Built. Trusted. Chosen.

Zoning, overlays, hazards, setbacks… for builders, the “can we even build here?” question can kill momentum before the job even starts.

In this episode of Built. Trusted. Chosen., I sat down with Avi Kaufman from FutureLot to unpack how builders in the USA are using pre-feasibility to get clear, property-specific answers fast, qualify leads earlier, and build trust before the first site visit. We also got into why AI still needs human oversight in the real world, and how interactive, lot-based website tools are changing lead generation for builders.

You’ll take away:

•  Why pre-feasibility is the sweet spot for fast decisions before full feasibility costs
• How zoning complexity really stacks up across municipal, state, and hazard layers
• Why “AI + human in the loop” (plus QA and golden sets) matters for accuracy
  
  
• A simple trust play: surface constraints and likely extra costs right at the first call
• A practical way to frame what’s allowed: by-right vs permits vs variance territory
• Why lot-specific website tools beat generic lead magnets for builder marketing

Guest: Avi Kaufman
Avi is the Co-Founder and Chief Real Estate Officer at FutureLot, helping builders and homeowners quickly understand what can legally be built on a property, starting with ADUs. He focuses on turning zoning complexity into clear, usable answers that speed up feasibility and improve client trust.

https://www.futurelot.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/avinkaufman

Host: Wes Towers (Uplift 360)
Wes helps construction and trade businesses win better work with websites that do more than look good. He builds high-performing sites, sharpens messaging, and uses Search Everywhere Optimisation to lift visibility across Google and AI-driven search, turning more enquiries into confident “yes” decisions. Built. Trusted. Chosen. is where he sits down with builders, operators, and marketers to share practical plays that build trust early and remove friction from the sales process.

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’re leading a trades or construction business and it still relies on you for every decision, every fix, every “quick question”, you don’t have a team problem. You’ve got an operating system problem.

In this episode of Built. Trusted. Chosen., I sat down with David Forster (Dave) to unpack what it really takes to scale a trades business without burning out. We talked about the messy early days (hiring with no training plan, the box of receipts at tax time, and the temptation to buy gear before the numbers make sense), and the turning point where systems, SOPs, and decision frameworks stop being “extra work” and start becoming freedom.

You’ll take away:

•  Why grit gets you to the first milestone, but structure gets you beyond it
• How to slow down and train properly so you stop doing everything yourself
• Simple ways to capture SOPs (written steps, screen recordings, job-site videos)
• How decision filters reduce owner bottlenecks and constant firefighting
• Why you should expect turnover and build onboarding that survives it
• Dave’s 3D Decision Loop: Diagnose, Decide, Direction (then commit and move)

Guest: David Forster
Dave is the founder of Systems Over Sweat, helping trades and home service leaders build decision frameworks, SOPs, and scalable operations. He’s also a senior operator in the landscaping world and brings real, lived experience from building and selling multiple service businesses.

https://systemsoversweat.com
https://www.instagram.com/officialdavidforster/

Host: Wes Towers (Uplift 360)
Wes helps trades and construction companies grow with websites that convert and content that builds trust. Built. Trusted. Chosen. is where he pulls back the curtain with operators and leaders on what actually works, so you can build a business that runs smoother, sells easier, and doesn’t rely on you for everything.

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/

AI is flooding the market with “good enough” marketing. For trades and home service businesses, that makes it harder than ever to stand out and get chosen.

In this episode, I sat down with Kyle Bailey to unpack why storytelling is no longer optional for contractors, trade businesses, and home service owners who want to stay visible as search and AI evolve. We talked about how story connects directly to the sales process, how to audit your core values (including the uncomfortable bits), and how to weave your story through your website, content, team, and day-to-day operations so it actually feels real.

You’ll take away:

•  Why marketing breaks when it’s not connected to the sales process
• How to use story to differentiate when everyone offers “the same service”
• A practical core values audit: you, your team, your best customers, plus the “negative gaps”
• Kyle’s “osmosis” approach to weaving story into every page and touchpoint
• How to use AI for the framework, while keeping the human element competitors can’t copy
• What it means to make your story operational, and how to collect feedback without bias

Guest - Kyle Bailey

Kyle is the owner of Front Burner Marketing in Austin, Texas, where he helps home service business owners communicate clearly and connect their brand to the real sales process. He’s also the author of an upcoming book titled What’s Your Story?

Guest links:
 • https://frontburnermarketing.net/

Host - Wes Towers

I’m the founder of Uplift 360, a digital agency that helps trades, construction, and home service businesses be found, trusted, and chosen online. We build high-performing websites and run Search Everywhere Optimisation so your message stays consistent across Google, AI-driven search, and the places people actually make decisions. If this episode resonated, you’ll probably like how we work: we help you clarify your positioning, turn your story into practical website and content messaging, and align marketing with the real sales process so leads come in clearer, warmer, and easier to convert.

