Retooled

Watch with chapters and the full transcript: https://lilagents.com/podcast/sean-kurtz/

Sean Kurtz got a builder's license after COVID and had a fully booked calendar three months later. Sean explains why so many early jobs at Michigan Rose Construction came from simply sending a number, how the team runs an AI takeoff alongside every estimate to catch missed materials, and why new contractors should fix sales before operations.

"You're always going to be your best salesperson."

0:00 Intro

0:47 From Eastern Michigan football to Saline

1:51 A full calendar in three months

2:58 Taking the leap

4:36 Grit

5:47 The setback in 2025

7:37 Deep Work and plan B

8:56 Automating client updates

9:48 AI takeoffs as a sanity check

12:47 Tariffs and lead times

15:04 What hasn't changed in construction

16:06 Winning by sending a number

18:19 Selling yourself, not the project

23:48 Picking subs who pick up the phone

25:28 Speed versus accuracy

27:52 Sales before operations

31:14 Hiring a marketing agency

Michigan Rose Construction: https://michrose.com

Retooled is a lilAgents podcast, hosted by David V. Kimball and Dylan Baker. We talk with business leaders about how they've equipped their organizations to adapt to change over time, and share real stories other owners can learn from.

Want to be a guest? https://lilagents.com/podcast/#pitch

Watch with chapters and the full transcript: https://lilagents.com/podcast/jesse-miller/

Jesse Miller started Solid Value Contracting in Lowry City, Missouri, in November 2023 with a couple hundred dollars and some credit cards. A couple of months ago, a coach told Jesse to put the spreadsheet away. Six days later Jesse had a custom CRM, and AI now drafts the company's quotes overnight from site-visit notes.

"Later is not a good time when it comes to AI."

0:00 Intro

0:50 Starting with a few hundred dollars

2:53 Learning to read the regulations

4:49 Writing contracts before AI

6:20 Put the spreadsheet away

7:14 Leaving JobNimbus

8:12 An overnight data export

9:08 A camera that files photos by GPS

11:01 Asking AI for the top 50 complaints

15:20 Estimating with AI

16:48 Talking instead of typing

19:20 Four estimates from the couch

20:49 Quotes overnight with SmartDraw

21:43 Rolling it out to the team

25:44 Fieldy, the job-site note taker

33:03 Lovable and owning your code

36:55 Three copies of everything

38:12 Selling the software?

Solid Value Contracting: https://solidvaluecontracting.com

Retooled is a lilAgents podcast, hosted by David V. Kimball and Dylan Baker. We talk with business leaders about how they've equipped their organizations to adapt to change over time, and share real stories other owners can learn from.

Want to be a guest? https://lilagents.com/podcast/#pitch

Watch with chapters and the full transcript: https://lilagents.com/podcast/cody-weight/

Cody Weight has built custom homes in Boise since 2007. Over the last five years, Solitude Homes moved every text, email, spec and approval into one construction management platform. Its subs now see their tasks on their phones, clients sign from anywhere, and the company grew without adding people.

"We don't feel like you need contracts for honesty. We feel like you need them for recollection."

0:00 Intro

0:51 Why the contracts got longer

1:46 From brick job sites to design-build

3:16 Floor plans built around the client

4:38 100 homes that feel like 20

5:25 Getting the subs onto the app

7:20 Renderings in a minute, not two weeks

8:51 Approvals from anywhere

9:41 AI takeoffs and the next generation

13:42 Lumber doubled mid-build

14:44 The porch swing

15:25 Hangar doors, castles and cliffside homes

22:51 Starting a builder in the Great Recession

25:01 Safety on the job site

28:46 Designs that spread on Houzz

33:20 Team captain, then coach

34:38 Where to find Solitude Homes

Solitude Homes: https://www.solitudehomes.com

Retooled is a lilAgents podcast, hosted by David V. Kimball and Dylan Baker. We talk with business leaders about how they've equipped their organizations to adapt to change over time, and share real stories other owners can learn from.

Want to be a guest? https://lilagents.com/podcast/#pitch