Building Optimal

Matt Risinger is, in many circles, now a household name. His YouTube channel has 700,000 at the time of publication. While many people know him for his social media presence, I wanted to go behind the scenes to learn more about Matt Risinger, the business owner. His company, Risinger Build , is one of the top luxury home builders in Austin, a market with a tremendous crop of talent at the top. In...

Jared walks you through the apps and other virtual tools he uses to build and manage his business. Enjoy!

Bryan Kaplan is an international consultant for builders and the construction industry. Over his 21-year career in the industry, he has been an owner, general manager, and home inspector. With his breadth of experience, Bryan brings a systems-oriented approach to his clients. In this interview, we visit with Bryan on punch list systems that help you end projects on great terms with your clients. C...

David Gerstel returns to share his ideas on how builders can achieve financial freedom. David is a best-selling author of several construction books, including his most recent, Nail Your Numbers: A Path to Skilled Construction Estimating and Bidding . He is also a well-known speaker. In addition to being an expert on many things “home building,” David is also a model of success, having achieved fi...

Building Optimal Director of Marketing, José Luis Guerra, puts me in the hot seat to talk about my company and my experience in the industry. I need to start doing more builder profiles other than me! If you have any recs, send me an email!

If you are hearing a lot of conflicting and confusing info about how the stimulus package affects builders, well, I am too. That’s why I called Sheri Allshouse, our go-to expert on all home building finance matters. In this brief episode, Sheri covers the two primary loans that are available as well as the new tax credits. Please note the information surrounding these loans is very dynamic and cha...

Tracy Duerfeldt is back for a second episode with us to talk Coronavirus and a few strategies to cope with it not just from a business and risk management standpoint, but from a mental health standpoint. Treacy is an insurance expert who runs The NationWide Contractors’ Alliance and also WISE Insure. He and  Doug Lynch  also happen to be my company’s insurance providers and recurring spo...

If you aren’t separating your wages from your profits, you’re losing money and fooling yourself along the way. This was a conversation I began with Bryan Uhler, second generation builder at Pioneer Builders, Inc , a company his father started 42 years ago. We decided to record the conversation and share it as an episode. Many of you already know this, but it never hurts as a refresher. And for som...

We are talking with fellow custom home builder, Byron Brooks, of Brookwright Developments on today’s episode. Byron does an excellent job creating a unique brand for his company, and he graciously shares that with us, along with his strategy for developing architect relationships. Byron and his company operate in Calgary, Canada where they build beautiful custom homes. In their own words: We are d...

While we love this business, it has its ugly sides. There’s no “disputing" the legal dangers of home building (dad joke). Large sums of money are in play, the largest investments of people’s lives are unfolding, you get the idea… So, if this were school, this subject would be pretty damned important to ace. That’s why today we are talking to Don Shelton about the major risks he regularly sees and...

We are covering our listener accounting and tax questions in today’s AMA (Ask Me Anything) episode with Sheri Allshouse. Sheri, a repeat guest, is a CPA with an expertise in home building and construction. Her firm is  The Allshouse Group  in Houston, Texas. In this discussion, we cover a wide variety of accounting and tax topics, from accounting software and tracking change orders to ne...

Is it better to work with Realtors or internal sales staff? How much should you pay? How can you build a high performing sales team? We have your answer. Today’s guest is  Sean McDonald , a seasoned building executive with more than 30 years experience. He has built countless sales teams and most recently ran the San Antonio division of Gehan Homes. Sean is currently working on several s...

Ever wonder what you can do to build your brand and better stand out as a builder? Our guest, Carol Morgan , has the answer. Or to be precise, five answers. We interview Carol, President of Denim Marketing , on her top five ways to stand out in this competitive market! Carol runs her own successful marketing firm, has an  award-winning radio show , has written four books, and if that’s not en...

ROCKWOOL insulation is picking up steam as a go-to insulation in many parts of the country. With it’s thermal performance, durability, and effect on indoor air quality, it’s easy to see why. Dan Edelman, Head of Business Development for ROCKWOOL , joins us on the show for an overview of their product. Show Notes: [4:04] - The history and growth of ROCKWOOL. [5:18] - What makes ROCKWOOL different....

David Lupberger of  remodelforce.com  is back ONE MORE TIME to show us how to win more clients and build a remarkable brand by selling our “why.” In a commodity-like business such as building, finding your metaphorical moat to differentiate you from your competitors is a must. David is a speaker, author, and consultant on the national stage. He has some wonderful programs, so be sure to...

David Lupberger of remodelforce.com  returns for an eye-opening episode on how to grow your business, diversify your income, AND create clients for life at the same time! David is a speaker, author, and consultant on the national stage. He’s also a brilliant mind for developing this deceptively simple strategy. Enjoy the episode! Show Notes: [1:55] - The overview of David’s Clients for Life p...

Speaker, author, and owner of remodelforce.com , David Lupberger, joins us to discuss the different margins in new homes vs remodels as well as the benefits of developing architects as a primary referral source. This is the first of a three part series with David. We will also be featuring interviews with him over creating clients for life and selling your why. Be sure to check out David’s site, r...

Curious what's new in the smart home space? Dave LaMere indulges us. Dave is the owner of  Smart Homz , with locations in both Ramsey and Beach Haven, New Jersey. Dave's company offers the whole suite of home automation and technology services, so he's just the guy for today's episode. Show notes: [1:45] - What's new in the smart home space. [5:55] - What can you accomplish without a hug...

Kirsten Danielle is the owner of award-winning Alma Homes in Minnesota. In addition to being a talented builder, Kirsten has a strong brand in the industry for her designs. We talk to her about her selections program, working better with designers, and the design trends she is seeing in the market. This is the third and final episode featuring women leaders in the industry. However, I want to have...

Christine Williamson is one of the top minds in the field of building science. She travels the continent consulting for architects and developers and also forensically investigating building failures. A few of her projects include the restoration of Belvedere Castle in New York City’s Central Park, forensic investigations of building failures at the air traffic control tower of LAX and the Wheeler...

Ultra-luxury home developer, Joanna Lily Wong, discusses her journey, her $15 million spec home, and her ideas for better design and marketing. Joanna brings a deep insight of home buyers into all elements of her projects, and she shares some of these with our listeners on this special episode, the first in a series of women in the industry. Joanna is a rising star. This was a lot of fun to record...

Here’s a short, nine-minute episode on how to manage your project pipeline to keep cash coming in faster than it’s going out. Cash is the source of many stresses for builders, so fix this and life gets a little easier! Enjoy, and more importantly, be sure to implement!

Liability insurance is one of the most complicated aspects of your business. Unfortunately, poor or deficient coverage is much more common than we know, and the consequences for your business can be severe. Treacy Duerfeldt, an insurance expert who runs The NationWide Contractors’ Alliance and also WISE Insure, covers some of the top issues in today’s interview. Learn what can go wrong and how to...

Who hasn’t had a client try to negotiate their fee down? Spend a short amount of time in this business, and it’s going to happen. Here’s what I’ve found as the best approach to avoid those discussions altogether.

Adam Conley understands the dynamic between builders and contractors in a hot market. He wrote a post on social media that originally caught my attention and spurred our conversation. We talk about his views on building stronger builder/trade partner relationships, even covering a few specific recommendations. Adam is the President of Glass Expanse , a company that manufactures and sells directly...