The "Level Up" with Duayne Pearce Podcast
I take on the role of an authoritative voice that fearlessly communicates truths drawn directly from my lived experiences. With a genuine sense of ownership, my insights are free from any hidden agendas – they truly belong to the audience. My stories and journey add remarkable value, the key now lies in harnessing its power effectively to help others.
My purpose is to create a new residential building industry. My mission is to inspire unshakable self-confidence in my colleagues in the industry, empowering them to orchestrate prosperous, enduring, and lucrative businesses that bring exceptional projects to fruition for our clients.
My goal is to foster a deeper comprehension among clients about the identity and functions of builders, redefining their perceptions.
The "Level Up" with Duayne Pearce Podcast
Aussie Builder Business Tips: How Todd Murry Grew a Successful Construction Company in Australia
In this episode of the Level Up Podcast, we sit down with Aussie builder Todd Murry from TKM Building to uncover his journey from school dropout to successful construction business owner in rural Australia. Todd shares his best business tips for builders, tradies, and anyone looking to grow a construction company, no matter where you live.
Discover how Todd overcame self-doubt, built a thriving business in a small town, and leveraged social media to attract the right clients. We dive into topics like: Essential business tips for Australian builders and tradies How to succeed in the construction industry in a small town.
The power of mindset, vulnerability, and personal growth Using social media to grow your building business Managing time, apprentices, and family in the trades Whether you’re an aspiring builder, a seasoned tradie, or just love inspiring Aussie success stories, this episode is packed with practical advice and real talk.
Check out the Duayne Pearce website here...
https://duaynepearce.com/
There's a very big difference between intelligent math and the I always thought it was the same thing, but it's completely different. Yeah. Like you intelligent people are fucking the dumbest people. You gotta you gotta do it.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, you need to wrong, yeah, exactly. And then I think that's the biggest thing, it's just there's not an off-dite and you have a business. Not branding spot, but Christopher's doing people.
SPEAKER_03:Well, that's the D and the R mate coming in. But that's that's well, I guess. Like is it business? Like, is it is the brain not stopping just because of business?
SPEAKER_01:Because I never stopped.
SPEAKER_03:Yeah, not that's some for some people that's alright. Like people tell me I'm crazy because that's the case, but for me that's freedom. Like I for me, sitting down somewhere quietly on my own for too long will drive me nuts. G'day guys, welcome back to another episode of Level Up. We are back in the shed this afternoon for another cracking episode. Uh, got the big boy with us today, uh, Todd Murray from TKM Building. How are you, buddy? I'm pump, mate. Good to be here. Mate, I'm stoked to have you. You're um we've had some pretty good conversations over the past few years, but your growth and where you've come from is pretty unbelievable. But uh, I'm gonna kick the podcast off by saying, like, you're not what I expected.
SPEAKER_02:I'll take that. I hope that's a good thing, mate.
SPEAKER_03:Look, it's funny, you talk to people on the phone stuff, like obviously when you reached out to your um a member of Live Life Build, yeah. Um and talking on the phone is like it's just a voice, you don't really sort of I don't picture what people look like, but then you turned up not long, like it's only like two or three months after you joined. I think that you turned up to a live event. Yeah, and I was like, Holy shit, like you're a big burly bloke, tats, like that's not what I was expecting.
SPEAKER_02:The quiet voice on the phone, mate.
SPEAKER_03:But um, mate, I yeah, who knows where this conversation will go today. I think there's a lot to talk about. I I really appreciate you guys coming on and telling your stories on this podcast because that's what inspires other people to realize that they're not doing it on their own, like seems to be the case with a lot of the building industry.
SPEAKER_02:So yeah, I appreciate the opportunity, mate. I think spotcasts like this, especially yours, it's sort of you know open doors for me to I suppose, you know, one, to join Live Life Build, um, and sort of start that the journey of you know bettering yourself and yeah, going from there, I suppose.
SPEAKER_03:So before we get into like the last couple of years, like take us back. Like, what's the story? Where have you come from? What have you done?
