Built. Trusted. Chosen.

Most homes pass inspection. Very few are built for health.

In this episode of Built. Trusted. Chosen., I sit down with Craig Leonard, a third-generation builder who completely rethought his approach to construction after mould contamination in his own home made his family seriously ill. What he discovered will challenge how you think about energy efficiency, ventilation and modern building standards.

Craig explains why tightly sealed homes, constant temperature control and poorly managed moisture are creating internal ecosystems that support mould growth. We unpack HVAC placement, condensation risks, window failures, shower waterproofing mistakes and what it really costs to build a home that protects the people living inside it.

You’ll take away:

• Why modern “energy efficient” homes can trap moisture and create mould risk
• How HVAC systems in unconditioned attics become mould distribution networks
• Why mould can grow at 55% relative humidity even when it doesn’t feel humid
• Practical retrofit strategies like conditioned attics and duct review
• Why healthy construction typically adds just 3–5% to build cost
• How positioning around health creates a powerful niche in construction

About Craig Leonard

Craig Leonard is the owner of Leonard Crafted Homes, a Texas-based luxury custom home builder specialising in high-performance, health-focused residential construction. After losing his own home to mould contamination, Craig became a building biologist and now integrates advanced ventilation, moisture management and conditioning systems into every home he builds.

Learn more: https://leonardcraftedhomes.com

About Wes Towers

Wes Towers is the host of Built. Trusted. Chosen. and founder of Uplift 360. He helps trades and construction companies be built, trusted, and chosen online through high-performing websites and Search Everywhere Optimisation.

Learn more: https://uplift360.com.au/

Want to be a guest on Built. Trusted. Chosen.? Book here:

https://uplift360.com.au/built-trusted-chosen-podcast-guest-booking/

If you run a trades or construction business, it’s easy to wake up one day and realise the business cannot run, or sell, without you.

In this conversation, I’m joined by Anita Marshall from Gold Coast Business Brokers, and we unpack what actually makes a trades business attractive to buyers (and more resilient for you as the owner). Even if you never plan to sell, building with an exit in mind forces better foundations: cleaner financials, clearer systems, and a database you can actually hand over.

You’ll take away:

• Why building an exit-ready business gives you options, even if you hand it to family
• How cash jobs (“cashies”) can hurt valuation when revenue cannot be proven over 3–4 years
• Simple systems you can document now (quoting, lead sources, workflows) to make handover easier
• Why every enquiry belongs in a database, even the ones who did not proceed
• How referral partner lists (agents, strata, etc.) become a real sale asset with a warm handover
• Why less owner dependence typically leads to a higher multiple and a smoother sale

 Anita Marshall is a business broker with Gold Coast Business Brokers, helping owners prepare, position, and sell businesses with confidentiality and a clear process. She works with business owners across Queensland and supports the kind of practical “get it ready before you need it” approach we discuss in this episode.
Guest links:

• https://goldcoastbusinessbrokers.com.au/ 
• https://www.facebook.com/anitamarshallbusinessbroker/ 
• https://au.linkedin.com/in/anita-marshall-businessbroker 

 I’m Wes Towers, founder of Uplift 360. I help trades and construction companies be built, trusted, and chosen online through high-performing websites and Search Everywhere Optimisation. https://uplift360.com.au/

Want to be a guest on Built. Trusted. Chosen.? Book here: https://uplift360.com.au/built-trusted-chosen-podcast-guest-booking/

Trades and construction businesses are getting hit from every angle: rising costs, hiring pressure, housing shortages and constant negative headlines. The danger is making short-term decisions based on panic instead of seeing the bigger forces shaping where demand, people and projects are actually heading.

In this episode, I sit down with Simon Küstenmacher to unpack the demographic and economic trends shaping the future of trades and construction in Australia. We get into why Australia’s core business model is still stronger than many people think, why population growth keeps demand alive, why the skills shortage is not going away anytime soon, and why regional areas face a very different hiring and housing challenge to the major cities.

