August 14, 2025 • 43 mins
Alison Mullins from Rep Methods LLC joins us to discuss her role in the construction industry. She shares her insights as an influential figure working with building materials. Learn about her experiences and how she impacts the construction market.
Alison Mullins owns Rep Methods LLC and is an influential figure in the construction materials industry. Known for her exceptional expertise and extensive global experience. Alison has over 20 years of experience in sales and provides guidance on luxury residential. commercial. and hospitality projects across North America.
Alison has written a book titled The Art of Selling and We Make Order Makers, Not Order Takers. Alison is a project consultant for Grassi Pietre SRL -Italy. Her company, Rep Methods, offers coaching, workshops, and seminars for small businesses with sales training needs.
Contact Details:
Email: info@repmethods.com
Business: Rep Methods LLC
Website: https://www.repmethods.com
Social Media Address:
LinkedIN - https://www.linkedin.com/in/alisonmullins
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/alisonlearva?mibextid=ZbWKwL
Instagram - @repmethods
Tiktok - @repmethodsoriginal
Remember to SUBSCRIBE so you don't miss "Information That You Can Use." Share Just Minding My Business with your family, friends, and colleagues. Engage with us by leaving a review or comment here or on my Google Business Page. https://g.page/r/CVKSq-IsFaY9EBM/review Your support keeps this podcast going and growing.
Visit Just Minding My Business Media™ LLC at https://jmmbmediallc.com/ to learn how we can support you in getting more visibility on your products and services.
Alison Mullins owns Rep Methods LLC and is an influential figure in the construction materials industry. Known for her exceptional expertise and extensive global experience. Alison has over 20 years of experience in sales and provides guidance on luxury residential. commercial. and hospitality projects across North America.
Alison has written a book titled The Art of Selling and We Make Order Makers, Not Order Takers. Alison is a project consultant for Grassi Pietre SRL -Italy. Her company, Rep Methods, offers coaching, workshops, and seminars for small businesses with sales training needs.
Contact Details:
Email: info@repmethods.com
Business: Rep Methods LLC
Website: https://www.repmethods.com
Social Media Address:
LinkedIN - https://www.linkedin.com/in/alisonmullins
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/alisonlearva?mibextid=ZbWKwL
Instagram - @repmethods
Tiktok - @repmethodsoriginal
Remember to SUBSCRIBE so you don't miss "Information That You Can Use." Share Just Minding My Business with your family, friends, and colleagues. Engage with us by leaving a review or comment here or on my Google Business Page. https://g.page/r/CVKSq-IsFaY9EBM/review Your support keeps this podcast going and growing.
Visit Just Minding My Business Media™ LLC at https://jmmbmediallc.com/ to learn how we can support you in getting more visibility on your products and services.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
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dot org.
Speaker 1 (01:42):
Welcome, Welcome, ladies and gentlemen to just smnd in my business.
Speaker 4 (01:48):
And I am so excited.
Speaker 1 (01:51):
To bring to you today Allison Mullins, who owns REP
Methods LLC and as an influential figure in the construction
materials industry, known for her exceptional expertise an extensive global experience,
Allison has over twenty years of experience in sales and
(02:15):
provides guidance on luxury, residential, and commercial and hospitality projects
across North North America. She is also an author and
has written a book entitled The Art of Selling Book
We Make Order Makers, not Ordered Takers And as a
(02:38):
project consultant for Grassy how we pronouncing.
Speaker 5 (02:42):
That Pietre Pietri is Italian for Stone Grassipietri.
Speaker 4 (02:48):
Okay, thank you, Wow.
Speaker 1 (02:53):
I am so honored to meet you, our lady in construction.
This is here huge, and you know I'm going to
ask you first, how did you get there?
Speaker 5 (03:06):
Yeah? The short story is, I actually got started in
textiles and fashion. So I did some time in New
York City early in my career after college. And you
know it's funny how I call it the yellow brick Road.
I actually want to write a book about that. Like
the yellow brick Road is like the turns that we
make and the choices that we take. And I ended
(03:29):
up in Richmond, Virginia. I'm from the state of Virginia originally,
but Appalachia in the mountain, so I'm a coal miner's granddaughter.
I've always loved stone and I ended up in a
marketing promotional role that really was like sort of indirect
selling with a construction materials company out of Spain. And
(03:50):
that was in twenty ten, and the long road began
for me in training on how to sell construction materials
in the architecture and design community and in residential and
remodeling contractors, builders, the whole nine yards. And fifteen years later,
I've been in that side of the business for a
very long time. It's super it's super cool. I've also
(04:14):
worked for I got a big leap of work when
I went to start working in Italy for a company
out of Verona, and I got some really in depth training.
If anybody knows construction, building materials and stone, you know
Italy is kind of the mecca where production is that
it's finest and you have the best artisans of the world.
(04:37):
And I got really lucky in twenty sixteen and started
working with a company over there, and my expertise has
just kept growing.
Speaker 1 (04:46):
Wow, the opportunities we say, yes too, that's right, that's right,
that's it so critical. I mean, you know, yes, it's
a complete sentence.
Speaker 5 (04:58):
It is. It is so. While I am not the
type of woman in construction, there are many powerful women
in construction who are on job sites and you know,
really influencing the men who are running the equipment and
the actual building aspect of it. My job is definitely
much more on the design phase and helping to make
(05:22):
sure that the right materials are selected for the right applications.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
Well, still, that's a lot right there, because everybody doesn't
know how to do that, you know.
Speaker 4 (05:33):
So I take my head off to you, miss Allison.
Speaker 5 (05:38):
I'm like, wow, thank you.
Speaker 1 (05:41):
Yeah, So let's talk about your bull Well.
Speaker 5 (05:46):
You know I have too, right, say, the short version
of my bio maybe only have the one in there,
but I actually have two authored works.
Speaker 1 (05:54):
Okay, talk about both of them, my dear, because we
need to know. So let's which one you want to
talk about first, Well, we.
Speaker 5 (06:02):
Could talk about my first book. It was you know
that moment in life when you bite the take the
take the bull by the horns or whatever you want
to call it. And for me it was definitely a
life changing event to author my first book, which was
the Art of Selling We make order makers, not order takers,
And it was a passion project. You know, just like
(06:25):
so many people during COVID, I think everybody started questioning,
you know, their purpose in life, like what are we doing?
How can we help others? How can we do things differently?
You know a lot of people change jobs, changed focus,
just so many things. And then and I did the
same thing. I knew I was really really good at
(06:46):
selling stone and sourcing stone too. Right behind me, the
picture is actually when I was in Brazil in twenty
twenty one in this quarry, and I had people ask
me all the time how I could train their salespeople
and how I could teach them the things that I know.
(07:09):
And these are all gifts from people who were there
before me. You know, nothing that I have learned came
by my own discovery, other than maybe my own methods,
which is where the rep methods name came from. But
the knowledge and the power came from mentors and in
me being a sponge and listening to the people who
(07:30):
were around me and learning as much as I could.
So I decided to wrap all that up in a
book for sales reps and the art of selling. We
Make Order Makers Not Order Takers. Was really a guidebook
in those methods that were mine, that were tried and
trued over so many years of being a territory manager
(07:51):
and having to juggle time management and functionality in and
outside of an office, and staying on top of customer
needs and being the best sales rep that I could
possibly be. And that has been a wild success. It's wonderful.
I have a workshop that developed from that. I get
(08:13):
to speak all over the country, doing several webinars this
summer for magazines, and you know, just got requested to
do another workshop for a big trade show in Florida
next years. It's awesome to have my community and other
communities who recognize the need for better sales education, especially
(08:37):
in our industry. So it's very cool.
Speaker 1 (08:39):
Yeah, So, what can give us a little snippet of
what people can expect to get from your book?
Speaker 5 (08:47):
Yeah, So that particular book is really about how to
be better at the functionality of sales and being an
account manager for your audience. I think my second book
is probably bigger and bolder and better for the people
who are listening today, which was Beyond Order Makers. So
(09:08):
that book I published it last year and it's sort
of the advanced manual for a business owner, entrepreneurs and
everything about sales that we have to do as a
business owner, from brand conception to target marketing, the same
types of sales techniques that I've done for years as
(09:31):
a rep. And then also those human centric aspects of
like day to day mindset changes and work ethic and
follow up and relationship building and storytelling. You know, it's
an even advanced version of that. So first book is
definitely for the salesperson who is in that role. Second
(09:55):
book is for the entrepreneur and business owner or somebody
who wants to be one of those, because I think
before you get started you have to have a plan.