Want to connect with 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/

In construction, growth can look incredible right up until cash flow collapses. You can be flat out, fully booked, and still get sunk by payment terms, big material outlays, and poor forecasting.

In this episode, I sat down with Dustin Young, a fractional CFO who helps construction companies build financial clarity, stronger cash flow, and more predictable profitability so owners can scale without the stress. He partners with subcontractors and general contractors to put the right numbers, systems, and decision-making in place before growth creates avoidable problems.

We unpacked the cash-flow traps that quietly break contractors and what to do about them before they bite. We also talked about the shift from running jobs off your phone to building real systems, why “having a bookkeeper” isn’t the same as having financial clarity, and how to make smarter go/no-go decisions when bigger contracts start landing on your desk.

You’ll take away:

• Why owners get stuck doing everything, and how systems and delegation unlock growth
• The hidden danger in 60–90 day payment terms and the contract fine print that catches people out
• Why bookkeeping is the foundation, but forecasting is what prevents cash disasters
• The key roles that reduce chaos: bookkeeper, PM/superintendent, finance lead, admin support
• How a 3–6 month cash buffer helps you survive surprises and protect your reputation

Guest: Dustin Young (Fractional CFO for construction companies)
Website: https://www.ravencfo.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dustinhyoung
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ravencfo/

Host: Wes Towers
I’m the founder of Uplift 360, where we help trades and construction companies be found, trusted, and chosen online. We build high-performing websites and use Search Everywhere Optimisation to turn real expertise into visibility, trust, and leads across search and the platforms people use to vet you.
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 fail because they’re bad at the work. They fail because they take the wrong jobs, price from scarcity, and don’t have the numbers to see what’s really happening until it’s too late.

In this episode of Built. Trusted. Chosen., I sat down with Dan Bamper, a fractional CFO who works specifically with contractors and trades businesses. We got practical about what actually moves the needle when you’re trying to grow past seven figures: choosing the right work, tracking the right metrics, building a team that can run without you, and positioning your business so customers trust you and choose you.

You’ll take away:

• How to stop taking “any job” and start pricing with margin, overhead, and profit baked in
• Why “not knowing your numbers” is the silent killer, and what to track beyond the P&L
• The shift from one truck to a scalable operation with a central hub, team targets, and systems
• How your revenue mix can lift margins with small, smart tweaks
• Why you should market to your best clients and actively repel the worst ones
• How to position with standards, data, and risk reversal so trust is built faster

Guest: Dan Bamper is a fractional CFO for contractors and trades businesses based in Oklahoma City, USA. He’s the founder of Black Belt Ledgers and helps seven-figure contractors build data-driven systems so they can scale with clarity, protect margins, and make decisions with confidence instead of guesswork.

Website: https://blackbeltledgers.com/

Host: Wes Towers, Founder of Uplift 360. I help trades and construction companies grow by making sure they show up as the obvious choice online. Uplift 360 builds high-performing websites and content systems that turn attention into trust, and trust into better enquiries. That includes clearer positioning, stronger proof (projects, process, people), and Search Everywhere Optimisation so the right customers can find you across Google, maps, social, and AI-driven search. The goal is straightforward: attract better-fit work, lift conversion, and support sustainable growth without relying on discounting or constant quoting.

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

CTA: 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 aren’t struggling because the work is hard. They’re struggling because hiring turns into “whoever shows up”, expectations stay fuzzy, and trust gets chipped away in a hundred small moments.

In this episode of Built. Trusted. Chosen., I sat down with Traci Austin to talk about what actually creates retention in construction. We unpack how to hire for genuine fit (not just experience), how culture is built through the behaviours you tolerate, and why clarity on outcomes beats busywork every time. Traci also shares simple leadership questions you can use immediately to understand what people want and how to keep the right ones.

You’ll take away:

• How to avoid hiring “warm bodies” using a fit-to-role scorecard (skills, culture, behaviour)
• Why culture is simply the behaviours you allow (and what that means on a job site)
• How reputation and a real pathway drive retention more than perks
• A “work bucket list” question that upgrades one-on-ones fast
• How to lead teams around outcomes (quality, results), not just outputs (activity)
• Why trust is won or lost in micro-promises, and how to rebuild it through communication

Guest: Traci Austin is the Founder and CEO of Elevated Talent Consulting. She helps construction and blue-collar organisations build stronger leaders, reduce turnover, and create cultures people genuinely want to stay in. Her work sits at the intersection of leadership development, practical hiring systems, and day-to-day jobsite behaviours, with a focus on clear expectations and higher standards without burning people out.

Website: https://elevatedtalentconsulting.com/

Free Tough Talk Blueprint: https://elevatedtalentconsulting.com/the-tough-talk-blueprint/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/traci-austin/

Host: Wes Towers, Founder of Uplift 360. I help trades and construction companies be found, trusted, and chosen online by turning their websites into their best salesperson. Uplift 360 builds high-performing websites and content systems designed around how people actually choose contractors and construction partners: clearer positioning, stronger proof (projects, process, people), and Search Everywhere Optimisation so your business shows up where decisions get made (Google, maps, social, and increasingly AI-driven search). The goal is simple: more qualified enquiries, better-fit clients, and a brand that looks as professional as the work you deliver.

