159 episodes

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.

The Builder Nuggets Podcast Duane Johns & Dave Young

    • Business
    • 4.9 • 34 Ratings

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.

    It’s a Big Small Industry

    It’s a Big Small Industry

    Distribution partners are integral to the custom home building and remodeling industry, and today’s guest is no exception. Scott Thomas, Director of Sales at Parksite, originally started in the industry as a Tyvek specialist before working his way up. Today he joins us to share his thoughts on the value of distribution partners, the newest industry products, and the importance of building strong relationships.
     
    Show highlights include:
     
    00:00 Introduction and Background
    02:34 Scott's Journey in the Building Industry
    03:24 Transition to Consulting and Salesforce
    05:00 Starting and Selling a Consulting Company
    06:00 Entrepreneurial Roots and Education
    09:20 Return to Parkside and Reasons for Coming Back
    11:02 Overview of Parkside and Scott's Role
    12:45 Value Provided by Distributors
    21:20 Trends and New Products in the Industry
    23:43 Focus on Sustainability and Green Products
    26:40 Impact of the Pandemic on Distribution
    29:52 Importance of Face-to-Face Relationships
    32:40 Building Loyalty and Allegiance
    34:48 Creating a Strong Team and Delivering a Great Experience
    36:18 Future Plans and Excitement
    39:50 How to connect and what’s coming up next?






    You can learn more about Scott at https://www.parksite.com/.




    Social media:
    LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/today/author/scottthomas08/



    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
    Your Brand is Your Foundation

    Your Brand is Your Foundation

     
    Standing out in a crowded industry, especially one that struggles with a poor reputation is an age old problem for business owners in the construction field. Building a brand is the foundation for growing your business into something that employees are proud to work for, and clients are proud to work with. Today, Natalie Harper joins the show to share her best tips for success when it comes to not only standing out - but standing up for something bigger.
     
    Show highlights include:
     
    2:50  Natalie’s start in PR and all about hockey
    5:50 Getting started in marketing
    8:50 Fundamentals of building a brand
    11:25 How to build a foundation
    14:11 Investing in knowing who you are early on
    17:22 Like attracts like
    21:14 Five C’s
    26:20 Identifying which communities are important
    30:05 What have the best brands done well to be successful?
    32:14 Is it what you build or how you build it?
    34:30 Your personal brand vs. the company brand
    42:20 What have you learned from working in the custom construction industry?
    51:20 Appreciate each other and your partners
    54:35 How to connect and what’s coming up next?






    You can learn more about Natalie at https://www.harperpr.com. Get inspired at alairmagazine.com. 



    Social media:
    LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalieharperpr/
    Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/harper_pr/
    Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/HarperPR/





    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.
     

    • 57 min
    The Customer Experience

    The Customer Experience

    Today’s episode features a familiar voice. To kick off Season 4 we’ve brought back the annual favorite - Steve Barkhouse, owner of Amsted Design|Build. This year we’re treating you to his company’s step by step process for delivering the ultimate customer experience during a custom home building or renovation project. If you’ve been struggling as the industry has shifted from the ease of the pandemic building boom to what it is today - this is an in-depth look at what’s working and why it works.
     
    Show highlights include:
     
    2:00  What’s happened in the last year?
    3:00 Homebuilders and remodelers are no longer order takers
    4:05 Shifts in the permit market
    6:10 Defining the client experience plan
    11:00 How did you design the experience?
    12:55 The first real touch
    16:33 The In Home Consultation
    22:45 A modest investment of time and professionalism
    25:22 Diving into development
    27:00 Presenting to the client and design agreement
    29:37 Helping clients understand budget in the current economic climate
    35:15 Having fun and signing the contract
    36:48 Handoff process
    39:30 Discovery After Demolition
    41:30 Trusted advisors and solid teamwork
    44:10 Electrical walk throughs are important
    44:50 Critical 10 - the last ten percent
    47:10 Completion date, payment, and celebration meeting
    53:50 How to connect and what’s coming up next?






    You can learn more about Steve at https://www.amsted.ca/.
     
    Social media:
    LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevebarkhouse/?originalSubdomain=ca




    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.
     

    • 56 min
    Best of 2023

    Best of 2023

    It’s the end of 2023 and today Duane and Dave recap some of the most memorable moments from Season 3. This highlight reel revisits a few of the best nuggets from this year. We hope to hear from our Builder Nuggets community what you took away, and what you’d like to hear more of in the future. Reach out on our social links below or visit our website.