Speaker 1 (10:05):
Yeah, yes, absolutely, absolutely Wow.
Speaker 4 (10:09):
So how do people get the book? Both books?
Speaker 5 (10:13):
Yeah, so I'm I'm of course, you know, Amazon's wonderful
for small business authors and through their KDP programs, so
I am available on Amazon. But I'm also available at
Barnesandoble dot com and you can purchase book its directly
through me. If you'd like a signed copy, I offer
them on my website, the rep Methods website.
Speaker 1 (10:32):
Okay, wow, Because sales is always a daunting thing, especially
for people knew these coming into the business worlds of
what they do, you know, but how.
Speaker 4 (10:46):
They get other people to buy it is.
Speaker 1 (10:48):
A whole nother ball worms, you know that they are
not ready for you know what I'm saying most.
Speaker 4 (10:56):
Of the time.
Speaker 5 (10:57):
Well, I also think there's a general aspect to this
idea that my generation, you know, I'm I'm mid forties,
I'm middle aged. We were I was an early millennial, millennial,
almost a Generation xer, and we didn't have the technology
(11:19):
early on in our youth, and we had to like
have those skill sets that don't involve AI and Google
Maps and all these other you know, monster improvements in
technology that we've had in the last few years. But
the younger generations, especially the kids that grew up and
(11:39):
then were in high school during COVID and they're out
in the job market today, I don't believe they have
the skill set about the in person selling understanding those
client relationships. I'm not sure that they are eloquent in
door knocking and cold calling and picking up the phone
(12:00):
in generals. Like, some of these are really old school
techniques and it's hard to believe, right, Like picking up
the phone and calling a customer like that, we call
that old school. I mean that's how sales was done
for ages.
Speaker 4 (12:17):
And still effective today.
Speaker 5 (12:20):
And very effective. And you're hitting on a really good point.
I'd a perhaps even more effective. Yes, I have a
client I'm working with now because I do offer I
don't take many, but I do do. I do coaching
with with people with one on one coaching, and one
(12:40):
of my clients right now, she's learning that because there's
so much AI bots and the influx of emails that
are going into people's inboxes, and the storming of the
LinkedIn and the TikTok and all this just monster overload
and it's so simple to just pick up the phone.
Speaker 1 (13:03):
Yes, and it's a whole different feeling when somebody picks
that phone up and calls you.
Speaker 4 (13:11):
You know, how you doing?
Speaker 1 (13:13):
You know, first you got to get that that hey,
how you doing?
Speaker 4 (13:19):
Has life treating you kind of thing? It's gonna be
about them first before you go into to me, to
go into your spill in terms of what you're doing.
Speaker 1 (13:30):
Uh.
Speaker 4 (13:31):
And I'm telling you I appreciate a phone call. I
really do. It brings us out to my face.
Speaker 5 (13:39):
Yes. And then with all the even the text messaging,
there's so many bots out there now and with our
spam filters. You know, I was explained to this young client.
I was like, you know, she she would kind of
do a callback, leave a voicemail and then not really
respond again. And I'm trying to teach her that keep
keep going. You got to keep going. Part of sales
(14:01):
is just picking up even when you have dead silence
on the other end, and asking again and returning and
repeat and repeat, washprints, repeat those actions. Eventually that person's
gonna be like, oh, you know what, this girl, this
girl wants my business. She is attentive. And it does
(14:21):
bring attention.
Speaker 4 (14:24):
It does, absolutely it does.
Speaker 1 (14:26):
And I remember you made me think of exercise I
had to do. I had to get a hundred no's.
Speaker 5 (14:35):
That's a lot.
Speaker 4 (14:36):
That's a lot.
Speaker 1 (14:37):
And basically it was it helped me get a tough
skin in terms of making calls, especially cold calls, because
you know, it's not necessarily about you. It could be
you just caught these people at bed time.
Speaker 5 (14:54):
You know you weren't there. You know, if it's the
person where there's you know they weren't home when you called,
you said you to.
Speaker 1 (15:00):
Try again, Yes, exactly, And it takes that fear away
of cold calling.
Speaker 5 (15:07):
Well in my teachings, and this is where that first book,
The Artist Selling is special. You know, I really talk
about the ways to make things not a cold call.
A great salesperson or business owner if you've done the
proper research, target marketing, you've created a prospect list, and
(15:29):
before you pick up that phone, you've done a little
bit of research. And that's where technology is helping us
because now on the internet you can find lots of
details about the human beings or the business or whatever
it is, and you can have something to lead in
with that attracts or hits. I call it like hitting
(15:51):
the button, hitting the ego button. Right, So, if you
really really want to get a conversation started, what is
your purpose? What is your ask? Like? You know, half
that set before you pick up the phone, the one
thing that you want to walk away from in that conversation.
If you've got that just registered in your mind. Yeah,
(16:12):
you can do the small talk, but you better know
a little bit about the person to get through the
small talk right. And then you have to make sure
that you get that ask in there.
Speaker 2 (16:23):
Yes.
Speaker 1 (16:23):
And it's so funny because back in the day, like
you said, we didn't have all that. They sent us
a list of names. No, and it was like a
true cold call.
Speaker 5 (16:37):
Trust me, I know, I worked in a tell. I
was a telemarketer during in high school. I had no
idea that that was going to influence my sales career.
But I remember me literally being on the dial where
you don't you have no idea who's picking up the
phone next. That mean, but talk about practice, talk about understanding,
(16:59):
about getting hung up on, about getting told like awful things.
Don't call again.
Speaker 1 (17:06):
I get yes, indeed, but if here's the problem to
you mean with these spots, I don't talk to him.
As soon as I hit that bought sound, you get
missed click. Because I don't like it at all, because
it's like you could tell, it's like the first thing
(17:27):
that happens hello, and then it's so and there's like.
Speaker 5 (17:31):
A little there's a little noise. Yeah, kind of a
noise and you.
Speaker 4 (17:34):
Could tell and it's like I immediately hang up.
Speaker 1 (17:37):
I get those calls all day, every day, and it's annoying.
Speaker 5 (17:43):
Well, and I have found the combination of texts and
call how it helps because a lot of times I'll
have calls that go to voicemail. So I will find
myself one number, I'll followup with a text and I
will have left a voicemail first of all, so that
there's something human they can listen to. But then that's
when I will use text message and I let him
know who I am and I'm saying like this, I'm
(18:03):
a human. I'm contacting you because of X And that
helps to break the ice barrier a little bit.
Speaker 4 (18:11):
Yes, yes, indeed.
Speaker 5 (18:13):
Wow.
Speaker 4 (18:14):
So that's we could go on and on about this
this thing.
Speaker 5 (18:19):
I know. I mean, I have a lot of topics
here that you know, we had identified that we could
talk about today. So the void is open. You you
hit me, I'm writing now.
Speaker 1 (18:32):
So creativity, let's talk a little bit about that because
I think a lot of times people get into a
script kind of mode without injecting their personality. Yeah, what's
your thoughts about that?
Speaker 5 (18:50):
Oh my gosh, I love that topic. You know my
teachings both books have the octopus diagram. You know, I
really talk to people about identifying those category reason of
clients first and knowing who you're talking to, and then
we get into the script process, which every time you
know every category of clients that you can talk to,
(19:13):
the script needs to change. I learned that skill set
by getting thrown in the wolves of trade shows early
on in my career, and I think every business owner
or salesperson should be a part of a trade show
at some point, because when you're getting that rapid fire
(19:36):
people walking up to scan their badge and to talk
to you about your product and what's going on, and
you have no idea who they are or what they do,
and you have five seconds to feel out, ask a
question about what they do, or read their badge, and
then you've got to mentally interpret and personalize that sales
(20:00):
pitch based on who you're talking to. And there's no
better practice than doing that in a booth type of
a setting where you where you're literally thrown in the wolves.
