Construction Disruption

“As we get older, you have a choice. You can either share it or keep it. Well, I'm choosing to share it. My business plan is to support you at creating and helping you meet your sustainability message.”-Brian Iverson, CEO of Innovated Structures, Inc.

When an innovation hits the market, the landscape shifts. New companies race to sell it, customers clamor for it, and a new solution often holds the potential to change the world. Inventor Brian Iverson is all too familiar with this process, with double-digit patents to his name.

Brian’s flagship product, Tstud™, addresses thermal bridging, greatly increasing the energy efficiency of homes and businesses and saving money along the way. Listen along as he explains the science behind Tstud™ and his approach to sharing his innovations with the world.

Topics discussed in this interview:

-      The upcoming Metal Roofing Summit

-      Brian’s start in construction

-      Solving condensation issues in Minnesota

-      Focusing on conservation

-      What is a Tstud™, and how does it work?

-      When will Tstud™ come to market?

-      What’s the distribution strategy?

-      What is Innovated Structures, Inc.?

-      Recycled windmill blades and industrial recycling

-      Opening investment to the next generation

-      Stay tuned to the sustainability space

-      Rapid-fire questions

To learn more about the Tstuds™ or the science behind them, visit tstud.com.

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This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique http://podcastboutique.com

“If we could change homeowner’s mindsets on how to be with contractors and contractors how to be with homeowners, everything would move smoothly. Especially if I could educate homeowners and contractors to improve their processes, that’s the big impact I would like.”

-Rico León, Host of HGTV’s Rico to the Rescue.

While every contractor deals with difficult clients, few develop systems of doing business to protect all parties, ensuring a successful project. Fewer still spread their ideas to help the entire industry. And very few make it their career.

Rico León, host of HGTV’s Rico to the Rescue, has made it his life’s work to bridge the gap between disappointed homeowners and maligned contractors, all spurred by a negative experience earlier in his family’s life. Now, he advocates for both sides, running a construction and real estate consulting business while hosting his new TV show.

Listen in as Rico shares his passion for bringing peace to troubled homeowner-contractor relationships, his goals for the industry’s future, and tips on how contractors and homeowners can be informed and prepared before starting a home improvement project.

Topics discussed in this interview:

- The upcoming Metal Roofing Summit

- Rico’s background in construction

- Developing systems and processes to protect homeowners and contractors

- Looking beyond the sale for a better construction experience

- Checking all the boxes for a smooth installation

- Widespread miscommunication and money management

- Rico’s real estate ventures

- Serving as the first Latino HGTV host

- Choose your clients wisely

- Bridging the gap between contractor and client

- Anger as the fuel for change

- Rapid-fire questions

For real estate or construction consulting, real estate development, construction, roofing, and media production, visit Rico’s site, ricoleon.com. Catch episodes of Rico to the Rescue on HGTV, too.

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This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique http://podcastboutique.com

“Anodizing is both a science and an art. And what we're doing with the anodizing process is we're building a translucent oxide layer to a much, much thicker level, which protects the aluminum; it stops the oxidation process.”

-Park Kersman, President of Lorin Industries.

Most of us have heard of anodized aluminum, maybe with aircraft parts, old-school cookware, or as a “fancy” material option. Anodized aluminum is a chemical process that changes aluminum, adding a durable finish. With thousands of applications, anodizing plays a vital role in many industries. As material science advances, anodizing provides a durable solution through an environmentally friendly process. 

Lorin Industries has been in the anodizing business for decades, and Park Kersman, the third-generation president, demystifies the anodizing process. Lorin specializes in coil anodizing, opening up new possibilities for anodized materials. Listen in as Park shares why you should pay attention to anodizing, especially our listeners in construction and architecture.

Topics discussed in this interview:

-      The upcoming Metal Roofing Summit

-      The origins of Lorin Industries

-      Discovery of coil anodizing vs. traditional anodizing

-      The power of committed employees

-      The science behind anodization

-      Longevity and a green process

-      Anodization avoids common coating pitfalls

-      Expanding Lorin’s offerings and color choices

-      Anodization outside of building products

-      Unique opportunities for architects

-      Are other metals good candidates for anodization?

-      How do anodized metals fare as roofing?

-      Rapid-fire questions

To learn more about anodized aluminum, visit lorin.com or contact Park at [email protected] or 231-727-6765.

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This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique http://podcastboutique.com

“There wasn’t this residential understanding of our home environments and indoor air quality and environmental aspects regarding residential homes. Nobody even thought about it. So I started on that path and gathered all the information and education I could learn from every indoor air quality class I could take or every certification of public health.” -Caroline Blazovsky, America’s Healthy Home Expert®, and CEO of My Healthy Home®.

With the pandemic’s effects lingering around the globe, we’re all familiar with air quality concerns, safety precautions, and the effects our environment can have on health. Just a few decades ago, our awareness was severely lacking, especially in the role our homes play.

