Builder Stories

Meet Felipe Freig, owner of Versa Homes a boutique custom home builder located in British Columbia, Canada. With a captivating journey that began as a skilled tile setter and a detour into the realm of music, Felipe found his true calling when he established his renovation company in 2009. Set to do $35 million in revenue over the next three years, Felipe credits Versa Home's success to working on the business and not in it.

Here are a few key takeaways from the discussion with Felipe:

• Having a mentor to learn the business side of home building
• Transitioning from home renovations to custom home builds
• Realizing that quantity of jobs doesn't always equal more revenue
• Setting up business processes for eventual sale
• Focusing on video marketing

Visit the Versa Homes website here: https://versahomes.com/

Own a construction company and want to share your story? Apply to be on an upcoming episode of Builder Stories at https://www.builderstories.com

Meet Michael Miller the owner of M3 Decks, a deck building company based in Woodinville, Washington. In business for six years, he built his company out of necessity and quickly realized he needed to better track cash flow and understand the business financials. With a goal of achieving $3 million in projects for 2024, he credits his success to a perpetual thirst for knowledge and the pursuit of finding the best way to do things.

Here are a few key takeaways from the discussion with Michael:

• Growing your business to meet customer needs
• Making sure you are paying yourself
• Understanding cash flow
• Investing in coaching programs
• Seeking out opportunities to learn more

Visit the M3 Decks website here: https://www.m3decks.com/

Own a construction company and want to share your story? Apply to be on an upcoming episode of Builder Stories at https://www.builderstories.com

Meet Ben Schneider the owner of Peak Sodding, a niche landscape company based in North Carolina. Started in 2019 at the age of 21, Ben saw there was an opportunity to specialize in providing sod for landscaping jobs. Drawn to entrepreneurship at an early age, Ben had to learn on the go as he was building the company. From tracking KPIs to planning out your cash flow with a cyclical business, Ben has figured out vital business processes to streamline his operations.

Here are a few key takeaways from the discussion with Ben:

• Learning how to manage business finances
• Shifting from employees to subcontractor labor
• Avoiding the comparison game
• Planning goals with a cyclical business
• Creating a service oriented culture and empowering employees

Visit the Peak Sodding website here: https://peaksodding.com/

Own a construction company and want to share your story? Apply to be on an upcoming episode of Builder Stories at https://www.builderstories.com

Meet Matt Blood the solo owner operator of Paragon Tile Installation based in Cumberland, Rhode Island. With over 20 years of experience in the tile industry, Matt initially started his business as a side hustle while working as a full-time firefighter. However, upon retiring from his firefighting career, he dedicated himself fully to his passion. Now he's learning how to refine his sales process to provide a better overall client experience.

Here are a few key takeaways from the discussion with Matt:

• Learning from coaching groups
• Getting out of your own way
• Refining the client communication process
• Developing a process for pricing jobs
• Finding a niche for your skill

Visit the Paragon Tile Installation website here: https://paragonri.com/

Own a construction company and want to share your story? Apply to be on an upcoming episode of Builder Stories at https://www.builderstories.com

Meet David Bryan owner of Blackdog Builders a design, build, and remodel firm based in Salem, New Hampshire. With 33 years of business experience and 65 team members, Blackdog Builders is projecting $16 million in revenue this year. David reflects on closing his first business, why he places a huge emphasis on culture and staff appreciation, and the importance of building out your processes and procedures.

Here are a few key takeaways from the discussion with David:

• Learning how to run a business the hard way
• Listening to those who have more experience
• Maintaining a team culture to retain employees
• Being financially transparent with your team
• Developing a process and procedure for everything you do

Visit the Black Dog Builders website here https://www.blackdogbuilders.com/.

Own a construction company and want to share your story? Apply to be on an upcoming episode of Builder Stories at https://www.builderstories.com

Meet Liliana Escudero, president of J Designs Pool & Spa, a boutique pool building company in Los Angeles, California. Their typical build is between $350k - $500k and they do not take on more than 10 projects a year in order to focus on excellent customer service. Liliana believes that it is important to learn your trade, find mentors, and stay on top of new technologies in order to keep growing your business.

Here are a few key takeaways from the discussion with Liliana:

• Working with family members
• Building out a tech stack for your company
• Learning how to import custom materials
• Scaling so you work on the business not in the business
• Building a strong relationship with subs

Visit the J Designs Pool & Spa website here https://www.jdesigns.com/

Own a construction company and want to share your story? Apply to be on an upcoming episode of Builder Stories at https://www.builderstories.com

Meet Luan Nguyen, founder of Deck Bros, a deck building company in Omaha, Nebraska. After having his work hours reduced during the pandemic, he started fixing up his own home and realized he could do it for others. He began advertising on Facebook to see if there was any interest and a business was born. After finding a business partner, they did over $1 million in the first year of business, crediting the success to always marketing the business.

Here are a few key takeaways from the discussion with Luan:

• Be a marketing and sales company first
• How to convert interest into deals
• Putting a personal touch on branding
• How the law of reciprocity can impact sales
• Focusing on customer testimonials

Visit the Deck Bros website here https://deckbros.com/.

Own a construction company and want to share your story? Apply to be on an upcoming episode of Builder Stories at https://www.builderstories.com

Meet Tom Morris, the co-founder of The Selah Group - a premier general contractor specializing in exquisite outdoor living spaces. With operations spanning North Texas and Palm Beach, Florida, the Selah Group is renowned for their family-centric approach and unwavering commitment to crafting high-end, luxury outdoor spaces. Leveraging his expertise in engineering and technology, Tom's strategic focus on impeccable design, cutting-edge marketing, and exceptional customer service has propelled the success and growth of his business.

Here are a few key takeaways from the discussion with Tom:

• The difference between marketing in Texas and Florida
• Keeping a database of all your design work and images of projects
• The evolution of AI and how it helps with marketing efforts
• Why you should scale for sale, even if you don't plan on selling
• Don't neglect the analytics or your financials

Visit the Selah Group website here https://www.selahpools.com/

Own a construction company and want to share your story? Apply to be on an upcoming episode of Builder Stories at https://www.builderstories.com

Laurel Winkel is the owner of SheBuilds, a kitchen design and remodeling firm based in Canby, Oregon, south of Portland. SheBuilds started in 2017 after Laurel decided to go back to school to learn about kitchen design and remodeling. While most males in her family were in the construction industry, Laurel didn't join them until she changed careers at age 40. Laurel talks about dealing with imposter syndrome, getting out of your own way, and dreaming big for her business.

Here are a few key takeaways from the discussion with Laurel:

• Being a female general contractor in the industry
• Process for estimating jobs
• Types of kitchen redesign clients
• Always keep learning
• The importance of working with a coach

Visit the SheBuilds website here https://shebuildskitchens.com/

Own a construction company and want to share your story? Apply to be on an upcoming episode of Builder Stories at https://www.builderstories.com

Aaron Harshaw owner of Harshaw Home Renovators in Ottawa, Kansas specializes in high-end home renovations. He went from being a pastor to a business owner and is celebrating 5 years in business. Aaron talks about why you need to be a perpetual student, having the humility to say "I don't know", and the principals that guide his business.

Here are a few key takeaways from the discussion with Aaron:

• Presenting professionalism from day one
• Be transparent and honest, even if it's a difficult conversation
• Operating with a smaller, in-house team
• Always be open to learning
• Knowing your strengths and delegating what you aren't good at

Visit the Harshaw Home Renovators website here https://hhrenovators.com/

Own a construction company and want to share your story? Apply to be on an upcoming episode of Builder Stories at https://www.builderstories.com

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