Beyond the Bid | Practical AI for Builders

GO First
  • 5.0 (2)
  • ENTREPRENEURSHIP
  • UPDATED DAILY

Working 70-hour weeks. Margins at 9%. Booked solid but broke. Beyond the Bid brings builders, trade pros, and construction tech leaders together to unpack the systems that separate thriving companies from those stuck competing on price. We explore practical AI—real impact on workflows, estimating, and project management. We tackle cash flow chaos, scope creep, and the trap of being your own bottleneck. Operators, tech innovators, industry veterans—every episode delivers something you can implement tomorrow. Stop chasing bids. Start building systems. Tuesdays → beyondthebid.co

  1. 5D AGO

    How a Hollywood Editor Built the Anti-Contractor Playbook (feat. Gil Vaisman)

    Free ADU Site Consultation (No Commitment Required): https://www.goadu.com/contact-usGil Vaisman spent 10 years editing reality television in Hollywood before looking at the construction industry and seeing a broken narrative—homeowners terrified of surprise costs, contractors ghosting mid-project, an entire industry built on verbal approvals and "we'll figure it out."So he built Go ADU Construction as the "Anti-Contractor." A design-build firm in Los Angeles that eliminates change orders entirely, prices transparently from day one, and converts 70% of $300 consultations into signed contracts. His secret? A "non-committal dating process" that lets prospects take it one step at a time—no high-pressure closes, no commitment until both sides are ready.But Gil's edge goes beyond sales. He uses AI to model new business ideas in a single day—complete with financing, break-even analysis, and launch timelines—work that would've taken a month manually. His job, in his words, is to "get into trouble" and find new ways to grow.This is the anti-contractor playbook most builders have never seen.OTHER RESOURCES 🔗Schedule a Free ADU Consultation: https://www.goadu.com/contact-usGo ADU Website: https://www.goadu.comConnect with Gil on LinkedIn: [LinkedIn URL]Follow Gil on Instagram: [Instagram URL]🎯 Get in Touch with Beyond the BidInstagram: @beyondthebidWebsite: beyondthebid.co00:00 - Beyond the Bid Intro00:50 - Gil's Background & Goadu04:07 - Focus on ADUs06:12 - The Goadu Process10:15 - Estimates and Selections12:29 - Business Development13:40 - Diversification and New Brands16:20 - AI for Business Planning22:55 - Business Philosophy27:03 - Managing Business Ventures29:14 - Valuable Business Tools32:38 - Connect with Gil & Goadu

    33 min
  2. The "License Myth" (feat. Stefani Thatcher)

    6D AGO

    The "License Myth" (feat. Stefani Thatcher)

    Stop bidding on unbuildable plans:https://www.dostudios.co/coworkingMost builders assume a "Licensed Architect" stamp guarantees a buildable set of plans. It doesn’t. In fact, relying on credentials over constructability is the #1 reason pre-con budgets blow up before you even break ground.In this episode, Stefani Thatcher (Founder of Domani Home Design) challenges the industry obsession with "The Stamp." She breaks down why the "Agile Design" approach is winning homeowners over and protecting builder margins. We discuss the "See, Learn, Do, Be" framework for mastering the trade and the specific identity shift you need to make to stop being a commodity drafter and become a Trusted Advisor.If you’re tired of value-engineering your profit away on "fantasy" blueprints, this conversation is the reality check your pre-con process needs.This will be the most honest conversation about design and constructability you hear in 2026.OTHER STEFANI THATCHER RESOURCES 🔗 • Domani Home Design: https://www.dostudios.co/• Square Foot Super Hero: https://www.dostudios.co/square-foot-superhero--264cc• Not a Licensed Architect Podcast: https://www.dostudios.co/not-a-licensed-architect• Instagram: @domanihomedesign🎯 Get in Touch with Beyond the Bid Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beyondthebid.co/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/gofirst-consulting/Website: https://beyondthebid.co/00:00 - The Value of Practical Experience00:26 - Unlicensed Advantage00:34 - Traditional vs. Agile Design01:01 - Beyond the Bid Introduction04:08 - Stefani's Design Journey07:30 - Serving Homeowners' Needs11:03 - See, Learn, Do, Be Framework13:13 - Identity Transformation15:23 - The Trades Workforce Gap15:56 - Agile Approach Benefits17:40 - Discovery Call Questions19:50 - Local Expertise Matters22:05 - The Value-Added Professional25:03 - Key Advice for Professionals26:02 - Connect with Stefani26:36 - Mission Recap & Call to Action

