PowerTips Unscripted

Dave Pollard, Co-Founder & Design Director of Liv Companies outside of Chicago, joins the show to talk more about how his firm utilizes 3D renderings in almost every aspect of their business.

Leading LivCo’s design team, Dave’s process quickly takes hand sketches to full-blown renderings and walk-throughs, and they are even leveraging the power of quick video editing to help clients and prospects truly feel what their home can be, and leave every meeting feeling inspired.

LivCo has been leveraging the power of 3D design since they began design/build back in 2012.  Initially used simply as a creative tool for developing ideas, they quickly learned that the 3D output could take them to a higher level in sales, efficiency of communication, and marketing.

Victoria, Mark and Dave talk more about:

• The software LivCo uses and why they use it.
• An overview of LivCo’s general design workflow.
• Using 3D visualization for more than just client presentations.
• The time it takes to make deliverables to the client.
• The fees to the client for 3D renderings.
• And more…

LivCo’s Drawing Board Playlist on YouTube

VR Codes mentioned in this episode:

Jobs are Won or Lost During the Design Process - MasterClass coming up in January!

BUILDING AN EFFECTIVE DESIGN PROCESS

Created exclusively for design managers and senior-level designers in remodeling and custom building companies, this MasterClass brings together presentations from award-winning industry experts, best practice sharing, and more.  [ More Information + Registration ]

The post Ep.133: Harnessing the Power of 3D Visualization with Dave Pollard appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

There are many legal challenges that can appear suddenly for remodelers, builders and business owners.

Frivolous lawsuits, “Jekyll & Hyde” clients, predatory creditors, employment claims… you name it, it’s out there.

It is imperative to build your business on a foundation that can weather the storm so that, as our guest today puts it, it doesn’t matter.

In this episode, we talk more about the process of “shatterproofing” your business with America’s Legal Coach, Scott Reib.

Scott is the owner of ReibLaw, a full-service law firm with over 20 years of Business Law and Estate Planning experience. For the last two decades, Scott has been helping business owners, entrepreneurs, coaches, and service providers to “shatterproof” their businesses and succeed in the professional world.

Victoria, Mark and Scott cover:

• How Scott became known as America’s Legal Coach.
• The difference between a legal coach and a lawyer.
• What is meant by a “shatterproof” business.
• Why a business would need to be shatterproof.
• The biggest legal mistakes Scott sees businesses making.
• And more…

Share the Love and Spread the Word!

After almost 3 years and 130+ episodes, we’ve come a long way… and we thank you so much for listening. But, we’re never too proud or complacent to not ask for “the love” and to help spread the word about our podcast.

If you’re enjoying our PowerTips Unscripted podcast, please spread the word, share our episodes on social media and post reviews on iTunes, Stitcher and Spotify. We would love to hear your thoughts on our program. 

The post Ep.132: How to Shatterproof Your Business with America’s Legal Coach appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

Increasing efficiency is one of the easiest ways to increase your company’s profitability, and LEAN process improvement is an extremely popular direction to take for successful remodelers and builders out there.

We have discussed LEAN concepts in past episodes, including Episode 10 when we had Doug Howard on to talk about the LEAN consulting work he is doing with remodelers and builders around the country.

In this episode, Victoria and Mark look more closely at some of the aspects within the LEAN system and welcome Dean Tompkins to the show to discuss how using Value Stream Mapping can rapidly improve your business.

Dean is the Owner and Integrator for Payne & Payne Renovations and Design in Cleveland, Ohio and he, and his business partner David Payne, recently embarked on a LEAN process improvement journey.

Victoria, Mark and Dean talk more about:

• How Payne & Payne got started with LEAN Manufacturing concepts.
• How LEAN applies to remodeling and the custom building process.
• Aspects of the LEAN toolbox and which ones they used.
• How the Value Stream Mapping process went and what surprises they found.
• What the results of the process were and whether or not they would do it again.
• And more…

Imagine being more profitable than your competition, without having to be more expensive.

LEAN is a method of process improvement designed to simultaneously improve customer service, enhance employee morale and increase profitability — all with little or no capital investment.