Today’s guest, expert Caroline Blazovsky, pioneered the ‘healthy home’ idea, lofting her understanding of air quality, contaminants, defective building products, and health concerns into the public eye. Since then, the construction industry and homeowners alike have made great strides in acknowledging current problems and improving products for healthier homes.

Listen along as Caroline shares stories from her thousands of home inspections, diagnosing conditions, and helping homeowners take control of their healthy homes.

Topics discussed in this interview:

- Caroline’s career path to date

- Trailblazing the healthy home concept

- What does a healthy home expert do?

- Standout stories from 30,000 home inspections

- Our actions affect our environment more than we know

- Test your home yourself

- Should you get your ducts cleaned?

- Chemical sensitivity and homebuilding

- Dealing with problems in Caroline’s own home

- Do we need a governing body for construction products?

- Building healthy to ensure sustainability

- Rapid-fire questions

For more information on keeping homes in tip-top shape, visit healthyhomeexpert.com. 

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This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique http://podcastboutique.com

“When you're in a sales situation, the prospect knows you're a salesman and they're afraid of you. Because the perception is that salesmen always want to close the sale. But there's no mutual mystification. Everybody has to understand what's going through the mind of the other person. I tell people it's okay for them to tell me no if we're not a fit.”

-Rolf Snobeck, National Strategic Account Manager at Tecta America.

Sales are too often about hitting goals and closing deals instead of allowing the customer to be the focus. Our guest, roofing industry veteran Rolf Snobeck, has a different take. Ethical selling finds the best solution for a customer’s problem through careful collaboration. A crucial part of the formula is knowing your company’s offerings and sending customers to where their needs are met, even with another firm.

With the customer’s best interest at heart, an ethical salesperson allays concerns and creates the ideal solution. Ethical sales fly in the face of expectation, elevating the experience for us all.

Topics discussed in this interview:

-      The 2023 Metal Roofing Summit is April 25-27 in Dayton, OH

-      Rolf’s introduction to roofing

-      Inside look at Tecta America and Rolf’s duties as an account manager

-      Experiences on the roofing design, contractor, and manufacturer sides

-      Buying processes and changing buyer priorities

-      Ethical sales and selling a solution

-      Focusing on helping the customer

-      Significant changes in roofing over 40 years

-      The skilled labor shortage

-      NRCA’s ProCertification®

-      The benefits of proactive roof maintenance

-      A truly sustainable mindset

-      CAC-BEF, an NFP dedicated to putting students through college in construction fields

-      Rapid-fire questions

Give Rolf a call at 630-514-1867 and find him on LinkedIn. Also, check out the Chicago Area Chapter Building Envelope Foundation if you or someone you know is pursuing a college degree in the building field.

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This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique http://podcastboutique.com

“There’s always something, a peril in your area. And are you willing to do something to help you survive it? You should always say, what does it take? I’m going to be around when it’s over.” -George Siegal, Documentary Filmmaker at Move the World Films and host of the Tell Us How to Make It Better podcast.

In the wake of Hurricane Michael, filmmaker George Siegal was creating his second film, The Last House Standing. Driven by bad experiences with builders and building codes desperately needing an update, the storm’s aftermath was a stark call to action.

Especially after Hurricane Ian, the film’s message rings true for homeowners. No matter where you live, George believes that “everybody could do something better to improve their house,” no matter if you deal with snow, tropical storms, wildfires, or earthquakes. Until building codes and builders put more time and care into homes, homeowners should do what they can.

Listen along as George gives us insight into his award-winning documentary, the fight to build better homes, and the lessons he learned interviewing victims of major disasters.

Topics discussed in this interview:

- George’s start in broadcasting

- His motivation in making The Last House Standing

- The story behind the Sand Palace

- Building to code in hurricane-prone areas

- Choosing the best build possible

- The human costs of disruption after a storm

- George’s personal experience with builders

- Spreading awareness of the film’s message

- The aftermath of Hurricane Michael

- Updating codes for future storms

- The value of experience and skill

Media mentioned: The Parent Test on ABC

Watch The Last House Standing on their site or through Tubi TV. Also, catch episodes of George’s podcast, Tell Us How to Make It Better.

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This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique http://podcastboutique.com

“When we thought through the reality of what that looked like and how strongly we felt about the environment and doing things locally and helping our local supply chains and supporting regional forestry, we knew that we couldn’t accomplish what we felt so strongly in our hearts to be the right thing while also not doing it ourselves.” -Britta Teller, Co-founder and CSO of Steller Floors.

Like many successful businesses, Steller Floors started from an innovative idea. With sustainability at the core, their flooring design would facilitate a circular economy of repair, replacement, and resale. Listen along as we interview co-founder Britta Teller on her journey from college professor to entrepreneur and the lessons she’s learned on the way.

