Remodelers On The Rise

Some of the best business ideas come from seeing what other remodelers are working through in their own companies.In this solo episode, Kyle pulls six ideas from recent conversations and posts inside the Remodelers Community. He shares how one remodeler turned a missed permit into a better process, a different way to think about accountability with your team, and why you might want to revisit an old business book instead of picking up the newest one. He also talks about finding the right place for AI in your business, actually implementing the ideas you bring home from a conference, and taking time to think about where you want your business to be three years from now.If you’re looking for a few practical ideas to take back to your remodeling business this week, there’s plenty in this episode to get you thinking.---Running a remodeling company can feel lonely, but you don’t have to figure everything out on your own.---The Remodelers On The Rise Peer Groups connect you with non-competing remodelers who understand the challenges you’re facing and are committed to helping each other grow.Learn more at https://remodelersontherise.com/live-training-events-for-remodelers/remodelers-peer-group/---Explore the vast array of tools, training courses, a podcast, and a supportive community of over 2,000 remodelers. Visit Remodelersontherise.com today and take your remodeling business to new heights!---Key Takeaways Process refinement and accountability in remodelingRevisiting impactful business books for growthSmart use of AI in estimating and project managementSetting clear outcomes for team membersStrategic idea implementation from conferences---Chapters00:00 Introduction and overview of today's insights02:46 A story about permit process mistakes and lessons learned06:14 Why you should re-read impactful business books08:24 Six principles from 'How to Win Friends and Influence People'11:11 Defining accountability as agreed-upon outcomes13:33 Using AI for marketing and estimating—when to rely on templates16:33 Implementing ideas from the Rise Conference effectively19:24 The importance of focus and follow-up in business growth21:49 Reflecting on business progress and setting future goals22:18 Dreaming three years ahead and strategic planning23:54 Resources and services offered by Remodelers on the Rise30:56 Closing remarks and next steps for listeners

Do you have an exit strategy? David Lupberger has asked that question in rooms full of contractors and rarely gets more than two hands in the air.Kyle sits down with David, founder of Contractor Transition Strategies, to talk through what it actually takes to build a business with the end in mind, from identifying your successor to closing the asset gap to understanding what your business is actually worth.You can join David for his four-part webinar series starting September 30th here!Explore the vast array of tools, training courses, a podcast, and a supportive community of over 2,000 remodelers.Visit RemodelersOnTheRise.com today and take your remodeling business to new heights!Key TakeawaysTiming of exit and transition planningImportance of less owner reliance for business valueValuation methods using EBITDA and multiplesSuccessor development and key employee incentivesFinancial planning including asset gap and retirement savingsBusiness continuity planning for unforeseen eventsChapters:00:00 Introduction and guest background00:10 Kyle and David's history and mastermind experience00:19 The importance of planning for business transition00:23 Key questions for transition planning: when, asset gap, successor00:29 Valuation basics: EBITDA and multiples00:37 Strategies to increase business value and recurring revenue00:43 Options for sale: third-party, key employee, owner financing00:44 Legal and tax considerations in transition01:14 Designing your retirement lifestyle and planning ahead01:35 The importance of a business continuity plan02:03 Final thoughts and encouragement for proactive planning

When good employees leave or your team isn't performing the way you hoped, it's easy to assume you have a people problem. But what if the real issue is the systems behind them?This week, Kyle sits down with Ryan Englin of Core Matters to talk about what it takes to build a team that can succeed without the owner constantly stepping in. Ryan shares why turnover often starts with the systems inside the business and explains the difference between accountability and micromanagement. They also dig into why traditional performance reviews tend to fall short in the trades and how clearer expectations can make leadership a whole lot easier.If you want a team that knows what success looks like and can take more ownership without you hovering over every decision, this conversation will give you some practical places to start.Explore real client results and case studies at Contractor Growth Network Results, learn how they help remodelers build marketing that works at Contractor Growth Network, and check out their Podcast for weekly insights designed to help remodelers grow smarter.Explore the vast array of tools, training courses, a podcast, and a supportive community of over 2,000 remodelers. Visit Remodelersontherise.com today and take your remodeling business to new heights!Key Takeaways Turnover as a system problem, not a people problemImplementing pulse surveys for employee engagementDefining clear job descriptions and expectationsDifference between accountability and micromanagementUsing KPIs and real-time tracking for performanceThe role of systems in reducing turnoverEffective communication and performance feedbackThe importance of caring for your teamChapters00:00 Introduction to Building Better Teams in Remodeling01:51 Turnover as a System Problem, Not a People Problem04:02 The Power of Pulse Surveys for Engagement09:00 Defining Clear Job Descriptions and Expectations15:53 Understanding Accountability vs Micromanagement23:03 Using KPIs and Real-Time Data for Performance30:01 Why Performance Reviews Fail and What Replaces Them39:01 Introducing Fieldcon.io for Performance Management43:51 Caring for Your People and Building Trust