Here at Remodelers Advantage we’ve taken the core principles of LEAN and developed the LEAN Remodeling System (LRS), which addresses the specific challenges facing remodeling businesses today.
[Click Here to Learn More]

The post Ep.131: All About LEAN and Value Stream Mapping with Dean Tompkins appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

What will accounting and administration departments look like in five years? With advancements in technology and the shift towards an outsourced “gig economy,” the change is coming and the decisions you make now are critical to preparing for that change.To look further into how the world of accounting and office administration is changing we welcome Jackie Shaw to the show.In addition to being a long-standing and extremely popular Roundtables facilitator, Jackie is founder and principal consultant of Get Organized! whose mission is to increase the happiness in the world by helping business owners deal with accounting & administrative challenges. She is a nationally recognized presenter, consultant and QuickBooks Wizard.Victoria, Mark and Jackie cover:* What accounting and administration departments will look like in 5 years.* What decisions you should be making (or not making) now to take advantage of technology advances and the gig economy.* Where owners are stumbling when making decisions about technology and staffing.* What a Controller position looks like currently and what it will be in 5 – 10 years.* What owners can do now to prepare for the change.* Pitfalls owners should watch out for in the next 5 years.* And more…

Check out Mark's New Book, Lobster on a Cheese Plate

As mentioned during this episode, make sure you check out Mark’s new book on marketing strategy, Lobster on a Cheese Plate. Plenty of great information for taking your company’s marketing to the next level. [Click here for more information & to order your copy!]

The latest statistics on fraud should be a wake-up call for every small business owner. According to a survey by HISCOX, a specialty insurance company, 80 percent of embezzlements occurred at small businesses and 30 percent involved a loss of more than $500,000.

With more work is being done remotely, including paying vendors and processing payroll, you must have controls and processes in place to avoid this happening to you.

In this episode, we welcome Vicki Suiter, who shares simple practices and processes to help you avoid accounting fraud and stealing in your business.

Since starting Suiter Business Builders in 1990, Vicki has helped hundreds of contractors and designers build solid foundations for their businesses, run operations more efficiently, and achieve the kind of success they never dreamed possible.

Vicki’s articles and opinions have been widely shared in print and across the web. She is also the author of book “The Profit Bleed” – How managing margin can save your contracting business.

Victoria, Mark and Vicki talk more about:

• Why small businesses are targets in 80% of all embezzlement cases.
• The most common place where people “steal” money.
• Other ways employees and contacts embezzle funds from a company that are less obvious.
• Recommended controls and practices a contractor should have in place to avoid this happening to them.
• “10 Ways to Spot Accounting Fraud”

Here is the link to the resource mentioned, “How to Spot Accounting Fraud”
https://suiterbusinessbuilders.com/how-to-spot-accounting-fraud/

Check out Vicki's Book; The Profit Bleed

This book is a doable, step-by-step guide that will put money in your pocket, and more time and fun in your day. Learn how to keep your finger on the critical pulse points that drive success, depend on your employees to take ownership, close more deals while charging more money, and more! [Click Here to check out Vicki’s book on Amazon]

The post Ep.129: Are Your Employees Stealing From You? With Vicki Suiter appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

As a remodeling business owner, you have likely heard of demographics and you have probably looked at it solely in the context of marketing and lead generation.

But, the power of demographics lies much deeper than that, and in this episode, Ken Gronbach will share the subtle yet profound effect of shifting demography in the United States, the Americas and the world, and we will hear what that means to your business now and in the future.

Ken is President/CEO of KGC Direct and is an internationally respected demographer who has been able to forecast societal, commercial, economic, cultural and political phenomena with uncanny accuracy.

Victoria, Mark and Ken talk more about:

• Ken’s transition from Marketing into Demography
• The relationship between markets and demographic data
• The effect Covid-19 will have on the demographic landscape in the United States
• The generations in the US that will be the most influential in the next 20 years
• The categories/sectors of commerce that will suffer and which will flourish demographically going forward

Here's Mark's New Book that was Mentioned!

LOBSTER ON A CHEESE PLATE: Learn How to Stand Out, Attract the Best Clients, and Win Every Sale that Comes Your Way.

Learn more and watch the trailer here!

Check Out Our Speakers for the 2020 Remodelers Summit

These industry veterans, authors and business owners will give you the information, advice and tools you need to prepare for the largest economic recovery in the history of North America, heading into 2021.

