Inspired Builders Podcast

Drive past a Gold Coast waterfront home and you see a fence. Take a boat down the canal behind it and you see the whole house, the view and the work that went into it.

Most of what builders create is only ever seen from the road.

In this episode of the Inspired Builders Show, Corne and JP break down The Handover Window, the short stretch before the keys change hands when the story of your build is still yours to capture.

On the news desk, a Master Builders Australia report on skilled migration. Construction trades are now weighted on par with university degrees in the points test, and we talk about what that says about how the country values your trade.

Then a run of wins from the Bizvideo camp. A builder whose content is now being shared by architects as the authority in his niche. A client five and a half years in, sitting down to plan the next 12 months. And a podcast we just recorded with a veteran builder that ran for two hours and 15 minutes.

Plus why community sits above every marketing tactic we ever talk about.

Master Builders Australia report mentioned on air:

https://masterbuilders.com.au/skilled-migration-announcement-good-news-for-home-builds/

New episode every week. This show is for our builders first, and if you're not working with us yet, pull up a chair.

Are you a builder? Do you want to be cutting-edge in your marketplace?

Schedule your Story Strategy Session:

https://go.bizvideo.com.au/consult

FREE TRAINING FOR BUILDERS

https://go.bizvideo.com.au/story-training

Disclaimer: The content in this podcast or video is provided for informational and entertainment purposes only and does not constitute professional advice of any kind, including financial, legal, medical, or business guidance—listeners and viewers should consult qualified professionals for advice specific to their situation. By accessing, listening to, or viewing this podcast or video, you acknowledge that the hosts and producers make no warranties regarding the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented, and all content is provided "as is." Any references to external websites, resources, or third-party materials do not constitute endorsements and do not necessarily reflect our views, nor are we responsible for their accuracy or content. Listeners and viewers participate at their own discretion and risk, and the hosts, producers, and affiliates of this podcast or video disclaim any liability for decisions or actions taken based on information shared in this podcast or video.

In this week's episode of the Inspired Builders Show, JP and Corne break down Expand, Don't Contract, a one-move-a-week approach to growing your building business while everyone around you pulls back.

They also cover last week's rate rise and the house approvals number that barely got a mention, plus a builder whose client came in with a $400k budget, saw a first price of $650k, cut it back to $390k and never once shopped it around. Then Corne and JP get into who you surround yourself with, and why one builder let three of his best people go last week.

The clip in this episode is from Grant Cardone, founder of Cardone Capital and the 10X Growth Conference. Follow him on Instagram at @grantcardone.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/Dd9Cxscxyk9/

New episode every week. This show is for our builders first, and if you're not working with us yet, pull up a chair.

Are you a builder? Do you want to be cutting-edge in your marketplace?

Schedule your Story Strategy Session:

https://go.bizvideo.com.au/consult

FREE TRAINING FOR BUILDERS

https://go.bizvideo.com.au/story-training

Disclaimer: The content in this podcast or video is provided for informational and entertainment purposes only and does not constitute professional advice of any kind, including financial, legal, medical, or business guidance—listeners and viewers should consult qualified professionals for advice specific to their situation. By accessing, listening to, or viewing this podcast or video, you acknowledge that the hosts and producers make no warranties regarding the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented, and all content is provided "as is." Any references to external websites, resources, or third-party materials do not constitute endorsements and do not necessarily reflect our views, nor are we responsible for their accuracy or content. Listeners and viewers participate at their own discretion and risk, and the hosts, producers, and affiliates of this podcast or video disclaim any liability for decisions or actions taken based on information shared in this podcast or video.

The RBA lifted the cash rate again yesterday. If you have a client borrowing for their build, or releasing equity to fund it, the bank can still change the rate on that loan at the final hour. Most builders will wait to hear about it. A few will pick up the phone first.

In this week's episode of the Inspired Builders Show, JP and Corne break down The Front Foot Call, the conversation to have with every borrowing client this week: the maths done for them, the value managing options ready, and the trust that comes from being the one who rang first. They also cover The Which Means Rule, JP's fix for the jargon habit he caught himself in twice on the same job.