You’ll take away:

• Why Simon believes Australia’s underlying economic model is still resilient despite negative headlines 
• How population growth acts like a rising tide for construction demand 
• Why the skills shortage is demographic, structural and unlikely to disappear quickly 
• What is broken in the current migration system and how it could be better aligned to real workforce needs 
• Why regional areas struggle more to attract skilled workers than capital cities 
• How migrant settlement patterns can influence where housing demand and construction pressure show up 

Guest bio:
 Simon Küstenmacher is Co-Founder & Director at The Demographics Group in Melbourne, Australia. He presents on demographic trends, consumer insights and social change, and works with business, government and industry groups across Australia.
 Website: https://www.tdgp.com.au/simon-kuestenmacher
LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/in/simonkuestenmacher 

Host bio:
 I’m Wes Towers, founder of Uplift 360 and host of Built. Trusted. Chosen. I help trades and construction companies be built, trusted, and chosen online through high-performing websites and Search Everywhere Optimisation.
https://uplift360.com.au/

Want to be a guest on Built. Trusted. Chosen.? Book here: https://uplift360.com.au/built-trusted-chosen-podcast-guest-booking/

Most trades and construction businesses don’t struggle because the work isn’t good. They struggle because the day gets swallowed by calls, admin, quoting, follow-ups, and the never-ending “I’ll get to that later” list, and the business pays for it in missed opportunities, slow response times, and trust gaps.

In this episode, I sit down with Janine Fraser to unpack the real operational bottlenecks that hold contractors back and what it looks like to bring order to the chaos. We talk delegation (without feeling like you’re “giving away your baby”), onshore vs offshore support, the role of automation, and why customer communication is the quickest trust-builder in the trades.

You’ll take away:

•  What to delegate first when you’re time-poor and wearing every hat
• How to think about onshore vs offshore support based on task, urgency, and context
• Why trust is built (or broken) in small moments like running late, follow-ups, and response speed
• How job management platforms can automate quotes and texts, and why most tradies don’t finish the setup
• Why paper-based workflows and double-handling quietly block growth and create errors
• A practical supplier check that can lift margins without finding new work

Guest: Janine Fraser

Janine is the founder of Beyond Business Consultants, supporting business owners with managed calls, customer service, delegation, and system workflows. She also offers fractional executive assistant support, helping founders bring structure, follow-through, and calm to the operational side of the business.

https://beyondbusinessconsultants.com.au/

https://au.linkedin.com/in/janine-fraser-fractional-executive-assistant-growth-partner-ab6940104

Host: Wes Towers

I help trades and construction companies be found, trusted, and chosen online through high-performing websites and Search Everywhere Optimisation. That means turning your website into a genuine business asset, sharpening your messaging so the right clients say “yes”, and building consistent visibility across Google, reviews, social platforms, and everywhere people search before they pick up the phone. If you’re serious about growth, this show is about the real levers that move the needle: marketing, systems, leadership, and the small trust signals that win work.

https://uplift360.com.au

Want to be a guest on Built. Trusted. Chosen.? Book here: https://uplift360.com.au/built-trusted-chosen-podcast-guest-booking/

If you run a trade or construction business, you’ve probably felt it: plenty of work, plenty of effort, but cash is tight, the phone never stops, and the business only works when you do.

In this conversation, I’m joined by Peter Wesley to unpack what actually changes when a contractor moves from “muscle and hustle” into a business that runs with clarity, consistency, and breathing room. We’ll talk about the predictable growth ceilings Peter calls the “valleys of death”, the hires that matter most, and the simple operating rhythm that makes cashflow and delivery far easier to control.

You’ll take away:

• Why contractors hit a predictable ceiling around $2–3m turnover, and what “systems” really means at that stage
• The smarter hiring sequence: admin support first, then ops leadership (before sales)
• Peter’s 3 C’s framework (Capacity, Clarity, Consistency) for stabilising cash and reducing stress
• A practical cadence for control: Monday forward planning, Friday job review, plus daily key numbers
• How culture directly impacts profit through rework, client trust, and team behaviour
• Why “70% done” is a trap, and how to execute improvements sequentially to 100%

Guest bio
Peter Wesley is the founder of Better Back Office, helping trade and contracting businesses get control of their numbers with cleaner systems, stronger cashflow, and better reporting. He’s best known for practical, operator-first back office support across bookkeeping, payroll/BAS, and Simpro workflows so owners can scale without the chaos.