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 lose money from one big mistake. They lose it from a hundred small “interpretation” mistakes that turn into RFIs, rework, delays, and budget blowouts.

In this episode, I sat down with Dennis Dixon to unpack why noncompliance is the thread tying together so many project failures, and how AI is already being used on-site in practical ways (often by the people you’d least expect). 

Dennis also breaks down why many industries skipped the basics of automation and jumped straight to AI, and what leaders can do to get the upside without losing the human edge that makes great work… great.

You’ll take away:

• Why trades were early adopters of AI on-site (and what they used it for)
• Why AI works best as an assistant, not a replacement
• How noncompliance quietly drives cost and schedule blowouts
• Why hundreds of project handoffs create “interpretation risk” and RFIs
• How missing automation fundamentals is holding teams back with AI
• Why trust is dropping, and how leaders build it back through reputation and clarity
  
  

Guest: Dennis Dixon is the Co-founder & CEO of OQULi (Canada) and the creator of CODiii, a platform focused on helping AECO teams navigate compliance and reduce project friction.
Guest links:
https://codiii.com/
https://www.oquli.ca/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dennisod/

Wes Towers - Uplift 360: 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/

Trust in construction is getting hammered, and when clients shop like it’s online retail, everyone loses. Lowest bid wins, corners get cut, change orders explode, and reputations get dragged.

In this episode, I’m joined by Eugene Gershman from GIS Companies. Eugene’s come up through a construction family, ran contractor operations, and now focuses fully on development management. We get into what actually protects projects when the market’s tight: real relationships, clear fees, and refusing to build off “cheap” design that isn’t truly buildable.

You’ll take away:

• Why “permit-only” drawings can be a financial grenade once you hit site
• How low-bid wins often turns into change-order pain (for both owner and contractor)
• A better way to compare contractors: fee, margin, and how they value themselves
• Why you can’t build trust, or buildings, from behind a computer screen
• How simple “old school” touches can help contractors stand out in an AI-noisy world

Eugene Gershman is a real estate developer and the lead at GIS Companies, helping property owners structure, finance, and execute development projects from feasibility through delivery.
Guest links: https://giscompanies.co/
Feasibility Study Checklist: https://giscompanies.co/development/feasibility-study/
Eugene’s podcast (Real Estate Development: Land to Legacy): https://giscompanies.co/podcast/

Wes Towers - Uplift 360
I help trades and construction companies be found, trusted, and chosen online through high-performing websites and Search Everywhere Optimisation.
Visit: 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 a lack of work. They stall when the owner becomes the bottleneck due to a lack of leadership.

In this episode, Dr Andy Neillie breaks down the real-world leadership shifts that help construction business owners and leaders scale: clearer expectations, better conversations, stronger trust, and a culture that doesn’t rely on you being everywhere at once.

You’ll take away:
• The “tools to team” mindset shift that separates operators from leaders
• How to build trust with your crew (and stop losing it through small slip-ups)
• Why hard conversations are a leadership skill, not a personality trait
• Simple structure that supports scale: clarity, roles, and follow-through
• How to lead with standards and care (without becoming the bottleneck)

Dr Andy Neillie is a leadership speaker and leadership development specialist who helps businesses turn managers into effective leaders.

Neillie Leadership Group: https://neillieleadershipgroup.com/

Free ebook: https://leadershipmaterials.com

Host: Wes Towers - Uplift 360
I help trades and construction companies be found, trusted, and chosen online through high-performing websites and Search Everywhere Optimisation (SEO).

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

If you’re in trades or construction and the business can’t run without you, you’re not “busy”… you’re boxed in.

In this conversation with Richard Walsh, we unpack what really keeps contractors stuck on the hamster wheel, and how to rebuild a business that creates time, profit, and options (including a real exit). Richard’s story includes massive wins, losing everything, and the hard reset that forced him to design a different kind of business and life.

You’ll take away:

• Making money is rarely the hard part, it’s the systems, compliance, and leadership that keep it alive
• When your business becomes your identity, you’ll defend it with bad decisions
• The non-negotiables that protect your family and stop the business taking over
• A simple exit strategy framework: “how long and how much”, then reverse engineer the plan
• The “5%” founders should focus on (and how to delegate the rest properly)
• Why delegation fails when it’s just “do this”, and how to build guardrails so your team can win daily
  
  

Guest: Richard Walsh
Richard Walsh is the CEO of Sharpen the Spear Coaching and the author of Escape the Owner Prison, focused on helping business owners (especially contractors) regain control and scale with less chaos.
Website: https://sharpenthespearcoaching.com
Email (free audiobook request): [email protected]

Host: Wes Towers (Uplift 360)
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/