Our guest on this episode is Nate Griffin. Nate Griffin is the owner of ExCo Design Build, a design build contractor company. Nate has been fly on the wall at construction site since he was a child. Since those humble beginnings he has evolved into a business owner and consultant.
Timestamps
00:00:00 - Intro Nate Griffin: President of ExCo Design Build and Win Rate Consulting Coach
00:06:00 - Growing up with a front row seat to Construction
00:09:30 - Building a Business
00:12:00 - Subcontracting Everything Out and the Permission He Needed to Do It
00:21:59 - Lead Generation
00:27:00 - The Importance of Building a Strong Network and a Good Business Coach
00:32:30 - The Importance of Knowing Your Numbers in the Construction Business
00:37:35 - Rapid fire
00:48:48 - Outro
Our guest on this episode is Corky Silva. Corky Silva is the president of Tech City Builder, a company based in San Jose, California. With over 15 years of experience in the construction industry, Corky recently made the jump into owning his own company by betting on himself.
Timestamps
00:00:00 - Intro
00:02:30 - The origins of Tech City Builder
00:07:30 - From Corporate to Construction Company Owner
00:20:24 - Building a Company Based on Values
00:30:00 - The Reality of Being a Business Owner
00:40:52 - The Importance of Research in Business
00:44:40 - Learning from Business Failure
00:47:48 - Building a Legacy
00:52:34 - Rapid fire
01:03:23 - Outro
Our guest on this episode is Ryan Ekedal of Ekedal Concrete. As the second generation leader of a family business, Ryan brings his diverse background to the business of concrete as he works to create a destination workplace.
00:00 - Intro
00:04:30 - The Ekedal Family: A Legacy in Construction
00:15:00 - The Alpha Mentality in Business
00:18:00 - The Importance of Job Costing and Numbers for Contractors
00:29:26 - The Power of Networking in Business
00:34:29 - The Importance of Staying in Your Lane
00:37:00 - The Importance of Business Coaches and Associations for Contractors
00:41:56 - The Importance of Having a Backup Plan
00:44:58 - The Importance of Employee Recognition in Construction
0:48:22 - Rapid fire
00:56:27 - Outro
Ever wonder what it takes to be a contractor? So You Want to be a Contractor, hosted by Mike Fisher & Marisela Arechiga, talks with industry leaders and construction company owners about their journey, how they run their businesses and their craziest stories.
Our guest on this episode is Josh Clauss, the CEO of Clauss Construction. As a large scale demolition company, Clauss has survived 3 economic downturns and they aren’t slowing down any time soon.
00:00 - Intro
0:03:42 - Inheriting a Family Business in Construction: What It's Like and How to Grow Into It
0:14:53 - The Benefits of Hiring a Demolition Company
0:19:16 - The Impact of Mom and Pop Shops on the Construction Industry
0:24:21 - The Benefits and Drawbacks of Going Non-Union for Construction Companies
0:31:26 - The Impact of Social Media on the Workforce
0:38:31 - The Importance of Hiring the Right People for Your Business
0:44:53 - The Impact of Diversification in the Construction Industry: A Case Study
0:55:06 - The Importance of Marketing for Contractors
0:57:13 - Rapid fire
01:07:21 - Outro
Our guest on this episode is Jeff Forrest, the President and CEO of Winter Park Construction (WPC). Jeff has the tall task of bringing together different generations of the labor force together. Jeff is leading this 50 year old company with an eye on creating an experience, both for customers and employees.
00:00 - Intro
0:05:08 - the company's history and work in Central Florida
0:09:37 - The Journey of a Carpenter-turned-President.
0:14:05 - The Benefits and Detriments of Working in a Family Business
0:22:34 - Injecting Youth into an Established Business: A Conversation with Mike Rowe
0:31:14 - The WPC Brand: A Different Way of Doing Things
0:34:48 - The Importance of Customer Service in the Construction Industry
0:44:47 - The Importance of Storytelling in Business
0:54:07 - The Benefits of a Methodical Approach to Business
57:23 - Rapid fire
01:07:24 - Outro
Our guest on this episode is Salvador Hernandez, the Founder of Pacific Breeze Landscape. Salvador brings a commitment to systems and learning to his experience in the industry. As a 9 year vet of the U.S. Navy, Salvador incorporates military values and a culture of yes to his operation.
00:00 - Intro
02:29 - What is Pacific Breeze Landscaping?
08:24 - Exposure to landscaping via working with dad growing up
10:18 - Military benefits and education
19:57 - Incorporating design
25:00 - Being unafraid to learn
33:30 - Current setup
43:02 - Hiring a business coach
51:04 - Looking to the future and leaving a legacy
57:06 - Rapid fire
01:09:45 - Outro
Our guest on this episode is Kevin Booth, the CEO of WestCor Companies. As a company that has survived many obstacles, from rapid growth to recession and back again, Kevin leads his company with a focus on service to customers and employees.
