The Real Build

In this episode of The Real Build, I sat down with Shawn Yesner, owner of Yesner Law.  Shawn and I discussed real estate and construction law and what people need to look for, whether they are purchasing property, building a new home, or dealing with a potential loss of property.  We also talked about real estate investing and what investors need to do to protect themselves.

Before starting his practice, Shawn was an associate attorney at one of the largest lender foreclosure firms in Florida. There he learned how to prosecute foreclosures quickly and efficiently, representing lenders such as Freddie Mac, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Chase, Countrywide, and many other subprime lenders in all aspects of foreclosure litigation, bankruptcy and loss mitigation negotiations.

In 2004, Shawn left the plaintiff’s side of the practice to form a law firm focused on helping homeowners keep their homes. 

After building a successful multi-practice firm, he founded Yesner Law, again with the focus of helping homeowners save their homes or get rid of their homes while incurring minimal liability.

 His experience at two successful big firms (both plaintiff and defendant) allows Yesner Law to represent its clients with “big firm” experience at “small firm” prices.

Shawn is also a speaker, an author, and a podcast host. 

In this episode of The Real Build, In this episode of The Real Build, I wanted to talk about why we recently won the Parade of Homes Merit award for the 2.5 - 3 million price range.  This award meant a lot to us because of all the hard work that was put into our model home at 445 North Barfield Drive in Marco Island, Florida.  There were a lot of late nights spent making the home perfect.

I touched on how we didn't cut corners, we went all out, and nothing was skimped on.  We used all quality materials.  

It was also all about having the right connections.  The architect, designer, and everyone was connected and on the same page.    I also discussed how we created the perfect design that everyone wants.  The great room, kitchen, bath, outdoor living were all designed for the customer's wants and needs. We delivered a wow factor.  I wanted something different and that people would remember. When you walk through the home, it is jaw-dropping. The design is timeless.

I also highlight our full punch out system for perfection.  This is a process we go above and beyond on.

Finally, I talk about creating a business brand that stands out and 

delivering a customer experience that people tell there friends and family about.

Have you ever thought about building a brand?  It is essential as an entrepreneur and person to establish your personal brand, and it is just as crucial to protect it.  Most people that build quality brands for their business don't ever think to protect it.  Erica DiAngelo is a business law attorney that specializes in Trademark registration and consulting, intellectual property, new business formation, contract drafting, data, privacy consulting and contracts, licensing and compliance, and investor agreements.

Erica's mission is to help entrepreneurs grow, prosper, and focus on their own passions. To do this, she provides high-quality legal services and education through speaking engagements to help businesses and brands REDUCE RISK and INCREASE VALUE.

Erica speaks to groups of entrepreneurs, college students, military veterans, and other business owners regarding the legal considerations when entering the world of business ownership, on the importance of protecting your brand through trademarks, and about the mindset required for success.

Erica has been featured in Inc. Magazine, and has been seen on the following news outlets; Bay News 9, (CBS), NPR Radio, The Business Happy Hour Radio Show (970 WFLA); 83Degrees Media; and CNN (Anderson Cooper 360).

In this episode of The Real Build, I got the opportunity to chat with Cole McCarter.  Cole is a real estate agent with Ohlig Group Realty in Dallas, Texas.  We talked about all things within the real estate industry.  But most importantly, we discussed what a new real estate agent should do to have success in a crowded sales industry.  There are so many real estate agents, and as a realtor, you have to know how to stand out.  Cole has figured this out.  He went from being broke and barely able to afford his rent to being on a successful team. Cole credits his success to his customer service, which is one of the most critical factors in every business.  He also tries to outwork everyone.  If he can sit an open house to get more prospects, he will.  He studies the home and the surrounding neighborhood.  To Cole, every day is a chance to get better and be more successful.

Most importantly, we also talked about our love for our English bulldogs.  If you are new in real estate or thinking about getting into it, this episode is a must-listen.

In this episode of The Real Build, I got to talk with David Belman, owner of Belman Homes in Waukesha, Wisconsin.  David worked in many phases of construction before becoming a new construction salesperson, then owning his real estate, land development, & home building companies. He has a passion for building homes, giving back to the community through Operation Finally Home, and being an industry leader for housing.   He served as President of the Metropolitan Builders Association & President of the Wisconsin Builders Association. 