    27 min
  3. From 12 Months to 30 Seconds — AI That Gets Permits Approved Faster (feat. Robbie Leer)

    FEB 5

    From 12 Months to 30 Seconds — AI That Gets Permits Approved Faster (feat. Robbie Leer)

    LA permits take 12 months on average. Every month waiting bleeds $3K-$8K in holding costs—and most builders have zero visibility into when approvals will actually land. Robbie Leer spent a decade in real estate tech (Airbnb, Cloud Kitchens) watching permits kill project timelines. So he built Turbo Permit: an AI platform that pre-checks your plans against local code requirements in 30 seconds and flags compliance issues before the city ever sees them.In this conversation, Robbie walks through a live demo of the AI PreCheck, explains how his clients are cutting permit timelines by 50%, and reveals how they're standing up new jurisdictions in 48 hours—anywhere in the country. We also dig into the task management system that keeps project teams aligned across 13+ city departments, and where Robbie sees permits heading (hint: real-time approvals aren't as far off as you think).If permits are the black box bottleneck killing your project velocity, this is the most valuable 20 minutes you'll spend this week.🔗 ROBBIE LEER & TURBO PERMIT RESOURCES* Book a Demo: https://scheduler.zoom.us/robbie-leer* Turbo Permit Website: https://www.turbopermit.co/* Robbie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robbieleer/* Turbo Permit on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/turbopermit* Email Robbie: robbie@turbopermit.co🏗️ FIND TURBO PERMIT AT IBS 2025* Startup Zone Kiosk: Booth W5653 (Tuesday–Thursday)* Startup Pitch Competition: Wednesday 10/19, 3-4 PM in Room W232🎯 GET IN TOUCH WITH BEYOND THE BID* Instagram: @beyondthebid* LinkedIn: /company/beyondthebid* Website: www.beyondthebid.co* Email: grant@gofirstconsulting.com⏱️ TIMESTAMPS[00:00] Intro — The 12-month permit problem[01:15] Robbie's background: Airbnb → CloudKitchens → TurboPermit[02:15] Why permits are a "black box" that bleeds revenue[03:45] The LA housing crisis and why permitting matters[05:30] How builders are responding to TurboPermit[06:15] The 3 core benefits: 50% faster approvals, seamless collaboration, homeowner trust[08:45] LIVE DEMO: AI PreCheck in action[10:30] How the system reads plans and flags compliance issues[11:30] Eliminating correction letter surprises[13:20] Task management across 13+ city departments[15:45] Standing up new jurisdictions in 48 hours[17:00] Find TurboPermit at IBS 2025[17:30] The future: real-time permit approvals[18:15] How to connect with Robbie👍 Like this video if you found the content helpful!💬 Comment below: What's the longest you've waited on a permit?🔔 Subscribe to Beyond the Bid for weekly systems breakdowns that help you build a construction business that doesn't need you on every jobsite!📤 Share this with a builder stuck waiting on permits right now.

    24 min
  4. Stop Promoting Your Best into the Wrong Roles (feat. Traci Austin)

    FEB 3

    Stop Promoting Your Best into the Wrong Roles (feat. Traci Austin)