Right And you know, early on in my career, I
was a part of a company and we were at
this big kitchen and bath show and we're talking about.
This show has almost two hundred thousand visitors every year,
(20:25):
and there's popular brand, so a lot of foot traffic,
and every single person who's walking up to you to
talk to you got to cater that conversation. Got to
customize because there's no one size fits all answer in
any business.
Speaker 1 (20:45):
Very true, very true, And that can be I call
it learn by fire.
Speaker 5 (20:53):
That's one way. But you know, in the slow down
approach and my teachings, I try to teach people how
to like think of those things in ahead right, to
get a plan together, to be a little organized about
it before you get into the rapid fire section. If
you can do one of those diagram and thought process
methods where you're thinking it out, it helps you be
(21:15):
a better active listener during the sales, pitch and communication process.
Speaker 4 (21:22):
Yes.
Speaker 1 (21:22):
Now, do you do anything with personality because I think
I did a class when the different types of personalities.
You know, some people are I forget the categories right there?
Speaker 5 (21:35):
Yes, like a disk like a disk assessment. Yes, yes, Oh,
I mean I've taken them and I've attended lots of
classes about that. I don't follow that rule for me,
Like anybody is capable of selling and being in sales,
and it really doesn't have to be based on your personality.
(21:58):
There are some personalities who are going to be better
and it's going to be easier, but that doesn't mean
it's impossible. And I think that there are tools out there,
especially like if you think about the not type a person,
so on a disk assessment, this would be oh my gosh,
probably that I I think like I'm a d I'm
(22:19):
a dominant right, so I was a natural born salesperson.
But then in the eyes, I think you start to
get into the analyst categories of people who are not
necessarily forward facing type of individuals. That doesn't mean that
they can't sell. For them. It's about data processing and
they can go and do research based on past history
(22:41):
of numbers and what sales old win, and they can
still make digital offers and merchandise just as well as
the forward facing salesperson.
Speaker 4 (22:51):
So it's more or less.
Speaker 5 (22:52):
Working with the streps absolutely, And I mean for me,
i'd rather than I guess I use probably just an
instinct approach, you know, when I'm working with somebody, I
can I've been sizing up people for so many years
in five seconds that it doesn't take very long to
(23:13):
kind of see where someone's at and meet them where
they are.
Speaker 4 (23:18):
Wow, So how do people get involved with your training?
Speaker 5 (23:23):
Well, thank you for asking. Well, I usually keep about
four to six coaching clients active at one time, and
on my website there's coaching tab. Programs are very affordable.
It's very easy to sign up, and we'll work with
a start date and if I'm booked for a little while,
(23:44):
we can just get you on the schedule in the
next few months. I also really like to promote doing
a workshop first before we ever do any coaching, especially
if we're talking about a small business organization, you know,
ten fifteen people. I don't like big corporate companies, so
I'll just set that right now, like, that's not my
target market. Big if you're above twenty million dollars in revenue,
(24:08):
we're probably not a good fit. And that's okay. I
like small businesses, but love to do a workshop, either
online or in person first, because I feel like the
coaching goes that much farther if we've already started to
identify some of the strengths and weaknesses of the individual people.
Speaker 4 (24:30):
And that makes totally good sense.
Speaker 5 (24:32):
It's not you know, you know what you're working with.
Speaker 1 (24:36):
Yeah, yeah, absolutely, Wow, this is awesome. So let's talk
a little bit about the construction trade.
Speaker 5 (24:46):
Oh my gosh. Okay, and.
Speaker 1 (24:50):
You you frame it for me because I'm not in
construction period, so I have to find somebody that's knowledgeable
the time.
Speaker 5 (25:01):
Well, you know, to put it simply, You've got levels,
just like you do in anything else. You've got small
level construction, which is more of the remodeling community to
you know, kitchen and bath contractors. You've got general contractors
who are kind of jacks of all trade that can
do anything from plumbing or they outsourced and they have
(25:22):
subs that work with them all the way up to
massive mega construction companies that are responsible for more of
the high rise buildings and structures that we see across
our country and roadways. You know, construction can also mean
our roadways and our park systems. Construction has a really
vast scale of and it's all about infrastructure.
Speaker 1 (25:45):
So you made me think about something I'm into. I've
been ordering tools for around the house to make life
easier for me, and I ordered this chainsaw and it's
so funny because I was like checking the porch every.
Speaker 4 (26:05):
Day waiting for it to come, like it was a
brand new pair of shoes, and I had.
Speaker 1 (26:09):
To laugh at myself. And then as soon as it came,
it's like, oh, let's try it out. And I got
this tree that I'm trying to trim down and it
worked beautifully. I was so tickled. And I'm like, twenty
years ago, you would have never I would buying a
chainsaw would have never been in my brain.
Speaker 5 (26:33):
No, No, that's I'm going to leave that to the professionals. Personally,
I'm really comfortable myself with lots of projects around the
house and fixing stuff for other people. My favorite tool
is a drill.
Speaker 4 (26:45):
Yeah, that's my favorite.
Speaker 5 (26:48):
Oh as a woman, I keep that drill on the regular,
and you know, I help friends out with their little
problems around the house. But probably my least favorite thing is.
Speaker 1 (27:02):
I'll definitely call somebody for that. I'm just I'm teaching
my son. You know, he's pretty good at fixing stuff
or putting things together. So I think I had him
put a tool. Then, Uh, he did pretty good. He
did really good.
Speaker 5 (27:17):
Actually, that is a life skill that everybody should learn.
Everybody should know how to pull a toilet. I mean,
I am here to tell you and just change the
guts from the inside of a toilet, because that's an
easy thing that could be done. Same thing with fawcet installations,
you know, as far as the plumbing fixtures are concerned.
If you can just manage to watch YouTube videos and
(27:39):
learn how to properly install some of those things, you're
going to save yourself down the road with simple repairs.
Speaker 1 (27:45):
But yeah, because I've done the stuff inside the toolet
upgraded those.
Speaker 4 (27:50):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 5 (27:53):
You know. I work with a group locally with the
National Association of Women in Construction, and these are some
really amazing women. So there's chapters all over the country
and several of them, including my own. We are on
our third year of doing a girls construction Camp WOW. Seventh,
(28:16):
eighth and ninth grade girls come for one week every summer.
It's completely free and they learn how to build. We
don't say a house a room, so we start with
from the foundation and build the walls. So they learn
how to frame, they learn how to run electrical, they
(28:39):
learn how to run HVAC and plumbing. Wow. They learn
how to hang dry wall to lay flooring, so we
do carpet and LVT to install tile, and then we
also have even some paint. So literally, these young ladies
(29:03):
work as a team to build their own little structures
that are semi complete rooms by the time they're finished.
Speaker 1 (29:11):
Oh my god, that is so amazing, Alison, I am
just at Oh, so, when does this happen?
Speaker 5 (29:19):
So it's everywhere up for us in Richmond, Virginia. It's
every summer in July. So this year it's going to
be the week of July fourteenth, fifteenth, so Monday through Friday.
I have been on the planning committee the last two years.
This year I kind of took a break because I
personally got some things going on this summer that all
(29:39):
I can do is volunteer, but I will be there.
I will be there several days and acting as a
counselor if you will. But it is so much fun
a to watch them come in dumbstruck, right dumbfounded, and
we have to teach them safety. They have to wear ppe,
they have to learn why they have to wear ppe,
(30:01):
and they are literally afraid to do anything. And then
I'm telling you, by Friday, these gals are just bubbling
with empowerment. And who knew picking up a hammer or
you know, a drill or learning how to run some
pipes to the walls or electricity. You can tell that
(30:21):
they want to go home and help dad. They want
to go home and help out around the house. And
they're not afraid of, you know, getting out that power
tool and help and drill or hammer some It's it's
so cool.
Speaker 4 (30:37):
It sounds like it and we how the people find
out about it well.
