Sticks and Bricks Podcast

In this replay of one of the Livestream events done during the 2022 International Builders Show in Orlando, FL (from high atop the ECI Software Solutions booth).  Listen in and enjoy as Ken talks about the importance of improving margins by putting more detail into your purchasing - and - as a bonus, we talk about how Home Builders who take the time to help their Trades run their businesses see a great Return on Investment tha...

I'm back - finally!  After taking a year or so off to re-assess what I wanted this podcast to be, the time has come to get things started again.  I get a little more personal in this episode - sharing my personal journey in this industry so you get to know more about who I am, what I've been through, and why I'm making this podcast.

I also give you a sense of what this season is all about.  In short, this season is t...

Hey, folks. This week we’re going to be talking about that necessary evil that all builders face – home warranties. And, let’s face it, warranty claims are no fun. If you don’t keep a close tab on them, they can quickly spiral out of control – and – often, builders use their own administrative staff to handle the warranty calls that come in.

Although that may seem practical on your wallet, it can often cost you more than you think.

As I bring my first season of the Sticks and Bricks Podcast, I am so excited to continue the conversation I started last week with Scott Sedam of True North Consulting - a well-known and often-published thought leader in the Home Building Industry.

In this second part of our interview, we continue to discuss an article that he wrote in October of last year that reviewed 10 Lessons Learned from the last downturn – and – we see if an...

As I get ready to wrap up my first season of the Sticks and Bricks Podcast, I am so excited to offer a two-part interview series with a well-known thought leader in the Home Building Industry. For as long as I can remember, I always gravitated to the writing and wisdom of Scott Sedam in the articles he wrote in Professional Builder and other industry publications.

Scott is the owner of True North Consulting – and – he’s been helpin...

This week, I’m offering up a recording from a Webinar-type program I hosted from my day job at ECI Solutions. In this time of working remotely, home builders everywhere are just trying to figure out how to do those things that were so simple before.

So, we organized some talks – called MarkChats – with home builders all across North America to share concerns and ideas on how they’re dealing with very real things that happen every s...

I just love reading books about business and marketing. And – every once in a while, I come across a book that I just love so much, I want others to know about it. One of my latest favorite books is The Content Fuel Framework by Melanie Deziel.

Why I love this book is that it’s a really more of an active tool than it is something to read. Too often, business books are good on theory – but – they lack any practical use. This book is...

This week, I invited Tim Bailey, Chief Strategy Officer for Avid Ratings, to come on and talk about how you can use information from your customers to improve your business and your marketing.

Avid Ratings really is THE name in home building surveys, and I couldn’t think of a better person to share ideas on the best times – and questions – to ask customers in their home building journey.

And – even though I’m typically the one aski...

This week, I explore Hoodle.com – a search site (and more) for new construction that started in Central Illinois and is quickly popping up in markets all across the United States. Ron Williams, the Founder and CEO of Hoodle.com, takes a bit of time to talk about how this site came to be by solving a problem that he could solve – and – where the site is headed.

We all know and understand that online search is so important. In these ...

This week, I’m doing something a little different than my typical episode. While this podcast is my personal podcast, many know that my day job is with ECI Solutions – specifically with MarkSystems, a home building ERP software.

This past week, for that day job, I hosted a Webinar about Building Remotely – a topic that is on everyone’s mind right now with the coronavirus forcing us all to rethink our operations and making us figure...

Have you ever been called on by a representative from a Fleet Management Company – who wants to come in and talk to you about the possibility of outsourcing your business’s vehicles? I know how it goes – the call comes in while putting out the normal daily fires, and – to that representative’s chagrin – you end up turning down the meeting.

That Fleet Management Rep is persistent, though. After several contacts, you finally agree to...

If you’ve ever developed ground for a new community – OR – you’re thinking of jumping into the land development game, this is going to be an interesting episode for you. I speak with Bob “R.J.” Fisher of R.J. Fisher Engineering to explore the complicated (but exciting) process of using newer technology to explore the feasibility of land development.

AND – because our discussion includes a look at how quickly the software can layout...

We’re continuing to look at the Customer Experience that home builders want to deliver to their customers. We explored the sales process last week. This week, I wanted to talk a little more about what happens from the time a customer signs the Agreement of Sale right through the warranty period.

And I was so excited to land a guest who has experience monitoring those customer experiences over the years. Paul Cardis was the original...

Home builders everywhere believe the processes they perform every day have been honed and perfected after years of experience. Many of those home builders think their way is the best way, and they believe that all their home buyers fully understand and appreciate how the whole process unfolds.

But do their home buyers really appreciate – and even like – the process?

That’s what today’s episode is all about. Paul Gortzig of the Bokk...

I am just over-the-moon for this week’s episode. I’ve been a Super Fan of the StoryBrand company since I first found the book, Building a StoryBrand by Donald Miller. It’s an extremely practical book that you can read and immediately start using in your business.

After finding that book, I also found the StoryBrand Podcast that has both Donald Miller and today’s guest Dr. J.J. Peterson as co-hosts. It’s a fantastic podcast that you...

Looking at the calendar, it’s that time of year again. All across the country, Home Shows and other events to get people excited about building a new home start to happen. And many of those events are organized and run by Builders Associations.

Seeing the early promotion of our local show got me to thinking about our local Home Builders Association and the times I spent attending events and even serving on the Board in the past. Wh...

It’s Valentine’s Day week as this episode goes live – so I thought it only fitting that I bring to you an episode on finding the perfect match with no need to swipe left or right – well, at least when it comes to your business looking for the right digital marketing agency!

I talk to Greg Bray, President of Blue Tangerine, a Digital Marketing Agency who focuses on creating digital marketing solutions for home builders all over the ...