    Download the "Tough Talk" Blueprint & Episode Resources: https://beyondthebid.co/traci-austin-promotion-trap You just took your best revenue generator ($45/hr) and turned them into a massive overhead expense. It’s called the "Best Guy Paradox," and it’s why most $3M-$15M builders are bleeding margin in the field. In this episode, Traci Austin (Elevated Talent Consulting) reveals why promoting your top craftsperson to foreman without a system creates a leadership vacuum that destroys production. She breaks down the "Delegation Litmus Test"—the single question that proves if your crew knows what winning looks like—and shares the exact 6-step "Tough Talk" script to fix behavior issues before they become firing offenses. Most builders think they have a "toxic" culture. Traci proves you just have a clarity problem. This is the conversation that stops you from losing your best people to your competitors. OTHER TRACI AUSTIN RESOURCES 🔗• Elevated Talent Consulting: https://elevatedtalentconsulting.com/• Connect with Traci on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/traciaustin/• The People Strategy Podcast: https://elevatedtalentconsulting.com/podcast/ 🎯 Get in Touch with Beyond the Bid• Website: https://www.gofirstconsulting.com• Grant on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/grant-fuellenbach/ 🚀 Powered by• GO First Consulting: The Systems Architecture for Builders Earning $3M-$15M. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - The Best Performer Paradox 02:46 - Defining a Construction Team 07:49 - Retention and Leadership Gaps 09:36 - Drivers of Engagement 13:37 - The Tough Talk Audit 22:26 - Six Steps for Tough Talks 32:26 - Delegation Litmus Test 35:44 - Contact and Resources 36:49 - Conclusion and Call to Action 👍 Like this video if you found the content helpful!💬 Comment below: Have you ever promoted a "best guy" and regretted it? 🔔 Subscribe to Beyond the Bid for weekly systems breakdowns that help you build a construction business that doesn't need you on every jobsite—insights your competitors are already using! 📤 Share this episode with another builder who's stuck in the daily grind!

    37 min
  5. How to Systematize Jobsite Culture (feat. Estie Briggs, MSOD)

    JAN 30

    How to Systematize Jobsite Culture (feat. Estie Briggs, MSOD)

    In construction, we hire for hard skills—can they read plans? Can they run a crew? But we fire for behavior.The yelling matches, the silence during change order negotiations, the "panic parties" when a schedule slips... builders often dismiss this as "just personality." But in reality, it is an expensive operational leak that costs you $150,000+ every time a key Project Manager walks off the job.This week, Estie Briggs (Founder of Briggs Performance Consulting) proves that "soft skills" are actually hard systems. She breaks down exactly how to move your crew from reactive drama to proactive problem-solving, ensuring your leaders can handle pressure without calling you to referee every dispute.In this episode, Grant and Estie Briggs talk about: ✦ The "150% Turnover Tax": Why replacing a Foreman costs double their salary (and how to stop the bleeding). ✦ The "Stoplight Protocol": A simple daily system to spot crew burnout before they quit. ✦ Escaping the "Panic Party": How to train leaders to Reality Test a crisis instead of reacting emotionally. ✦ AI-Powered Coaching: Using tools like NotebookLM to turn "feelings" into a hard operational roadmap. ✦ The "Pincer" Strategy: Getting field crews and office leadership to buy into new culture systems simultaneously.EP24: Systematize Your Crew's Emotional Intelligence | A conversation with Estie Briggs @beyondthebidWork with Estie (to win with EQ): https://calendly.com/estiebriggs/discovery-callOTHER EQ RESOURCES 🔗• Follow Estie on LinkedIn: / @estiebriggs• Follow Estie on Instagram: /@agilegardener. • Get Esties' free guide on how to conquer Imposter Syndrome: https://sales.estiebriggs.com/conquering-imposter-syndrome/• Join the PMCA Cohort: https://www.unitedcontractors.org/event/2026-project-management-career-advancement-pmca-virtual• Book Recommendation: 📘 Fierce Conversations by Susan Scott📬 Get in Touch with Beyond the BidInstagram: / beyondthebid.co Instagram: / grantfuellenbach LinkedIn: / grantfuellenbachWebsite: https://beyondthebid.co/Email: info@beyondthebid.co00:00 - EQ is Not a Soft Skill00:34 - Introducing Estie Briggs02:00 - What is Emotional Intelligence?05:04 - Psychological Safety & Self-Awareness07:08 - The Mood Meter & Affective Labeling10:27 - 360s and EQ Assessments15:47 - The EQ Assessment Process21:38 - Understanding Your EQ Report29:14 - AI and EQ Integration31:30 - EQ in Construction & Beyond34:14 - Connect with Estie Briggs35:44 - Systems Scale Your Success

    40 min
  6. The "Speed-to-Lead" Hiring System (feat. Paul Sanneman - Contractor Staffing Source)

    JAN 28

    The "Speed-to-Lead" Hiring System (feat. Paul Sanneman - Contractor Staffing Source)

