PowerTips Unscripted

What are renovation loans? And how can they help the burden of new home ownership?  Guest David Perrotti talks about using renovation loans to get deferred maintenance or dated kitchens and bathrooms remodeled prior to moving into a new home, to make for a smooth transition. David is the President and Founder of Fine Home...

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Reviewing employees in the remodeling world is, at best, a struggle. It is often an employee’s opportunity to ask for a raise and an employer’s opportunity for frustration. Tim Faller joins Mark and Victoria to talk about the necessary fundamental shift in the employee review process. Tim makes the transition from podcast host to guest...

The post Ep.146: Employee Reviews: It’s Time for a Change with Tim Faller appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

It’s easy to fall victim to the “Shiny Object Syndrome” in remodeling.  With so many goals of success, there are a lot of “shiny objects” that can distract remodelers from reaching their full potential.   How do you avoid them?  Guest David Wood of Focus.CEO joins Victoria and Mark in this episode to share the five...

The post Ep.145: Double Revenue by Focusing on Less with David Wood appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

Sales management can be one of the hardest jobs in a company, especially if you are both a player and coach. Sales managers are constantly focusing on how to improve their business, their team and themselves, and could use some tips along the way.  Guest David Mattson joins Victoria and Mark in this episode to...

The post Ep.144: The Three Most Important Skills in Sales Management with David Mattson appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

How can designers and production staff improve their success in the remodeling industry?  Guest Jeff Borovitz joins Victoria and Mark to talk about the deadly sins that get in the way of reaching your full potential.   Jeff has worked and trained with many members of the Remodelers Advantage Roundtables community and brings that experience in...

The post Ep.143: The Deadly Sins that Designers & Production Teams Commit with Jeff Borovitz appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

In this episode, guest Alan Hanbury of Hanbury Builders Inc. discusses three common areas where remodeling contractors are underperforming because they believe their gut rather than facts. Alan also talks about referral marketing, the effects of job costing done half-heartedly, and hiring when taking net profitability into account. Alan is president of House of Hanbury...

The post Ep.142: Common Remodeler Mistakes that are Hitting Your Bottom Line with Alan Hanbury appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

For many remodelers, digital marketing is the “voodoo” magic. With so many options, where do you begin? Well, Spencer Powell has the answer. In this episode, Spencer dives into his new book, The Remodeler Marketing Blueprint. He talks about everything that you need to know about being found online, successfully. Spencer is the CEO of...

The post Ep.141: The Remodeler Marketing Blueprint with Spencer Powell appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

Learning the best way to work with purchasing managers can help create great outcomes for both sides of the remodeling business.  With over a decade of experience in operations and purchasing for a national homebuilder, Bradley Hartmann has researched and found the importance of having purchasing sales teams devote their time exclusively focused on the...

The post Ep.140: What Dealers Say Behind Your Back with Bradley Hartmann appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

For many, determining the compensation for an employee is nothing more than doing a quick google search, or in our members case, maybe asking their peers what they pay a particular position.  But Tom Miller doesn’t really agree with that methodology.  Instead, his company helps businesses apply the best compensation strategies that help recruit great...

The post Ep.139: Creating Great Compensation Programs that Help Grow Your Company with Tom Miller appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

Effective communication is measured by outcomes. Communication without an outcome is like traveling without a destination. The communication techniques used in selling are frequently more disastrous than helpful. Dave Yoho will expound upon several powerful communication techniques that have a psychological background, and have been proven to lead individuals to the outcome(s) they desire. The...

The post Ep.138: Focusing Your Communication Style on Customer Satisfaction with Dave Yoho appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

In this episode, we take a closer look at the sales process. We are always looking for fresh ideas and concepts that apply specifically to remodelers and those in the building community. Our guest Jen Neige is adamant that you should be selling to design, NOT designing to sell, and she shares how you can...

The post Ep.137: Selling to Design, Not Designing to Sell with Jan Neiges appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

Small business owners spend a lifetime building a company and have one shot at getting their exit right. Yet waiting to pounce on this unsuspecting group is a legion of financial mercenaries, private equity predators and corporate giants set up to prey on owner’s lack of experience when it comes to mergers and acquisitions. These...

The post Ep.136: How to Build, Accelerate and Harvest the Value of a Company with John Warrillow appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

Networking has been called the number one rule of business success. That’s fine for those outgoing high-personality types like Victoria, but what is the less-than-sociable remodeler supposed to do? Our guest for this episode, Matthew Pollard, has written a new book in The Introverts Edge series that addresses just that. He shares some of the...

