Across the Yard Podcast

Supply-Build Canada

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Podcast by Supply-Build Canada

Oct 23

Beyond the Business: Building a Brand That Stands Out with Amie Seier - Episode 102

On this episode of Across the Yard, we sit down with Amie Seier, founder of Winnipeg’s The Community Gym, to explore entrepreneurship, creative marketing, and what it takes to build a business through unexpected challenges. An inspiring conversation about leadership, resilience, and the power of building a brand that stands out. ────────────────── This episode of Across the Yard is brought to you by HiLine Treated wood by West Fraser. Elevate inventory, elevate sales. Learn more at hilinetreated.com ────────────────── This episode is also brought to you by Sexton Group, your partner in building stronger business, together. Learn more at www.sextongroup.com
Oct 9

Feedback, Not Failure: Lessons in Business, Golf, and Life with Will Robins - Episode 101

On this episode of Across the Yard, we sit down with Will Robins, PGA professional, golf coach, and CEO of RGX Coaching, to explore resilience, personal growth, and what it takes to keep moving forward when life doesn’t go to plan. An honest conversation about leadership, resilience, and finding a better way forward, both on and off the course. ────────────────── This episode of Across the Yard is brought to you by HiLine Treated wood by West Fraser. Elevate inventory, elevate sales. Learn more at hilinetreated.com ────────────────── This episode is also brought to you by Sexton Group, your partner in building stronger business, together. Learn more at www.sextongroup.com
Sep 25

Our Industry Is Sexier Than You Think: Across the Yard Episode 100!!

A retired CIA agent once told Liz that this industry has it backwards: it isn't unglamorous, it's essential, the materials behind every home, restaurant, and space where people build their lives. That reframe kicks off a milestone conversation. This is Across the Yard's 100th episode, and Liz sits down with four of Supply-Build Canada's newest board members: Jesse Watson of QuikTherm, Brady Wilk of Integrity Building Products, Helen Smith of Star Building Materials, and Eddie Cho of Trimlite, for a wide-ranging look at where the association has been and where it's headed. In this episode, you'll learn: - How the shift from WRLA to Supply-Build Canada has actually landed with members and government relationships alike, straight from board members who lived through the transition - Why an executive coaching partnership changed how two board members lead their teams, and why they both wish they'd had it 20 years earlier - How the association is getting into high school classrooms through a Calgary Board of Education partnership, plus what happened when QuikTherm hosted a summer camp for kids who'd never seen insulation made - Why supply chain is quietly becoming a real, recognized career path in an industry still mostly learned by doing - What softwood lumber advocacy actually looks like after nearly 20 years, including a last-minute call with the U.S. embassy during the Section 338 tariff fallout - How the current tariffs and counter-tariffs are hitting four different building materials businesses in very different ways, and the surprising stat about how much of Canada's GDP this industry actually represents If you want an honest look at what it takes to advocate for an entire industry, and why four board members who joined for very different reasons all landed on the same conclusion, this milestone episode is worth the listen. Enjoy the show! Sponsor info: This episode of Across the Yard is brought to you by HiLine Treated wood by West Fraser. Elevate inventory, elevate sales. Learn more at hilinetreated.com This episode is also brought to you by Sexton Group, your partner in building stronger business, together. Learn more at www.sextongroup.com
Sep 18

How to Build a Bold Brand: Across the Yard with Sandra Possik & Tony Silveira S04EP27