Also in this episode: a builder win from Coffs Harbour, a client of five and a half years who went from carports and small renos to a full senior leadership team and hit two five year visions in four years. And why a referral is not a done deal anymore, including what three clients over 60 admitted when the team rang them.

Corne mentions How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie.

Have a story, a win or a lesson from your own business? Email JP directly at [email protected] and it might make the show.

New episode every week. This show is for our builders first, and if you're not working with us yet, pull up a chair.

Are you a builder? Do you want to be cutting-edge in your marketplace?

Schedule your Story Strategy Session:

https://go.bizvideo.com.au/consult

FREE TRAINING FOR BUILDERS

https://go.bizvideo.com.au/story-training

Disclaimer: The content in this podcast or video is provided for informational and entertainment purposes only and does not constitute professional advice of any kind, including financial, legal, medical, or business guidance—listeners and viewers should consult qualified professionals for advice specific to their situation. By accessing, listening to, or viewing this podcast or video, you acknowledge that the hosts and producers make no warranties regarding the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented, and all content is provided "as is." Any references to external websites, resources, or third-party materials do not constitute endorsements and do not necessarily reflect our views, nor are we responsible for their accuracy or content. Listeners and viewers participate at their own discretion and risk, and the hosts, producers, and affiliates of this podcast or video disclaim any liability for decisions or actions taken based on information shared in this podcast or video.

A client falls in love with a design before they ever meet you. You price it properly, it lands way over their number, and the job dies right there.

Builders lose work every week over things the client never needed.

In this episode of the Inspired Builders Show, JP and Corne break down Must-Haves and Nice-To-Haves, a way to design to the client's number and walk them through the quote so they can see every box ticked. The example is a million-dollar brief that came in at $960,000, wine cellar included.

Also in this one: a 2020 case study that is still winning work, a home show video nobody could hear, and JP's own proposal that got forwarded with FYI on top. Plus speed to lead, what to do with an enquiry below your usual budget, and a camping trip with a six-year-old that covered nine and a half kilometres.

The line about how kids spell love comes from Dan Martell. Find him on YouTube and on The Martell Method podcast.

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

Dads, if you want in on the next camp with the kids, email [email protected] with "Camp" in the subject line.

Tell us in the comments how you present your quotes. Do you email them, or sit down with the client?

New episode every week. This show is for our builders first, and if you're not working with us yet, pull up a chair.

Are you a builder? Do you want to be cutting-edge in your marketplace?

Schedule your Story Strategy Session:

https://go.bizvideo.com.au/consult

FREE TRAINING FOR BUILDERS

https://go.bizvideo.com.au/story-training

Disclaimer: The content in this podcast or video is provided for informational and entertainment purposes only and does not constitute professional advice of any kind, including financial, legal, medical, or business guidance—listeners and viewers should consult qualified professionals for advice specific to their situation. By accessing, listening to, or viewing this podcast or video, you acknowledge that the hosts and producers make no warranties regarding the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented, and all content is provided "as is." Any references to external websites, resources, or third-party materials do not constitute endorsements and do not necessarily reflect our views, nor are we responsible for their accuracy or content. Listeners and viewers participate at their own discretion and risk, and the hosts, producers, and affiliates of this podcast or video disclaim any liability for decisions or actions taken based on information shared in this podcast or video.

One of our builders shared a win with JP on Friday. Two new projects, one for his next door neighbour and one just down the road. Here is the part worth sitting with. On the neighbour's home, a new build in the $1.5 to $2 million range, he was 10% dearer than the next builder, and the clients signed with him anyway. When he explains why, he barely mentions the quote. He talks about his process, and about everything the clients had seen before the price ever landed.

In this episode of the Inspired Builders Show, JP and Corne break down The Ambassador Send, a pen and paper exercise built on the same idea. The people who refer you are already selling you, so give them the story that does the educating before the price arrives. Right now they are doing it empty-handed.

