The Open Concept with Brandon Smith

In this powerhouse episode, Brandon sits down with David Hori, an operator-turned-investor who has helped multiple VC-backed companies scale fast and exit through acquisition. With 10+ years navigating hyper-growth, private equity chaos, leadership bottlenecks, and operational overhauls, David now focuses on buying contractor businesses and helping owners prepare for successful exits. This conversation is packed with clarity on what truly makes a business sellable—and what silently destroys its value.

🎯 What You'll Learn:

• How to identify whether you’re running a business or just selling a job

• Why “key-man risk” silently kills valuation—and how to remove it

• Ways to organize your team and processes so buyers actually want your company

• How to buy back your time and get out of the bottleneck role

• Why hiring a unicorn employee is dangerous (and what to do instead)

• How to prepare your business for sale without tanking performance

• What buyers really look for when evaluating a trades or home-services company

• How to navigate the coming “silver tsunami” of business transfers

🔑 Key Topics Covered:
✅ Scaling through chaos
✅ Business valuation fundamentals
✅ Leadership bottlenecks
✅ Hiring + delegation pitfalls
✅ Deal flow and acquisition criteria
✅ Operational systems & redundancies
✅ Preparing a trades business for exit

👤 Featured Guest:
David Hori – Business Operator, Investor & Acquisition Strategist | Top Line Ops

🎙️ About The Open Concept:
Your go-to podcast for construction industry insights, trade business strategies, and leadership advice that actually works.

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In this episode, Brandon sits down with Kindra Morse, a powerhouse leader who built massive sales teams, generated over $100M in online product volume, and is now guiding women to build real, ownable businesses rooted in their lived experiences. Kindra opens up about identity shifts, breaking old stories, rebuilding confidence, and stepping boldly into purpose. From real estate to lending to top-rank network marketing to brand + offer creation, her journey is packed with insight, humility, and fire.

🎯 What You'll Learn:

• How to recognize the stories holding you back—and rewrite them

• Why your “old ceiling” must become your new floor if you want real growth

• How to identify your next chapter when your business identity shifts

• Ways to develop sales confidence (even if you think you’re not a salesperson)

• How to empower team members by aligning their personal vision with yours

• What makes mentorship life-changing—and how to find the right one

• How to leverage your lived experience into a meaningful, ownable offer

• Why comfort can quietly kill your potential (and how to break the plateau)

🔑 Key Topics Covered:
✅ Identity & mindset shifts
✅ Leadership development
✅ Sales + enrollment fundamentals
✅ Network marketing insights
✅ Offer creation & personal branding
✅ Vision casting for teams
✅ Parenting parallels in leadership

👤 Featured Guest:
Kindra Morse – Business Mentor & Personal Brand Strategist | Former Top-Rank Network Marketing Leader

Find her on Insta @kindramariemorse

DM her "Offer Brandon" for her Gift!

🎙️ About The Open Concept:
Your go-to podcast for construction industry insights, trade business strategies, and leadership advice that actually works.

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Brandon sits down with Millie Fox—author, creator, and host of The Millie Fox Show—for a deep dive into what manifestation really is (and what it definitely isn’t). Millie opens up about her childhood, trauma, healing, motherhood, divorce, and how all of it shaped her No-BS approach to mindset and energetic alignment. Together, they break down the myths, the psychology, and the practical tools that help you build belief, identity, and self-trust so you can create a life that actually feels good.

🎯 What You'll Learn:

• How to tell the difference between real intuition and recycled trauma patterns

• Ways to rebuild self-trust through promises, risks, and courageous conversations

• How to uncover your true identity when you feel lost or “between chapters”

• Why most people misunderstand manifestation—and how to use it in a grounded, practical way

• How to detach from outcomes without losing ambition or drive

• How to align goals with your values (so you stop chasing things you don’t actually want)

• Why curiosity and emotional regulation are superpowers for growth

• How to follow joy and past evidence to redefine your future vision

🔑 Key Topics Covered:
✅ Identity & self-concept
✅ Manifestation myths
✅ Values & alignment
✅ Trauma patterns vs. intuition
✅ Self-trust & discipline
✅ Boundaries & authenticity
✅ Belief-building & non-attachment

👤 Featured Guest:
Millie Fox – Author & Host | The Millie Fox Show

🎙️ About The Open Concept:
Your go-to podcast for construction industry insights, trade business strategies, and leadership advice that actually works.

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In this episode, Brandon sits down with Scott Foran —President & Co-Founder of 505-Junk—to unpack what elite customer service actually looks like inside a fast-growing home-service business. From communication systems to conflict management to developing people who can think in the “gray,” Scott breaks down the processes that helped 505-Junk win Service Business of the Year. Plus, the two dive into discipline, personal growth, leadership, and what it takes to evolve from technician to true business operator.

