A pool builder's guide to creating a safe and clean space

You may have a pool in your backyard, and it's likely a very nice and beautiful thing to look at. However, unless you're a real pool professional, you probably don't know how to keep it clean and safe.

Therefore, you need to have a pool maintenance plan. You can't simply call and have someone come and do it for you. The pool industry is big business, and pool builders are some of the most skilled tradesmen around. Many of them have their own websites, so if you want to work with pool builders, you'll need to understand how the industry works.

Listen to Mick Hawes interviewing Joel Kean, the President of the Master Pool Builders Association Australia (MPBAA) and an owner of Aqua Dreamz for almost 18 years. Joel has a reputation within the industry as a modern thinker with old-school values, and he shared his unique insights and expertise with us.

In this episode you will learn:

• About Joel Kean, President of the Master Pool Builders Association Australia (MPBAA) and owner of Aqua Dreamz, and his approach to providing exceptional service and maintaining a safe and clean environment.
• How Joel Kean runs Aqua Dreamz and how he started
• The most common misunderstandings we have in business
• Valuable tips and guides to provide your clients with the best experience
• Know if you can trust a builder who offers a free quote
• How to provide the builder and the customer a great deal
• About Joel’s experience as the President of the Pool Builders Association
• About the importance of communication in any business
• The benefits of joining an association as a business owners
• The difference between a pool builder and a home builder
• The similarities between a pool builder and a home builder.

All this and more, on this week’s episode of THE TOOLSHED.

Subscribe to the toolshed - thetoolshedpodcast.com/

Stay tuned next week when we going to cover Do tradies really need sales skills? with John Blake. We cover lots including how to unlock huge sales and the 3 main problems in your business.

So, don’t forget to subscribe to the show to get that episode as soon it gets released. Until then, stay healthy.

Building Insurance: Essential & Underrated

While insurance is not a new concept, it is very underrated and often overlooked by many. Even if you don't have a business, you should be aware of some of the most common insurance types and how they can benefit you. Having insurance is a privilege, but this privilege isn't without limits. In this episode, we will understand what those limits are and how we can grow past them.

People need buildings, and they need them built quickly. But getting the building license isn't enough—you also have to get your building insured. Builders are receiving a lot of work, but they're turning it down because they don't have the right insurance. If you don't have the right insurance, then you can't get started on building your new business.

Listen to Mick Hawes interview Chitra Matra from Bovill Risk & Insurance Consultants (BRIC) as they discuss the importance and benefits of Domestic Building insurance and its coverage.

In this episode you will:

• Hear about Chitra Sharma who is a team leader at Bovill Risk & Insurance Consultants (BRIC). They are builders who specialise in professional indemnity and builder’s insurance.
• Hear us talk about the misconceptions about getting insurance
• Learn the importance of having domestic insurance
• Know the minimum requirements for placing insurance
• Know the coverage of domestic building insurance
• Know the common challenges or issues that builders encounter when getting insurance
• Understand the risk and assessments of an insurance companies
• Learn how you can grow your business organically
• Hear us talk about how accountants deal with insurers and how they assess their questions
• Learn the disadvantage of over-covered insurance
• Learn how mental health is being addressed in the building industry

All this and more, on this week’s episode of THE TOOLSHED.

Subscribe to the toolshed - thetoolshedpodcast.com

Stay tuned next week when we going cover Water, water everywhere with Joel Kean. So, don’t forget to subscribe to the show to get that episode as soon it gets released. Until then, stay healthy.

The Surprising Benefits of Smiling on Mental Health

Smiling is one of the easiest things we can do. It reduces stress and makes us feel good, but it does more than that; it can also alter our brain chemistry and help us think more clearly. When we smile, we feel better, and it's contagious too. It's what happens when we empathise with others; their joy makes us want to join in. That's the power of smiling.