David is an industry panelist for housing & real estate summits in Wisconsin. He publishes articles for Milwaukee Magazine and is a guest speaker for home building and sales at WCTC.

His company, Belman Homes, was the first builder in Wisconsin to build a free home for a wounded war hero with Operation Finally Home. He founded the Motivational Minute video series providing real-life sales, motivation, and personal growth information in under a minute on LinkedIn. (#MotivationalMinute). David has a Podcast, the Home Building Hero Podcast, in which he provides housing industry news. 

David and I discussed a variety of different topics about the building industry. Most importantly, we talked about how the best approach in building isn't to sell your customers just on price.  It's essential to sell yourself on the customer experience and quality.  We discussed how valuable customer experience is during every build, and as builders, if we focus on the overall experience versus other things, we are going to over-deliver.

In this episode of The Real Build, I sat down with smart home technology guru Adam Justice.  Adam is CEO of Grid Connect, a manufacturer and distributor of networking products and wireless sensors. He is responsible for developing the vision for the ConnectSense consumer product line, a group of wireless products steeped in the technology of the Internet of Things.  Adam is an expert on the Internet of Things and has also spoken on the topic at many conferences across the nation.

Adam and I discussed everything to do with smart homes and whole-home automation.  We talked about expensive options such as Control 4, and also discussed DIY options to save customers money.  We explained everything a customer needs to know, including the install process and making the system stay connected.  Smart home technology is becoming a go-to in every new home I build.  Homes are being prewired to support this technology.  People are now able to control every aspect of their home from their cell phone anywhere in the world.

This episode is excellent for anyone that wants to learn about home automation products and which products to buy.

In this episode of The Real Build, I sat down with Quinten Lovejoy with Crane Insurance Agency.  Quinten specializes in commercial insurance, general liability, property, work compensation, group health, and life and disability insurance.  He is a very active member of his community.

Quinten and I dove deeper into commercial insurance and what people need to look for when getting insurance for their business.  We discussed the essential things that people don't know when getting insurance.  We also talked about how Quinten strives to work with his clients to identify things they need or things that they are missing with their current policy.  Quinten always takes time for his clients.  It's not about the numbers and how many policies he sells like most agents.  Quinten has a passion for providing exceptional service to every one of his clients, and to continue the relationship with them long term.  He takes the time to evaluate their insurance packages and gives them recommendations to better help their company, even if he doesn't get paid to do it.  

In this episode, I wanted to point out things that people need to look for before building a new home.  I recently took potential clients around to other builder's model homes in my area.  It was a learning experience for me because I got to see what my competition is doing and not doing.  It drove me crazy to see some of the corners that were cut in the luxury homes I was showing.  Not many people know about the small details to look for, and that's what I wanted to discuss in this episode.

Some topics I covered were

Bonus - Allowances

In this episode of The Real Build, I sat down with my friend Ahmed Seirafi.  He is a 2nd generation business owner with his family’s commercial development company and commercial real estate broker.

Ahmed specializes in the acquisition, development, and management of commercial investment properties, specializing in multi-family residential and commercial retail properties.  His company’s primary locations of focus are southern California, Nevada, and Arizona.

Ahmed also trains personal protection K-9s.

Ahmed and I discuss managing development properties, and also dive deeper into being in a family business.  While we discuss our struggles, we also talk about what we are doing to better our companies.  We also talk about our visions of our businesses for the future.

In this episode of The Real Build, I sat down with Spencer Padgett.  Spencer owned his own development and contracting business and was the COO for a large design-build firm out of Chicago. He has entitled and developed over 2,200 acres of residential land and has built over 80 custom homes. The teams he led designed and constructed over $25MM/year in contract value.  During the downturn, his company provided due-diligence, pro forma creation, site investigation, development, construction, and sales operations for private equity projects located across the country.

Most importantly, he was a long-time Captain in the United States Marine Corps.

Spencer made a considerable career change a little over a year ago into the technology space.  He joined the construction management software company CoConstruct with a mission to help more builders manage and grow their companies as he did.  He brings a builder's perspective to one of the top construction management companies in the U.S.