The Real Build

In this episode of The Real Build, I sat down with Patrick Robertson, the owner of Momentous Building. Patrick and I hit on many great topics like family business, technology in construction, meeting timelines, communication, and running a business as a younger person in construction.   Patrick is a 3rd generation contractor out of Westchester, NY. After growing up working for his father's co...

In this episode of The Real Build I talk about what popular features and finishes we are adding to our luxury homes today.  Heres the highlights: High-end kitchens. Spacious, luxurious bathrooms with spa-like amenities. Open-concept floor plans with natural light and high ceilings. Jaw-dropping Ceiling details . Large Outdoor living spaces. Smart home technology. Energy efficiency. Entertainm...

In this episode of The Real Build, I sat down with Stefani Boyd, Owner of New Valley Home Services. Stefani is a Broker and Mortgage specialist out of Sacramento, California.   The mortgage industry is getting hit hard these days. With interest rates rising fast, people are slamming the brakes on purchasing new homes. Home prices have also gone through the roof. With high rates and prices, ho...

In this episode of The Real Build, I sat down with Matt Sutika of Obie, an Insurance company specializing in insurance for landlords and investors. Matt is the Chief Insurance Officer at Obie, the leading platform for real estate investors to get insurance. By leveraging data and advanced tech, Obie delivers a modern experience for today’s real estate investors in all 50 states and has bound more...

In this episode of The Real Build, I sat down with Kolby Baker, owner of Raising Solutions and Midwest Infrastructure coatings. Raising solutions specializes in raising sunken concrete slabs and addressing various issues like trip hazards, drainage problems, and cracked sidewalks through their high-density polyurethane concrete leveling process.  Kolby also owns Midwest Infrastructure, a comp...

I wanted to write something about the importance of contractors in America.  So after the recent state of the union, I figured I'd write my own for contractors.  Contractors play a critical role in the American economy. Contractors build America. We are one of the most significant parts of the economy. We build this country one brick, one road, one home, one building at a time. Without c...

In this episode of The Real Build, I sat down with my good friend Nate Swink of Swink's Welding. Nate and I covered various topics about the welding industry, like building relationships, being present, opportunities in the industry, and focusing on the team.   Nate is a true entrepreneur. After dropping out of high school at a young age, Nate started a business. He eventually got interested...

In this episode of The Real Build, I sat down with Levi Lascsak, co-owner of Passive Prospecting. Levi and I talked about Youtube and its importance as a tool for contractors and real estate professionals. Levi has studied the ins and outs of Youtube for a long time. Youtube is the top source when people want to search for something. Levi has spent many hours researching the best strategies to mak...

In this episode of The Real Build, I recap the recent Top Contractor School winter retreat and all of my takeaways from the event. This year's winter event focused on leadership and how we, as contractors, must be the best leaders to build successful construction companies. I recap speakers Keith Callaway Jr., Brian Hess, Brad Lea, And John Maxwell. There was a lot to cover in a short period but t...

In this episode of The Real Build, I sat down with Matt Picheny. Matt and I discussed what goes on behind the scenes of a real estate deal. Matt talks about his journey from actor to full-time investor & operator of thousands of apartment units. He talks about how he always looks for strategies to enhance communities. Matt and I talked about passive real estate investing and helping you make i...

In this episode of The Real Build, I sat down with Sean Fitzgerald of Trublue Total House Care.  Trublue specializes in helping seniors stay in their homes longer to "age in place" with comfort, safety, and dignity.  They also help busy families regain their sanity, free time, and weekends to do the things they love with the people they love. Trublue is a game changer, and Sean saw the o...

In this episode of The Real Build, I talk about goal setting and the personal goals ive accomplished and am setting for 2023. I spoke about the importance of having someone who can keep you accountable for your goals. Most contractors need to set better goals. Some don't even think about it because of how busy they are. I am guilty of this. It is crucial to set goals. Not only yearly goals but als...