Also on the show. A supplier rep who rang a builder just to say his video was amazing, and what that call actually signals. $10,000 government incentives on 32,000 new apprentices, plus the runway that keeps them past year one. And the doorman fallacy, where cutting an $80,000 doorman cost a hotel far more than it saved.

The apprentice incentive Corne shared on screen: https://ministers.dewr.gov.au/giles/32000-new-apprentice-tradies-get-their-start-building-more-homes-backed-10k-incentives

The doorman fallacy comes from the advertising writer Rory Sutherland.

New episode every week. This show is for our builders first, and if you're not working with us yet, pull up a chair.

Are you a builder? Do you want to be cutting-edge in your marketplace?

Schedule your Story Strategy Session:

https://go.bizvideo.com.au/consult

FREE TRAINING FOR BUILDERS

https://go.bizvideo.com.au/story-training

Disclaimer: The content in this podcast or video is provided for informational and entertainment purposes only and does not constitute professional advice of any kind, including financial, legal, medical, or business guidance—listeners and viewers should consult qualified professionals for advice specific to their situation. By accessing, listening to, or viewing this podcast or video, you acknowledge that the hosts and producers make no warranties regarding the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented, and all content is provided "as is." Any references to external websites, resources, or third-party materials do not constitute endorsements and do not necessarily reflect our views, nor are we responsible for their accuracy or content. Listeners and viewers participate at their own discretion and risk, and the hosts, producers, and affiliates of this podcast or video disclaim any liability for decisions or actions taken based on information shared in this podcast or video.

A builder's client was deep in preconstruction. Fourth design round, price creeping, months on the clock. Then their kid rolled his ankle at soccer, and that night the parents parked the whole build.

In this episode of the Inspired Builders Show, JP and Corne break down The Energy Transfer, a one-call move for restarting a deal that has stalled in preconstruction. Your client started this process excited. Six months of design rounds and creeping prices drained that away, and nobody else in the deal is going to bring it back.

Also on the show. Granny flat rules are easing state by state, which opens a product line most builders are still ignoring. Australia needs another 300,000 construction workers by mid 2027, so your marketing has a second job now: recruiting the trades who will build your pipeline. Two client wins from builders who worked out who they are before they worked out how to grow. And the question that closes the episode: who believes in you, and who are you being that person for?

Corne pulls in the desire principle from Breakthrough Advertising by Eugene Schwartz, plus a story from the My First Million podcast about a door knocker who priced every no at exactly $5.

New episode every week. This show is for our builders first, and if you're not working with us yet, pull up a chair.

Are you a builder? Do you want to be cutting-edge in your marketplace?

Schedule your Story Strategy Session:

https://go.bizvideo.com.au/consult

FREE TRAINING FOR BUILDERS

https://go.bizvideo.com.au/story-training

Disclaimer: The content in this podcast or video is provided for informational and entertainment purposes only and does not constitute professional advice of any kind, including financial, legal, medical, or business guidance—listeners and viewers should consult qualified professionals for advice specific to their situation. By accessing, listening to, or viewing this podcast or video, you acknowledge that the hosts and producers make no warranties regarding the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented, and all content is provided "as is." Any references to external websites, resources, or third-party materials do not constitute endorsements and do not necessarily reflect our views, nor are we responsible for their accuracy or content. Listeners and viewers participate at their own discretion and risk, and the hosts, producers, and affiliates of this podcast or video disclaim any liability for decisions or actions taken based on information shared in this podcast or video.

What happens when an entire industry realizes everything they believed about profit and pricing was wrong?

Builders often feel isolated, competing on price and mistaking high cash flow for profitability.

This episode is about exposing the shocking false beliefs and financial errors holding thousands of Australian builders back.

What if you could adopt the mindset and systems of the top 1% of performers and achieve reliable, double-digit net profit margins?

In this episode of the Inspired Builders Podcast, Corné and JP sit down with Russ from the Association of Professional Builders (APB), who shares data from their annual industry report. We explore the massive shifts in mindset and strategy that are required to move beyond burnout and build the predictable business you deserve.