Speaker 5 (30:41):
For us, Yeah, So NAYWICK is the anagram for National
Association of Women in Construction. So there's a national version
of that, NAEWIK dot org. You can find your local
or regional chapter and see if they offer it in
your locality. For us in Richmond, Virginia, it's NAWIK Richmond
(31:01):
dot org and it's camp. It's super cool. And then
the national organization is trying to roll out a template
of this camp. So there's about I think five to
six chapters who have done it successfully in the last
five years. So they're trying right now to get a
template together so that every chapter and there's over oh
(31:26):
my gosh, there's almost one hundred chapters in the United States,
Like it's insane. Yeah, so every chapter the whole United
States would have the opportunity to put on this camp.
Speaker 1 (31:35):
That's amazing. I wouldn't mind being in the camp.
Speaker 4 (31:46):
Yes, you're right, because.
Speaker 1 (31:47):
Now you know, as a homeowner and the cost of
things going up, you need to know how to do stuff.
Speaker 5 (31:55):
Oh my gosh, this would have saved me. I mean
I can't even my first home. Like buying my first home,
I didn't know half the stuff. And I worked already
in the countertop industry and I knew a lot about
kitchens and bathrooms, but I didn't know anything about a
cross space or tell me that there's something wrong with
my electrical you know, you get that inspection report back
(32:16):
when you're buying a house, you don't even know what
half of it's talking about.
Speaker 4 (32:21):
Yo.
Speaker 5 (32:21):
These girls at I mean seventh, eighth, and ninth grade there,
it's a really great skill set for sure.
Speaker 1 (32:28):
Yeah, so definitely put a bug in the well. The
older women needed as well, because I might I don't
want to have to try to perpetrate a nine year.
Speaker 5 (32:42):
Just to get it.
Speaker 1 (32:43):
But I would love to see that opportunity for older
women or women in general, because we a lot of
us are.
Speaker 4 (32:51):
Single parents, you know, just single period.
Speaker 5 (32:56):
Well that's I mean, that's true. But I think you're
going to see we are resurgence in the next few years.
I have watched this since twenty seventeen. I went to
Capitol Hill talking about the importance of education in trades,
and it's almost been forgotten in the last twenty years.
(33:20):
We have pushed our kids to be college degree students,
and we forgot that there is very lucrative work in
the world, including sales. Okay, you do not have to
have a college degree to be in sales. You don't.
I'm just telling you. And the same thing does with
these traits people they make a lot of money. You know,
(33:42):
electricians and plumbers, the kind of money they make. Oh
I know, I should be a plumber.
Speaker 1 (33:49):
My cousin, she's a female, she's an electrician and she
makes really good money.
Speaker 5 (33:56):
Yep. And we need masons. We need masonry people. We
need bricklay we need countertop fabrication laborers. We need people
who can work in the shop and work that equipment,
which is a lot of it's computer aided now, so
understanding CAD design and these types of elements do not
require college education. So and I do think, and that's
(34:18):
one of my passion projects. You know, this is one
reason why I think God gave me the chance to
start my business is to help spread that message about
the importance of internship programs available through our local school systems,
you know, really supporting the counties and the cities that
have integrated trade programs already available. I'm doing an event
(34:44):
in September thirteenth here in Richmond. I'm doing a full
day it's two half day sessions. One is based on
the artist selling, the others based on the beyond order makers,
and I'm inviting the high school students to be able
to participate for free and get sales and marketing education.
(35:05):
I've got vendors sponsors from tile companies, stone companies, wholesalers, retailers,
fabrication shops, and then through the county, we have an
internship program that gives each of these sponsors an insured
intern wow Wow plus giving some of these kids the
(35:30):
sales education, which you know we need gifted sales people.
You don't have to go to college for any of this,
and can get out there and actually start to work
right out of high school without having to go to
a four year school or two or even a two
year school. And the importance I think of that message
in construction is my biggest philanthropic approach.
Speaker 4 (35:51):
Yes, Pennsylvania is huge on trade.
Speaker 1 (35:55):
They have very huge here on that, you know, right
out of high school, you know, helping these kids to
realize you don't always have to go to college.
Speaker 5 (36:06):
Well, I'm glad to hear that. I think the cities
are well equipped. A lot of the major cities, all right,
but the tier two cities, once you get below it's
tier two, and you start to get into tier three cities,
and then once you get into rural communities like where
I grew up, it's not it's not great. You know.
(36:26):
The vocational program in my own county, in Tasle County, Virginia,
it is truthfully, uh, it's it's it's it's it's terrible.
It's horrible. And they constantly the whole they push people
to go to these four year schools, and they forgot.
And so even the trade school is suffering because they
don't have quality attendees. They don't have people with a
(36:48):
passion for the trades. It's more like this was your
second this was your second shot, right, this was your
second choice. They couldn't make it anywhere else, so they
end up at vocational school and that's not really the
way that it should be in my opinion. I think
if we have the right money from systems of pushing
(37:10):
kids into the proper direction, proper education, then we can
build and actually create jobs in the more rural communities.
Speaker 1 (37:18):
Because that was the first thing I did, you know,
I went to I remember back in the day they
had key pu schools, and that's what I did first.
And I did very, very, very very well.
Speaker 4 (37:35):
And the key punch I was kind of one of
the best.
Speaker 5 (37:38):
I really think I've I don't think I've heard of
that key punch. You'll have to tell me. Tell me more.
Speaker 4 (37:43):
Well, it has to do with you know, computers.
Speaker 1 (37:46):
Oh yeah, yeah, and you back back in the day,
it was everything had to be done on a punch
card and.
Speaker 4 (37:54):
Then ed to the computer.
Speaker 1 (37:59):
So that's what I started, and wow, I went on
and got my degree.
Speaker 5 (38:05):
That reminds me of that movie about those women who
were helping NASA, all the women in the back office
who were doing they had to do the punch cards
to feed the computer. Yeah, that's definitely yes.
Speaker 1 (38:17):
Wow, So trade schools are definitely important. It gives you
when you come out of high school you can immediately
start working and making money.
Speaker 4 (38:29):
Why you figure the rest out.
Speaker 5 (38:31):
You can start making money while you're in school. I mean,
you know, I've got a friend of mine, her granddaughter.
You know, she was supposed to get a job this summer.
She lasted two days at King's Dominion. Why you know anyway,
and so some of its motivation there's we're gonna we're
(38:53):
gonna have some work to do with that, that fifteen
sixteen year old generation that's in high school now. And
I pray, I pray for the right things to happen,
whatever that may be.
Speaker 1 (39:06):
And with voices like yourself, it's going to happen because
you know we are you are, you know, definitely passionate, committed.
I can feel it, and I can hear so about
you know, you know, groom and our generation, the next
generation for you know, trades, because we need that.
Speaker 4 (39:27):
And I'm telling you.
Speaker 1 (39:28):
Once you learn those skills, it's always going to be
pretty much because the infrastructure deteriorates.
Speaker 4 (39:38):
That's got to be fixed, you.
Speaker 5 (39:41):
Know, agreed, But even sales, relationship building, yes, and relationship.
Speaker 4 (39:49):
Building very important.
Speaker 1 (39:52):
And relationship building not only works, it works throughout your
entire life.
Speaker 4 (39:58):
Your entirely touch.
Speaker 5 (40:02):
Yes, and I love AI. I don't I'm not. I'm
not here to bash it. I use it every day.
It helps me with so many tasks. It is like
it's like the best advanced calculator that anybody could have
ever completed. You know, it's really it helps me be fast.
And I don't believe that any of that stuff's going away.
(40:22):
But I also don't believe that the interpersonal communication and
the relationship building and the storytelling is going to lose
a place in our in our lives.
Speaker 1 (40:32):
No, because we need it as humans, we need it.
That's put out DNA.
Speaker 5 (40:38):
Well that's what you're doing too. I mean, think about
the growth in podcasting. I mean, this is this is
this is the nature of marketing today, and that is
a storytelling elements, that is a relationship building element. How
else are people going to learn about exactly what I've
talked about today?
Speaker 1 (40:58):
Absolutely, wow, Alison, I could go on and on with you.
I just love the energy.
Speaker 5 (41:04):
Thank you for sure.
Speaker 1 (41:06):
So again, how can people connect with you and get
involved with all the wonderful things.
