Builder365

In this episode

Jim Adams, the founder of NewHomesDirectory.com, shares his entrepreneurial journey and mindset. The conversation revolves around the themes of persistence in the face of failure. The discussion highlights the significance of setting goals, the role of passion, and the impact of AI on the industry. Jim emphasizes the need for confidence in sales and the importance of leading with the heart in business.

 

Timestamps

00:00 Embracing Failure and Persistence 02:48 The Importance of Reading in Home Building 06:05 Confidence in Home Buying 08:57 The Journey of Jim Adams 11:52 Manifestation and Goal Setting 15:12 The Role of Passion in Achieving Goals 17:59 The Childlike Curiosity of Entrepreneurs 21:14 The Impact of AI on the Industry   About Jim Jim Adams has always had an entrepreneurial spirit. In 1999 he began harnessing the power of the Internet his first year in real estate where half of all his business came from his website being found on Internet searches. During that time he noticed that only resale homes websites were displayed in the results for ‘new homes’ searches. It was then that NewHomesDirectory.com was born; a web directory of new homes, displaying only new homes that would also be found for ‘new homes’ Internet searches. NewHomesDirectory.com proved immediately to be a valuable Internet marketing tool to new home builders. Today, NewHomesDirectory.com delivers thousands of new home consumers to builders’ websites each and every day.   Acknowledgments

Builder365 is powered by Opendoor for Builders. For easy sales and smooth moves, visit www.opendoor.com/builder365

In This Episode 

Tim Sullivan, the Chief Advisory Officer for Zonda, shares his career journey in the home building industry, from starting as an intern in market research to becoming a leader in the field. He also discusses the challenges and opportunities facing the home building industry, including the impact of new economic policies, interest rate fluctuations, and AI. They also explore the issue of affordability in housing and the need for innovation in the construction process. 

Timestamps

00:00 Are You Invested in The Future Of Home Building? 01:02 Where Would You Build Your Dream Home 03:18 Are You Prepared For The Change That's Coming in 2025 06:11 Tim Sullivan Interview 10:40 Comparison of Great Recession and COVID Era 11:40 Snapshot of the Housing Industry 14:14 Addressing Affordability in Housing 16:02 The Need for Innovation in Construction 17:06 Industry Leaders To Listen To 19:54 What Do You Most Enjoy About Your Job 21:03 Love Learning Something New 24:53 Michelle's Take on College Football

About Tim

Tim  has decades of experience in analyzing and valuing real estate development opportunities across the U.S. and Latin America. He has developed the ability to interpret diverse statistics and trends and translate them into actionable plans. Tim’s personal commitment to his clients is to constantly assess the economy, real estate market, and consumer trends to identify the most innovative and best ways to invest and develop profitably.

Acknowledgment

Builder365 is powered by Opendoor for Builders. For easy sales and smooth moves, visit www.opendoor.com/builder365

 

In This Episode

Alaina Robertson, the Division President for Taylor Morrison shares her inspiring journey in the home building industry, offering invaluable advice for young women aspiring to leadership roles. She opens up about the unique challenges of navigating the complex regulations in the Portland market and highlights the many positives of working and living in the area. This conversation is a must-listen for anyone interested in leadership, resilience, and the evolving landscape of homebuilding in a dynamic market.

Timestamps

00:00 Don't Trade In Your Credibility  01:02 Fall is On the Horizon 4:00 Is Real Estate Still A Good Investment? 07:46 Interview with Elena Robertson 17:48 Navigating Regulations in the Portland Market 22:48 The Great Parts of Portland 29:45 What Your Favorite Movie Reveals About Your Personality   About Alaina Alaina Robertson is the Division President for Taylor Morrison, the nation’s fifth largest homebuilder, covering Portland and Southwest Washington. During her 17 years with the organization, Alaina has had the opportunity to support and lead various departments and initiatives in the business, including two acquisitions that brought Taylor Morrison to Portland, sales and marketing, land acquisition, entitlement, development, and construction operations, such as homebuilding and purchasing. In her current role, she focuses heavily on operational efficiency and becoming the builder of choice for the region’s homebuyers, trade partners, jurisdictions, and other community members. Alaina is also a Pro Builder Forty Under 40 | class of 2023 member.   Acknowledgments:  Builder365 is powered by Opendoor for Builders. For easy sales and smooth moves, visit www.opendoor.com/builder365

In This Episode

Jeff Shore is joined by Alex Hunter, Vice President of Marketing at Higharc, to delve into the growing importance of personalization in the home building industry. As customers' expectations evolve, particularly among millennials, the need for personalized experiences has become paramount.