Russ's story is a must-listen for any builder looking to break through limitations and transform their business into a high-performance asset.

You'll learn:

- How to correctly calculate your WIP (Work in Progress) – The single most important calculation that 89% of builders get wrong, creating a huge hidden liability.

- The power of the Construction Slot Strategy – How limiting your supply creates urgency and allows you to increase your margins without being "salesy."

- Why reinvesting 3% of your revenue back into marketing is the sweet spot – And how that investment leads to higher net margins than relying solely on referrals.

Are you a builder? Do you want to be cutting-edge in your marketplace?

Schedule your Story Strategy Session:

https://go.bizvideo.com.au/consult

FREE TRAINING FOR BUILDERS

https://go.bizvideo.com.au/story-training

Disclaimer: The content in this podcast or video is provided for informational and entertainment purposes only and does not constitute professional advice of any kind, including financial, legal, medical, or business guidance—listeners and viewers should consult qualified professionals for advice specific to their situation. By accessing, listening to, or viewing this podcast or video, you acknowledge that the hosts and producers make no warranties regarding the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented, and all content is provided "as is." Any references to external websites, resources, or third-party materials do not constitute endorsements and do not necessarily reflect our views, nor are we responsible for their accuracy or content. Listeners and viewers participate at their own discretion and risk, and the hosts, producers, and affiliates of this podcast or video disclaim any liability for decisions or actions taken based on information shared in this podcast or video.

Every enquiry that walks through your door is cold. The referral too, and there is a reason for that. Trust and timing are two different scales, and the one every builder measures is the one they cannot control.

In this episode of the Inspired Builders Show, JP and Corne break down The Given List, a one-site walk that finds the ten things you do on every job that no client has ever heard, and where to put each one so a prospect reads it before they ring.

Also on the show. Awards season and what to post before you win. A tradie who watched one overview video and rang the builder to say he would run through brick walls for him. The two and a half year old post that proves reposting works. And why your last quarter of the year is three months long.

Corne heard the Schlitz story on the Founders podcast, in the episode on Claude Hopkins and his book Scientific Advertising. JP and Corne were also guests on Mick Halls' podcast, The Tool Shed, out soon.

The Given List one-pager is this week's cheat sheet. Email [email protected] with "The Given List" in the subject line and JP will send it straight over.

New episode every week. This show is for our builders first, and if you're not working with us yet, pull up a chair.

Are you a builder? Do you want to be cutting-edge in your marketplace?

Schedule your Story Strategy Session:

https://go.bizvideo.com.au/consult

FREE TRAINING FOR BUILDERS

https://go.bizvideo.com.au/story-training

Disclaimer: The content in this podcast or video is provided for informational and entertainment purposes only and does not constitute professional advice of any kind, including financial, legal, medical, or business guidance—listeners and viewers should consult qualified professionals for advice specific to their situation. By accessing, listening to, or viewing this podcast or video, you acknowledge that the hosts and producers make no warranties regarding the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented, and all content is provided "as is." Any references to external websites, resources, or third-party materials do not constitute endorsements and do not necessarily reflect our views, nor are we responsible for their accuracy or content. Listeners and viewers participate at their own discretion and risk, and the hosts, producers, and affiliates of this podcast or video disclaim any liability for decisions or actions taken based on information shared in this podcast or video.

Corne and JP both rode Brisbane to the Gold Coast this year, ninety eight kilometres with thousands of others on the start line. Corne crossed in two hours thirty five, which is roughly where he always lands. His average heart rate was 178. Every other year it has sat around 160.

JP came in about sixteen minutes off, and was surprised it wasn't worse given how he felt on the day.

Same times on the clock as usual. Nothing like the same ride. That gap was decided in the weeks before the start line, not on the road.

In episode 170 of the Inspired Builders Show, JP and Corne break down The Failure List, a ten minute exercise for naming every reason your next goal falls over, then separating the reasons you can actually do something about. It comes from Charlie Munger's inversion model, pointed at a building business.