Speaker 5 (41:12):
That you do? Thank you so much. I really appreciate
it and I would love for people too. So my
website for REP is www dot rep, r EP Methods,
M E T H O d S dot com. REP
Methods dot com. There's lots of information in there, especially
about my order Maker summit in September. I am inviting
(41:36):
people from outside the state to come in. I hope
to get a grant from Visit Richmond. You can come
and see beautiful Richmond, Virginia. You could also book me
for small business workshop in person, one on one coaching.
Everything's all in the website.
Speaker 1 (41:52):
Alrighty now, I'm definitely going ahead over there and start
for brusing myself because after talking to you, I click
with you.
Speaker 5 (42:03):
Oh, thank you.
Speaker 4 (42:04):
I think we click with you. So thank you so
much for taking time out of your day to share
and audience thank you as well.
Speaker 1 (42:15):
And we're definitely going to do this again because we
didn't touch on half the stuff I wanted to talk about.
Speaker 5 (42:21):
Oh, I know, and you know after my event in September,
I know I'm gonna be speaking about it at a
big conference in Vegas in January. But I want to
keep talking about that. I want to I want to
keep pushing that energy out into the universe about trade
education and sales education and how we can groom our
next generation. So love. I'd love to come.
Speaker 1 (42:43):
Back, absolutely, I'm looking forward to it. Thank you, Thank
you to our guests and you our values audience.
Speaker 4 (42:56):
Let's stop you by.
Speaker 2 (42:57):
We truly appreciate you. Many Bloodsons to u an ars
Welcome to Just Minded My Business Media LLC, where you
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dot org.
Speaker 1 (01:42):
Welcome, Welcome, ladies and gentlemen to just smnd in my business.
Speaker 4 (01:48):
And I am so excited.
Speaker 1 (01:51):
To bring to you today Allison Mullins, who owns REP
Methods LLC and as an influential figure in the construction
materials industry, known for her exceptional expertise an extensive global experience,
Allison has over twenty years of experience in sales and
(02:15):
provides guidance on luxury, residential, and commercial and hospitality projects
across North North America. She is also an author and
has written a book entitled The Art of Selling Book
We Make Order Makers, not Ordered Takers And as a
(02:38):
project consultant for Grassy how we pronouncing.
Speaker 5 (02:42):
That Pietre Pietri is Italian for Stone Grassipietri.
Speaker 4 (02:48):
Okay, thank you, Wow.
Speaker 1 (02:53):
I am so honored to meet you, our lady in construction.
This is here huge, and you know I'm going to
ask you first, how did you get there?
Speaker 5 (03:06):
Yeah? The short story is, I actually got started in
textiles and fashion. So I did some time in New
York City early in my career after college. And you
know it's funny how I call it the yellow brick Road.
I actually want to write a book about that. Like
the yellow brick Road is like the turns that we
make and the choices that we take. And I ended
(03:29):
up in Richmond, Virginia. I'm from the state of Virginia originally,
but Appalachia in the mountain, so I'm a coal miner's granddaughter.
I've always loved stone and I ended up in a
marketing promotional role that really was like sort of indirect
selling with a construction materials company out of Spain. And
(03:50):
that was in twenty ten, and the long road began
for me in training on how to sell construction materials
in the architecture and design community and in residential and
remodeling contractors, builders, the whole nine yards. And fifteen years later,
I've been in that side of the business for a
very long time. It's super it's super cool. I've also
(04:14):
worked for I got a big leap of work when
I went to start working in Italy for a company
out of Verona, and I got some really in depth training.
If anybody knows construction, building materials and stone, you know
Italy is kind of the mecca where production is that
it's finest and you have the best artisans of the world.
(04:37):
And I got really lucky in twenty sixteen and started
working with a company over there, and my expertise has
just kept growing.
Speaker 1 (04:46):
Wow, the opportunities we say, yes too, that's right, that's right,
that's it so critical. I mean, you know, yes, it's
a complete sentence.
Speaker 5 (04:58):
It is. It is so. While I am not the
type of woman in construction, there are many powerful women
in construction who are on job sites and you know,
really influencing the men who are running the equipment and
the actual building aspect of it. My job is definitely
much more on the design phase and helping to make
(05:22):
sure that the right materials are selected for the right applications.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
Well, still, that's a lot right there, because everybody doesn't
know how to do that, you know.
Speaker 4 (05:33):
So I take my head off to you, miss Allison.
Speaker 5 (05:38):
I'm like, wow, thank you.
Speaker 1 (05:41):
Yeah, So let's talk about your bull Well.
Speaker 5 (05:46):
You know I have too, right, say, the short version
of my bio maybe only have the one in there,
but I actually have two authored works.
Speaker 1 (05:54):
Okay, talk about both of them, my dear, because we
need to know. So let's which one you want to
talk about first, Well, we.
Speaker 5 (06:02):
Could talk about my first book. It was you know
that moment in life when you bite the take the
take the bull by the horns or whatever you want
to call it. And for me it was definitely a
life changing event to author my first book, which was
the Art of Selling We make order makers, not order takers,
And it was a passion project. You know, just like
(06:25):
so many people during COVID, I think everybody started questioning,
you know, their purpose in life, like what are we doing?
How can we help others? How can we do things differently?
You know a lot of people change jobs, changed focus,
just so many things. And then and I did the
same thing. I knew I was really really good at
(06:46):
selling stone and sourcing stone too. Right behind me, the
picture is actually when I was in Brazil in twenty
twenty one in this quarry, and I had people ask
me all the time how I could train their salespeople
and how I could teach them the things that I know.
(07:09):
And these are all gifts from people who were there
before me. You know, nothing that I have learned came
by my own discovery, other than maybe my own methods,
which is where the rep methods name came from. But
the knowledge and the power came from mentors and in
me being a sponge and listening to the people who
(07:30):
were around me and learning as much as I could.
So I decided to wrap all that up in a
book for sales reps and the art of selling. We
Make Order Makers Not Order Takers. Was really a guidebook
in those methods that were mine, that were tried and
trued over so many years of being a territory manager
(07:51):
and having to juggle time management and functionality in and
outside of an office, and staying on top of customer
needs and being the best sales rep that I could
possibly be. And that has been a wild success. It's wonderful.
I have a workshop that developed from that. I get
(08:13):
to speak all over the country, doing several webinars this
summer for magazines, and you know, just got requested to
do another workshop for a big trade show in Florida
next years. It's awesome to have my community and other
communities who recognize the need for better sales education, especially
(08:37):
in our industry. So it's very cool.
Speaker 1 (08:39):
Yeah, So, what can give us a little snippet of
what people can expect to get from your book?
Speaker 5 (08:47):
Yeah, So that particular book is really about how to
be better at the functionality of sales and being an
account manager for your audience. I think my second book
is probably bigger and bolder and better for the people
who are listening today, which was Beyond Order Makers. So
(09:08):
that book I published it last year and it's sort
of the advanced manual for a business owner, entrepreneurs and
everything about sales that we have to do as a
business owner, from brand conception to target marketing, the same
types of sales techniques that I've done for years as
(09:31):
a rep. And then also those human centric aspects of
like day to day mindset changes and work ethic and
follow up and relationship building and storytelling. You know, it's
an even advanced version of that. So first book is
definitely for the salesperson who is in that role. Second
(09:55):
book is for the entrepreneur and business owner or somebody
who wants to be one of those, because I think
before you get started you have to have a plan.
Speaker 1 (10:05):
Yeah, yes, absolutely, absolutely Wow.
Speaker 4 (10:09):
So how do people get the book? Both books?
Speaker 5 (10:13):
Yeah, so I'm I'm of course, you know, Amazon's wonderful
for small business authors and through their KDP programs, so
I am available on Amazon. But I'm also available at
Barnesandoble dot com and you can purchase book its directly
through me. If you'd like a signed copy, I offer
them on my website, the rep Methods website.
Speaker 1 (10:32):
Okay, wow, Because sales is always a daunting thing, especially
for people knew these coming into the business worlds of
what they do, you know, but how.
Speaker 4 (10:46):
They get other people to buy it is.
Speaker 1 (10:48):
A whole nother ball worms, you know that they are
not ready for you know what I'm saying most.
Speaker 4 (10:56):
Of the time.