Everyone says they have "the best product at the best price." The problem is, everyone says that, so nobody hears it anymore. In this episode, Liz sits down with Sandra Possik of The Caulking Store and Tony Silveira of Ferronox Tools, two Canadian companies whose manufacturer-distributor partnership has become a case study in what it actually takes to stand out in a category most people assume has no personality at all. In this episode, you'll learn: - Why The Caulking Store decided to lean fully into the jokes that come with its name instead of tiptoeing around them, and how that became the foundation of its brand - How Ferronox Tools and The Caulking Store's partnership as manufacturer and master distributor came together, and why sharing the same contractor customer base made it work - Sandra's advice for anyone who feels like just another commodity supplier: brand first, supplier relationships second - Tony's approach to procurement, built on trust and transparency rather than price alone, and how he handles tight deadlines without damaging supplier relationships - Why both leaders credit their teams, not themselves, for their success, and what that says about how they hire - Career advice for anyone new to the industry: relationships are a two-way street, and there's no textbook for learning the trade If you've ever wondered whether it's safe to have a little fun with your brand in a serious industry, this conversation makes a pretty strong case for yes. Enjoy the show! Links: The Caulking Store: https://www.thecaulkingstore.com/ The Caulking Store (LinkedIn): https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-caulking-store Ferronox Tools: https://ferronoxtools.com/ Sponsor info: This episode of Across the Yard is brought to you by HiLine Treated wood by West Fraser. Elevate inventory, elevate sales. Learn more at hilinetreated.com This episode is also brought to you by Sexton Group, your partner in building stronger business, together. Learn more at www.sextongroup.com
Sep 4

The Truth About Trees: Across the Yard with Allison DeFord, S04EP26

What if the story you were taught about forests was wrong? For 40 years, an entire generation grew up believing that logging destroys nature and forests are disappearing — but forest growth has outpaced harvest every single year, and there are far more trees across North America today than there used to be. In this episode, Allison DeFord, Executive Director of the North American Forest Foundation (NAFF), joins Liz for round two to unpack why the industry stayed quiet about that truth for so long, and what it's costing the workforce today. In this episode, you'll learn: - Why Allison compares substitute materials like laminate flooring to TV dinners, and what that says about how the industry sells itself - Why NAFF is racing to clear a waitlist of 1,300 teachers, the first waitlist in the organization's history, before a matching-donation deadline closes - How a $100 donation, matched 2X through September 30, turns into a full classroom kit reaching 250 students - The free, ready-made ways any business can act as an "ambassador" for the industry, from a white-labelled career day presentation to hosting a classroom visit - A first look at what's coming next: a PSA-style poster campaign launching in October, and a new app aimed at closing the "junior high gap" in career education - How Supply-Build Canada's own labour research ties into the same workforce urgency NAFF is working to solve If you care about where the next generation of industry talent is coming from, or just want a better answer the next time someone says logging is bad for the planet, this one's worth your time. Enjoy the show! Links: Allison DeFord: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allisondeford/ North American Forest Foundation: https://northamericanforestfoundation.org/ Back to School 2026 Campaign: https://northamericanforestfoundation.org/back-to-school-2026/ Canopy Club: https://northamericanforestfoundation.org/canopy-club/ Sponsor info: This episode of Across the Yard is brought to you by HiLine Treated wood by West Fraser. Elevate inventory, elevate sales. Learn more at hilinetreated.com This episode is also brought to you by Sexton Group, your partner in building stronger business, together. Learn more at www.sextongroup.com
Jul 30

Debunking Temporary Foreign Worker Myths: Across the Yard with Ivanna Didyk S04EP25

Many businesses employ Temporary Foreign Workers, but the processes involved are often overwhelming and convoluted. In this episode, Liz sits down with Ivanna Didyk, Managing Partner of Barbican Immigration and a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC), to break down what's actually changed with Canada's Termporary Foreign Worker Program, why old timelines no longer work, and the underused pathways that can save employers real time and money. In this episode, you'll learn: - Why employers now need to plan for work permit expirations 18–24 months in advance, not 12. - How treaty exemptions (with countries like Chile, Argentina, and Ukraine) and the French Mobility Work Permit can bypass the LMIA process entirely for as little as $230. - The real story behind the "TFW takes jobs from Canadians" myth, and who these programs actually help. -Why the Provincial Nominee Program is far simpler than most employers assume, and how it can get a worker a permit faster than an LMIA. - The difference between NOC and NAICS codes, and why job duties matter more than job titles. - What's at stake for small businesses when even a minor clerical error can get a work permit application refused . If you care about workforce planning, immigration policy, or just keeping your business compliant and competitive, this conversation is worth your time. Enjoy the show! Links: Ivanna Didyk: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/ivanna-yana-didyk-7a0a861b Barbican Immigration: https://www.barbicanimmigration.ca Sponsor info: This episode of Across the Yard is brought to you by HiLine Treated wood by West Fraser. Elevate inventory, elevate sales. Learn more at www.hilinetreated.com This episode is also brought to you by Sexton Group, your partner in building stronger business, together. Learn more at www.sextongroup.com
Jul 23