In this episode, Mick Hawes interviews James Short, a business coach and co-founder of The Business of Smile, a charity that helps reconnect communities by starting with a smile. Hear amazing stories of their business tackling mental health issues by giving away socks as a conversation starter. James also shares his knowledge about the effects of smiling on the body.

In this episode you will:

• Listen to James Short, a business coach and the co-founder of The Business of Smile charity, which helps reconnect communities, bridge the gap, and start with a smile!
• Hear how they met his co-founder at the Business of Smiles, Scott Carson.
• Learn how they morph from running sessions into a registered charity
• Hear us talk about their mental health events during lockdowns
• Understand the physiology of smiling
• Discover how giving their socks made an impact to the community
• Learn more about the stories behind The Business of Smiles as an amazing movement
• Understand the significant message of their socks
• Know more about James as a personal trainer-turned-business owner and an amazing father
• Think about joining their smiley brigade they want to build
• Learn how their business supports their personal development revolution

All this and more, on this week’s episode of THE TOOLSHED.

Join the toolshed - thetoolshedpodcast.com

Stay tuned next week when we going to cover Understanding insurance with Chitra Sharma.

So, don’t forget to subscribe to the show to get that episode as soon it gets released. Until then, stay healthy.

Links & resources mentioned in the episode:

https://www.ihopeyouaresmiling.com/

Save time and money using video

Training is important, and explaining how to complete tasks to your team is an important part of growing your business. But repeating yourself again and again doesn't achieve the desired outcome. So, instead of explanations, get everyone on the same page with a video training system. With a single video, anyone can be guided through a task, saving time for both you and the person who no longer needs to be taught.

Listen in as Mick Hawes interviews Luke Canham, the founder of Multiply Me, a learning management system that uses video training as the preferred method of documenting and delivering everyday manual training and explaining. In this episode, you'll learn the process and procedures Luke uses to help his clients solve their problems in the building industry through their training system.

In this episode you will:

• Listen to how Multiply Me founder Luke Canham helps business owners save time, money, and team morale by providing clear instructions via video training.
• Get to know his story being a carpenter and a business coach
• Discover their scaffolding system called Edge deck
• Learn how he provided training in the construction industry
• Hear us talk about the impact of consuming training videos in the building industry
• Learn the process of their training platform for fast-paced construction business
• Understand the purpose of custom brand training module
• Learn the positive prompt strategy - a guide for creating technical videos
• Hear an outline on creating a training video for their clients
• Think differently about fixing problems that a training video can negate

All this and more, on this week’s episode of THE TOOLSHED.

Join the toolshed - thetoolshedpodcast.com

Stay tuned next week when we going to cover Why smiling can change your business with James Short.

So, don’t forget to subscribe to the show to get that episode as soon it gets released. Until then, stay healthy.

Links & resources mentioned in the episode:

• https://multiplyme.com.au/

Manage the finances in your business

In any business or corporate organization, it is important to have a good understanding of the accounting system. Cash flow strategies are an important aspect to consider. To gain a competitive advantage, we must understand how to manage finance in our business. Understanding such strategies can help us regain a competitive advantage and increase profitability.

Listen to Mick Hawes interview Martin Cattach, the founder of Finance for Business. Cattach is an experienced working capital strategist with the economic and business background to develop sound financial and cash flow strategies for Australian SMEs. In this episode, you'll learn his smart, sustainable ways and strategies to deal with "money problems" - from paying off a tax debt, to expanding into a new market, stabilising a volatile supply chain, or finding a way to retire without closing down.

In this episode you will:

• Listen to Martin Cattach share his insights and advice on how he assists SME business owners in using money to grow their businesses.
• Hear his schemes for clients who want to expand their businesses but are turned down by banks.
• Identify the financial errors commonly made in the construction industry.
• Understand the financial aspects of working capital.
• Discover what trade finance means for business
• Learn how to manage the two levers to drive business
• Understand the return on investment and opportunity cost
• Discover why using the assets is not a wise move to secure a business
• Hear us talk about The E-Myth Book, why small businesses fail, and how to overcome common mistakes in business
• Learn how he has changed careers every 10 years
• Understand the importance of the business model
• We also discuss the process of how he builds relationships with his clients

All this and more, on this week’s episode of THE TOOLSHED.

