Remodelers On The Rise

Some of the best business ideas come from seeing what other remodelers are working through in their own companies.

In this solo episode, Kyle pulls six ideas from recent conversations and posts inside the Remodelers Community. He shares how one remodeler turned a missed permit into a better process, a different way to think about accountability with your team, and why you might want to revisit an old business book instead of picking up the newest one. He also talks about finding the right place for AI in your business, actually implementing the ideas you bring home from a conference, and taking time to think about where you want your business to be three years from now.

If you’re looking for a few practical ideas to take back to your remodeling business this week, there’s plenty in this episode to get you thinking.

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Running a remodeling company can feel lonely, but you don’t have to figure everything out on your own.

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The Remodelers On The Rise Peer Groups connect you with non-competing remodelers who understand the challenges you’re facing and are committed to helping each other grow.

Learn more at https://remodelersontherise.com/live-training-events-for-remodelers/remodelers-peer-group/

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Explore the vast array of tools, training courses, a podcast, and a supportive community of over 2,000 remodelers. Visit Remodelersontherise.com today and take your remodeling business to new heights!

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Key Takeaways

• Process refinement and accountability in remodeling
• Revisiting impactful business books for growth
• Smart use of AI in estimating and project management
• Setting clear outcomes for team members
• Strategic idea implementation from conferences

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Chapters

00:00 Introduction and overview of today's insights

02:46 A story about permit process mistakes and lessons learned

06:14 Why you should re-read impactful business books

08:24 Six principles from 'How to Win Friends and Influence People'

11:11 Defining accountability as agreed-upon outcomes

13:33 Using AI for marketing and estimating—when to rely on templates

16:33 Implementing ideas from the Rise Conference effectively

19:24 The importance of focus and follow-up in business growth

21:49 Reflecting on business progress and setting future goals

22:18 Dreaming three years ahead and strategic planning

23:54 Resources and services offered by Remodelers on the Rise

30:56 Closing remarks and next steps for listeners

Do you have an exit strategy? David Lupberger has asked that question in rooms full of contractors and rarely gets more than two hands in the air.

Kyle sits down with David, founder of Contractor Transition Strategies, to talk through what it actually takes to build a business with the end in mind, from identifying your successor to closing the asset gap to understanding what your business is actually worth.

You can join David for his four-part webinar series starting September 30th here!

Explore the vast array of tools, training courses, a podcast, and a supportive community of over 2,000 remodelers.

Visit RemodelersOnTheRise.com today and take your remodeling business to new heights!

Key Takeaways

• Timing of exit and transition planning
• Importance of less owner reliance for business value
• Valuation methods using EBITDA and multiples
• Successor development and key employee incentives
• Financial planning including asset gap and retirement savings
• Business continuity planning for unforeseen events

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction and guest background

00:10 Kyle and David's history and mastermind experience

00:19 The importance of planning for business transition

00:23 Key questions for transition planning: when, asset gap, successor

00:29 Valuation basics: EBITDA and multiples

00:37 Strategies to increase business value and recurring revenue

00:43 Options for sale: third-party, key employee, owner financing

00:44 Legal and tax considerations in transition

01:14 Designing your retirement lifestyle and planning ahead

01:35 The importance of a business continuity plan

02:03 Final thoughts and encouragement for proactive planning

When good employees leave or your team isn't performing the way you hoped, it's easy to assume you have a people problem. But what if the real issue is the systems behind them?

This week, Kyle sits down with Ryan Englin of Core Matters to talk about what it takes to build a team that can succeed without the owner constantly stepping in. Ryan shares why turnover often starts with the systems inside the business and explains the difference between accountability and micromanagement. They also dig into why traditional performance reviews tend to fall short in the trades and how clearer expectations can make leadership a whole lot easier.

If you want a team that knows what success looks like and can take more ownership without you hovering over every decision, this conversation will give you some practical places to start.

Explore real client results and case studies at Contractor Growth Network Results, learn how they help remodelers build marketing that works at Contractor Growth Network, and check out their Podcast for weekly insights designed to help remodelers grow smarter.

Explore the vast array of tools, training courses, a podcast, and a supportive community of over 2,000 remodelers. Visit Remodelersontherise.com today and take your remodeling business to new heights!