Alex shares his expertise on how technology can be a key enabler in achieving personalization, discussing the latest trends across various industries and how they translate to home building. The conversation covers the challenges and opportunities that come with adopting new tech solutions, the potential of AI to enhance personalization, and the innovative idea of offering curated tech packages to home buyers—striking a balance between complexity and customization.

Join us as we explore how the home building industry can harness technology and personalization to meet the rising demands of today's customers and stay ahead in a competitive market.

 

Timestamps

00:00 You Need Home Tech  02:30 The Most Popular Room in A House 04:20 Eating Out Trends In The USA 08:26 Alex Hunter Interview 09:48 The Trend of Personalization 13:32 Challenges and Opportunities in Tech Adoption 20:47 The Role of AI in Personalization 23:14 Finding a Balance: Curated Tech Packages 25:58 Ryan Is All In On Smart Home Tech   About Alex Alex Hunter is an accomplished storyteller and distinguished marketing leader, guiding cross-functional teams in creating and launching top-tier B2C and B2B experiences for globally recognized brands. Currently, Alex is the Vice President of Marketing at Higharc, a cutting-edge cloud technology for homebuilders, where he oversees all aspects of brand development, demand generation, and marketing. Before joining Higharc, Alex held key roles at tech giants like Apple and Google, leading major product marketing campaigns such as the Apple Watch SE and Google Nest Smart Displays.   Acknowledgments:  Builder365 is powered by Opendoor for Builders. For easy sales and smooth moves, visit www.opendoor.com/builder365

In This Episode:

Bob Mirman, CEO of Eliant, a customer experience research organization, talks about the impact of customer feedback on improving the home buying process and shares insights from his new book, Homebuyers Talk. Jeff and Bob also discuss the low-hanging fruit for builders to enhance the customer experience, such as delivering clean homes and immediately sharing customer feedback with field reps. Jeff and Ryan Taft talk about the down payment barrier many potential buyers face. 

Timestamps:

00:00 From Worst to First 03:08 The Down Payment Barrier to Home Ownership 08:36 Interview with Bob Mirman, CEO of Eliant 17:01 Discussion on Customer Feedback and the Book 'Homebuyers Talk' 21:09 The Importance of Timely Feedback for Field Reps 25:27 Delivering Clean Homes and Meeting Promised Dates 29:22 Difference Between A Transaction & An Experience    About Bob: With a background in clinical and consumer psychology, Bob was the first to professionalize homebuyer surveys and psychological assessments in the homebuilding industry. With his founding of Eliant in 1984, he offered homebuilders the reliable data they needed to make customer experience management, CRM and data-driven marketing the new business as usual. Working with a group of founding clients, Bob also introduced the practice of benchmark assessments to the industry. His innovations and contributions have been helping to raise customer experience standards across homebuilding for over 40 years.   Acknowledgments:  Builder365 is powered by Opendoor for Builders. For easy sales and smooth moves, visit www.opendoor.com/builder365

In This Episode:

Brian Cutting, Division President of Woodside Homes, shares his insights on the significant challenges facing the industry, including housing affordability, land availability, labor shortages, and finding good people. He also shares why good time management is crucial for successful executives. Beyond the business, Brian opens up about his commitment to giving back, particularly through his involvement with St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

 

Timestamps:

00:00 How Ryan Got Into The Home Building Industry 05:58 Biggest New Housing Markets in the United States 10:40 Interview with Brian Cutting  17:13 Challenges in the Home Building Industry 23:38 Time Management and Industry Involvement 26:08 Impact of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital 32:46 Finding Joy and Personal Growth in Nature   About Brian: Brian Cutting is a Division President at Woodside Homes, with extensive experience in leadership roles across the real estate industry. His career spans key positions in land acquisition, entitlements, and strategic development, including significant roles at SAP Labs and Walmart. Brian’s expertise and leadership have been instrumental in managing large-scale projects and guiding teams to success in the home building sector.   Acknowledgments:  Builder365 is powered by Opendoor for Builders. For easy sales and smooth moves, visit www.opendoor.com/builder365

In This Episode 

Jeff is joined by Michelle Bendien, senior trainer at Shore Consulting, to discuss the importance of presentation skills and strategies for improvement. Michelle shares her journey from being a radio personality to becoming a skilled presenter and trainer. They emphasize the significance of practice and repetition in building confidence and delivering effective presentations. The conversation also touches on practical tips for engaging audiences and improving communication techniques. Plus, Jeff and Michelle share the top 10 best states to live in according to US News and World Report.