The post Ep.135: The Introverts Guide to Networking with Matthew Pollard appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

Have you given any thought to your exit strategy? How are you going to leave your business when you’re ready to retire and enjoy your remaining years? It is never too early to start, and you should really be planning for that day, no matter how many years you have left. There are many options...

The post Ep.134: Preparing a Successful Exit Strategy with Dave Leff appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

Dave Pollard, Co-Founder & Design Director of Liv Companies outside of Chicago, joins the show to talk more about how his firm utilizes 3D renderings in almost every aspect of their business. Leading LivCo’s design team, Dave’s process quickly takes hand sketches to full-blown renderings and walk-throughs, and they are even leveraging the power of...

The post Ep.133: Harnessing the Power of 3D Visualization with Dave Pollard appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

There are many legal challenges that can appear suddenly for remodelers, builders and business owners. Frivolous lawsuits, “Jekyll & Hyde” clients, predatory creditors, employment claims… you name it, it’s out there. It is imperative to build your business on a foundation that can weather the storm so that, as our guest today puts it, it...

The post Ep.132: How to Shatterproof Your Business with America’s Legal Coach appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

Increasing efficiency is one of the easiest ways to increase your company’s profitability, and LEAN process improvement is an extremely popular direction to take for successful remodelers and builders out there. We have discussed LEAN concepts in past episodes, including Episode 10 when we had Doug Howard on to talk about the LEAN consulting work...

The post Ep.131: All About LEAN and Value Stream Mapping with Dean Tompkins appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

What will accounting and administration departments look like in five years? With advancements in technology and the shift towards and outsourced “gig economy,” the change is coming and the decisions you make now are critical to preparing for that change. To look further into how the world of accounting and office administration is changing we...

The post Ep.130: The Rise of the Controller with Jackie Shaw appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

The latest statistics on fraud should be a wake-up call for every small business owner. According to a survey by HISCOX, a specialty insurance company, 80 percent of embezzlements occurred at small businesses and 30 percent involved a loss of more than $500,000. With more work is being done remotely, including paying vendors and processing...

The post Ep.129: Are Your Employees Stealing From You? With Vicki Suiter appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

As a remodeling business owner, you have likely heard of demographics and you have probably looked at it solely in the context of marketing and lead generation. But, the power of demographics lies much deeper than that, and in this episode, Ken Gronbach will share the subtle yet profound effect of shifting demography in the...

The post Ep.128: Demography is Destiny with Kenneth Gronbach appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

Working remotely, working on-site with clients and adhering to CDC restrictions, an upcoming election, social unrest and an economy that is slowly starting to recover. Everyone is adjusting to the new world of work, and it sounds as though making those adjustments will continue into 2021. How can you help your team connect and engage...

The post Ep.127: Engaging Employees in the New Normal with Rick Bowers appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

As remodeling business owners, many of us do long-term planning, but is there a detailed strategic plan for the coming year? In this episode, we talk about the benefits of an off-site planning retreat to chart your course for the coming year with Robert & Evelyn Lenton, co-owners of Lenton Company, Inc. in Palmdale, CA....

The post Ep.126: Off-site Planning for the Coming Year with Robert & Evelyn Lenton appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

The concept behind developing a customer persona is pretty simple – get to know your audience better so that you can build a more meaningful relationship with them, both as a client and a prospect. The output of that analysis is inevitable company growth and client retention. So how do firms, of all sizes, build...

The post Ep.125: Building Meaningful Customer Personas with Aimee Pagano appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

Conferences, blog posts, podcasts, webinars, roundtables peer groups, consulting, coaching… information is everywhere. But, just because you’re opening yourself up to these opportunities to learn, it doesn’t mean anything will ever change. The hard part is what comes after you get the information. John Lessick joins Victoria and Mark to discuss how to take what...

The post Ep.124: Applying What You Have Learned with John Lessick appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

Human Resources Compliance is a massive undertaking and as small business owners, most of us can’t afford to hire a full-time HR person. So what do we do? We either add it to the ever-growing list of “hats” we wear as an owner, or give it a staff member who is not trained or up...

The post Ep.123: Ever-changing Compliance and How it Impacts Your Small Business with Stuart Jackson appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

Many remodelers dream of one day building a high volume remodeling company. Others aren’t sure it’s worth the effort. In this episode, we talk to Jake Schloegel about what it takes to grow a high volume remodeling business. Why build it? Who should be involved? What are the expectations? Jake is the Founder of Schloegel...

The post Ep.122: Growing a High Volume Remodeling Business with Jake Schloegel appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

Seemingly everywhere you turn these days, you hear the phrase “survive and thrive” as it relates to your business. But it takes more than a catch-phrase and a couple of tips to make it a reality. In this episode, we talk to Wayne Ottum about how to get focused, get real, and get moving to...

