Women at WIRC

In this episode of Women at WIRC, Candice Rania, president of LEFF Design Build, discusses the transition of the company to an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) from a sole ownership model.

With LEFF two years into this change, Candice shares insights into the cultural transformation, operational logistics, and goals for the company's future. She also delves into her personal journey from studying interior design to leading a company, emphasizing the importance of mentorship and determination.

Additionally, Candice explains the workings of an ESOP, its benefits, and the impact it has had on LEFF's culture and financial transparency. Key challenges and strategies for maintaining growth within a changing market are highlighted, making this episode a valuable listen for those curious about alternative ownership structures in the construction industry.

00:00 Introduction

00:38 Meet Candice Rania

01:52 The Transition to an ESOP

06:12 Cultural and Operational Changes Post-ESOP

12:55 Understanding ESOP Structure and Benefits

18:12 Advice for New ESOP Leaders

20:18 Conclusion and Upcoming Events

LEFF: https://leffdesignbuild.com/

WIR+CC: https://www.womensconstructionconference.com/2024/

Custom Builder: https://www.custombuilderonline.com/

Pro Builder: https://www.probuilder.com/

Pro Remodeler: https://www.proremodeler.com/

In this episode of Women at WIRC, Editor Caroline Broderick interviews Alaina Money-Garman, CEO and co-founder of Garman Homes (garmanhomes.com), who was honored as Woman of the Year at the WIR+CC Conference (womensconstructionconference.com).

Alaina believes that accepting projects that don't monetarily move the company forward pays dividends by moving the industry forward. Garman Homes does this through its Operation Coming Home builds for Gold Star families, Habitat for Humanity builds, charitable donations, and a major project, The Farm at Penny Lane.

Garman Homes built 15 tiny homes for individuals receiving support for mental health at The Farm at Penny Lane. Alaina shares insights on the impact of thoughtful design on mental health and the importance of community involvement in housing initiatives.

00:00 Introduction to Women at WIRC Podcast

00:18 Meet Alaina Money-Garman: Woman of the Year

00:56 The Farm at Penny Lane: A Special Project

01:23 Garman Homes: Building with Purpose

03:45 Designing for Healing and Connectivity

07:31 Challenges and Successes in Building Tiny Homes

12:12 The Team Behind the Project

16:34 Garman Homes' Commitment to Giving Back

21:37 The Broader Responsibility of Affordable Housing

23:38 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

In this episode of Women at WIRC, Custom Builder Online Editor Caroline Broderick interviews Ginger Curtis, founder and CEO of Urbanology Designs, about the emerging field of neuroaesthetics.

Ginger shares her personal journey through significant life challenges, including her daughter's leukemia and her own battle with breast cancer. She discusses how these experiences influenced her instinct to create beauty and embrace the role of neuroaesthetics in design.

Neuroaesthetics, a combination of design and neuroscience, explores the profound impact of beauty on the human experience.

Ginger also provides practical tips for incorporating principles of neuroaesthetics in various spaces.

WIR+CC Conference: https://www.womensconstructionconference.com/2024/

Urbanology Designs: https://www.urbanologydesigns.com/

Custom Builder: https://www.custombuilderonline.com/

Pro Builder: https://www.probuilder.com/

Pro Remodeler: https://www.proremodeler.com/

00:00 Introduction to Women at WIRC Podcast

01:17 Meet Ginger Curtis: Designer and CEO

01:32 Understanding Neuroaesthetics

02:01 Ginger's Personal Journey and Inspiration

04:26 The Power of Fractals in Design

06:44 Ginger's Story of Resilience and Design

13:42 Launching a Design Firm from Adversity

16:26 Practical Tips for Neuroaesthetic Design

18:04 Conclusion and Upcoming Events

In this episode of Women at WIRC, Bree Jones, founder and CEO of Parity Homes, shares her transformative journey from Wall Street to affordable housing development.

Driven by incidents of racial injustice and gentrification in her Bronx neighborhood, Bree purchased and renovated an abandoned building in the Bronx, providing a deeply affordable home for three families. She had found her calling, created Parity Homes, and moved her efforts to West Baltimore.

Parity Homes focuses on revitalizing abandoned properties to create affordable housing, preserving historical and cultural significance, and strengthening the community.

00:00 Introduction

00:25 Meet Bree Jones of Parity Homes

01:00 Bree's Journey from Wall Street to Real Estate

01:37 The Impact of Trayvon Martin's Death

02:33 Gentrification and Its Effects

03:39 Starting Parity Homes in Baltimore

05:23 Challenges and Successes in Affordable Housing

10:12 The Importance of Preserving Historic Homes

16:13 Future Goals and Mentorship

17:16 Final Thoughts and Conference Announcement

Women in Residential + Commercial Construction Conference: https://www.womensconstructionconference.com/2024/

Parity Homes: https://www.parityhomes.com/

Custom Builder Online: https://www.custombuilderonline.com/

Pro Builder: https://www.probuilder.com/

Pro Remodeler: https://www.proremodeler.com/

LEFF Design Build Director of Operations Morgan Thomas is tired of ineffective, boring meetings. At LEFF, Thomas has learned—and taught—how to maximize everyone's time through engaging, productive meetings. After all, design-build remodeling thrives on communication, so you better do it correctly.

