The Builder Nuggets Podcast

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...

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 d...

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 i...

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 h...

  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 highlig...

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...

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 inclu...

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 h...

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 r...

  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 n...

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 pande...

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...

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:  ...

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...

It's easy to feel overwhelmed with the amount of new technology available daily. AI is taking the world by storm and it's not always clear how it can be used to help the building sector. Today Jonathan Porter-Whistman with Perception Predict AI and Whohire.com joins us to explain the way AI is built, the purposes it can serve, and how builders, remodelers, and tradespeople can use it to better the...

The relationship between a builder and their client is the most important part of a build or renovation project. Cultivating trust and practicing positive communication are invaluable skills in a builder's arsenal, and are the two most important factors in creating a successful builder-client relationship. Today, we interview Cheryl Hickey and Justin Thompson, a client and a builder, on their rela...

For many, the term luxury is a matter of status. Ted Bainbridge with Build Magazine joins us today to discuss not just the meaning of the word luxury, but what he sees trending across the board in the luxury market with both consumers and builders. Technology and sustainability might have the edge in luxury products, but what creates a true luxury experience for consumers building their custom hom...

It's that time of year again when we bring you an economic update from the National Association of Home Builders. Danushka Nanayakkara, Assistant Vice President for Forecasting and Analysis at the NAHB, joins us to share the details of where the housing market is headed as we close out 2023 and head into 2024. We tackle the big questions surrounding interest rates, supply and demand, regional mark...

Planning for retirement is often a low priority among younger business owners. There are even established builders and remodelers that think retirement is a far off reality they don't have time to prepare for. The truth is that there are many steps, beyond the financial, that can help prepare a person for a fulfilling retirement that are often overlooked. Today, our guest breaks down retirement pl...

The adage of robbing Peter to pay Paul has been a part of the building industry for far too long. It's eroded the trust of customers and trades who are constantly fearful of their bottom line. Builders and remodelers who manage their finances this way are floundering. Today, our guest is Jake Harris, the Founder and CEO of BuildWallet, who is challenging the industry norms by investing in the tech...

The business of recruitment has changed dramatically in the last few years. The talent pool has shifted, and inevitably the employers must shift as well. David Fisher, Director of Talent Acquisition at 84 Lumber, joins us to share how they foster a company culture that retains and attracts talent. Today we talk about the difference between jobs and careers, and how to innovate in a field that can...

The myriad of problems facing the housing industry can sometimes feel insurmountable. The push towards high performance, the need for affordability, and the continuing rise of inflation and costs for business owners might leave you feeling like you're getting left behind. The truth is, the answers are out there, and our guest today is here to share real examples of the direction other countries ha...

**Trigger Warning** This piece briefly discusses suicide and suicidal ideation, and some people might find it disturbing. If you or someone you know is suicidal, please, contact your physician, go to your local ER, or call the suicide prevention hotline in your country. More resources are available below.   There are times in life when you convince yourself things will never get better. You or you...

Taking over for a sick general contractor who was supposed to be building her home led today's guest to become a general contractor and business owner herself. Meghan Billings talks about her unconventional journey into the industry, joining a Builder 20 Club, and the experience her company works to give their clients and their trades. Communication is key, and so are challenging assumptions about...

Neighborhood HOAs, high-density apartment complexes, and multi-use developments have become the new common practice in the last few decades as the answer to addressing housing concerns. Hard-fought changes in zoning restrictions and ugly battles that pit generational investments against community growth have crowded out the voices in the building industry that are clamoring for a different type of...