Key Takeaways 

Turnover as a system problem, not a people problem

Implementing pulse surveys for employee engagement

Defining clear job descriptions and expectations

Difference between accountability and micromanagement

Using KPIs and real-time tracking for performance

The role of systems in reducing turnover

Effective communication and performance feedback

The importance of caring for your team

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Building Better Teams in Remodeling

01:51 Turnover as a System Problem, Not a People Problem

04:02 The Power of Pulse Surveys for Engagement

09:00 Defining Clear Job Descriptions and Expectations

15:53 Understanding Accountability vs Micromanagement

23:03 Using KPIs and Real-Time Data for Performance

30:01 Why Performance Reviews Fail and What Replaces Them

39:01 Introducing Fieldcon.io for Performance Management

43:51 Caring for Your People and Building Trust

This episode is a rebroadcast of a webinar Eric Fortenberry presented for the Remodelers on the Rise community. Kyle is joined by Eric, founder and CEO of JobTread, to discuss practical ways contractors can start using AI in their businesses.

Eric explains how tools like Claude can connect with JobTread and use the information already inside your business to help take repetitive work off your plate.

Throughout the webinar, Eric shares real examples of contractors already using AI in the field and in the office. You’ll hear how AI can help build an estimate before you leave a client’s house, turn jobsite notes into a polished daily log, catch potential issues in your budgets, and help you get more out of the information you already have in JobTread.

The goal isn’t to overhaul your entire business overnight. Start with one task that takes too much of your time and see where AI can help.

JobTread helps remodelers bring estimating, scheduling, job costing, and invoicing into one connected system, so they can clearly see where jobs stand and what’s actually profitable. We’ve watched members move from guessing to confidently knowing their numbers, which leads to better pricing, planning, and leadership. If you’re ready for better systems and better decisions, learn more at jobtread.com.

Explore the vast array of tools, training courses, a podcast, and a supportive community of over 2,000 remodelers. Visit Remodelersontherise.com today and take your remodeling business to new heights!

Key Takeaways 

• AI integration in construction management
• Practical use cases of AI in remodeling
• Best practices for AI prompting and safety
• Connecting AI to JobTread via MCP
• Using AI for estimating, scheduling, and reporting

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to AI's impact on construction management

02:08 Kyle and Eric discuss practical AI use cases

04:12 How to connect AI tools to JobTread

07:03 Best practices for prompting and safety with AI

10:13 Using AI for estimating, scheduling, and daily logs

14:57 Creating reports and analyzing data with AI

20:01 AI for vendor management and email automation

25:12 Training and customizing AI for your business

29:57 The importance of human oversight and ownership

35:14 Real-world examples of AI in action

39:57 Next steps for integrating AI into your business

45:06 Q&A and community insights

Budgets can move fast during design, especially once clients start making selections.

This week, Kyle sits down with Audra Von Minden Gossage of LTD Builders to talk about the Budget Roadmap, the tool her team uses to keep clients clear on where their budget stands as design moves along. Audra shares how they account for changing selections and costs without redoing a full estimate each time, and how more planning up front has cut down change orders.

If clarity in the project budget during design is a struggle for your clients, this episode has some great ideas for your team.

Today's episode is sponsored by Builder Funnel! Click here to learn more about how Builder Funnel helps remodelers and home builders grow through strategic digital marketing.

Explore the vast array of tools, training courses, a podcast, and a supportive community of over 2,000 remodelers. Visit Remodelersontherise.com today and take your remodeling business to new heights!

Key Takeaways 

• Introduction to the budget roadmap concept
• The importance of cycle time measurement
• Managing scope changes and scope differences
• Presenting material selections without markup
• Using the budget roadmap to keep clients informed
• Reducing change order rates to below 2%
• Building trust through transparency and micro commitments
• The role of client control and decision-making

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and overview of the episode

03:50 Introduction to Audra and her business background

06:22 Challenges with scope and budget expectations

12:05 The origin of the budget roadmap concept

13:51 Explaining the budget roadmap to clients

17:44 Presenting material selections without markup

19:49 Tracking budget changes through revisions

27:36 Finalizing the project budget and client approval

30:47 Reducing change orders and maintaining profitability

33:41 Handling scope changes and client control

37:16 Wrapping up and key takeaways from the episode

Running a great remodeling business is not about one magic bullet. It is a combination of a lot of little things done consistently well! Coming off the Rise Conference 2026, Kyle shares several ideas and reminders from the two days spent with 100+ remodelers.

From thinking through what your biggest constraint is right now, to how delegation can unlock growth, to why tracking the right KPIs matters more than tracking everything, Rise 2026 was full of great sessions and ways you can strengthen your remodeling business. 

There was no shortage of great content and even better conversation and Kyle is already looking forward to making 2027 even better!