Also in this one, a builder who shifted his marketing over the last eighteen months and is now quoting from a position where he wins either way. There is a run at why trades and suppliers reaching out is worth as much as an enquiry, a Grant Cardone point about who your content is really for, and the case for looking after supplier relationships long before the day you need to ring someone.

New episode every week. This show is for our builders first, and if you're not working with us yet, pull up a chair.

Are you a builder? Do you want to be cutting-edge in your marketplace?

Schedule your Story Strategy Session:

https://go.bizvideo.com.au/consult

FREE TRAINING FOR BUILDERS

https://go.bizvideo.com.au/story-training

Disclaimer: The content in this podcast or video is provided for informational and entertainment purposes only and does not constitute professional advice of any kind, including financial, legal, medical, or business guidance—listeners and viewers should consult qualified professionals for advice specific to their situation. By accessing, listening to, or viewing this podcast or video, you acknowledge that the hosts and producers make no warranties regarding the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented, and all content is provided "as is." Any references to external websites, resources, or third-party materials do not constitute endorsements and do not necessarily reflect our views, nor are we responsible for their accuracy or content. Listeners and viewers participate at their own discretion and risk, and the hosts, producers, and affiliates of this podcast or video disclaim any liability for decisions or actions taken based on information shared in this podcast or video.

The "One Percenter" Approach to Custom Building with Natasha of Regal Homes

How does a builder move from "just another contractor" to a trusted advisor that clients won't make a move without?

In this episode, we sit down with Natasha from Regal Homes in Canberra. Natasha is what we call a "one percenter"—someone who obsessively looks at how to improve her business, her team, and the client journey every single day.

After rebranding and navigating the complexities of the last few years, Natasha has doubled down on a radical approach: Human-led construction. From "unreasonable hospitality" (borrowing a leaf from the world’s best restaurants) to her famous "snack drawer" for clients' kids, she’s proving that being a "mum" in business is actually her greatest competitive advantage.

We dive into:

The "Shovel-Ready" Trap: Why chasing ready-to-build projects might be costing you the relationship.

Designing for Flow: The specific questions Natasha asks to ensure a home works for a family today—and ten years from now.

The Power of Loyalty: How backing her team during a difficult personnel shift created a culture of "stepping up."

Hospitality as a Brand: Moving beyond transactions to create an experience where clients say, "Whatever you think, Tash, I trust you."

The 1% Gains: How streamlining estimating and marketing has won back time to spend where it matters most—with the clients.

If you’re a builder looking to move out of obscurity and build a business based on deep trust and word-of-mouth referrals, this conversation is a masterclass in lead-generation through genuine care.

Connect with Inspired Builders:

https://go.bizvideo.com.au/consult

About Regal Homes:

Specialising in custom homes and multi-generational living in the Canberra region, Regal Homes is dedicated to a "client-first" philosophy that treats every project like an extension of their own family.

Connect with Regal Homes:

Website - https://regalhomes.com.au/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/regalhomesaus/

Are you a builder? Do you want to be cutting-edge in your marketplace?

Schedule your Story Strategy Session:

https://go.bizvideo.com.au/consult

FREE TRAINING FOR BUILDERS

https://go.bizvideo.com.au/story-training

Disclaimer: The content in this podcast or video is provided for informational and entertainment purposes only and does not constitute professional advice of any kind, including financial, legal, medical, or business guidance—listeners and viewers should consult qualified professionals for advice specific to their situation. By accessing, listening to, or viewing this podcast or video, you acknowledge that the hosts and producers make no warranties regarding the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented, and all content is provided "as is." Any references to external websites, resources, or third-party materials do not constitute endorsements and do not necessarily reflect our views, nor are we responsible for their accuracy or content. Listeners and viewers participate at their own discretion and risk, and the hosts, producers, and affiliates of this podcast or video disclaim any liability for decisions or actions taken based on information shared in this podcast or video.