🎯 What You'll Learn:

• How to build customer service systems that work even when your team is tired, stressed, or inexperienced

• Ways to train staff to communicate clearly and confidently with clients—without industry jargon

• How to set expectations upfront to avoid scope creep, surprises, and conflict

• Why documenting SOPs and thresholds of authority prevents chaos on site

• How to delegate without losing quality (and why letting go is essential for growth)

• Tactics for managing team personalities and communication styles for better outcomes

• Why embracing the “gray areas” in projects creates trust, speed, and better client decisions

• How long-term vision, discipline, and personal transformation drive business success

🔑 Key Topics Covered:
✅ Customer service systems
✅ Communication and expectation-setting
✅ SOPs & chain of command
✅ Delegation and leadership
✅ Conflict management
✅ Personality styles & EQ
✅ Long-term vision and discipline

👤 Featured Guest:
Scott (President & Co-Founder) – 505-Junk

🎙️ About The Open Concept:
Your go-to podcast for construction industry insights, trade business strategies, and leadership advice that actually works.

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In this episode, Brandon sits down with Manja Horner, CEO & Founder of Boost Development, to explore what it really takes to build strong leaders and resilient cultures inside skilled-trades and home-service businesses. Manja breaks down the reality of today’s workforce, why young people’s expectations have shifted, and how owners can rethink onboarding, training, and workplace culture to win in a rapidly changing industry. They also dive into parenting parallels, the future of the trades, and the gap between generations that’s impacting how skills get passed down.

🎯 What You'll Learn:

• How to onboard new hires in a way that boosts retention from day one

• Why deliberate practice can accelerate skill development and shorten the path to mastery

• How to build a workplace culture intentionally—not accidentally

• Ways to adapt leadership for Gen Z and upcoming generations

• How to create clear career paths that attract and keep young talent

• Why patience, expectations, and work ethic are shifting (and how to respond strategically)

• How to structure training so your team levels up faster and more consistently

• How to recruit young people into the trades using better messaging and experiences

🔑 Key Topics Covered:
✅ Workforce generational shifts
✅ Onboarding + retention strategy
✅ Culture building in trades businesses
✅ Deliberate practice & competency models
✅ Education system gaps
✅ Recruiting young people into the trades
✅ Future of trades + skills transfer

👤 Featured Guest:
Manja Horner – CEO & Founder | Boost Development

🎙️ About The Open Concept:
Your go-to podcast for construction industry insights, trade business strategies, and leadership advice that actually works.

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In this episode of The Open Concept, Brandon welcomes Sam Shaw, founder of Assist-Her, a Canadian-based virtual assistant agency supporting entrepreneurs with high-level admin, operations, and creative support. Sam shares how she built her company from the ground up, why local VAs are outperforming offshore alternatives, and what business owners should really consider before hiring their first assistant. From trust barriers to scope creep to successful onboarding, this episode breaks down the mindset and systems needed to scale beyond your own capacity.

🎯 What You'll Learn:

• How to identify the tasks you shouldn’t be doing as a founder and hand them off with confidence

• Ways to shift from “control and overwhelm” to effective delegation that actually frees your time

• How to avoid the most common mistakes when hiring your first virtual assistant

• Why matching personality, communication style, and values matters more than technical skill

• How to build trust with a VA and create a long-term, sustainable working relationship

• The right way to structure onboarding so your assistant succeeds from day one

• How VA agencies like Assist Her support both clients and assistants behind the scenes

• When to hire a generalist vs. a specialist — and how to know which one you really need

  🔑 Key Topics Covered:

✅ Delegation vs. control
✅ Onboarding and communication systems
✅ Task clarity and expectation setting
✅ Hiring and matchmaking for VAs
✅ Long-term relationship building
✅ Managing multi-scope support (creative, admin, ops)

👤 Featured Guest:

Sam Shaw– Founder | Assist-Her Virtual Assistant Agency (Canada & U.S.)

🎙️ About The Open Concept:

Your go-to podcast for construction industry insights, trade business strategies, and leadership advice that actually works.

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In this episode, Brandon sits down with Dane Miklaus — founder of Work Training Studios and Macro Managed, an AI implementation consultancy. From growing up in Northern California to building multi-location fitness studios, navigating loss, and now helping businesses adopt AI, Dane opens up with rare honesty. This conversation dives into personal transformation, the future of AI, and how discipline, purpose, and service can reshape a life.

🎯 What You'll Learn:

• How to identify and break out of the limiting stories you grew up with

• Ways to use AI today to save time, reduce friction, and elevate your business

• How to stay competitive as younger, more tech-native workers enter the trades

• Why “doing it the hard way” is sabotaging your growth

• How gratitude and problem-solving become real pathways to purpose

• How to avoid getting left behind as technology accelerates

• Why the best opportunities will belong to those who combine EQ + AI

• How service and solving other people’s problems can reconnect you to meaning

🔑 Key Topics Covered:
✅ Early adversity & formative experiences
✅ Building and scaling fitness studios
✅ AI implementation in small businesses
✅ Workforce evolution & future job security
✅ Discipline, purpose & personal development
✅ The changing landscape of food, health & longevity

👤 Featured Guest:
Dane Miklaus – Founder | Work Training Studios & Macro Managed

@danemiklaus

🎙️ About The Open Concept:
Your go-to podcast for construction industry insights, trade business strategies, and leadership advice that actually works.