SPEAKER_02:Um well, I've only had my builder's license for I think it's about five years now. So before that, wasn't a real typical straight path apprenticeship, jump into that. Um so pretty much I went to Wollongong and my Aldi's or with my mum, actually. So went there pretty much as soon as dropped out of year 11, signed myself out of school, much to mum's disgust. I got home one day with the soil and paperwork. Um and then not long after that, we moved to Wollongongong and I jumped into doing um pretty much learned how to surf for the first four months, spent that there, and then um worked with the bloke doing coping around pools. Um, that's sort of my first introduction to you know hard labour. But my old man's a builder, so I've been on job sites with him, you know, when I was a kid, um doing things like that, and then he ran me, there was an opening, so he offered me an apprenticeship. I think I was I think I just turned 19. So I moved back to Narandra, uh jumped into an apprenticeship with him and did three years with him. Um he's like we butt heads, like we're on the job site, and you know, so but out of work, like we're really good mates, go camping together, do that sort of shit, but on the job side, I think we're just too much alike. So three years, um, I was three years in, and then my brother kicked off his apprenticeship. So we're just blowing all the time, like the three of us.
SPEAKER_03:So you you, your brother, and your own man all on the work outside.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, so I was third year when my brother signed up, he's four years younger. Um, so that was sort of yeah, you know, fireworks most days. Um it's pretty pretty interesting, uh, six months, and then my old man's just like, fuck, this is enough. So he ran one of his mates, he's a concreter. They were working an hour away with a company from Victoria. Um, so they had an opening. So I jumped on with those boys, um doing like they were doing refill concrete works at um treatment plants and things like that. So I jumped on with them, uh, finished my apprenticeship with those boys, and pretty I just I loved it. Like they they were staying at pubs, I was 19, so they lived in the pubs, they travelled around for work. So I was like packed up my unit I had and um pretty much hit the road with them. The old man rang, he's like, when are you coming back? So I'm not. So I stayed with these boys for I would say three or four years. Travelled around, lived in different parts of the country, like Victoria, mostly Victoria. Um, lived in some towns down there, Langatha, Inverloch. Um, and then Christy moved down with us. Oh, I think we're living in Inverloch. So she came down there for six months, ended up working with in the office on site. Um, and just got too much. We wanted to sort of settle down a bit. So we went back home, moved back home with the plan to um save money and go overseas, and we ended up having Amelia. So like 16 years we're still there, so and then drifted in, in out of like chippy work, subcontracting most of the time, it's pretty much a subject since I finished my time. Went back with my old man and then jumped on with a building company uh in Aranja, pretty much sort of supervising a lot of their stuff for two or three years, and then jumped in to do um fly and fly out. So I did that for close to four years, I reckon, between Queensland, Western Australia, and then about two years in Darwin on the gas plants up there. Um, then came back and just really meant concreting, uh, form work at home, like bathrooms, carpentry. In New South Wales, you don't um for commercial work, you don't need a licence. So we did a lot of concreting work.
SPEAKER_03:What, any any commercial work?
SPEAKER_02:No, don't need a builder's licence for commercial work in New South Wales. So we're doing like you know,$200,000,$300,000 jobs with no builder's licence, mostly for the council. Uh so we got it with them, so we're doing a lot of their like refurb work and stuff like that.
SPEAKER_03:So look, you can do structural work with no licence. But you gotta what you've got to be licensed, concrete or carpenter or something.
