Katie and Ben recap their experience at the 2025 International Builders Show, emphasizing the importance of networking, market insights, and product trends. They highlight key takeaways about the evolving homebuilding industry, including market challenges, the impact of large builders, and the role of innovation and AI in construction. The episode also reflects on valuable educational sessions and the importance of strategic partnerships for future growth.Contact Katie or Ben if you have any questions or feedback! [email protected]@berkshomes.com

Katie & Ben highlight the essential role of trade partners in homebuilding, emphasizing strong relationships, clear communication, and consistent payments. They discuss the value of treating trade partners as true collaborators, ensuring job readiness, and maintaining high quality standards through detailed plans and reliable scheduling. Their conversation underscores the long-term benefits of investing in trade partner success, fostering mutual trust, and creating a sustainable, high performing homebuilding process.

Contact Katie or Ben if you have any questions or feedback! [email protected]@berkshomes.com

Katie and Ben discuss how centralizing operations has transformed their company by improving decision-making, communication, and business efficiency. They reflect on how moving from a decentralized model, where multiple managers handled decisions independently to a streamlined structure has eliminated bottlenecks, allowed for faster execution, and empowered the right people to take ownership of key responsibilities. They highlight how these changes have reduced unnecessary negotiations, increased alignment across teams, and created a stronger company culture that ultimately benefits both employees and homeowners.

Contact Katie or Ben if you have any questions or feedback! [email protected]@berkshomes.com

Katie & Ben discuss their last core value "Aware" and its role in decision-making. They highlight how awareness is the foundation of the other values of helpful, humble, and driven—allowing individuals to read the room, ask good questions, and anticipate the impact of their actions. They emphasize that awareness is key to understanding people, planning effectively, and making informed decisions that benefit both individuals and the organization.

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Katie & Ben focus on the company's core value of being driven, discussing how motivation, accountability, and perseverance play a crucial role in their success. They reflect on how drive balances with other values like humility and helpfulness, emphasizing that true drive must come from within and be applied collaboratively.

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Katie and Ben discuss their excitement for 2025, focusing on the evolving real estate market and how their team is adapting to new challenges with a streamlined approach. They also highlight the importance of continuous innovation, refining processes, and staying true to their core values to drive growth and efficiency in the business.

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The Berks Homes Podcast is back! Katie and Ben reflect on 2024, highlighting a shift from rapid growth to a sustainable, value-driven approach that included organizational restructuring and employee empowerment. They celebrate their team’s resilience, emphasize preserving the culture of their family business, and share optimism about new leadership and streamlined operations. Looking ahead to 2025, they aim to balance quality homebuilding, financial discipline, and innovation while fostering engagement with employees and customers.

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In this episode, Katie and Ben discuss the budgeting process involved in home building. They cover why they enjoy the budgeting process, its complexities, and how it impacts long-term business planning. They explore topics like setting a budget for settlements, forecasting sales, land acquisition, and balancing conservative estimates with market unpredictability. They emphasize the importance of preparing for the future, especially in a fluid market, and the art-science mix of predicting business outcomes.

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In this episode, Katie and Ben emphasize the importance of people management over technical skills, sharing their experiences and mistakes. Effective leadership involves self-awareness, hiring complementary team members, and maintaining a focus on human resources. Additionally, they discuss the significance of planning, prioritizing tasks, and asking the right questions to ensure the completion of successful projects.

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In this episode, Katie and Ben discuss the entrepreneurial spirit that runs deep in their family. Highlighting the history of their great-grandfather's farmstead and the various businesses that emerged from it. They contrast their father's detail-oriented approach with their grandfather's creative, quick-start mentality, emphasizing the importance of balancing motivation and intentionality while providing stability for their employees and community.

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