00:00 - Intro
01:51 - What does WestCor do?
08:12 - Who are the WestCor clients?
19:10 - Bad business decisions - learning from your mistakes
23:42 - How WestCor is organized
31:36 - Getting the construction industry to think on a higher level
44:09 - Becoming CEO and succession planning
50:31 - Vision for the future
01:01:50 - Rapid fire
01:07:40 - Outro
Our guest on this episode, Jose Almanza, President at GJ Signs,is pinch hitting for his partner, but hearing about his journey and drive is second to none. Jose is a serial entrepreneur who’s found his niche is electronic sign contracting.
00:00 - Intro
01:49 - Getting started
11:13 - Losing a partner and being a victim of theft
21:28 - The sales process - Growing out of state partnerships
30:10 - Why G&J signs
39:37 - Shifting to real estate
45:22 - Rapid fire
53:14 - Outro
Our guest on this episode is Mario Campirano, owner of Metro Electric Co. Mario’s life has been about beating the odds and overcoming adversity. Mario is determined not to lose and because of that he’s built a thriving business that can’t lose.
00:00 - Intro
01:49 - Getting started in electrical construction
08:18 - Working in the business and not on the business
19:51 - Marketing
27:08 - Where the grit comes from
32:24 - Understanding your business
48:55 - Making it in business
54:37 - Looking to the future
01:01:15 - Rapid fire
01:13:20 - Outro
Our guest on this episode is Nick Yahoodain. Nick came into the industry as a complete novice and as a favor to a friend to help him accounting and paperwork. Through that work, he found his passion for organization, collaboration, and building a thriving business as a general contractor.
00:00 - Intro
01:49 - Breaking into the industry
07:51 - Pros and cons of being a GC
17:33 - What Nick loves about the work
24:57 - The sales process
34:35 - Expanding offerings to design services
39:14 - Perfect vs. Not ideal clients
55:10 - Branding vs. Advertising
56:42 - Rapid fire
01:05:51 - Outro
Our guest on this episode is Randy Fornoff of MTS Painting. Randy’s success in the industry can be directly related to his commitment to community. As the head of MTS, Randy has placed a priority on building community with staff, clients, and the larger entrepreneurial community and that priority has paid dividends.
00:00 - Intro
01:23 - How Rob got started in the industry
08:04 - Learning the trade without formal training
19:20 - Qualifying customers
27:39 - The ideal customer
40:59 - Surviving when everyone is undercutting you
48:06 - Serving the community
55:10 - Marketing
01:03:43 - Rapid fire
01:15:05 - Outro
Our guest on this episode is Rob Brinzer. As the owner of Trident Electric, Rob is building his company from the top down with principles gathered from his years of services as a Navy Seal in the military. His no excuses approach entrepreneurship has made Trident a powerhouse in a very short period of time.
00:00 - Intro
01:51 - Rob’s entrance into the electrical service industry
07:26 - Using leadership skills from his time in the military and finding his footing after service
13:36 - What Trident Electric does and who they serve
20:25 - Why did Rob strike out on his own - capatalizing on gaps in the industry
30:02 - Establishing processes and culture
37:28 - Vetting clients and pricing work
52:03 - Rapid fire
01:03:39 - Outro
Our guest on this episode is Omar Ramirez. Omar makes money from manure. While dealing with shit, Omar’s company, Aligned Digesters, is anything but. Aligned Digesters is solving a problem that will improve the world and Omar is building a company built on collaboration, strong relationships, and a commitment to teamwork.
00:00 - Intro
03:11 - What Aligned Digesters is and does
09:40 - The pulse & why of the business
● What makes Omar’s job difficult
● Regulations and cost of materials
15:19 - The strategy for creating profitability
20:52 - People Management and Operations
● All hands on deck
● Building a culture of team players
● Leading by example
29:33 - What makes Omar excited about the work
38:18 - The biggest challenge in the construction industry right now.
● Handling not-to-exceed contracts
● Building relationships with customers and suppliers
● Holding subcontractors accountable as an extension of your business
49:36 - Rapid fire
● 1 resource you can’t do without
● 1 podcast or book you’ve read
● Best advice you’ve received
● 1 habit that fills you up
59:02 - What does the future look like
01:02:47 - Outro
Our guest on this episode is Alexia Cooper. As the owner of Bell Solar & Electrical, Alexia has built a dynamic team of leaders and team members who care about the work and the mission of changing the world through solar. Since taking over the company from a contractor who had been in the business for decades, Alexia has transformed the culture into one that puts people at the center of everything they do. Don't miss her talking about their work in Nepal with GivePower!