SPEAKER_02:Like we had a carpenter's ticket, um, but that's yeah, so no licence needed for commercial work. I think it's slowly changing. I think it's New South Wales and I think Northern Territory, the only two states where you don't have to. Yeah, right. Uh so I did that for sort of two, three years, built up the business, had an apprentice, and then um I did signed up to do RPL, so recognition of prior learned, to get my builder's license and opened the email and pretty much just shit myself with how much work there was to do that. I think there was like 70 questions of practical, 70 of like, and there was like multiple questions inside that. So I think the government was a bit of a rebate for that. So I think it was 1500 bucks to get your builder's license. So I signed up thinking it was gonna be a piece of peace. Um, they failed me two or three times, and then each time they charged me, like I think it's like 1500 bucks, I was up to about six grand. And Christy's like, if you do not finish this fucking course, like um, so and saying they're trying to run a business, two young kids, like it was just I just keep putting on the back burner, but they kept charging me money every time the um expiry date was sort of finished. So you're trying to do all your course and everything after hours and nights, and it's yeah, so and then it was just I had the guys that were running it, they were like they were pretty shit outfit. And the guys that I would talk to, I suppose my assessor, um, I went through three or four. One tried to extort me, like five or six grand, to like sign me off, said he'd fly down if I paid this, and I was like, fuck. And in the end, like he got the ass. It was a long story, but in the end, um uh some people I know hit me up to do, they went owner builder and then to do their extension for him. So we jumped in to do that, and my last assessor was awesome. He's like, mate, if you document the job, you know, that's pretty much all you'll need. So I documented that. Had a hernia injury just before that, so I got all the paperwork done during that time, yeah, and then just did the practical stuff on this job site and got signed off then. Um, I thought it was all done and dusted, and then like as you know, like all the steps you have to, the hurdles you have to jump through to get your license and then your home warranty and all that. Um, so then that's where we got to. So now, yeah, we got the builder's license 2020, I think. So we did the whole COVID period like on that job pretty much, which was a bit of a blessing, really. Like um, it was all cost plus, so and yeah, here we are. I fast forward five years, and um yeah, we've been two apprentices now. The first apprentice didn't last, I think he did two years and sort of wasn't for him. Um I think that's when I joined sort of Elevate around that time. Like he finished up, and then we're just in a pretty shitty space. Um signed up another apprentice and sort of went from there, and he's still with us. He's just about hit fourth year now, and we've got a first year, and yeah, things are good.
SPEAKER_03:So just um I want to go back uh to your school days because that like there's a lot of young people that listen to the podcast, they quite often reach out, they're not sure what they're gonna do when they finish school and things. So um, and I like to open up the can of worms about like what what did you drop out in year 11?
SPEAKER_02:Um, I just hated it. Like, school wasn't for me. Like, I think as you learn the trade and everything, I suppose going through school, you're told that you'll never mount to anything, you know, like you're stupid pretty much. Like you'll never go anywhere, you'll end up in jail or something like that. Like, you know, I had plenty of teachers tell me that.
SPEAKER_03:But is it like because I I'm I'm exactly the same, but like were you not interested? Like, my I just couldn't, I wasn't interested. Like, I just wanted to be outside.
SPEAKER_02:No, and I think uh even now, like when I find things I'm interested in, like I'm hyper focused on it, where school um just didn't fit that bill. Like, it was just always asked the question of like where am I gonna use this? And it's funny, like, I hear my younger daughter say the same thing to me now, so it's um, but I think it's just yeah, the way I'm building it.
SPEAKER_03:But what do you tell her?
SPEAKER_02:Um, like school's not for everyone, and she asked me the same thing, like, Well, I'm never gonna use it. I'm like, No, you're not, but like it's just part of you know, get through year 10 and then see where you need to go. And I think she looked down that route, like leaving school, like she really loves beauty, like beautician sort of stuff, and yeah, I think if she's not really implementing herself at school, then like we would look at that route. But whether she did TAFE or something like that outside of school, but yeah, I just think like the focus is when you're not interested in something, like I just I would zone out. Yeah, I'm even like that with work, like even when I would say fly and fly out, like if I didn't get given a task for that day, I would just like I'd lose interest pretty much and just I'm gone for the day.
SPEAKER_03:But yeah, I just got my uh big dog Walther outside the shed barking at something. If you said that, it's not not Todd or I, but anyway. Um but I I I think like for younger people that are thinking about getting into the trade, um like there is a lot, like there is heaps of shit that I was just not interested at all in school. And even if I was and I had a done well of it, I don't use the shit now. No, like as long as you know your basic um English grammar, like that that's one thing I wish I had to put more time into. But like I was I was good at maths, like obviously you've got to be good at maths to be a tradie. Yeah, but as long as you're good at the basics, um, but I think one thing I just want to stress for younger people that are listening, and and maybe older people as well, but um you don't have to be a straight A or a B student to do well in life or to be a successful instruction worker, not at all.
SPEAKER_02:I agree 100%. I think um, yeah, like I said before, like with that school, I suppose that's the thing you get told to, start to believe it. But and then thinking about that and saying that, like my two apprentices, um, they both left year 10 to start, so they're quite young. Um, they're told the same thing. And the young fella, he's sort of a little bit, he's a bit shyer, but he sort of talks about that as well. And he said, Oh, you know, like he would beat himself up a lot about not being smart or like this and that. I said, mate, like I wouldn't have hired you if I didn't think you're intelligent enough to do the job. So I think like they've got bright futures in the trade, like they're smart, you know, they're good with their hands, they can think outside the box. And I think when you're interested in school, like you can think outside the box, and when you get into the workforce, if you can utilize that, like you can go a long way.
