The Builder Nuggets Podcast

Duane Johns & Dave Young
  • 4.9 (34)
  • ENTREPRENEURSHIP
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Listen to The Builder Nuggets Podcast where builders and remodelers share the elements of success needed to transform your business into a valuable asset that thrives using less of your time. Discover how to predictably scale your business, free yourself from day to day operations and develop your exit strategy and legacy. Duane Johns and Dave Young will show you how to build a thriving business that allows you to spend more time doing what you love. Enjoy the stories, strategies and tactics that have helped hundreds of contractors like you build better lives.

  1. A Path for Veterans

    11/05/2024

    A Path for Veterans

    Every job candidate has a set of hard skills and soft skills. Hard skills can be trained, but soft skills are natural inclinations that are difficult to teach. This episode explores how the soft skills that veterans have cultivated in their service career translate well to working in the construction industry. Our guests are from a familiar company, 84 Lumber, and today Joe Jena and Jason Hinsken join us to share how 84 Lumber has thrived by recruiting veterans and retaining them through offering a true career path where they can rise through the ranks. Show highlights include:   00:30 Introduction to 84 Lumber and Guests 02:30 Personal Journeys: From Military to 84 Lumber 05:30 The Culture of 84 Lumber: A Family Atmosphere 07:25 Recruitment Strategies: Attracting the Right Talent 09:20 Identifying the Right Candidates: Traits and Skills 14:50 The Value of Hiring Veterans 17:20 Differences Between Military and Civilian Work Environments 20:30 Advice for Small Builders: Attracting Veterans 24:40 Opportunities for Veterans in Construction 29:45 Looking Ahead: Future Growth and Personal Aspirations You can learn more about Joe and Jason at https://www.84lumber.com/. Social media: Instagram Joe's LinkedIn Jason's LinkedIn Or hit us through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we'll make a personal introduction.   To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.

    36 min
  2. Indoor Environmental Quality

    10/01/2024

    Indoor Environmental Quality

    HVAC design and indoor environmental quality is an often overlooked part of home design and construction. Code continues to sluggishly push forward, but doesn't reach a high standard for comfort and efficiency in most home builds. Today's guest is the founder and lead engineer of TE2 Engineering and he works diligently to educate others about how to design beyond code. Ross Trethewey joins us to discuss the key elements of HVAC design, the benefit of heat pumps, and what new technologies are going to drastically change the industry in the near future. Show highlights include:   03;55 Introduction and Background 06:35 Building Science and HVAC Design 8:30 Indoor Environmental Quality and Comfort 11:00 What drives code? Efficiency vs Comfort 21:00 The Benefits and Future of Heat Pumps 30:00 Emerging Technologies in HVAC Design 32:50 Geothermal Systems and Solar Integration 34:45 What's coming up next and how to connect You can learn more about Ross at https://te2engineering.com/. Social media: Instagram Twitter LinkedIn Or hit us through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we'll make a personal introduction.   To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.

    37 min
  3. Ep 165: Getting Intentional

    09/03/2024

    Ep 165: Getting Intentional

    Today's guest shares his journey from the family chocolate business to becoming a sought-after builder in Rhode Island. Jeff Sweenor, founder of Sweenor Builders, delves into the evolution of his business, the importance of intentional client selection, and the transformation of his company culture. This has led to attracting and retaining talented individuals and an incredible opportunity to be involved with This Old House. Through over 30 years of challenges and obstacles, Jeff has learned most lessons that any successful builder has to learn. Listen in and you can learn them too.   Show highlights include:   03:10 The Journey of Sweenor Builders 08:40 Intentional Client Selection: The Key to Building Success 12:35 Determining your ideal client 15:45 Where does the budget come from? 19:15 How to choose your projects? 20:55 Ways the business has changed 23:00 The Role of a Chief Performance Officer 26:00 The Negative Impact of Being Too Nice 32:45 Elevating the Workforce for Talent Attraction 38:00 This Old House 43:30 The best advice - use social media  46:35 What's coming up next and how to connect You can learn more about Jeff at https://sweenorbuilders.com. Social media: Instagram Or hit us through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we'll make a personal introduction.   To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.

    51 min
  4. Ep 164: Paradigm Changers

    08/06/2024

    Ep 164: Paradigm Changers

    Human-centric, sustainable, green, high-performance and fully-supportive are the buzzwords of the last few years in custom home design. Today's guest has been incorporating these elements into her home designs for decades - before there were labels to define the trend. Jenny Pippin, founder of Pippin Home Designs, shares what it means to incorporate the specific needs of clients with the natural harmony of location and space. The popularity of bringing the outdoors in and maximizing efficiency in new homes is only growing in demand. Listen in as we hash out the building science behind the trend. Show highlights include:   02:05 Introduction to Jenny Pippin and Pippin Home Designs 06:00 Early days of full supportive homes 07:10 Creating Fully Supportive Homes: A Human-Centric Design Approach 11:30 How do clients figure out their priorities in how a home supports them? 14:00 How important is the lot? 14:53 Ideal clients and finding each other 16:50 What surprises people about a Supportive Home? 18:40 The standard must be met 20:00 Building Science in homes and the trends 24:00 Examples of client experiences 29:55 Navigating Rising Construction Costs and Budgeting Challenges with great design 35:25 The Importance of Team Collaboration in Home Design 40:00 What excites you about the next year 45:35 How to connect You can learn more about Jenny at https://www.pippinhomedesigns.com/. Social media: LinkedIn  Facebook Instagram Or hit us through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we'll make a personal introduction.   To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.