    Show highlights include:
     
    3:15 Ep 146 with Sam Rashkin
    7:15 Ep 145 with Steve Arneson
    11:05 Ep 109 with PJ Antonik
    13:15 Ep 120 with Rob Cecil
    16:50 Ep 122 Sabrina Starling
    20:10 Ep 105 with Steve Barkhouse
    22:40 Ep 126 with Gord Cooke
    25:55 Ep 152 with Cheryl Hickey and Justin Thompson
    30:05 Ep 140 with Mark Richardson
    33:40 Ep 140 with Meghan Billings
    37:50 Ep 155 with Chris Thomson
    41:22 Reach out with your thoughts for Season 4






    You can learn more about the show at https://buildernuggets.com. 







    Social media:
    LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/duanejohns
    Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/buildernuggets/?hl=en
    Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/buildernuggets/
    Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-builder-nuggets-podcast/id1532287154





    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
    Be Your Word

    Be Your Word

    Becoming successful doesn’t happen alone. It often takes support and mentorship - two things which can be difficult to find and cultivate. Our guest today is Chris Thomson, Head Coach at Student Works, who helps young entrepreneurs become successful business owners. He joins us to share his goal of creating 1000 millionaires, and his building blocks for making it happen.



    Show highlights include:
     
    3:05 Chris’s background
    4:38 Studentwork’s mission
    7:13 How to collaborate and build a mastermind
    11:05 How do we hold people accountable?
    16:30 Is there ever resistance?
    19:45 Recruiting to attract top talent
    25:47 Success stories and 1000 Millionaires
    30:00 How do you start on this path?
    34:45 What do graduates go on to do?
    38:50 Where do your coaches come from?
    42:20 Has the program ever negatively impacted a student’s schooling?
    45:50 How to get in touch and What’s coming up next? 






    You can learn more about Chris at https://www.studentworks.com or at cthomson@studentworks.com.







    Social media:
    LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-thomson-swp/
    Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/leaders-of-tomorrow-podcast/id1448651718





    Or hit us up 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.

    • 50 min
    Gravitating Towards the Hard Stuff

    Gravitating Towards the Hard Stuff

    It’s a fact that women and minorities are underrepresented in the construction industry. Our guest today has been working to change that and making waves across the country. Today, Nora El-Khouri Spencer, founder and CEO of Hope RenovationsRenovations, joins us to talk about taking on the difficult task of breaking norms, creating change, and tackling the hard stuff. Her model was the first of its kind, and has been instrumental in positively impacting her community. If you’ve been wondering how to make your own business more inclusive, it’s time to learn from NAHB’s Woman of the Year for 2023.
     
    Show highlights include:
     
    3:24 How Nora got started in the industry
    5:00 Deciding to build a business
    6:00 What was the reception from Nora’s circle
    7:56 Who were some of the first women hired?
    10:00 What are some of the most exciting opportunities available?
    11:45 Teaching women there are opportunities in the trades is rare
    13:45 What does Hope Renovations do?
    15:50 How do women feel about participating in the construction industry?
    17:35 Will Hope Renovations grow into other disciplines outside of trades? 
    19:35 How big is the organization?
    21:45 What ways can other leaders get involved in this?
    24:11 What conversations are being had with younger kids?
    25:15 Who all wants to join?
    27:30 A memorable student experience
    30:20 What has the older generation thought about you and what do they need?
    35:20 How to get in touch and What’s coming up next? 






    You can learn more about Nora at https://www.hoperenovations.org.






    Social media:
    LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/company/hoperenovations
    Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/hoperenovations
    Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/hoperenovations




    Or hit us up 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.
     

    • 40 min

Customer Reviews

4.9 out of 5
34 Ratings

34 Ratings

M Billings ,

Meg & Co Designer Homes

This podcast is the absolute best if you want to learn from the best in construction. So grateful for the information they provide!!!

Walsh Workman ,

Great Resource

I love the broad range of content this show puts on, as a Homebuilding consultant I encourage my clients to add this show to their toolbox as a way to grow their business and challenge how they think. Big thanks to the Nugget Team for connecting and making this happen.

TSusanne ,

Valuable and Spot On

Great pod, and I’m not a builder or remodeler but continue to find incredible wisdom nuggets for business, property, and life.

Met Dave at a Mastermind and was impressed enough to track down his work, and you know how impressed you need to be to do that these days.

Love this pod and understanding more about the contractors I get to work with and the important business of scaling across industries.

Thanks for this valuable resource

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