Speaker 5 (10:57):
Well, I also think there's a general aspect to this
idea that my generation, you know, I'm I'm mid forties,
I'm middle aged. We were I was an early millennial, millennial,
almost a Generation xer, and we didn't have the technology
(11:19):
early on in our youth, and we had to like
have those skill sets that don't involve AI and Google
Maps and all these other you know, monster improvements in
technology that we've had in the last few years. But
the younger generations, especially the kids that grew up and
(11:39):
then were in high school during COVID and they're out
in the job market today, I don't believe they have
the skill set about the in person selling understanding those
client relationships. I'm not sure that they are eloquent in
door knocking and cold calling and picking up the phone
(12:00):
in generals. Like, some of these are really old school
techniques and it's hard to believe, right, Like picking up
the phone and calling a customer like that, we call
that old school. I mean that's how sales was done
for ages.
Speaker 4 (12:17):
And still effective today.
Speaker 5 (12:20):
And very effective. And you're hitting on a really good point.
I'd a perhaps even more effective. Yes, I have a
client I'm working with now because I do offer I
don't take many, but I do do. I do coaching
with with people with one on one coaching, and one
(12:40):
of my clients right now, she's learning that because there's
so much AI bots and the influx of emails that
are going into people's inboxes, and the storming of the
LinkedIn and the TikTok and all this just monster overload
and it's so simple to just pick up the phone.
Speaker 1 (13:03):
Yes, and it's a whole different feeling when somebody picks
that phone up and calls you.
Speaker 4 (13:11):
You know, how you doing?
Speaker 1 (13:13):
You know, first you got to get that that hey,
how you doing?
Speaker 4 (13:19):
Has life treating you kind of thing? It's gonna be
about them first before you go into to me, to
go into your spill in terms of what you're doing.
Speaker 1 (13:30):
Uh.
Speaker 4 (13:31):
And I'm telling you I appreciate a phone call. I
really do. It brings us out to my face.
Speaker 5 (13:39):
Yes. And then with all the even the text messaging,
there's so many bots out there now and with our
spam filters. You know, I was explained to this young client.
I was like, you know, she she would kind of
do a callback, leave a voicemail and then not really
respond again. And I'm trying to teach her that keep
keep going. You got to keep going. Part of sales
(14:01):
is just picking up even when you have dead silence
on the other end, and asking again and returning and
repeat and repeat, washprints, repeat those actions. Eventually that person's
gonna be like, oh, you know what, this girl, this
girl wants my business. She is attentive. And it does
(14:21):
bring attention.
Speaker 4 (14:24):
It does, absolutely it does.
Speaker 1 (14:26):
And I remember you made me think of exercise I
had to do. I had to get a hundred no's.
Speaker 5 (14:35):
That's a lot.
Speaker 4 (14:36):
That's a lot.
Speaker 1 (14:37):
And basically it was it helped me get a tough
skin in terms of making calls, especially cold calls, because
you know, it's not necessarily about you. It could be
you just caught these people at bed time.
Speaker 5 (14:54):
You know you weren't there. You know, if it's the
person where there's you know they weren't home when you called,
you said you to.
Speaker 1 (15:00):
Try again, Yes, exactly, And it takes that fear away
of cold calling.
Speaker 5 (15:07):
Well in my teachings, and this is where that first book,
The Artist Selling is special. You know, I really talk
about the ways to make things not a cold call.
A great salesperson or business owner if you've done the
proper research, target marketing, you've created a prospect list, and
(15:29):
before you pick up that phone, you've done a little
bit of research. And that's where technology is helping us
because now on the internet you can find lots of
details about the human beings or the business or whatever
it is, and you can have something to lead in
with that attracts or hits. I call it like hitting
(15:51):
the button, hitting the ego button. Right, So, if you
really really want to get a conversation started, what is
your purpose? What is your ask? Like? You know, half
that set before you pick up the phone, the one
thing that you want to walk away from in that conversation.
If you've got that just registered in your mind. Yeah,
(16:12):
you can do the small talk, but you better know
a little bit about the person to get through the
small talk right. And then you have to make sure
that you get that ask in there.
Speaker 2 (16:23):
Yes.
Speaker 1 (16:23):
And it's so funny because back in the day, like
you said, we didn't have all that. They sent us
a list of names. No, and it was like a
true cold call.
Speaker 5 (16:37):
Trust me, I know, I worked in a tell. I
was a telemarketer during in high school. I had no
idea that that was going to influence my sales career.
But I remember me literally being on the dial where
you don't you have no idea who's picking up the
phone next. That mean, but talk about practice, talk about understanding,
(16:59):
about getting hung up on, about getting told like awful things.
Don't call again.
Speaker 1 (17:06):
I get yes, indeed, but if here's the problem to
you mean with these spots, I don't talk to him.
As soon as I hit that bought sound, you get
missed click. Because I don't like it at all, because
it's like you could tell, it's like the first thing
(17:27):
that happens hello, and then it's so and there's like.
Speaker 5 (17:31):
A little there's a little noise. Yeah, kind of a
noise and you.
Speaker 4 (17:34):
Could tell and it's like I immediately hang up.
Speaker 1 (17:37):
I get those calls all day, every day, and it's annoying.
Speaker 5 (17:43):
Well, and I have found the combination of texts and
call how it helps because a lot of times I'll
have calls that go to voicemail. So I will find
myself one number, I'll followup with a text and I
will have left a voicemail first of all, so that
there's something human they can listen to. But then that's
when I will use text message and I let him
know who I am and I'm saying like this, I'm
(18:03):
a human. I'm contacting you because of X And that
helps to break the ice barrier a little bit.
Speaker 4 (18:11):
Yes, yes, indeed.
Speaker 5 (18:13):
Wow.
Speaker 4 (18:14):
So that's we could go on and on about this
this thing.
Speaker 5 (18:19):
I know. I mean, I have a lot of topics
here that you know, we had identified that we could
talk about today. So the void is open. You you
hit me, I'm writing now.
Speaker 1 (18:32):
So creativity, let's talk a little bit about that because
I think a lot of times people get into a
script kind of mode without injecting their personality. Yeah, what's
your thoughts about that?
Speaker 5 (18:50):
Oh my gosh, I love that topic. You know my
teachings both books have the octopus diagram. You know, I
really talk to people about identifying those category reason of
clients first and knowing who you're talking to, and then
we get into the script process, which every time you
know every category of clients that you can talk to,
(19:13):
the script needs to change. I learned that skill set
by getting thrown in the wolves of trade shows early
on in my career, and I think every business owner
or salesperson should be a part of a trade show
at some point, because when you're getting that rapid fire
(19:36):
people walking up to scan their badge and to talk
to you about your product and what's going on, and
you have no idea who they are or what they do,
and you have five seconds to feel out, ask a
question about what they do, or read their badge, and
then you've got to mentally interpret and personalize that sales
(20:00):
pitch based on who you're talking to. And there's no
better practice than doing that in a booth type of
a setting where you where you're literally thrown in the wolves.
Right And you know, early on in my career, I
was a part of a company and we were at
this big kitchen and bath show and we're talking about.
This show has almost two hundred thousand visitors every year,
(20:25):
and there's popular brand, so a lot of foot traffic,
and every single person who's walking up to you to
talk to you got to cater that conversation. Got to
customize because there's no one size fits all answer in
any business.
Speaker 1 (20:45):
Very true, very true, And that can be I call
it learn by fire.
Speaker 5 (20:53):
That's one way. But you know, in the slow down
approach and my teachings, I try to teach people how
to like think of those things in ahead right, to
get a plan together, to be a little organized about
it before you get into the rapid fire section. If
you can do one of those diagram and thought process
methods where you're thinking it out, it helps you be
(21:15):
a better active listener during the sales, pitch and communication process.
Speaker 4 (21:22):
Yes.
Speaker 1 (21:22):
Now, do you do anything with personality because I think
I did a class when the different types of personalities.
You know, some people are I forget the categories right there?
Speaker 5 (21:35):
Yes, like a disk like a disk assessment. Yes, yes, Oh,
I mean I've taken them and I've attended lots of
classes about that. I don't follow that rule for me,
Like anybody is capable of selling and being in sales,
and it really doesn't have to be based on your personality.