    You’d never let a $500k remodeling lead sit in your inbox for 4 days. So why do you do it to your Project Managers? Most builders treat hiring like a "project"—they wait until they are drowning in work, post a panic ad, and then complain about the "labor shortage" when they can't find a unicorn in 48 hours. The truth? The talent is out there, but your speed is killing you. In this episode, Grant sits down with Paul Sanneman, founder of Contractor Staffing Source, to dismantle the "We Can't Find Good Guys" myth. Paul treats recruitment exactly like high-ticket sales: if you don't respond to an applicant in minutes, they are gone. We break down the exact automation stack you need to filter 500+ applicants, the math behind "Always Be Recruiting," and how to stop bleeding revenue because of empty seats in your org chart. In this episode, Grant and Paul from Contractor Staffing Source talk about:✦ The "Speed-to-Lead" Protocol: Why responding to applicants in under 10 minutes increases your hiring success rate by 400%.✦ The "Project" Fallacy: Why treating hiring like a reactive emergency (instead of a fixed system) guarantees you will always be understaffed.✦ Automated Gatekeepers: How to use simple AI tools to screen 1,000 resumes and filter for the top 1% without wasting your office manager’s time.✦ The Cost of Vacancy: Calculating exactly how much revenue you lose every day a Project Manager seat sits empty (it’s more than the recruiting fee).✦ Escaping the 20% Fee: Moving away from expensive headhunters and building an internal "Talent Factory." EP[XXX]: Construction Hiring System | The 10-Minute Rule | Beyond the Bid 🔔 Watch more: The "Remote Ops" System: [Link to previous episode] Fixing Margin Fade: [Link to previous episode] Stop Owner Dependency: [Link to previous episode] ⏱️ Timestamps: 00:00 - Hiring Crisis in Construction 01:53 - Paul Cinnamon's Background 03:25 - The Real Hiring Shortage 06:10 - Myths About Recruitment 09:37 - Proactive Hiring Strategies 11:52 - AI-Powered Hiring Process 19:04 - Hiring All Levels of Staff 19:37 - Offshore Labor and VAs 22:22 - Private Equity in Construction 24:52 - When to Hire Us 27:30 - Final Advice and Wrap-up Mentioned:Website: https://contractorstaffingsource.com/Paul’s Resource: The 6-Step Hiring Checklist Free Resources:📘 The GO First AI Diagnostic: Find your #1 profit bottleneck in 7 minutes.👉 [Link to Diagnostic] 🔴 DISCLAIMER: This video is for informational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for professional business or financial advice.⚠ COPYRIGHT NOTICE: All content in this video is copyrighted by @beyondthebid. Unauthorized use or duplication is prohibited. 🎯 Related Keywords:construction hiring process, contractor staffing, blue collar recruiting, speed to lead, construction business systems, labor shortage solutions, automated hiring funnel, Paul Sanneman, Grant Fuellenbach, construction margin protection 🎯 Related Hashtags:#ConstructionBusiness #HiringSystems #ContractorStaffing #SpeedToLead #BlueCollarGrowth #BeyondTheBid #ConstructionAutomation 👍 Like this video if you found the content helpful!💬 Comment below: What is your current response time to a new job applicant? Be honest!🔔 Subscribe to Beyond the Bid for weekly systems breakdowns that help you build a construction business that doesn't need you on every jobsite!📤 Share this episode with another builder who is stuck in the daily grind!

    29 min
  7. Analyze 50 Properties Before Your Morning Coffee | AI Real Estate Investing

    JAN 22

    Analyze 50 Properties Before Your Morning Coffee | AI Real Estate Investing

    Everyone's hyped about AI. Nobody's showing you how to actually use it. Kevin Shtofman manages single-family rentals, self-storage, and triple-net retail—no property management team, no spreadsheet chaos. Here's how.The Brutal Truth:❌ "AI will replace your judgment" → ✅ AI shows its work—you ask where the risk is, it tells you❌ "You need a team to scale" → ✅ The right systems eliminate the back-office bottleneck❌ "CRMs are about forms and fields" → ✅ The future is insights from conversations, not dropdownsWhat You'll Discover:[01:40] - From corporate exec to portfolio owner: the mindset shift[02:41] - How to make AI show its calculations and flag risk[04:08] - Why NotebookLM won't hallucinate—and how to use it as a CRM[05:25] - The "Critical 19" dashboard: metrics most investors never see[06:23] - Why single source of truth matters more than any tool[07:35] - The $20 device that captures what your memory can'tResources:🔗 Connect with Kevin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinshtofman🔗 Free AI Diagnostic for Your Business: www.gofirstconsulting.com🔗 Subscribe for more: beyondthebid.co