Explore real client results and case studies at Contractor Growth Network Results, learn how they help remodelers build marketing that works at Contractor Growth Network, and check out their Podcast for weekly insights designed to help remodelers grow smarter.

Explore the vast array of tools, training courses, a podcast, and a supportive community of over 2,000 remodelers. Visit Remodelersontherise.com today and take your remodeling business to new heights!

Key Takeaways 

• Systematic marketing of projects to local neighborhoods
• Importance of post-project reviews
• Using story selling to build trust
• Implementing EOS for business management
• Tracking KPIs for project success
• Batching tasks to improve focus
• Adjusting gross profit margins for profitability
• Building a strong team through training and delegation
• The power of peer groups and roundtables
• Mindset shifts for overcoming challenges

Finding great people is one of the biggest challenges remodelers face, but the answer isn't posting another job ad and hoping the right person comes along. In this episode, Kyle is joined by Justin Landry of JL Talent Solutions and Peer Group Coach Bryan Sebring for a practical conversation about creating a more intentional hiring process. 

Bryan shares how his approach to hiring has changed after working with Justin and why slowing down has helped him avoid costly hiring mistakes. They dig into what a strong recruiting process actually looks like, from defining the role before you start searching to using assessments and structured interviews to better understand each candidate. Justin also explains why the right people are out there, even when it feels impossible to find them, and how looking beyond the usual job boards can open up a much stronger candidate pool.

If hiring has felt rushed, frustrating, or inconsistent in your remodeling business, this episode will help you think differently about how you find people and set them up to succeed!

Running a remodeling company can feel lonely, but you don’t have to figure everything out on your own.

The Remodelers On The Rise Peer Groups connect you with non-competing remodelers who understand the challenges you’re facing and are committed to helping each other grow.

Learn more at  https://remodelersontherise.com/live-training-events-for-remodelers/remodelers-peer-group/

Explore the vast array of tools, training courses, a podcast, and a supportive community of over 2,000 remodelers. Visit Remodelersontherise.com today and take your remodeling business to new heights!

Key Takeaways 

Building clear role definitions

Implementing a systematic hiring process

Using assessments like DISC and preview

Creating a strong onboarding experience

Fostering a positive company culture

Leadership and conflict resolution in teams

The importance of patience in hiring

Using data and science in recruitment

Onboarding best practices for success

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and episode overview

01:10 Start with the end in mind in hiring

02:07 Justin Landry introduces JL Talent Solutions

04:46 Brian Sebring shares his background and path to Justin

08:25 The importance of patience in hiring

10:15 Justin explains the vetting process and assessments

13:25 Proactive vs reactive hiring strategies

16:34 Best practices for posting and attracting candidates

18:47 Using data science and assessments to select candidates

22:42 Effective interview questions and techniques

30:57 The significance of clear role definitions

35:58 Onboarding best practices and 30-60-90 plan

40:56 Leadership, culture, and team integration

42:46 Continuous improvement and learning in hiring

AI isn't just about writing emails or asking ChatGPT a few questions. When it's thoughtfully integrated into your business, it can become a practical tool that saves time and helps your team work more efficiently.

This week, Kyle sits down with Jeremy Maher of Phoenix Home Remodeling to talk about how his team is actually using AI in the business. Jeremy shares real workflows they've built to reduce repetitive work and get more value from the information they're already collecting. You'll also hear how AI has become part of their sales process. Jeremy even shares how his team is using it to handle missed calls more effectively.

If you've been wondering what AI can actually look like inside a remodeling company, this episode gives you a practical look at what Jeremy's team is doing and what they've learned along the way.

JobTread helps remodelers bring estimating, scheduling, job costing, and invoicing into one connected system, so they can clearly see where jobs stand and what’s actually profitable. We’ve watched members move from guessing to confidently knowing their numbers, which leads to better pricing, planning, and leadership. If you’re ready for better systems and better decisions, learn more at jobtread.com.

Explore the vast array of tools, training courses, a podcast, and a supportive community of over 2,000 remodelers. Visit Remodelersontherise.com today and take your remodeling business to new heights!

Key Takeaways 

• AI integration in remodeling
• Automation of client communication and project management
• Using AI for call analysis and employee coaching
• Automating review collection and reputation management
• Leveraging AI for pre-visit prep and scope of work creation
• Remote team management and outsourcing in construction
• Adapting AI tools for business growth and efficiency

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Jeremy Maher and AI in Remodeling

02:00 Jeremy's background and how he got into AI

04:02 The importance of strategy before automation

06:00 Using AI to enhance customer journey and communication

07:49 Voice AI for call handling and appointment scheduling

13:48 Automated client photo collection process

20:52 AI-generated pre-visit prep and scope of work

26:57 AI analysis of employee performance and coaching

35:05 Automated review management and reputation building

44:07 Role-specific GPTs for team productivity

50:01 Outsourcing and managing remote teams with AI

50:51 Final thoughts and encouragement for remodelers

Great remodeling companies aren't built by accident. They're built through intentional leadership, clear values, and a commitment to serving both your team and your clients.

