The Tim Faller Show

Join Tim and Steve as they talk to Morgan Thomas about her role as a production manager at Leff Design Build .  Morgan discusses how she had to shift her focus from individual projects to looking at the business on a global level, and from solving problems herself to coaching others on how to solve them. Morgan was born and raised in Sonoma County, and after moving out of state to pursue a degree...

Selema Lawson-Jack joins the show and discusses how she found a technology fix to solve an inventory management issue, but was able to expand its capabilities to create efficiencies across the organization, and generate revenue at the same time.  She talks about how Sortly, the affordable app she implemented, operates and how she was able to successfully integrate it into the organization.   Selem...

Guest Ben Ranta joins the show to discuss his experiences with Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the remodeling industry. Ben talks about how the AI software, Otter, is used for client meetings and how it helps his company, Forward Design Build be more effective in meeting client demands. He also discusses how he dealt with pushback when Otter was implemented. Ben left his desk job in 2019 to pursue...

Join Tim and Steve as they talk to Nicole Warren about embracing and increasing diversity in the trades, and in this case, with women.   Tim makes the case that professionals in the remodeling industry must be more proactive in reaching across traditional boundaries in order to attract high preforming talent.  Nicole is a great example as her strong work ethic has helped her outperform her male co...

Join Tim and Steve as they talk to Clark Harris, who recently implemented an unlimited vacation time policy at his company, to see how it is working. Although some might find this idea radical, it fits right into the strong culture that Clark has built within his company. He runs an open book organization, where he shares performance numbers with all team members, fosters an environment of open co...

In the interview process, actively listening is key. But how? And how do we change if we “really need someone”? Then, of course there are all the other times that when we look back at a difficult situation, whether a client or an employee, we see all the signs of challenge were there, but that we just did not listen. Guest Christine Miles is here to share some insight and answers on how to avoid t...

Join us as we talk about women in construction with guest Nancy Meyer.  Nancy talks about breaking through barriers and gender stereotypes in a male dominated field and the tips and tricks to succeed along the way. After joining Hudson Valley Preservation in 2018 as an office assistant, Nancy has added carpenter to the many hats she currently wears. She brings creative attention to project details...

Making multiple trips to the lumber yard for construction material is both disruptive to jobsite progress and very costly. By stopping all material runs your business can save thousands of dollars on labor, gas, vehicles and much more.  Guest Paul Wurth is here to share how to stop making these unnecessary trips and save your company money in the long run. Paul Wurth is the Chief Revenue Officer a...

What we say is a reflection of what we think, and as clinical counselors will tell you, what we think will dictate how we act. So, how we act will of course dictate success.  Following this logic, words are very powerful factors in our success.  But do we pay attention to those words?  We tend to be concerned about what we say as it affects others, but what about the effect on ourselves? What we s...

In this episode we’ll cover learning in a digital age, and how training impacts the way we hire and train workers.  Guest Jordan Smith shares the best ways to implement or build onto an existing training program to foster employee progress, career growth and the overall success of one’s organization. Jordan is the President and Founder of Smith House Company , a design + build firm bas...

As listeners know, hosts Tim and Steve try to bring as many women on the show as possible in hopes of bringing new perspectives to the podcast.  So, guest Mollie Elkman is with us today to discuss her book that promotes the idea to young girls that women are capable of anything they set their mind to. She also helps us understand how we may be able to reach out to women, but maybe more importantly...

One of the consultants here at Remodelers Advantage specializes in company leadership development. So, we asked him to join us on the show to help us understand what leadership is and perhaps help start the shift from “how to manage people” to “how to lead people.” Wayne Ottum is a consultant, author and speaker dedicated to creating extraordinary businesses and leaders and is President and Founde...

We have done a number of episodes that are centered on the idea that we can look outside of our industry to bring in managers. We have also seen where some companies have found great success in hiring Project Managers from outside of the industry and training them in construction. So, we continue that thought in this episode. Our guest Aaron Goeke comes to us from church ministry, what many people...