·       https://betterbackoffice.com.au/ 

·       https://www.peterwesley.me/ 

·       https://www.instagram.com/peterwesleytcos/ 

Host bio
I’m Wes Towers, founder of Uplift 360 and host of Built. Trusted. Chosen. I help trades and construction companies be built, trusted, and chosen online through high-performing websites and Search Everywhere Optimisation, so the right clients find you and choose you with confidence. https://uplift360.com.au/

Want to be a guest on Built. Trusted. Chosen.? Book here: https://uplift360.com.au/built-trusted-chosen-podcast-guest-booking/

Most trades and construction businesses don’t stall because the work is bad. They stall because leadership, cash flow, systems, and people start breaking under growth.

In this episode, I sit down with Jay Meacham to unpack what changes when a great operator becomes the owner and suddenly has to lead. We talk about the hidden “ceiling” most builders and trade businesses hit, why getting clear on your offer matters more than you think, and how to turn what’s in your head into systems your team can actually run. Jay also shares practical ways to tighten cash flow and recruit better talent without relying on hope and job boards.

You’ll take away:

•  Why your personal life, leadership, and business performance often bleed into each other, and what to do about it
• The doer-to-leader shift that catches most contractors off guard, and how to slow down without losing momentum
• A simple way to get clearer on your offer: ask your best returning clients what makes them come back
• How to systemise what’s trapped in your head into documented, repeatable processes your team can use
• Why cash flow is a system, not a hope: invoicing, receivables follow-up, and payroll planning
• How to find better people by reverse-engineering your A-players and building creative talent pipelines

Guest: Jay Meacham
Jay is a business, life, and leadership coach based in Kansas City, Missouri, known for working with residential builders and skilled trades. He helps owner-operators become confident leaders by getting clear on their offer, systemising operations, and building teams that fit the culture and perform.

Connect with Jay:
Website: https://coachjaymeacham.com/

Workbook: https://coachjaymeacham.com/s/Builders_Workbook_To_Time_Rich_Life.pdf

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jay-meacham-6a66668/

Host: Wes Towers
Wes is the founder of Uplift 360 and host of Built. Trusted. Chosen. He helps builders and trade businesses turn great workmanship into a business that scales by tightening the “unsexy” fundamentals: clear offers, simple systems, and trust-building marketing that converts. His focus is helping trades be found, trusted, and chosen online through high-performing websites and Search Everywhere Optimisation.

Uplift 360: https://uplift360.com.au/

Want to be a guest on Built. Trusted. Chosen.? Book here: https://uplift360.com.au/built-trusted-chosen-podcast-guest-booking/

Most trades and construction businesses don’t stall because of workmanship. They stall because the business gets bottlenecked by people, process, and the unsexy stuff like logistics.

In this episode, I sit down with Roggen Frick from Bear Iron Works to unpack what it really takes to build a company that scales: spotting a niche, learning fast in “round one”, rebuilding properly in “round two”, and creating a culture that keeps good people around. We also get into hiring for your gaps, how honesty builds trust inside a team, and why a four-day work week can be a genuine advantage in the trades.

You’ll take away

• How to start scrappy, validate demand, and then rebuild properly for “round two”
• Why shipping and logistics can kill sales, and how to treat it as a core capability
• How to hire major players by filling your knowledge gaps (not hiring clones)
• How honesty, transparency, and reward-based safety build real trust on a team
• The three retention levers: time, benefits, and money (and why time often wins)
• How building systems makes the business run, even when you’re not there

Guest: Roggen Frick

Roggen is the CEO of Bear Iron Works, a US-based manufacturer of construction equipment built to support excavation and construction crews. He’s grown the business by pairing practical systems with a people-first culture focused on honesty, trust, and safety.

Website: https://beariron.com

Host: Wes Towers

Wes helps trades and construction companies become the obvious choice online. As the founder of Uplift 360, he builds high-performing websites and runs Search Everywhere Optimisation so the right customers can find you, trust you, and choose you, without you having to rely on referrals alone.

Website: https://uplift360.com.au/

Want to be a guest on Built. Trusted. Chosen.?

Book here: https://uplift360.com.au/built-trusted-chosen-podcast-guest-booking/

Most trades and construction businesses don’t have a marketing problem, they have a clarity problem. When messaging is vague, everyone competes on price, margins shrink, and trust is harder to win.

In this episode, I sit down with Laura Zahariou to unpack what “senior marketing leadership” looks like without hiring a full-time Head of Marketing. We talk about getting clear on who you serve, what you solve, and how to align marketing with the rest of the business so your message actually lands (and sticks). If you’ve ever felt like marketing is just more noise, this one will help you simplify, focus, and build momentum the right way.