In this episode of The Real Build, I sat down with Steve Rozenberg.  Steve Rozenberg is an Entrepreneur, International airline pilot, Business Coach, Speaker, Author, Educator, and Real Estate Investor. After the tragedies of 9/11, Steven lost his “safe and secure" career as an airline pilot but went on to create a commercial empire. Losing $200,000 didn’t stop Steve from creating the fastest...

In this episode of The Real Build, I wanted to cover a topic that has been on my mind lately.  More contractors need to be open and honest with their clients.  We are in a different world, and things are not what they used to be in construction.  Now more than ever, we need to communicate and be transparent with our clients.  Some topics I cover in this episode are: Be open, ho...

In this episode of The Real Build, I sat down with Rob Mongillo, the owner of JMDG Architecture and design in Naples, Florida.  I have known Rob for the last five years because most of the homes you see that we build were designed by Rob and his team.  I partnered with Rob five years ago for a variety of reasons.  His creativity, experience, communication, and attention to detail to...

With the building and real estate markets starting to change and demand shrinking by the day, where will the opportunity be?  I recently had a discussion with some friends that are in real estate and construction and wanted to discuss some of the points we all made.  We talked about: How affordable rent for subcontractors is an issue in many cities throughout the US. Focusing on long ter...

In this episode of The Real Build, I sat down with Keith Williams, the CEO of Skill Stadium.  Skill Stadium is a technology Keith developed that is an online job platform for the Skilled Trades that connects employers with skilled trades professionals. Skill Stadium the LinkedIn of the skilled trades. They use video to match employers and job seekers in the skilled trades. Skill Stadium is mo...

In this episode of The Real Build, I wanted to do an update on the current construction and Real Estate Markets. It has been a while since my last update, and many things have changed.  Construction prices are still up, and building materials are still hard to get.  Real estate still has low inventory.  But the market is definitely changing.  I dive into what is happening and m...

In this episode of The Real Build, I sat down with Ryan Poole, owner of RealTrade, out of West Palm Beach, Florida.  Ryan is on a mission to change how buyers and sellers search for real estate online and is embracing the real estate community through better communication. Ryan became a real estate agent 23 years ago because he loved to help people—but things have changed. Large technology pl...

In this episode of The Real Build, I sat down with a friend and member of our build team Jason Lynn who is part owner of The Decorators Unlimited out of West Palm Beach, Florida.  Jason and The Decorators Unlimited are a partner of ours and have joined our team at R.K. Reiman Construction to help us design and build masterpieces for our clients.  Jason and his team of designers give a fu...

In this episode of The Real Build, I wanted to talk about the importance of knowing your product from the ground up. Understanding how a home is built and knowing your product will help you sell more and gain your clients' respect.  I have worked in sales for a long time, and one thing that I have always made an effort to do is to learn as much as I can about the products I'm selling. Knowled...

In this episode of The Real Build, I sat down with Alexis Soof of Soof Construction and Design. I have known Alexis for a couple of years through an entrepreneur group called the Arete Syndicate. I was excited to have Alexis on and talk about all the amazing things she is doing in the interior design space. Being in the building industry, you know a great interior designer when you see one, and Al...

In this episode of The Real Build, I sat down with Maria Khokhlova, the Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer at TraceAir, a site work intelligence software and user-friendly technology that helps construction companie s build advanced automation using drone flights, 3D mapping, analytics, and data processing services to accelerate site work and provide transparency to owners. Maria and I discussed...

In this episode of The Real Build, I sat down with Robert Penney, the national director of continuous improvement at Skanska.  Skanska is one of the world's largest development and construction companies, with 2020 revenue totaling SEK 159 billion.   Roberts's responsibility, first and foremost, is to encourage and enable a culture of continuous improvement within Skanska.  Robert s...

A topic I wanted to discuss is something that recently happened to me, and it hit me hard the last month. It was bothering me. A home that I do home watch for the previous three years was listed for sale for 5.5 million dollars. Now you are probably saying a couple of things. Wow, that’s an expensive home, and or ok, what’s the big deal? The primary reason it bothered me was that I do these people...