Scheduling has been a challenge for everyone over the last few years. Scheduling individual jobs is a challenge by itself but adding the sales design process, the job set up, and then the job itself makes the challenge grow exponentially. Getting the sales design process scheduled is a growing trend in an effort to more accurately predict the start dates for clients.  This process involves gaining...

Happy Women in Construction week! We welcome guest Emma Kraft to the show to learn about the struggles of bridging the gap in a male dominated field as both a woman, and a daughter.   Emma Kraft is the Business Operations Manager at Kraft Custom Construction, Inc. , located in Salem, Oregon.  The company was started by Emma’s father, Robert Kraft, in 1982. In 2001, he made a conscious decisi...

Like our series on Bonuses and Incentives, we are welcoming several guests to talk about the process of hiring an estimator in the remodeling industry.  Guest Bryan McLain of Sardone Construction is here to share the importance of hiring a dedicated estimator and the positive impacts it can have on a company and their customers.   Bryan began as the lead carpenter and is now in charge of productio...

Like our series on Bonuses and Incentives, we are welcoming several guests to talk about the process of hiring an estimator in the remodeling industry.  We are starting off this new series with guest Chris Fox, the sales and design manager at Fox Home Innovations in Manhattan, Kansas. As the company’s Director of Design and Sales, Chris is heavily involved with the management of all design project...

It is always both exciting and refreshing to see companies tackle skills training head on by providing necessary programs for new talent.  Guest Dave Myers joins us to talk about the training process he and his team use to set employees up for success.   Dave is the Vice President and general manager of J. Francis Company , a design build and remodel firm in Pittsburgh, PA.  He previously worked i...

Join guest Doug Panozzo as he helps us wrap up our 4-part series on Bonuses and Incentives.  Doug shares the many facets of incentives and ways he has been successful in motivating his team. Doug is the production manager at Hogan Design and Construction and joined their team in 2017 after several years managing projects for a technology company.  He brings leadership, communication, organization,...

This is PART 3 of a 4-part series focused on Bonuses and Incentives. We welcome back guest Chris Peterson to hear his thoughts on bonuses and incentives as part of this 4-part series.  Chris shares his perspective on bonus and incentive programs and aspects other than money that can serve as motivation for team members.   Chris is the VP of Production at Schloegel Design Remodel in Kansas City, MO...

This is PART 2 of a 4-part series focused on Bonuses and Incentives.  Eddie Casanave, Owner of Distinctive Remodeling in Raleigh, NC joins Tim and Steve to talk about the bonus and incentive program he and his team use. In business 1987, Eddie has seen and tried many different bonus plans, and they seemed to all have limited life. The current plan he uses seems to have the elements to make it long...

This is PART 1 of a 4-part series focused on Bonuses and Incentives.  Financial incentives and bonuses are often how many companies attract and retain great talent.  Guest Andrew Kerr of Landis Construction is here to share how bonus structures can potentially lead to increased motivation and involvement within a company. Andrew has been with Landis since 2001, and as their COO he now oversees the...

As companies mature, the need for someone to take the production department off of the shoulders of the owner is inevitable.  While having construction knowledge may be beneficial, we see that some of the best production managers come from a variety of backgrounds.  Guest Ryan Truesdale shares his story about making the transition from a hospital, to a job site, and how he did it. Ryan knows what...

Since the start of the Tim Faller Show, about 170 episodes ago, one of the goals has been to highlight the role of women in this industry.  Fast forward to today, we now have 5 dedicated, knowledgeable women in our production manager roundtable groups.  In this episode, guest Jessica Bishop-Smyser talks about her role and her journey in an otherwise male-dominated field, in hopes to inspire others...

In the last installment of this two part series, Host Tim Faller goes in depth about Pull Planning, and how he thinks it can change the way the residential remodeling world schedules projects.  Instead of creating a schedule from start dates, the focus is centered around end dates, and guest Jack Miller is here to talk about how this technical tool can eliminate the huge costs and high stress from...