You’ll take away:

• Why fractional marketing leadership can beat hiring an inhouse marketer (cost, speed, and less hand-holding)
• How to stop competing on price and reposition around the value you deliver
• A practical 30–90 day approach to auditing, clarifying, and building a workable plan
• Why message alignment across sales and service builds trust fast
• How to plan content in construction without locking yourself into a rigid 12-month calendar
• Why consistency wins (even when you feel bored repeating the message)

Guest: Laura Zahariou
Laura Zahariou is the founder of Growth Lane Marketing, helping SMEs access outsourced/fractional marketing leadership that’s simple, strategic, and results-driven. She’s worked across construction and other B2B industries, bringing big-brand experience into practical plans for growing businesses.

• https://www.growthlanemarketing.com.au/
• https://au.linkedin.com/in/laura-zahariou-2680696b

Host: Wes Towers
I help trades and construction companies be found, trusted, and chosen online through high-performing websites and Search Everywhere Optimisation.

https://uplift360.com.au/

Want to be a guest on Built. Trusted. Chosen.? Book here: https://uplift360.com.au/built-trusted-chosen-podcast-guest-booking/

In this episode of Built. Trusted. Chosen., I sit down with Chris Gilman to unpack the turning point that forced him to stop running his business “in his head” and start building a real company with people, systems, and accountability. We get practical about what to delegate first, how to hire (even if you’re not great at HR), why financial clarity matters more than most owners think, and how to use software and dashboards in a way that actually improves decisions and client experience.

You’ll take away:

•  The first two hires that stop your business collapsing when you’re unavailable (and protect your family from the chaos)
• How to identify the 80/20 of tasks to take off your plate so you can do actual CEO work
• A hiring approach that reduces “gut feel” mistakes (and helps you find A-players faster)
• Why “more sales” can still mean a weak business, and the simple rhythm for checking numbers
• How to avoid paying for software you don’t use (and how to hold the team accountable to use it)
• How profit sharing and “internal client” thinking improves quality, speed, and retention

Guest: Chris Gilman is the host of Hard Hat CEO, focused on helping trades and construction owners step out of the day-to-day and lead like a CEO.

https://hardhatceo.com

https://www.youtube.com/@hardhatceo

Host: Wes Towers

I help trades and construction companies be found, trusted, and chosen online through high-performing websites and Search Everywhere Optimisation.

https://uplift360.com.au

Want to be a guest on Built. Trusted. Chosen.? Book here: https://uplift360.com.au/built-trusted-chosen-podcast-guest-booking/

In this episode of Built. Trusted. Chosen., I sat down with Brad Huebner to unpack what actually gets trades and construction businesses chosen, even when they’re not the cheapest. We talked about breaking the hourly-rate mindset, why niching down makes growth easier (not harder), and how simple communication systems and automations can build real trust before you even arrive on site.

You’ll take away:

•  How to price based on perceived value, not the hours it took you to do the work
• A practical way to qualify leads on the first call so you stop wasting time on bad-fit estimates
• Why niching simplifies your marketing, sales process, tools, and hiring
• Why “busy” is not success, and the job-profit numbers you need to actually track
• How communication and automated touchpoints build trust and make clients feel certain you will deliver
• How “value stacking” (reviews, website, and content) helps you win before first contact

Guest: Brad Huebner
 Brad has spent close to two decades in construction, ran his own construction company for around 12 years, and now coaches contractors to build more profitable, systemised businesses. He’s also the author of The Contractor Profit Blueprint.

https://thecontractorprofitblueprint.com

https://www.hammerandgrind.com/

Host: Wes Towers (Uplift 360)
Wes helps trades and construction companies win better clients with websites and messaging that build trust fast. Through high-performing web builds and Search Everywhere Optimisation, he helps the right people find you, understand your value, and choose you without shopping purely on price. Built. Trusted. Chosen. is where he sits down with operators, marketers, and industry leaders to share the practical plays that make growth simpler, more profitable, and less reliant on the owner.

https://uplift360.com.au/

Want to be a guest on Built. Trusted. Chosen.? Book here:

 https://uplift360.com.au/built-trusted-chosen-podcast-guest-booking/