Visit our website and learn more about our speakers and the sessions that they will be presenting on November 11th and 12th

Check Out Our Speakers for the 2020 Remodelers Summit

The post Ep.128: Demography is Destiny with Kenneth Gronbach appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

Working remotely, working on-site with clients and adhering to CDC restrictions, an upcoming election, social unrest and an economy that is slowly starting to recover.

Everyone is adjusting to the new world of work, and it sounds as though making those adjustments will continue into 2021.

How can you help your team connect and engage with their work?

Our guest today, Rick Bowers, President of TTI Success Insights, shares tips and tools to help business owners and leaders make the changes they need to master the ‘re-boarding’ process.

Rick is the President of TTI Success Insights and keynote speaker at TTI Success Insights International Conference. Rick has over 30 years of experience with talent management tools and has trained people on effective talent management techniques in over 30 countries on six continents.

Victoria, Mark and Rick talk more about:

• Background and overview of TTI Success Insights
• The concept of “re-boarding”
• What the new normal looks like for businesses and organizations
• How business owners and leaders can use the tools available through TTI Success Insights

Don't Miss the 2020 Annual Remodelers Summit

Join Us for Two Days of Successful Remodelers, Bestselling Authors and Industry Leaders Sharing Ideas, Inspiration and Business Solutions as We Look Forward to Better Days Ahead.
[More Information + Registration]

The post Ep.127: Engaging Employees in the New Normal with Rick Bowers appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

As remodeling business owners, many of us do long-term planning, but is there a detailed strategic plan for the coming year?

In this episode, we talk about the benefits of an off-site planning retreat to chart your course for the coming year with Robert & Evelyn Lenton, co-owners of Lenton Company, Inc. in Palmdale, CA.

Robert has built Lenton Company into the premier Design/Build firm in his market over the past 35 years. Evelyn joined the business in 2018 after retiring from a career in education.

Victoria, Mark and the Lentons talk more about:

• The initial inspiration for the long-term planning retreat
• What the primary goals of the weekend were
• Who participated in the retreat and what the outcome was
• Lessons learned; what will you do differently next year?

The post Ep.126: Off-site Planning for the Coming Year with Robert & Evelyn Lenton appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

The concept behind developing a customer persona is pretty simple – get to know your audience better so that you can build a more meaningful relationship with them, both as a client and a prospect.

The output of that analysis is inevitable company growth and client retention. So how do firms, of all sizes, build meaningful personas to shape the way they go to market?

In this episode, Aimee Pagano talks with Victoria and Mark about the process of building these vital tools and what a remodeling firm can do with them.

Aimee is the Senior Digital Advisor at HighRoad Solutions, a smartech data integration company for associations. She has 20 years of marketing and communications experience and her specialties include persona development, content strategy and generation, lead gen, and website development / optimization.

Victoria, Mark and Aimee talk more about:

• What a customer persona is and how remodeling firms would use it.
• What the building blocks are for customer persona development.
• Working without data.
• What you do with the customer personas once you’ve developed them.
• Who should be involved when going through a customer persona exercise.
• And more…

The post Ep.125: Building Meaningful Customer Personas with Aimee Pagano appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

Conferences, blog posts, podcasts, webinars, roundtables peer groups, consulting, coaching… information is everywhere.

But, just because you’re opening yourself up to these opportunities to learn, it doesn’t mean anything will ever change.

The hard part is what comes after you get the information. John Lessick joins Victoria and Mark to discuss how to take what you’re learning and applying it to make you and your business stronger.

John Lessick is the President and Owner of APEX Wood Floors, Inc. in Chicago, IL. In 1985, John joined APEX as an apprentice and spent nine years learning every facet of the business before purchasing the company in 1994. Thanks to his expertise and vision, the business has blossomed and evolved, growing from 5 employees to nearly 25 over the last 25 years.

Victoria, Mark and John cover:

• How outside resources and advisors have helped.
• How the 3-5 year plan that John has put together has helped his business.
• Learning about and implementing LEAN process improvement.
• Specific examples of how John has implemented changes in his business.
• And more…

Helping Your Business Apply What You Have Learned

If you are interested to learn more about how the Business Consultants & Coaches at Remodelers Advantage can help you and your business, contact Doug Howard today.

The post Ep.124: Applying What You Have Learned with John Lessick appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.