Join the toolshed - thetoolshedpodcast.com

Stay tuned next week when we going to cover Never explain it again - use video instead with Luke Canham.

So, don’t forget to subscribe to the show to get that episode as soon it gets released. Until then, stay healthy.

Learn how to invest in your future and your business

Whether your business is established or brand new, you need to manage cash flow. If you're dissatisfied with your business's performance, it's likely a cash flow issue, rather than a set of numbers to adjust. Once you understand this, you're on your way to improving your cash flow and unlocking your business's potential.

Knowing how cash affects your business is essential for its long-term success. Even for experienced professionals, cash flow can be complicated.

Listen to Mick Hawes interview Tony Harrington, who has 20 years of experience working on building sites and runs a successful Tradies Coaching business. Tony teaches working families how to manage and invest their money, so they can have financial security when they retire. Hear his insights and advice about the importance of cash flow in business.

In this episode, you will:

• Listen to Tony Harrington, who is passionate about helping his clients take control of their home economy and double their retirement wealth
• Hear how his business started twelve years ago
• Learn from his twenty-year personal development learning journey
• Understand the cash flow of the business
• Hear that investing in a house is the same as building your business
• Understand the advantage of having a cash buffer when investing in properties and businesses
• Learn the 10% rule to accelerate your wealth
• Hear us discuss the psychology behind money
• Discover a debt reduction strategy
• Hear us talk in-depth about why cash flow is the biggest issue in business
• Learn how to make an investment plan and strategy

All this and more, on this week's episode of THE TOOLSHED.

Join the toolshed - thetoolshedpodcast.com

Stay tuned next week when we going to cover Smarter finance for business with Martin Cattach. So, don’t forget to subscribe to the show to get that episode as soon it gets released. Until then, stay healthy.

Learn how to implement health and safety in your business

Health and safety are extremely important in a business, especially if you're running or managing a construction site. The reason behind this is that injuries can cause not just financial losses but also emotional and even traumatising ones. Having the right systems and working in a safe environment increases morale, productivity, and safety.

In this episode Mick Hawes interviews Luke Williams, who is the general manager of HazardCo Australia and has over 10 years experience in the building and construction industry. Discover their digital app that takes care of your health and safety while also assisting you in scaling your business.

In this episode you will:

• Understand how Luke Williams helps builders and tradies with their systems and advice by making health and safety simple for their businesses
• Hear the background story of Hazard Co Australia
• Learn about his background in the building and construction industry
• Understand how he got involved in Hazard Co Australia
• Learn how he interacts with thousands of small business owners across multiple countries
• Discover their digital app to scale up your business
• Learn the importance and benefits of having a health and safety tool
• Understand the distinction between using a traditional health and safety tool and using an app
• Learn about their industry leading QR code technology
• Learn how to reduce health and safety admin time by 50%
• Hear us talk in-depth about addressing mental health problems in the construction industry

All this and more, on this week’s episode of THE TOOLSHED.

Join the toolshed - thetoolshedpodcast.com

Stay tuned next week when we going to cover how to invest in your future with Tony Harrington.

So, don’t forget to subscribe to the show to get that episode as soon it gets released. Until then, stay healthy.

Links mentioned:

• https://www.hazardco.com/au/

Discover how to outsource your estimations when building

Every day, hordes of construction managers across the country make mistakes that cost their company money. Some are so bad you probably wouldn't believe they were real. Fortunately for you, most of these mistakes are easily avoidable. The truth is, construction estimating isn't rocket science; though it requires knowledge and experience of some parts of it. It likewise requires a keen attention to detail as well as a dash of common sense when it comes to construction estimating software.