How AI Is Rewiring Retail Loyalty: Across the Yard with Chris Parsons S04EP24

Every marketer is being told to "use AI," but few are talking about what it's doing to how customers discover and stay loyal to brands. In this episode, Liz sits down with Chris Parsons, author of Retail Rewired and a 25-year retail marketing veteran with leadership experience at Walmart, dwag.com, and Home Hardware, to discuss AI, AEO, and how businesses can win in this fast-changing environment. In this episode, you'll learn: - What Chris calls the "AI Moment of Discovery" and why it's changing how customers find brands they'd never have considered before. - How AI-driven search is quietly disrupting traditional loyalty and points programs. - How to write content that gets picked up by AI agents, not just customers. - Why hyperlocal marketing beats national campaigns, and what retailers get wrong about matching content to a community's life stage. - The real difference between an AI prompt and an AI agent, explained through a simple driving analogy. - Why staff experience, not flyers or branding, is what actually builds customer loyalty. If you care about e-commerce, AI in marketing, customer loyalty, and what it really takes to build a retail brand people trust, this conversation is worth your time. Enjoy the show! Links: Chris Parsons: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisaparsons/ Retail Rewired: https://retailrewired.ca/ Sponsor info: This episode of Across the Yard is brought to you by DeckRite Canada Sundecks – a smarter product for your yard. Learn more at https://deckritecanada.com/ Learn more at hilinetreated.com Also brought to you by Falcon Equipment – Ready when you are. Visit www.falconequip.com or contact your nearest branch today.
Jul 16

The Hidden Science Inside Every Building's Walls: Across the Yard with Johns Manville S04EP23

There's a whole system of layers hiding inside every wall, roof, and foundation that most people don't know about. In this episode, Liz sits down with a panel from Johns Manville: Dwight Stone, Building Enclosure Consultant; Jesus Perez Orozco, Specifier Services Representative; and JR Babineau, Sr. Research Manager of Building Sciences in Corporate R&D. In this episode, you'll learn: - Why building envelope design has grown more complex (and what that means for builders and architects). - How infrared imaging and air barrier testing reveal whether a building was put together the way it was designed. - What Canada’s tiered energy code system means for the path to net zero construction. - How modern construction methods like panelization and offsite fabrication are reshaping (not replacing) the materials used inside the wall. - Why there is a growing conversation around passive survivability and resilience (hint: extreme weather). If you care about building science, energy code compliance, construction innovation, and what it really takes to build a durable, efficient building, this conversation is worth your time. Enjoy the show! Links: Johns Manville: https://www.jm.com/ Dwight Stone: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dwight-stone-mba-cdt-3bb6b070/ Jesus Perez Orozco: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jesus-perez-orozco-75046713b JR Babineau: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jrbabineau Johns Manville (LinkedIn): https://www.linkedin.com/company/johns-manville Sponsor info: This episode of Across the Yard is brought to you by HiLine Treated wood by West Fraser. Elevate inventory, elevate sales. Learn more at hilinetreated.com Also brought to you by Burrows Lumber. Proudly serving Western Canada and Ontario—Trusted for generations! Learn more at burrowslumber.com

Podcast by Supply-Build Canada

Creator

Supply-Build Canada
Years Active

2022 - 2026
Episodes

104
Rating

Clean
Copyright

© All rights reserved
Show Website

Across the Yard Podcast