Britta dives into the values that started the company and the methods they’ve employed to keep those values front and center. By shouldering the responsibility to bring their product to market, Steller Floors decided to aim at changing the flooring market forever. 

Topics discussed in this interview:

- Transitioning from academia to manufacturing

- Running with an innovation 

- Business development support

- Sustainability and wood products

- Choosing the best trees and forests

- Maintaining love for the products as you scale up

- Joining the circular economy with wood flooring

- Enabling repair and replacement of individual planks

- The benefits of a Steller floor

- When starting a business, don’t be afraid to ask stupid questions

- Keeping community in focus

- Rapid-fire questions

Visit the Steller Floors website, or find them on Instagram and YouTube.

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This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique http://podcastboutique.com

“There are people that need you, and you have a chance to change a life absolutely forever, just like mine was. Young people are going through so much, and all they really need is just, you know, one person to tell them that they’re capable of so much more in life.” -Letitia Hanke, President/CEO of ARS Roofing, Gutters, and Solar and Founder/President of The LIME Foundation.

As a child, Letitia Hanke experienced bullying for her skin color. As an adult, she faced it again, as well as judgment for being a woman in charge of a construction company. Despite the obstacles in her way, she triumphed, creating a thriving business and a vital nonprofit organization dedicated to helping children who experience bullying.

Letitia is a shining example of resilience in the face of discrimination. She not only created a successful career for herself but gives back to her community, including children, teens, and seniors in need of love and guidance. Her LIME Foundation reaches seniors in need of community, disadvantaged youth through music, and students seeking a career in the trades.

Listen as Letitia shares her story, from a musical career to a life in the trades.

Topics discussed in this interview:

- Letitia’s early life and the circumstances that shaped her

- Her experience with bullying

- Transitioning from a career in music to construction

- Overcoming not just sexism, but racism

- ARS Roofing today

- Letitia’s nonprofit, The LIME Foundation

- Training the next generation of tradespeople

- Crafting a team who cares

- Success stories 

- The generational gap in skilled labor

- Rapid-fire questions

Email Letitia at [email protected] and visit The LIME Foundation to learn more and get involved.

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“With any professional, the three most important words we should be referring to is reputation, reputation, reputation. Value your reputation. All it takes is one dumb, rude, unthinking action to go ahead and ruin a perfectly good reputation.” -Charlie Bellefontaine, Licensed Home Inspector and Radio Host.

As a home inspector, you hold tremendous responsibility in making sure homes are safe and livable for clients. Homebuyers, homeowners, and realtors alike need to trust your judgment. Once you foster this base of trust, your reputation is critical to continued success and earning referrals.

Charlie Bellefontaine has been a home inspector for 30 years and holds reputation as one of the cornerstones of his business. If you visit his website, you’ll find several points assuring potential customers that their expectations will be exceeded and that each inspector is vetted for their experience and knowledge. 

Charlie and his company deliver a vital service that relies heavily on trust. So how does your business deal with trust? How will a good reputation catapult you to the next level? 

Topics discussed in this interview:

- Discovering a passion for home inspection

- A memorable inspection and the value of heeding advice

- What does it take to be a home inspector? And what should it take?

- Change in home inspection over the years

- The role of the realtor and their relationships with other professionals

- Advances in roof safety

- The ethics of contracting and home inspection

- The importance of reputation

- Rapid-fire questions

Visit Charlie’s website, thehomeinspectors.com, call him at 312-544-9180, or brush up on your home inspection knowledge at the Home Inspection University-Illinois at hiuil.com.

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“Branding’s not this big nebulous thing. It indicates how people feel about the company and how the public sees you in the public domain, whether it be digital, word-of-mouth, all of those things create your brand. In the world we live in today, your social and digital proof is really everything.” Claire Sakaoka, Owner and Chief Strategist of engage5w

So, you have a great product, a dedicated team, and a desire to reach people. But how do you get your message across in this world of rapidly dwindling attention spans, short videos, and online reviews? 

Branding, or crafting a narrative of your company and its interactions with customers, prospects, and anyone else, is vital. Your brand sticks with people, creating loyal customers who share positive experiences with friends and family or passionate haters rife with negative social media comments. As a contractor, your reputation becomes intertwined with your brand, creating opportunities for you.

Claire Sakaoka brings twenty years of experience in writing, marketing, and branding to help you build your brand and reach customers where they are.

Topics discussed in this interview:

- What is branding?

- How do marketing and branding interact?

- How does branding impact a construction/home improvement business?

- Copywriting and contractors

- Hiring and working with copywriters

- Taking advantage of social media marketing

- Web design and blogging

- Targeting specific customers

- Under-used social media platforms with potential

- Rapid-fire questions

Contact Claire at [email protected], visit her site engage5w.com, or find her on social media.

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