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Brandon Smith returns with Part 2 of the mini-series to tackle the third path: relocating. He lays out when moving actually makes sense in the Vancouver/Lower Mainland market, the hidden costs most homeowners miss, and a practical decision framework to choose between renovating, rebuilding, or moving. Expect straight talk, real trade-offs, and a 10-year lens for smarter, calmer choices.

🎯 What You'll Learn:

• How to decide if relocation solves your real problem (lifestyle, commute, schools, or environment)

• Ways to compare renovate vs. rebuild vs. relocate using honest, side-by-side numbers

• How to spot “grass is greener” bias and replace it with strategy

• What hidden costs to plan for when moving (fees, taxes, temporary housing, upgrades)

• How to define the root problem so you don’t pay for the wrong solution

• How to evaluate your property’s ceiling under current zoning and lot value

• How to factor life logistics (kids, routines, temporary housing) into the decision

• Why building for your 10-year self beats reacting to 10-month emotions

🔑 Key Topics Covered:
✅ Lifestyle shifts & fit
✅ Hidden costs of moving
✅ Feasibility & side-by-side budgeting
✅ Zoning potential & lot value
✅ Logistics trade-offs (schools, commute, temp housing)
✅ Long-term ROI & peace of mind

👤 Featured Guest:
Brandon Smith – Host | New Vision Projects

🎙️ About The Open Concept:
Your go-to podcast for construction industry insights, trade business strategies, and leadership advice that actually works.

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Brandon Smith breaks down the brutally honest choice many Lower Mainland homeowners face: renovate or build new. Drawing on 15+ years in the field with New Vision Projects, he explains when a reno is smart, when a rebuild wins, and how to avoid expensive half-measures. This is Part 1 of a two-part series designed to help you make a clear, confident, financially sound decision.

🎯 What You'll Learn:

• How to define the real problem (layout, function, lifestyle, or location) before spending a dollar

• Ways to tell if your home’s “bones” justify a renovation vs. a teardown

• How to set a tight scope so small renos don’t snowball into six figures

• The cost realities: when $400–$700/sq ft renos lose to $500–$800/sq ft new builds

• How to avoid “half measures” that look new but still live old

• Why building new can deliver better energy efficiency, lower maintenance, and higher long-term value

• How to manage disruption (living through renos vs. temporary housing) without losing your sanity

• A simple decision lens to choose the path that fits your next 10 years, not just your next 10 months

🔑 Key Topics Covered:
✅ Renovation fit: lot value, structure, and scope
✅ Hidden conditions: electrical, moisture, structural sag
✅ Pre-construction planning & feasibility
✅ New-build advantages: control, efficiency, longevity
✅ Vancouver/Lower Mainland market realities
✅ Budget ranges & value per dollar
✅ Risk management & lifestyle trade-offs

👤 Featured Guest:
Brandon Smith – Host | New Vision Projects

🎙️ About The Open Concept:
Your go-to podcast for construction industry insights, trade business strategies, and leadership advice that actually works.

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In this episode of The Open Concept, Brandon sits down with Graeme Barlow — serial entrepreneur, investor, public speaker, and founder’s coach — to unpack what it really takes to build and scale a company from zero to $5M. From cutting through bad startup advice to the power of simplicity and focus in business, Graeme shares how founders can grow smarter, not just faster. Plus, they dig into fatherhood, community, and why saying “no” might be the most profitable move you make this year.

🎯 What You'll Learn:

• How to simplify your business model for explosive growth

• Why focus—not hustle—is the real multiplier for founders

• Ways to recognize and eliminate unprofitable offers or divisions

• How to stop chasing every new trend and master what already works

• The real reason SaaS prices keep going up (and what it means for your margins)

• Why most entrepreneurs burn out before they break through — and how to avoid it

• How to use community as your ultimate growth accelerator

• The mindset shift that helps founders scale beyond $1M without chaos

🔑 Key Topics Covered:
✅ Scaling Startups the Smart Way
✅ Focus vs. Distraction in Business Growth
✅ Bad Coaching Advice on Social Media
✅ Customer Acquisition & Retention
✅ Simplifying Operations for Scale
✅ Building and Leading Founder Communities
✅ The Power of In-Person Connection

👤 Featured Guest:
Graeme Barlow – Founder’s Coach, Serial Entrepreneur & CEO | Iversoft

🎙️ About The Open Concept:
Your go-to podcast for construction industry insights, trade business strategies, and leadership advice that actually works.

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