(21:58):
There are some personalities who are going to be better
and it's going to be easier, but that doesn't mean
it's impossible. And I think that there are tools out there,
especially like if you think about the not type a person,
so on a disk assessment, this would be oh my gosh,
probably that I I think like I'm a d I'm
(22:19):
a dominant right, so I was a natural born salesperson.
But then in the eyes, I think you start to
get into the analyst categories of people who are not
necessarily forward facing type of individuals. That doesn't mean that
they can't sell. For them. It's about data processing and
they can go and do research based on past history
(22:41):
of numbers and what sales old win, and they can
still make digital offers and merchandise just as well as
the forward facing salesperson.
Speaker 4 (22:51):
So it's more or less.
Speaker 5 (22:52):
Working with the streps absolutely, And I mean for me,
i'd rather than I guess I use probably just an
instinct approach, you know, when I'm working with somebody, I
can I've been sizing up people for so many years
in five seconds that it doesn't take very long to
(23:13):
kind of see where someone's at and meet them where
they are.
Speaker 4 (23:18):
Wow, So how do people get involved with your training?
Speaker 5 (23:23):
Well, thank you for asking. Well, I usually keep about
four to six coaching clients active at one time, and
on my website there's coaching tab. Programs are very affordable.
It's very easy to sign up, and we'll work with
a start date and if I'm booked for a little while,
(23:44):
we can just get you on the schedule in the
next few months. I also really like to promote doing
a workshop first before we ever do any coaching, especially
if we're talking about a small business organization, you know,
ten fifteen people. I don't like big corporate companies, so
I'll just set that right now, like, that's not my
target market. Big if you're above twenty million dollars in revenue,
(24:08):
we're probably not a good fit. And that's okay. I
like small businesses, but love to do a workshop, either
online or in person first, because I feel like the
coaching goes that much farther if we've already started to
identify some of the strengths and weaknesses of the individual people.
Speaker 4 (24:30):
And that makes totally good sense.
Speaker 5 (24:32):
It's not you know, you know what you're working with.
Speaker 1 (24:36):
Yeah, yeah, absolutely, Wow, this is awesome. So let's talk
a little bit about the construction trade.
Speaker 5 (24:46):
Oh my gosh. Okay, and.
Speaker 1 (24:50):
You you frame it for me because I'm not in
construction period, so I have to find somebody that's knowledgeable
the time.
Speaker 5 (25:01):
Well, you know, to put it simply, You've got levels,
just like you do in anything else. You've got small
level construction, which is more of the remodeling community to
you know, kitchen and bath contractors. You've got general contractors
who are kind of jacks of all trade that can
do anything from plumbing or they outsourced and they have
(25:22):
subs that work with them all the way up to
massive mega construction companies that are responsible for more of
the high rise buildings and structures that we see across
our country and roadways. You know, construction can also mean
our roadways and our park systems. Construction has a really
vast scale of and it's all about infrastructure.
Speaker 1 (25:45):
So you made me think about something I'm into. I've
been ordering tools for around the house to make life
easier for me, and I ordered this chainsaw and it's
so funny because I was like checking the porch every.
Speaker 4 (26:05):
Day waiting for it to come, like it was a
brand new pair of shoes, and I had.
Speaker 1 (26:09):
To laugh at myself. And then as soon as it came,
it's like, oh, let's try it out. And I got
this tree that I'm trying to trim down and it
worked beautifully. I was so tickled. And I'm like, twenty
years ago, you would have never I would buying a
chainsaw would have never been in my brain.
Speaker 5 (26:33):
No, No, that's I'm going to leave that to the professionals. Personally,
I'm really comfortable myself with lots of projects around the
house and fixing stuff for other people. My favorite tool
is a drill.
Speaker 4 (26:45):
Yeah, that's my favorite.
Speaker 5 (26:48):
Oh as a woman, I keep that drill on the regular,
and you know, I help friends out with their little
problems around the house. But probably my least favorite thing is.
Speaker 1 (27:02):
I'll definitely call somebody for that. I'm just I'm teaching
my son. You know, he's pretty good at fixing stuff
or putting things together. So I think I had him
put a tool. Then, Uh, he did pretty good. He
did really good.
Speaker 5 (27:17):
Actually, that is a life skill that everybody should learn.
Everybody should know how to pull a toilet. I mean,
I am here to tell you and just change the
guts from the inside of a toilet, because that's an
easy thing that could be done. Same thing with fawcet installations,
you know, as far as the plumbing fixtures are concerned.
If you can just manage to watch YouTube videos and
(27:39):
learn how to properly install some of those things, you're
going to save yourself down the road with simple repairs.
Speaker 1 (27:45):
But yeah, because I've done the stuff inside the toolet
upgraded those.
Speaker 4 (27:50):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 5 (27:53):
You know. I work with a group locally with the
National Association of Women in Construction, and these are some
really amazing women. So there's chapters all over the country
and several of them, including my own. We are on
our third year of doing a girls construction Camp WOW. Seventh,
(28:16):
eighth and ninth grade girls come for one week every summer.
It's completely free and they learn how to build. We
don't say a house a room, so we start with
from the foundation and build the walls. So they learn
how to frame, they learn how to run electrical, they
(28:39):
learn how to run HVAC and plumbing. Wow. They learn
how to hang dry wall to lay flooring, so we
do carpet and LVT to install tile, and then we
also have even some paint. So literally, these young ladies
(29:03):
work as a team to build their own little structures
that are semi complete rooms by the time they're finished.
Speaker 1 (29:11):
Oh my god, that is so amazing, Alison, I am
just at Oh, so, when does this happen?
Speaker 5 (29:19):
So it's everywhere up for us in Richmond, Virginia. It's
every summer in July. So this year it's going to
be the week of July fourteenth, fifteenth, so Monday through Friday.
I have been on the planning committee the last two years.
This year I kind of took a break because I
personally got some things going on this summer that all
(29:39):
I can do is volunteer, but I will be there.
I will be there several days and acting as a
counselor if you will. But it is so much fun
a to watch them come in dumbstruck, right dumbfounded, and
we have to teach them safety. They have to wear ppe,
they have to learn why they have to wear ppe,
(30:01):
and they are literally afraid to do anything. And then
I'm telling you, by Friday, these gals are just bubbling
with empowerment. And who knew picking up a hammer or
you know, a drill or learning how to run some
pipes to the walls or electricity. You can tell that
(30:21):
they want to go home and help dad. They want
to go home and help out around the house. And
they're not afraid of, you know, getting out that power
tool and help and drill or hammer some It's it's
so cool.
Speaker 4 (30:37):
It sounds like it and we how the people find
out about it well.
Speaker 5 (30:41):
For us, Yeah, So NAYWICK is the anagram for National
Association of Women in Construction. So there's a national version
of that, NAEWIK dot org. You can find your local
or regional chapter and see if they offer it in
your locality. For us in Richmond, Virginia, it's NAWIK Richmond
(31:01):
dot org and it's camp. It's super cool. And then
the national organization is trying to roll out a template
of this camp. So there's about I think five to
six chapters who have done it successfully in the last
five years. So they're trying right now to get a
template together so that every chapter and there's over oh
(31:26):
my gosh, there's almost one hundred chapters in the United States,
Like it's insane. Yeah, so every chapter the whole United
States would have the opportunity to put on this camp.
Speaker 1 (31:35):
That's amazing. I wouldn't mind being in the camp.
Speaker 4 (31:46):
Yes, you're right, because.
Speaker 1 (31:47):
Now you know, as a homeowner and the cost of
things going up, you need to know how to do stuff.
Speaker 5 (31:55):
Oh my gosh, this would have saved me. I mean
I can't even my first home. Like buying my first home,
I didn't know half the stuff. And I worked already
in the countertop industry and I knew a lot about
kitchens and bathrooms, but I didn't know anything about a
cross space or tell me that there's something wrong with
my electrical you know, you get that inspection report back
(32:16):
when you're buying a house, you don't even know what
half of it's talking about.
Speaker 4 (32:21):
Yo.
Speaker 5 (32:21):
These girls at I mean seventh, eighth, and ninth grade there,
it's a really great skill set for sure.
Speaker 1 (32:28):
Yeah, so definitely put a bug in the well. The
older women needed as well, because I might I don't
want to have to try to perpetrate a nine year.