    38 min

  8. JAN 16

    How To Make AI Recommend You First | Contractor SEO in 2026 | Beyond the Bid

    Your competitor is getting recommended by ChatGPT. You're not even showing up.Most contractors are still obsessing over Google rankings while homeowners have moved on. They're asking AI—ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, Grok—who to hire. And if your online presence isn't built for how people actually search in 2025, you're invisible to the buyers who matter most.Wes Towers has spent 20+ years helping builders and trades turn websites into lead generation systems. In this episode, he breaks down Search Everywhere Optimization—the new playbook for showing up across Google, ChatGPT, Google AI Overview, and every platform where homeowners are asking "who's the best contractor near me?"══════════════════════════════════🔥 THE BRUTAL TRUTH ABOUT CONTRACTOR MARKETING IN 2026:══════════════════════════════════❌ "I rank on Google" → ✅ You need to rank on ChatGPT, Perplexity, AND Google❌ "My website looks professional" → ✅ Professional doesn't convert—systems do❌ "SEO is dead" → ✅ SEO evolved—it's now Search EVERYWHERE Optimization══════════════════════════════════📌 WHAT YOU'LL DISCOVER══════════════════════════════════[0:00] - Why AI search should keep you up at night[1:12] - Welcome & the shift from "contractor near me" to AI-Overview[3:45] - How Google rewards novelty (and punishes generic content)[6:30] - HubSpot AI Grader: See how you rank on Google vs ChatGPT[9:15] - The $140K project story: How one plumber's website closed deals[12:40] - Show, Don't Tell: Why unpolished content outranks[16:20] - Squarespace vs. Wix vs. Custom: What actually matters[19:45] - Why AI-generated images might hurt your ranking[22:30] - StoryBrand for builders: Simplifying your core message[25:10] - The ONE move to make this week to rank on AI search[27:45] - How to find Wes & Uplift 360══════════════════════════════════🔧 RESOURCES MENTIONED══════════════════════════════════📊 HubSpot AI Grader Tool — See how you rank across AI platforms:https://www.hubspot.com/ai-search-grader🌐 Uplift 360 — Wes Towers' Agency:https://uplift360.com.au📖 StoryBrand Framework — Clarify your message:https://storybrand.com══════════════════════════════════🎙️ CONNECT══════════════════════════════════- Wes Towers on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/westowers- Grant Fuellenbach on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/grantfuellenbach🔔 SUBSCRIBE for weekly episodes on systems, strategy, and practical AI for builders: https://gofirstconsulting.com/══════════════════════════════════🎙️ ABOUT BEYOND THE BID══════════════════════════════════Beyond the Bid is the show for construction business owners who are done with operational chaos and ready to build the business they deserve. Hosted by Grant Fuellenbach of GO First Consulting, each episode delivers systems, strategies, and practical AI for builders earning $1M-$15M who want to win more of the right projects, boost profitability, and scale without burning out.—#ContractorMarketing #SEOForContractors #ChatGPTSEO #AISearch #SearchEverywhereOptimization #ConstructionBusiness #HomeBuilderMarketing #ContractorWebsite #DigitalMarketingForContractors #GoogleAIOverview #PerplexitySEO #ContractorLeadGeneration #BuilderMarketing #TradesMarketing #ConstructionSEO #HowToRankOnChatGPT #AIForContractors #ContractorTips #ResidentialConstruction #RemodelingContractor #GeneralContractor #ConstructionPodcast #BeyondTheBid #GOFirstConsulting

    28 min
See All (70)

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

Working 70-hour weeks. Margins at 9%. Booked solid but broke. Beyond the Bid brings builders, trade pros, and construction tech leaders together to unpack the systems that separate thriving companies from those stuck competing on price. We explore practical AI—real impact on workflows, estimating, and project management. We tackle cash flow chaos, scope creep, and the trap of being your own bottleneck. Operators, tech innovators, industry veterans—every episode delivers something you can implement tomorrow. Stop chasing bids. Start building systems. Tuesdays → beyondthebid.co

Information