectations and focus on belief-building during the onboarding processTrain salespeople in a gamified manner, providing micro-learning experiences and quizzesUse automation to free up time for more meaningful interactions with salespeopleSound Bites"If I could just find some good salespeople, if I could just find some that could not only produce but then stay.""Why should you want to be here? How do you attract them?""Becoming attractive to those you want to attract is really important."Chapters02:55 Attracting and Retaining Salespeople: The Marketing Funnel Approach08:03 Setting Expectations and Building Belief during Onboarding13:07 Game-Like Training: Micro-Learning and Quizzes for Salespeople16:25 Automation: Maximizing Time for Meaningful Interactions with SalespeopleConnect With Stephen:Website: https://conveyour.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenrhyne/ Support Titans of the Trades: If you found this episode insightful, please subscribe, share, and leave a review for Titans of the Trades. Your support goes a long way in helping us bring more impactful discussions your way.

Today we sit down with Chris Petri, Operations Manager at Petri Plumbing, a century-old family-owned company in New York City, is spreading the message about the opportunities in the blue-collar trades, particularly to the younger generation. They have been successful by offering high-level service and value to their customers. Petri Plumbing has been intentional about creating a family-like atmosphere for their employees, which translates into a positive client experience. They are focused on attracting and training new talent, even in a competitive market like New York City. The future for Petri Plumbing involves expanding their service and maintaining their commitment to exceptional customer service.KeywordsPetri Plumbing, blue-collar trades, younger generation, high-level service, family-like atmosphere, attracting talent, training, exceptional customer serviceTakeawaysPetri Plumbing is promoting the blue-collar trades to the younger generation.They have been successful by offering high-level service and value to their customers.Creating a family-like atmosphere for employees translates into a positive client experience.Petri Plumbing is focused on attracting and training new talent, even in a competitive market like New York City.Their future plans involve expanding their service and maintaining their commitment to exceptional customer service.Chapters03:10 Addressing the Lack of Workforce05:09 Training and Attracting New Talent08:54 Focus on the Younger Generation11:32 Expanding Service in New York City13:51 Building Generational Client RelationshipsConnect With Chris:Website: http://PetriPlumbing.com Support Titans of the Trades: If you found this episode insightful, please subscribe, share, and leave a review for Titans of the Trades. Your support goes a long way in helping us bring more impactful discussions your way.

SummaryClifton Savage, CEO at Service Leaders Society, discusses the challenges that service contractors face in recruiting, training, and retaining employees. He emphasizes the importance of company culture and employee satisfaction in attracting and retaining talent. Clifton suggests that contractors should assess their current company, address any problems or lack of systems, and focus on top-down leadership. He advises contractors to stop promoting only the requirements of the job and start showcasing the opportunities and excitement of the position. Clifton also recommends utilizing social media platforms to reach potential candidates and engaging with them on a personal level. In terms of training, we discuss the need for a well-documented and automated training program that allows employees to learn at their own pace. Finally, Clifton emphasizes the importance of going the extra mile to engage and retain employees by addressing their personal goals and providing support beyond the workplace.Keywordsservice contractors, recruiting, training, retaining, company culture, employee satisfaction, leadership, social media, training program, engagement, personal goalsTakeaways·Assess the current state of your company and address any problems or lack of systems before focusing on recruiting, training, and retaining employees.·Promote the opportunities and excitement of the position rather than just the job requirements.·Utilize social media platforms to reach potential candidates and engage with them on a personal level.·Develop a well-documented and automated training program that allows employees to learn at their own pace.·Go the extra mile to engage and retain employees by addressing their personal goals and providing support beyond the workplace.Sound Bites"Recruiting, training, and retaining are like a three-legged stool that affects each other.""If you want people to care about your business as much as you do, you gotta care about them as much as you care about your business."Chapters06:27 Strategies for Recruiting and Attracting Potential Candidates11:24 Developing a Comprehensive and User-Friendly Training Program16:11 Going the Extra Mile to Retain Employees and Support Their Personal GoalsConnect With Clifton:Website: https://serviceleadersystems.comLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/clifton-s-savage Support Titans of the Trades: If you found this episode insightful, please subscribe, share, and leave a review for Titans of the Trades. Your support goes a long way in helping us bring more impactful discussions your way.