On this episode, Thomas shares her background in construction while providing the best practices for effective meetings. This includes how to train team members on facilitating, creating pre-meeting checklists, and how to wrangle in client meetings.

Timestamps:

00:00 Meet Morgan Thomas: From Project Manager to Director of Operations

1:11 The Evolution of Leadership and Team Dynamics at LEFF Design Build

1:58 No More Boring Meetings: A Passion for Efficiency

3:23 Inside LEF's Meeting Culture: Training, Structure, and Execution

6:53 The Art of Facilitating Productive Meetings

12:15 Handling Meetings with External Parties: Strategies and Challenges

14:07 Continuous Improvement: Rating and Reflecting on Meeting Effectiveness

15:00 Open Invitation for Meeting Innovation and Feedback

Stephanie Dailey of Steven Dailey Construction has more than 110,000 followers @stephaniebuildsit on Instagram—and most of that happened within the past year.

On this bonus track for Women at WIRC, Dailey shares her Instagram growth story and actionable tips for contractors looking to up their social media game.

00:00 Opening Question on Social Media Presence

00:28 The Journey of Instagram Growth

01:47 The Power of Authenticity and Consistency

03:39 Turning the Camera Around: A Game Changer

04:38 The Real Value of Social Media for Business

05:39 Personal Connections Through Social Media

06:19 The Commitment to Social Media Success

07:14 Closing Thoughts: The Impact Beyond Followers

Every business needs a story. Steven Dailey Construction's story is its people, its reputation, and its community.

On this episode of Women at WIRC, Vice President Stephanie Dailey shares how the contractor shares its story to gain clients through its website, community involvement, social media, and more.

"We don't do any marketing. The most marketing that you'll see come out of us is my Instagram," says Dailey. "And even at that, you'll notice it's not a lot of promotion of our company. And it's definitely not purposefully directed to clients."

Listen to the full podcast to hear the varied ways Dailey showcases the contractor's unique value propositions.

00:00 Meet Stephanie Dailey: A Construction Industry Innovator

00:32 From Architecture to MTV: Stephanie's Unique Journey

01:10 Returning to Construction: A Family Legacy

01:53 Building a Reputation: The First Female President of Utah Valley Home Builders Association

02:15 Innovating with Jobsite Codes: A Tech Venture

04:24 The Power of Storytelling in Client Relationships

07:08 Unique Business Practices: Setting Steven Dailey Construction Apart

11:51 Revamping the Website: A New Approach to Marketing

On this episode of Women at WIRC, Bridget Bacon, development manager at Red House Design Build (https://redhousecustombuilding.com/), discusses the journey she underwent to systematize the pre-construction process at the Rhode Island-based remodeling company.

Bacon identified issues all contractors have faced: slippage, a delayed design process, and low pre-construction team morale. On this episode, Bacon outlines each step she took to turn each issue around.

Listen to see how and why Bacon interviewed every team member, created new project timelines, and ensured each team member's understanding.

Using this new system, the company saw a significant improvement in morale, efficient task management, and financial performance.

Learn More:

Red House Design Build: https://redhousecustombuilding.com/

Pro Remodeler: https://www.proremodeler.com/

Pro Builder: https://www.probuilder.com/

Women in Residential+Commercial Construction Conference: https://www.womensconstructionconference.com/

00:00 Introduction and Background

01:14 Identifying the Problem

03:11 The First Steps to Improvement

04:28 Interviewing the Team

05:27 Creating the New Process

06:54 Implementing the New Process

08:06 Addressing Troublesome Areas

10:04 Lessons Learned and Advice

11:00 The Results and Benefits

12:53 Final Thoughts and Recommendations

Laura Burnes is the director of project planning and design at Adams + Beasley Associates in Carlisle, Mass. On this episode, Laura delves into her approach to leadership and project management, which relies on an emphasis of effective communication, in addition to sharing insights into the company's winning culture. Laura shares insights into conflict resolution, communication styles, and the company's commitment to diversity, highlighting the strong representation of women in leadership and project management roles.

Follow Us:

www.proremodeler.com

www.probuilder.com

www.adamsbeasley.com

Women in Residential + Commercial Construction Conference:

www.womensconstructionconference.com

About Us:

Women at WIRC is brought to you by Pro Remodeler and Pro Builder magazines. On this podcast, we, the editors, talk to standout women in residential construction to share their professional insights and highlight the amazing things these female leaders are doing. Be sure to rate and review, and like and follow our brands on all social media channels to stay up to date on everything women in res.