SPEAKER_03:There's a very big difference between intelligent and smart in there. Yeah, like I always thought it was the same thing, but it's completely different. Yeah, like you can intelligent people are fucking the dumbest people, like it's you know what I mean? Like, yeah, I don't know what you're saying.
SPEAKER_02:The book book smart, like book smart and yeah, yeah, book smart and common sense smart. Yeah, and it doesn't go real far in the real world, unfortunately. Like it's just um and you bump into those people a lot. I don't know how they've got to where they are, but you know, um you sort of you meet people like that, and you just think, how the fuck did you get into that position?
SPEAKER_03:But uh whether it's who they knew or whatever, but I think everyone everyone plays a role on this planet, I guess. So everyone's got their own strengths and weaknesses, but I'm the same mate, it blows my mind. Like you and I'm you like you're into your camping, so I'm sure you've been in this situation. Like we we've been camping and some like whether it's with a group of friends or whatever, and there's been other people there that we'd we'd don't know, and like I don't know, the probably the best examples I talk about quite a bit is it blows my mind that there's grown men out there that can't start a fire. You have a conversation with them, and they're a they're a finance broker or a bank manager or an accountant, like they're very intelligent people, yeah, but they can't survive in the wilderness for five seconds to save their life.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, I don't know if I should say it, but Christy calls them handy husbands. She goes, Imagine not having a handy husband, like just having to do everything yourself, and then like the same thing, go camping and just nothing's organised, I don't know what to do.
SPEAKER_03:Um, that's what it's all about. But no, I just want to get that out there because I I think like I know what I went through, and you and I have spoken about it, and I know there's a lot of people that like younger people that listen to these types of podcasts, and if you I guess if you're going through that and you're at school and you're thinking that you're a drop kick or you're not gonna amount to anything because of some shit your teacher's saying to you, or or based on the scores and marks you're getting on your report card, like it's it really doesn't mean anything.
SPEAKER_02:No, no, and I don't think like the mark the test and everything don't reflect you know your individual sort of I suppose talent or what you're good at. So I do say to my youngest daughter, like, you will find something that you're good at. Like, I'm not really worried about you failing your maths test or whatever, like chicken, you know, multiply, do all that sort of stuff, like but the algebra and all that sort of stuff. I said, like, you will find something that you're passionate about. She's very much like me. She will find what she's passionate about, and she'll dig into that and she'll do really well at it. Yeah. So I think that's important to sort of find something that you enjoy doing. It's hard when you're young because you sort of have to just take any job to start with, I suppose. But after a while, you can sort of find something that you're passionate about and move into that area.
SPEAKER_03:The um so to move on a bit, mate, like what what position were you at? Like, what made you reach out or and join Elevate?
SPEAKER_02:Um, so like I said, my old man's a builder. Um, a lot of other builders I've worked for. I thought that was my goal eventually to sort of you know to get my license, be a builder. You have no clue what's involved. I think when you're a chippy, you're running jobs and stuff. Like, you think it's it'll be a piece of cake. But I think for me, like watching my old man, um brilliant carpenter, but like the business side of things, I think it's that like that generation as well. Like no one could really tell you how to price a job. Like, I didn't even know what an overhead was before I joined Elevate. Like, we're putting you know 12%, 13% on jobs and getting into the job, like, where the fuck's all the money? Like, I almost accuse Christy of hiding it and thinking she's gonna run away with my cash. Like, what there's all the money? Like, but I think, and I didn't want to go down that road, I didn't want to get my license, you know, you know, bash away for five, ten years, and then just think like there's gotta be a better way. I sort of always thought from day one, there has to be a better way. And like I said, we're doing those commercial jobs and things like that, and we're doing you know, two, three hundred thousand dollar jobs. We're all gonna have no money at the end of it, and then it wasn't until you know we reached out and got you know help and coaching that we realised like the overheads were coming out of my wage, like of what I was charging and things like that, where I had no clue about any of that stuff. I think that was like um the thing that really pushed me to reach out, but it wasn't like I didn't really know where to turn. Like, I read a couple of books and stuff and listened to podcasts and all that sort of stuff, and then found your podcast. And we're driving down to a mate's place, they live eight hours from us, so I pretty much I think it was that you only had eight or nine at the time, so I went through all your podcasts at the time and sort of learned more about that. Um, and then that led into getting help. Like, I just yeah, that was the big thing. I didn't want to didn't want to start off just running a shit show and like learn from day one how to run a good business because I had no didn't even know like the difference between building a builder and running a building business. Like they're two different things, I think. Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_03:It's been massive, like it's been amazing seeing you growth, but not just yours, like Christy's as well, your family. Like you your everything in your life's improved dramatically, hasn't it, in the last three years?