This week, the conversation with Tom Reber, podcast host of The Contractor Fight, focuses on the challenges faced by contractors and the solutions to overcome them. The main themes include the importance of charging what you're worth, the need for consistent recruiting and hiring practices, reframing negative beliefs, and creating a positive company culture. Other topics discussed include the impact of low prices on quality, the value of paying employees well, and the significance of building relationships with your team. We discuss the importance of prioritizing and investing in employees in order to build a successful contracting business. Tom shares his experience navigating the recession in 2008 and how his company came out more profitable by prioritizing the well-being and satisfaction of their employees. He emphasizes the need for contractors to treat their employees with respect and dignity, providing them with flexibility and opportunities for growth. Ryan adds that employees stay with companies because of good bosses who help them achieve their own goals. They discuss the significance of creating a positive employee experience and how it impacts customer satisfaction and business growth.Keywordscontractors, challenges, solutions, pricing, recruiting, hiring, reframing, company culture, quality, employee compensation, relationships, contracting business, recession, employee satisfaction, employee loyalty, leadership, employee experience, customer experience, business growthTakeawaysContractors often struggle because they don't charge what they're worth and lack training in areas like sales and finance.Consistent recruiting and hiring practices are essential for building a strong team.Reframing negative beliefs and focusing on the opportunities available can lead to success.Providing fair compensation and creating a positive company culture are crucial for attracting and retaining top talent.Building relationships with employees and understanding their needs and aspirations is key to their loyalty and commitment. Prioritizing and investing in employees is crucial for building a successful contracting business.A positive employee experience translates into better customer satisfaction and business growth.Strong leadership and intentional culture are essential for creating a thriving work environment.Building a strong personal life and taking care of oneself is key to being a successful leader in business.Sound Bites"I just see a huge lack of consistency with recruiting and you know, they hire when they need people instead of hiring all the time or recruiting all the time and looking to build their team.""It's time for contractors to start living in gated communities and not just working in them."Chapters07:12 Creating a Positive Company Culture15:55 Navigating the Recession: Prioritizing People28:57 The Impact of Leadership on Employee Satisfaction35:35 Selling Value and Growing Your BusinessConnect With Tom:Website: https://thecontractorfight.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomreber/ Support Titans of the Trades: If you found this episode insightful, please subscribe, share, and leave a review for Titans of the Trades. Your support goes a long way in helping us bring more impactful discussions your way.

SummaryIn this episode, Ryan Englin interviews Ira Singer, the Founder of Mosaic Construction, a nationally recognized general contractor. They discuss the importance of building relationships with trade partners and subcontractors in the construction industry. Ira emphasizes the need for intentional relationship-building and highlights the value of good behavior, communication, and professionalism. He also discusses the role of technology, such as Procore, in facilitating effective communication between general contractors and trade partners. The episode concludes with a discussion on the growth opportunities that come from cultivating strong relationships and providing an elevated experience.Keywordsconstruction industry, general contractor, trade partners, subcontractors, relationship-building, communication, professionalism, technology, Procore, growth opportunitiesTakeaways·Building strong relationships with trade partners and subcontractors is crucial for success in the construction industry.·Good behavior, communication, and professionalism are essential for trade partners to stand out and be preferred by general contractors.·Adopting technology, such as Procore, can improve communication and collaboration between general contractors and trade partners.·Cultivating strong relationships and providing an elevated experience can lead to growth opportunities and repeat business.·Being open to new opportunities and saying 'yes' to different types of projects can contribute to business growth.Sound Bites"Good behavior is the bare minimum. We're looking for rock stars.""Just because you've always done it that way doesn't mean it's the best way to do it.""Adopting technology is a great thing. Efficiency is the project."Chapters09:37 Adopting Technology for Better Communication14:09 Cultivating Strong Relationships for GrowthConnect With Ira:Website: https://www.mosaicconstruction.net/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ira-singer-design-build-gc/ Support Titans of the Trades: If you found this episode insightful, please subscribe, share, and leave a review for Titans of the Trades. Your support goes a long way in helping us bring more impactful discussions your way.

SummaryIn this episode of Titans of the Trades, host Ryan Englin sits down with Levi Torres, the President of High 5 Plumbing, to dive into the innovative approach of his plumbing company. Levi breaks down the stereotypes in the trade industry and shares how High 5 Plumbing sets itself apart by focusing on cleanliness, communication, and a positive work environment. From transforming their business model to training their own apprentices, Levi shares the secrets behind their rapid growth and success. With an emphasis on impacting their team, clients, and community, High 5 Plumbing is not only changing the game in Denver, but also sharing their vision on a national scale. Dive into this captivating conversation to discover how they have revolutionized the plumbing industry and ignited a transformative culture within their company.Takeaways·Defy stereotypes by emphasizing cleanliness, professionalism, and outstanding customer service. ·Strategically engage and retain team members. ·From vision boards to achievements, get creative to develop top-tier technicians. Chapters03:10 Created apprentice program, ensures 3-4 plumbers yearly.06:50 Company mission: impact team, clients, community positively.10:08 Admiration for expanding home services and training.13:01 Incentives improve punctuality and attendance for apprentices.17:17 Encourage and empower employees to succeed independently. Connect With LeviWebsite: https://www.high5colorado.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/levi-torres-9b4b97103/  Support Titans of the Trades: If you found this episode insightful, please subscribe, share, and leave a review for Titans of the Trades. Your support goes a long way in helping us bring more impactful discussions your way.