This episode is a rebroadcast of a webinar Eric Fortenberry presented for the Remodelers on the Rise community. Kyle is joined by Eric, founder and CEO of JobTread, to discuss practical ways contractors can start using AI in their businesses.Eric explains how tools like Claude can connect with JobTread and use the information already inside your business to help take repetitive work off your plate.Throughout the webinar, Eric shares real examples of contractors already using AI in the field and in the office. You’ll hear how AI can help build an estimate before you leave a client’s house, turn jobsite notes into a polished daily log, catch potential issues in your budgets, and help you get more out of the information you already have in JobTread.The goal isn’t to overhaul your entire business overnight. Start with one task that takes too much of your time and see where AI can help.JobTread helps remodelers bring estimating, scheduling, job costing, and invoicing into one connected system, so they can clearly see where jobs stand and what’s actually profitable. We’ve watched members move from guessing to confidently knowing their numbers, which leads to better pricing, planning, and leadership. If you’re ready for better systems and better decisions, learn more at jobtread.com.Explore the vast array of tools, training courses, a podcast, and a supportive community of over 2,000 remodelers. Visit Remodelersontherise.com today and take your remodeling business to new heights!Key Takeaways AI integration in construction managementPractical use cases of AI in remodelingBest practices for AI prompting and safetyConnecting AI to JobTread via MCPUsing AI for estimating, scheduling, and reportingChapters00:00 Introduction to AI's impact on construction management02:08 Kyle and Eric discuss practical AI use cases04:12 How to connect AI tools to JobTread07:03 Best practices for prompting and safety with AI10:13 Using AI for estimating, scheduling, and daily logs14:57 Creating reports and analyzing data with AI20:01 AI for vendor management and email automation25:12 Training and customizing AI for your business29:57 The importance of human oversight and ownership35:14 Real-world examples of AI in action39:57 Next steps for integrating AI into your business45:06 Q&A and community insights

Budgets can move fast during design, especially once clients start making selections.This week, Kyle sits down with Audra Von Minden Gossage of LTD Builders to talk about the Budget Roadmap, the tool her team uses to keep clients clear on where their budget stands as design moves along. Audra shares how they account for changing selections and costs without redoing a full estimate each time, and how more planning up front has cut down change orders.If clarity in the project budget during design is a struggle for your clients, this episode has some great ideas for your team.Today's episode is sponsored by Builder Funnel! Click here to learn more about how Builder Funnel helps remodelers and home builders grow through strategic digital marketing.Explore the vast array of tools, training courses, a podcast, and a supportive community of over 2,000 remodelers. Visit Remodelersontherise.com today and take your remodeling business to new heights!Key Takeaways Introduction to the budget roadmap conceptThe importance of cycle time measurementManaging scope changes and scope differencesPresenting material selections without markupUsing the budget roadmap to keep clients informedReducing change order rates to below 2%Building trust through transparency and micro commitmentsThe role of client control and decision-makingChapters00:00 Introduction and overview of the episode03:50 Introduction to Audra and her business background06:22 Challenges with scope and budget expectations12:05 The origin of the budget roadmap concept13:51 Explaining the budget roadmap to clients17:44 Presenting material selections without markup19:49 Tracking budget changes through revisions27:36 Finalizing the project budget and client approval30:47 Reducing change orders and maintaining profitability33:41 Handling scope changes and client control37:16 Wrapping up and key takeaways from the episode