 

Timestamps

00:00 The Importance of Growth 02:21 Michelle Bendien's Background 03:18 Commonalities in Different Companies 04:10 Top 10 Best States to Live In 08:12 Discussion on Presentation Skills 11:00 The Role of Practice and Repetition 12:25 Working Past the Point of Discomfort 15:10 Presentation Skills in Various Settings 17:00 Benefits of Recording Practice Sessions   About Michelle With over two decades of diverse experience in the new home building industry, Michelle Bendien brings her intellect, world-class communication skills and passion for real estate to help sales teams across the country to achieve mastery level selling skills.   Acknowledgments:  Builder365 is powered by Opendoor for Builders. For easy sales and smooth moves, visit www.opendoor.com/builder365

In This Episode:

Mary Beth Berry joins Jeff and Amy to discuss the importance of coaching and being coached in the home building industry. They highlight the misconceptions and challenges that managers and employees face when it comes to coaching. They emphasize the need for regular and intentional coaching sessions, as well as the value of repetition in coaching. The team also share personal experiences and insights on the emotional aspects of being coached and providing feedback.

 

Timestamp:

00:00 How Do People Like to Be Coached 02:49 The Shift in Sales  05:43 Interesting Stories and Flipping Homes 09:30 The Average Profit of House Flippers 11:52 The Sales Leadership Roundtable Experience 13:39 The Love for Coaching and Being Coached 14:08 Challenges and Misconceptions in Coaching 16:26 The Value of Repetition in Coaching 19:10 The Emotional Aspects of Being Coached 20:32 The Right Attitude for Coaching 22:22 The Impact of Effective Coaching   About Mary Beth: As an accomplished leader with over a decade's experience at the country's top volume producing builders, Mary Beth Berry is passionate about helping sales professionals achieve excellence using lively and engaging training strategies.  When she isn’t working, Mary Beth enjoys traveling, trying new restaurants with her husband of ten years, and playing outside with her two adorable little boys.   Acknowledgments:  Builder365 is powered by Opendoor for Builders. For easy sales and smooth moves, visit www.opendoor.com/builder365

On this special episode of Builder365, Jeff and Amy are joined by Shore Consulting Trainers Michelle Bendien and Mary Beth Berry! The group begins by examining data on cost burden and homelessness across different states, shedding light on the challenges faced by many communities. The conversation then shifts to the unique lifestyle of a traveling trainer, where our guests share their personal experiences and pet peeves from their journeys. Finally, they offer valuable advice for leaders on how to maximize the benefits of training for their teams.

Timestamps: 00:00 The Best Leaders Are Involved 03:39 The Cost Burden of Housing and Homelessness 10:41 The Life of a Traveling Trainer 15:01 Flying Pet Peeves 20:51 Maximizing Training Experiences for Teams 22:36 The Joy of Working in the Home Building Industry   Acknowledgements: Builder365 is powered by Opendoor for Builders. For easy sales and smooth moves, visit www.opendoor.com/builder365

In This Episode

Jeff has an enlightening conversation with Nick Rhodes and Shant Suntani from Esperanza Homes as they delve into their experiences as small regional builders in Southwest Texas. They highlight the unique challenges and advantages of serving a market with a low price point and low income levels. They emphasize the importance of understanding the local demographics and designing homes and communities that cater to the specific needs and preferences of the Hispanic population. They also discuss their approach to staffing and onboarding employees who may have no prior experience in the home building industry. 

 

Timestamps

00:00 Build 100 Homes 10 Times 03:19 Most Important Financial Problem Facing Families 08:23 Challenges of High Housing Costs and Affordability 10:35 Introduction to Esperanza Homes 13:15 Transition to Home Building 19:17 Advantages of Being a Small Regional Builder 26:08 Unique Characteristics of the Hispanic Market 29:00 Advice for Builders in Untapped Markets 34:14 Future Growth and Expansion 37:43 Don't Try to Be Like Everyone Else   About Nick & Shant

Since 2015, Nick Rhodes has led Esperanza Homes through aggressive expansion establishing Rhodes as the largest land developer/residential builder in South Texas. Under his leadership, Rhodes has developed from a small to mid-size, high-performing employer of choice.

Shant Samtani started his career in finance with stints at Ernst & Young and Frost Bank in audit and commercial lending. In 2016 he transitioned his career path to new construction homes sales at Esperanza Homes where he has grown from an Independent Sales Consultant to leading Esperanza’s high-performing team of over a dozen sales professionals across the organization.

  Acknowledgments Builder365 is powered by Opendoor for Builders. For easy sales and smooth moves, visit www.opendoor.com/builder365