The post Ep.121: Creating Your Own Economic Recovery with Wayne Ottum appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

As a remodeling business owner, building wealth and financial security is something everyone wants to achieve. Unfortunately, it’s something that many of us put off because the needs of today are more pressing, especially with the current market. In this episode, Victoria and Mark talk to George Kall about tips and advice on planning for...

The post Ep.120: Personal Wealth Building for Business Owners with George Kall appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

“The high cost of replacing employees means it’s important to find ways to retain the best performers, and studies show that transparency from the top can be a solution, boosting employee engagement and motivation. One way to achieve that transparency is to show employees the company’s numbers and teach them the business. Why not get...

The post Ep.119: Creating Rapid Financial Results and Lasting Cultural Change with Steve Baker appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

Because of the success of our podcasts (PowerTips Unscripted and The Tim Faller Show) we are often asked by our Roundtables members and contacts in the industry about the power of podcasting. Clearly we are advocates of this medium and today we talk more about how you as a business owner can build your brand...

The post Ep.118: How to Use Podcasting to Further Your Brand and Fuel Your Pipeline with Phil Pelucha appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

“The Six Habits are behaviors that we act out every day, minute to minute. These are the habits that define our relationship with ourselves, and our relationship with the world around us.” Laura DiBenedetto Best Selling Author As you have likely heard us say, Remodelers Advantage is dedicated to helping remodeling business owners become more...

The post Ep.117: The Six Habits That Can Change Your Life with Laura DiBenedetto appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

If you have more than one salesperson, then odds are you have a round-robin policy of lead assignment. But that could be doing your sales team and your marketing department a disservice. Susan Raisanen joins the show today to share how tracking and assigning leads, based on sales strengths, can make a difference in performance...

The post Ep.116: Getting the Biggest Bang Out of Your Marketing with Susan Raisanen appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

As a business owner, you have undoubtedly read plenty of books and maybe even taken a course or two on sales and how to sell to homeowners. However, most have avoided or over-looked strengthening their public speaking skills. In this episode, Victoria and Mark explore the correlation between more persuasive public speaking skills contributing to...

The post Ep.115: Using Public Speaking Skills to Master Any Sales Pitch with Brenden Kumarasamy appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

Goals are critical to success in business—they focus attention and give your team a clear understanding of what you’re trying to achieve. But oftentimes, the goal is all we see. And looking at nothing but the end goal can overwhelm and lead to failure. Fortunately, the 1988 film Bull Durham holds the secret to achieving...

The post Ep.114: What Bull Durham Teaches Us About Achieving Goals appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

The demand and absence of skilled labor is a huge challenge for remodelers across North America. We hear it from our Roundtables Members as well as from our associates, sponsors and Podcast guests. In this episode Victoria and Mark explore different ways to tackle the issue, and welcome Dan Hurst to the show to talk...

The post Ep.113: Fighting the Labor Shortage with In-house Training with Dan Hurst appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

We are all so busy running our businesses that we often don’t realize that there are other potential revenue-generating investments that align with our present and future business needs. Chris Landis thinks you should consider helping businesses that lease their office space as an added revenue stream. In this episode, Victoria, Mark and Chris talk...

The post Ep.112: Discovering New Revenue Streams With Chris Landis appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

We have covered the dangers of stress and anxiety for you and your business a few times; most recently on Episode 108, where we touch on ways to battle and reduce it, including mindful meditation. To explore this topic further, Victoria and Mark welcome Peter Feinmann, President of Feinmann, Inc, a design build company in...

The post Ep.111: Using Mindful Meditation to Deal with Clients and Employees with Peter Feinmann appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

Current events have created an environment of incredible stress for homeowners across the globe. Remodelers have an opportunity to tap into their dissatisfaction with their home environments by using an empathy-based marketing approach to make an emotional connection. Tanya Bamford joins Victoria and Mark to share how using the right messaging, imagery, and delivery channels...

The post Ep.110: Making powerful emotional connections using empathy-based marketing with Tanya Bamford appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

Email is the default communication tool in business, there’s no denying that. But there is good reason to expand beyond email for your internal team communication. Victoria and Mark welcome Jason Langkammerer to the show, as they discuss how taking that step can enhance your teamwork, reduce the “noise” of email, and strengthen your company...

The post Ep.109: How Getting Off Email Can Dramatically Improve Your Internal Communication appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

How stressed are you? Pandemics, demonstrations, economy, health… It’s not uncommon to feel stressed during these uncertain times. According to a study by the University of Cincinnati, many people feel anxiety around the Covid-19 virus, but even more are concerned about the financial impact that the pandemic has had or may have on them and...

The post Ep.108: How to Cope with Stress appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.