    44 min
  5. NAHB Economic Update 2024

    07/02/2024

    NAHB Economic Update 2024

    We've invited back a special guest to give our annual economic update on the housing industry. Danushka Nanayakkara, Assistant Vice President for Forecasting and Analysis at the NAHB, joins the podcast again to share the annual outlook. Listen in to learn the trends for the next 18 months, where the industry is struggling most, and the direction the interest rates are headed next.   Show highlights include:   02:45 Introduction and Background 4:40 What was surprising economically this year? 07:55 Interest Rates and Inflation Outlook 14:35  Affordability Challenges and the Need for More Affordable Housing Units 24:55 Creative housing solutions and zoning 32:00 Economic trends for the next 18 months 38:40 Getting young buyers into the market 41:15 What does the industry look like 5 years down the road? 44:00 What excites you about the next year 45:35 How to connect You can learn more about Danushka at https://eyeonhousing.org/. Social media: LinkedIn  Or hit us through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we'll make a personal introduction.   To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.

    47 min
  6. The Importance of Home

    06/04/2024

    The Importance of Home

    These two childhood friends took a leap of faith and started their own custom home building business over two decades ago and never looked back. Weathering the turbulent Great Recession in '08 and, now, Covid, these two home builders have joined us to share the hard lessons they've learned and the tools they've used to build success. Chris Ehrenfeld and Jason Dell cover the trends that are taking their market by storm, and how they keep their customers happy.   Show highlights include:   02:30 Childhood Friends Turned Business Partners 07:35 Bold Construction the journey 09:01 Navigating the Great Recession and Pivoting 11:15 Implementing Systems and Processes with EOS 18:30 The behavior of buying habits and what clients what 22:15 The Impact of Remote Work and Commuting 25:37 The Importance of Customization and Design 30:20 Navigating the Overwhelming Choices in Home Building 34:40 Current trends in homes 39:45 What excites you about the next year 44:50 How to connect You can learn more about Jason and Chris at https://buildboldnc.com/. Social media: LinkedIn  Facebook Instagram Or hit us through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we'll make a personal introduction.   To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.

    46 min
  7. 2024 State of the Industry

    05/07/2024

    2024 State of the Industry

    2024's SORCI Report is an incredibly useful source of data that our guest today helped design at The Association of Professional Builders. Russ Stephens joins us for another year to go over the annual report and share the new industry trends he's seeing, along with the biggest challenges facing builders and remodelers this year. This is an episode you can't afford to miss.    Show highlights include:   01:15 Introduction of the Guest 02:32 Importance of Participating in the SORCI Survey 05:45 Highlights from the 2024 SORCI Report 07:30 Marketing Challenges for Builders 13:00 Content Creation and Marketing Strategy 19:55 Importance of Accurate Financial Reporting 22:25 Trends in Talent Acquisition and Employee Retention 25:55 Trends in the Residential Construction Industry 35:55 Accessing the SORCI Report 36:45 Exciting Developments in the Industry and Personal Life You can learn more about Russ at https://associationofprofessionalbuilders.com/.   You can download this year's SORCI report here. Social media: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-association-of-professional-builders/ Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCx3f5Njk_SkTIh7zEbg7qcA Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/apbbuilders/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/apbbuilders Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/associationofprofessionalbuilders/ Or hit us through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we'll make a personal introduction.   To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.

    41 min
  8. Customer Lifetime Value

    04/02/2024

    Customer Lifetime Value

    Doors and windows complete every home, and today's guest knows first hand how competitive the market is for selling these products. Alan Lockuff, Business Development Manager with Andersen Windows and Doors, shares the benefits of a good company culture, building a strong team, and investing in business development. Even large companies had to build a strong foundation in order to thrive.   Show highlights include:   04:00 Alan's Background 06:55 Andersen Windows and Doors: Changes and Focus 10:15 Identifying Ideal Customers 11:35 Providing Value Beyond Price 14:30 Delivering a World-Class Customer Experience 18:20 Building a Strong Team 25:00 The Importance of Involvement in Associations 31:00 Moving for Your Job 35:35 Outlook for 2024 and Beyond 37:35 Excitement for the Year Ahead 40:22 How to connect and what's coming up next? You can learn more about Alan at alan.lockuff@andersencorp.com or at ttps://www.andersenwindows.com/. Social media: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/feed/ Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/@andersenwindows Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/lockcuff.alan Or hit us through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we'll make a personal introduction.   To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.

    42 min
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4.9
out of 5
34 Ratings

About

Listen to The Builder Nuggets Podcast where builders and remodelers share the elements of success needed to transform your business into a valuable asset that thrives using less of your time. Discover how to predictably scale your business, free yourself from day to day operations and develop your exit strategy and legacy. Duane Johns and Dave Young will show you how to build a thriving business that allows you to spend more time doing what you love. Enjoy the stories, strategies and tactics that have helped hundreds of contractors like you build better lives.

Information

  • Creator
    Duane Johns & Dave Young
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2024
  • Episodes
    167
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2021-2022
  • Show Website
    The Builder Nuggets Podcast