00:00 - Intro
00:39 - New Cohost
02:07 - How Alexia got into the industry
07:34 - People first leadership
15:25 - What makes the job hard and tackling challenges
23:33 - Changing leadership and culture
35:54 - The challenges of a culture shifting to solar
44:56 - Rapid fire business questions
53:39 - Vision for the future
56:50 - Outro
My guest on this episode is Alex Rodriguez. He’s the owner of Bay Cities Construction and is laser focused on building his brand and company through a strategic focus on marketing and content creation. Alex is well versed in how to find the right clients and getting them to engage. Having been in the business for nearly 2 decades, Alex is an open book on how to survive the roughest times as a business owner.
00:00 - Intro
01:29 - How Alex got into the industry
05:08 - Focusing on marketing and content creation
13:05 - How to find the right leads and choose the right customers
22:15 - How to survive an economic downturn
25:49 - Developing a content strategy
49:01 - Creating reasons and differentiators that get you hired
54:41 - The future - Expansion for the purpose of stability
01:01:08 - Advice for young contractors
01:13:07 - Working yourself out of being an employee of your business.
01:24:09 - Outro
My guest on this episode is Clayton Rodrigues. He’s the owner of Zothex Flooring and is passionate champion for customer service, sales, and self improvement. Clayton’s secret to success is his ability to push employees past their comfort zone of success and into a new baseline of potential.
00:00 - Intro
01:17 - How Clayton got started.
● Coming to the US from Brazil
● Pushing for more
● Learning to accept help
10:06 - Training people to help you grow
● Hiring people you can trust
● Creating a foundation of customer service
17:32 - Marketing your services
20:41 - Finding labor and using subcontractors
● Creating a labor force that cares about the customers and the business
27:44 - Expansion - Making decisions on when and where to expand
38:21 - Pushing past your limit
● Zothex Academy
51:26 - Naming Zothex
57:53 - Outro
Website: https://zothexflooring.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zothex/
https://www.instagram.com/zothexcommercial/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Zothex916/
https://www.facebook.com/Zothex-Flooring-Cabinets-More-Elk-Grove-103250832296827
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/zothex-flooring-inc/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/clayton-rodrigues-8381a8162/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ZothexFlooring
My guest on this episode is Keenan Garcia, a virtual solar consultant out of Dallas, TX. He has built his brand by building partnerships in the industry and with people throughout other industries.
00:00 - Intro
00:54 - How Keenan got started in virtual solar
08:16 - Building partnerships vs. Buying leads
17:54 - What made you go out on your own
20:29 - Leveraging Social Media
22:29 - Closing solar deals by way of selling roofs and vice versa
29:55 - The future for Keenan and Roofers sell solar
37:36 - Getting in touch with Keenan
40:46 - Outro
My guest on this episode is Natassia Melendrez-Knutson of Project Support Services. Natassia had a non-traditional entrance into the construction industry, but that hasn’t stopped her from staking her claim in the industry and finding her niche. From jumping into business during a recession to changing the way we hire, Natassia is bucking expectations at every turn.
00:00 - Intro
01:20 - How Natassia got started
06:51 - Proving your worth when you don’t have a traditional path
13:59 - Making people pay more for consulting services
16:37 - Adding new services and staying ahead of the market
20:12 - Hiring
30:02 - Working with contractors
34:33 - Marketing - Branding and making things exciting
44:38 - Building more than just schools
49:54 - Outro
My guest on this episode is Chris Dyck of August Roofing and Solar. While Chris isn’t breaking new ground in how roofs are installed or in the solar industry, August Roofing is redefining professionalism in the construction industry. That creed isn’t only reserved for customers but also for employees and has set August roofing apart from many of its competitors.
00:00 - Intro
00:51 - Getting started in the industry
05:23 - Jumping into business without any formal training.
12:15 - Generating business
21:34 - Getting into solar
27:57 - Social Media Marketing
37:46 - Hiring and recruitment
47:40 - The future of August Roofing and Solar.
50:5 - Outro
My guest on this episode is Bob Biederman of Groundswell Management. Groundswell has carved out a unique place in the construction industry by connecting realtors with contractors and being the missing link in reference to code, regulation, and permitting.
00:00 - Intro
00:46 - Getting started in the industry
04:23 - What is Groundswell doing now
12:53 - What prompted the focus on codes and regulations and recognizing your own unique skills.
17:17 - Breaking into real estate
29:37 - Marketing your unique service
34:46 - The future of Groundswell
44:19 - Outro