Speaker 5 (32:42):
Just to get it.
Speaker 1 (32:43):
But I would love to see that opportunity for older
women or women in general, because we a lot of
us are.
Speaker 4 (32:51):
Single parents, you know, just single period.
Speaker 5 (32:56):
Well that's I mean, that's true. But I think you're
going to see we are resurgence in the next few years.
I have watched this since twenty seventeen. I went to
Capitol Hill talking about the importance of education in trades,
and it's almost been forgotten in the last twenty years.
(33:20):
We have pushed our kids to be college degree students,
and we forgot that there is very lucrative work in
the world, including sales. Okay, you do not have to
have a college degree to be in sales. You don't.
I'm just telling you. And the same thing does with
these traits people they make a lot of money. You know,
(33:42):
electricians and plumbers, the kind of money they make. Oh
I know, I should be a plumber.
Speaker 1 (33:49):
My cousin, she's a female, she's an electrician and she
makes really good money.
Speaker 5 (33:56):
Yep. And we need masons. We need masonry people. We
need bricklay we need countertop fabrication laborers. We need people
who can work in the shop and work that equipment,
which is a lot of it's computer aided now, so
understanding CAD design and these types of elements do not
require college education. So and I do think, and that's
(34:18):
one of my passion projects. You know, this is one
reason why I think God gave me the chance to
start my business is to help spread that message about
the importance of internship programs available through our local school systems,
you know, really supporting the counties and the cities that
have integrated trade programs already available. I'm doing an event
(34:44):
in September thirteenth here in Richmond. I'm doing a full
day it's two half day sessions. One is based on
the artist selling, the others based on the beyond order makers,
and I'm inviting the high school students to be able
to participate for free and get sales and marketing education.
(35:05):
I've got vendors sponsors from tile companies, stone companies, wholesalers, retailers,
fabrication shops, and then through the county, we have an
internship program that gives each of these sponsors an insured
intern wow Wow plus giving some of these kids the
(35:30):
sales education, which you know we need gifted sales people.
You don't have to go to college for any of this,
and can get out there and actually start to work
right out of high school without having to go to
a four year school or two or even a two
year school. And the importance I think of that message
in construction is my biggest philanthropic approach.
Speaker 4 (35:51):
Yes, Pennsylvania is huge on trade.
Speaker 1 (35:55):
They have very huge here on that, you know, right
out of high school, you know, helping these kids to
realize you don't always have to go to college.
Speaker 5 (36:06):
Well, I'm glad to hear that. I think the cities
are well equipped. A lot of the major cities, all right,
but the tier two cities, once you get below it's
tier two, and you start to get into tier three cities,
and then once you get into rural communities like where
I grew up, it's not it's not great. You know.
(36:26):
The vocational program in my own county, in Tasle County, Virginia,
it is truthfully, uh, it's it's it's it's it's terrible.
It's horrible. And they constantly the whole they push people
to go to these four year schools, and they forgot.
And so even the trade school is suffering because they
don't have quality attendees. They don't have people with a
(36:48):
passion for the trades. It's more like this was your
second this was your second shot, right, this was your
second choice. They couldn't make it anywhere else, so they
end up at vocational school and that's not really the
way that it should be in my opinion. I think
if we have the right money from systems of pushing
(37:10):
kids into the proper direction, proper education, then we can
build and actually create jobs in the more rural communities.
Speaker 1 (37:18):
Because that was the first thing I did, you know,
I went to I remember back in the day they
had key pu schools, and that's what I did first.
And I did very, very, very very well.
Speaker 4 (37:35):
And the key punch I was kind of one of
the best.
Speaker 5 (37:38):
I really think I've I don't think I've heard of
that key punch. You'll have to tell me. Tell me more.
Speaker 4 (37:43):
Well, it has to do with you know, computers.
Speaker 1 (37:46):
Oh yeah, yeah, and you back back in the day,
it was everything had to be done on a punch
card and.
Speaker 4 (37:54):
Then ed to the computer.
Speaker 1 (37:59):
So that's what I started, and wow, I went on
and got my degree.
Speaker 5 (38:05):
That reminds me of that movie about those women who
were helping NASA, all the women in the back office
who were doing they had to do the punch cards
to feed the computer. Yeah, that's definitely yes.
Speaker 1 (38:17):
Wow, So trade schools are definitely important. It gives you
when you come out of high school you can immediately
start working and making money.
Speaker 4 (38:29):
Why you figure the rest out.
Speaker 5 (38:31):
You can start making money while you're in school. I mean,
you know, I've got a friend of mine, her granddaughter.
You know, she was supposed to get a job this summer.
She lasted two days at King's Dominion. Why you know anyway,
and so some of its motivation there's we're gonna we're
(38:53):
gonna have some work to do with that, that fifteen
sixteen year old generation that's in high school now. And
I pray, I pray for the right things to happen,
whatever that may be.
Speaker 1 (39:06):
And with voices like yourself, it's going to happen because
you know we are you are, you know, definitely passionate, committed.
I can feel it, and I can hear so about
you know, you know, groom and our generation, the next
generation for you know, trades, because we need that.
Speaker 4 (39:27):
And I'm telling you.
Speaker 1 (39:28):
Once you learn those skills, it's always going to be
pretty much because the infrastructure deteriorates.
Speaker 4 (39:38):
That's got to be fixed, you.
Speaker 5 (39:41):
Know, agreed, But even sales, relationship building, yes, and relationship.
Speaker 4 (39:49):
Building very important.
Speaker 1 (39:52):
And relationship building not only works, it works throughout your
entire life.
Speaker 4 (39:58):
Your entirely touch.
Speaker 5 (40:02):
Yes, and I love AI. I don't I'm not. I'm
not here to bash it. I use it every day.
It helps me with so many tasks. It is like
it's like the best advanced calculator that anybody could have
ever completed. You know, it's really it helps me be fast.
And I don't believe that any of that stuff's going away.
(40:22):
But I also don't believe that the interpersonal communication and
the relationship building and the storytelling is going to lose
a place in our in our lives.
Speaker 1 (40:32):
No, because we need it as humans, we need it.
That's put out DNA.
Speaker 5 (40:38):
Well that's what you're doing too. I mean, think about
the growth in podcasting. I mean, this is this is
this is the nature of marketing today, and that is
a storytelling elements, that is a relationship building element. How
else are people going to learn about exactly what I've
talked about today?
Speaker 1 (40:58):
Absolutely, wow, Alison, I could go on and on with you.
I just love the energy.
Speaker 5 (41:04):
Thank you for sure.
Speaker 1 (41:06):
So again, how can people connect with you and get
involved with all the wonderful things.
Speaker 5 (41:12):
That you do? Thank you so much. I really appreciate
it and I would love for people too. So my
website for REP is www dot rep, r EP Methods,
M E T H O d S dot com. REP
Methods dot com. There's lots of information in there, especially
about my order Maker summit in September. I am inviting
(41:36):
people from outside the state to come in. I hope
to get a grant from Visit Richmond. You can come
and see beautiful Richmond, Virginia. You could also book me
for small business workshop in person, one on one coaching.
Everything's all in the website.
Speaker 1 (41:52):
Alrighty now, I'm definitely going ahead over there and start
for brusing myself because after talking to you, I click
with you.
Speaker 5 (42:03):
Oh, thank you.
Speaker 4 (42:04):
I think we click with you. So thank you so
much for taking time out of your day to share
and audience thank you as well.
Speaker 1 (42:15):
And we're definitely going to do this again because we
didn't touch on half the stuff I wanted to talk about.
Speaker 5 (42:21):
Oh, I know, and you know after my event in September,
I know I'm gonna be speaking about it at a
big conference in Vegas in January. But I want to
keep talking about that. I want to I want to
keep pushing that energy out into the universe about trade
education and sales education and how we can groom our
next generation. So love. I'd love to come.
Speaker 1 (42:43):
Back, absolutely, I'm looking forward to it. Thank you, Thank
you to our guests and you our values audience.
Speaker 4 (42:56):
Let's stop you by.
Speaker 2 (42:57):
We truly appreciate you. Many Bloodsons to u an ars
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