This week, Kyle sits down with Jimmy Moore of Petra Custom Builders, a longtime Builder Funnel client, to talk about the principles that have shaped his company from day one. They discuss creating a culture people want to be part of, why servant leadership matters, building core values that actually guide decisions, and how investing in marketing has given Jimmy's team the freedom to be more selective about the projects they take on.

If you're trying to build a company that lasts, this conversation is full of practical ideas that go far beyond remodeling.

Jimmy's experience is also a great example of what can happen when remodelers treat marketing as a long term investment and partner with a team like Builder Funnel.

Today's episode is sponsored by Builder Funnel! Click here to learn more about how Builder Funnel helps remodelers and home builders grow through strategic digital marketing.

Explore the vast array of tools, training courses, a podcast, and a supportive community of over 2,000 remodelers. Visit Remodelersontherise.com today and take your remodeling business to new heights!

Key Takeaways 

• Jimmy Moore's transition from remodeler to builder
• The importance of core values and culture
• The role of intentionality and discipline in leadership
• Strategic marketing and lead generation with BuilderFunnel
• The impact of consistent branding and content marketing
• Building a team that reflects company values
• The significance of pipeline management and ROI measurement
• The biblical inspiration behind Petra's name and mission

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Jimmy Moore's background

02:02 Jimmy's perspective on intentionality and discipline

04:05 The story behind Petra's name and mission

07:03 Leadership as service and building company culture

11:58 Jimmy's journey from a young remodeler to a business owner

17:02 The fulfillment found in impactful work

23:00 The evolution of Petra and its core values

27:06 Leadership qualities and servant leadership

35:51 Marketing strategy and partnership with BuilderFunnel

48:00 Results and ROI from BuilderFunnel's marketing efforts

01:00:05 Advice for business owners on marketing investment

01:08:10 The importance of culture and core values in business

01:10:01 Closing thoughts and final advice

Great client experiences don't happen by accident. They're built through dozens of intentional decisions before, during, and after every project.

This week, Kyle sits down with Darin Kuns of DK Construction to share how his team has intentionally designed an experience that stands out. From customer confidence checkups and post-project interviews to thoughtful job site standards and small gestures that make clients feel valued, Darin explains how the little details create lasting trust.

If you're looking for practical ideas on building a company people can't wait to recommend, this episode is packed with ideas you can start using right away.

Want to keep in touch with past clients and prospects without the hassle of writing content yourself? That’s exactly what Remodelers AutoPilot does — each month you get a done-for-you email newsletter and social media posts, ready to send.

Explore the vast array of tools, training courses, a podcast, and a supportive community of over 2,000 remodelers. Visit Remodelersontherise.com today and take your remodeling business to new heights!

Key Takeaways

• Fix pre-construction bottlenecks
• Improve planning before production
• Delegate to increase capacity
• Track client confidence
• Create memorable client experiences
• Gather post-project feedback
• Set clear job-site standards
• Recognize and support employees

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Episode Context

00:33 Celebrating 400 Episodes and Guest Suggestions

01:02 Highlighting Todd DeWalt and Construction Leading Edge

01:48 DK Construction's Market and Business Focus

02:11 Identifying Business Heartburns and Bottlenecks

03:07 Addressing Capacity and Process Challenges

04:22 Strategies for Smoother Project Handoffs

05:15 Handling Change Orders and Project Variances

06:04 Time Management and Capacity Planning

07:11 Setting Small Wins in Project Selection

07:53 Focusing on Capacity and Focused Work

08:56 Company History and Market Overview

11:01 Developing Client Relationships and Expectations

12:06 The Three Uniques of DK Construction

14:48 Employee Recruitment and Incentives

20:08 Client Experience and Customer Confidence

24:58 Enhancing Client Delight and Little Things

30:12 Implementing Client Feedback and Post-Project Surveys

34:50 Company Culture and Employee Recognition

39:58 Team Communication and Meeting Optimization

44:52 Signage and Job Site Respect

50:03 Letting Go of Control and Delegation

51:52 Building a High-Performance Team

55:00 Final Thoughts on Customer Service and Business Growth