Today, we are talking with Nicholas Chiselett, a perpetual dot-joiner who is passionate about waste reduction and who loves to bring teams together to tackle challenges and achieve the larger vision. In this episode, you will learn how their amazing software works and how it helps the construction industry streamline their estimation.

In this episode, you will:

• Listen to how Nicholas Chiselett helps clients with waste minimisation and streamlines their estimation and ordering processes in the construction industry
• Learn how music led him to a career as a building estimator
• Hear how he discovers his passion for finding ways to minimise waste
• Learn the different ways of estimating using a system
• Discover the common mistakes that builders make when doing their estimations
• Listen to the service offered and the process involved for you as a builder
• Understand the techniques on how to save 80% of your time in the building industry
• Learn how their software can integrate with different systems
• Hear us discuss the time you can save by using their software
• Discover a product called Metro Mac, which is great for landscaping and aerial imagery

All this and more, on this week’s episode of THE TOOLSHED.

Join the toolshed - thetoolshedpodcast.com

Stay tuned next week when we going to cover On Site Health & Safety Made Simple with Luke Williams.

So, don’t forget to subscribe to the show to get that episode as soon it gets released. Until then, stay healthy.

Learn how to deal with natural disaster and your business

Business is all about connections. Somewhere, your success has a positive relationship with the successes of other people in the community. Even when natural disasters strike, our businesses have also to be reassured that we can again bounce back with full vigour as better businesses and better people.

Today, we are talking with Scott Carson, co-founder of The Business of Smiles, and Andrea Marshall, who are in the business of sharing a smile and starting a conversation! Hear their amazing stories about offering people encouragement and motivation. Learn how they give their socks that carry a significant message and brings hope and connection to communities.

In this episode you will:

• Listen to Scott Carson, Co-Founder of The Business of Smiles, and Andrea Marshall, one of our Builders Business Blackbelt Members, discuss their social mission of spreading smiles to the entire community!
• Hear us talk about the "Business of Smiles," how it started, and why it started
• Discover how they take the time to encourage people they meet on the street.
• Understand how sharing their socks with people starts a conversation
• Learn how they helped their community during the COVID pandemic and the flood situation in Shepperton
• Know how you can help by purchasing their socks
• Hear their amazing stories about reconnecting with people in the community
• Learn about their workshops on how to connect with someone and start a conversation.
• Hear how you can contribute to their charity through their website: https://www.ihopeyouaresmiling.com/
• Hear how Andrea gets involved in The Business of Smiles
• Take a deeper look at how to deal with natural disasters and keep your business going

All this and more, on this week’s episode of THE TOOLSHED.

Subscribe to the toolshed - thetoolshedpodcast.com

Stay tuned next week when we going to cover Outsourcing Your Estimating with Nicholas Chiselett.

So, don’t forget to subscribe to the show to get that episode as soon it gets released. Until then, stay healthy.

All businesses and organisations need effective human resource management in order to succeed. Good employees are hard to find, but retaining them is just as important. The proper steps must be taken to protect both your interests as an employer as well as that of the employee.

Listen to Mick Hawes interview Catie Paterson, an HR consultant who aids construction companies in finding solutions to problems relating to organisational growth, change management, and human resources. Hear the process on how to develop trust and good relationships with your clients.

In this episode you will:

• Listen to how Catie Paterson, an HR Consultant, takes the time to develop trust and relationships with her clients in the construction industry
• Hear about how she started her company
• Understand the process of how she supports builders efficiently and effectively
• Learn the importance of human resources management in your business and why it is important
• Hear what is needed for the induction and onboarding process for new team members
• Hear us talk about getting the processes and systems completely in place for your business to grow
• Understand ways to address mental health problems in the workplace
• Lean into how to develop resiliency to help you in difficult times
• We talk in depth about better insights and leadership required to grow a business

All this and more, on this week’s episode of THE TOOLSHED.

Join the toolshed - https://buildersbusinessblackbelt.com.au/download-builders-app/

• https://catiepatersonconsulting.com.au/about/