SPEAKER_02:Oh, 100%. Yeah, like from where we were um three years ago, like I said, when that the apprentice quit, um we didn't have much work in the pipeline. Uh that was sort of I don't need just joined elevate then. Um and I'll probably touch on it later, but it's more like a lot of the self-belief stories, and like the same thing, like the environment you grow up in, the teachers you hear, all the shit that you have filled or you feel your head up on, and you start to believe it after a while. And then as you go through life, like you sort of start to piece things together, but you still have that self-doubt about what you can sort of achieve or what you can do.
SPEAKER_03:Um well, on top of that, like I know one of the things that you um spoke to me several times about when you're thinking about signing up was like you're in a small town, and I think you might you probably asked me about 50 times like can I will this work in a small town? Yeah, 100%.
SPEAKER_02:Because it's gonna same thing, like you just told, like, that won't work you. You can't do that, people won't pay you for pre-construction. This won't like, and it's all bullshit because like that's what we do now. Like, we don't do any jobs outside of pack process. Um, like we know our numbers, we're making a profit, like it's it works. Like it's whether you're in a town of like 5,000, 6,000 people where we are, or you know, a bigger city, like it definitely works.
SPEAKER_03:100%. But you've you've improved every area, like you're even on bloody socials now, doing videos of your jobs and educating people. Like you've you've you've definitely implemented everything. There's a big difference in there between people that um and you've seen it in your time in Elevate. Like, there's a difference between people that just sign up and just sit there behind the scenes to the ones that actually implement it and sit and get the results from it.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, 100%. And I think you know, like a plan without action just stays a plan, like just say something written on a piece of paper until you actually action it, um, and put your money where your mouth is, I suppose, and follow it up. And like, like there's no two ways to put it, like it's hard, like the shit's hard, but like it's hard not doing it as well. Like, it's still hard not knowing your numbers, it's hard, like burying your head in the sand, like it's still hard.
SPEAKER_03:So, how how have you found time to make it happen? Because you're everyone's the same, like we all everyone says I got no time, but you've made the time to make it work.
SPEAKER_02:Um, yeah, scheduling, and I think like bullshitting myself as well. Like, I would say I don't have time, but really it's like, well, what am I doing with my time? So I've same thing, I like self-educate, I read a lot of books, and it was more um auditing what like auditing my time, I suppose, and reflecting on what I'm actually doing with my time. And I think like it wasn't until I spoke to you about scheduling and stuff like that, and it's like, what do you do? What do you use? And I was using an app, and then I've jumped on the Google Calendar now and pretty much like uh everything scheduled, like my morning, like my morning routine. I get up, I'd do that, you know, go to the office, do what I have to do, have breakfast, and then I think no, and then the time too, like it was realizing how much time I was wasting through, I suppose, not um what to say, like respecting my own time. Like, I would give my time to so many people instead of my family. It wasn't until the girls started getting older, I'm like, fuck, like, I'm wasting so much time running around after people that don't really care, and then sort of going, Well, I'm gonna take that time back and do have that time for me. I think the biggest thing was like business hours and things like that. Like, I would take a phone call like halfway through dinner, like the phone rings, it's just that scarcity mindset, like fuck, I need to take this call to get to work, just things like that, until I sort of respected my own time and value, you gotta value it. Value the time, yeah, exactly. And then putting, I suppose, um, those things in place, and then blocking out my time for that, and then it's just working on the business, like going through the stuff in Elevate, the 6p wheel, just blocking out time and working on what you need to work on, identifying that um has been massive. But like in saying all that, like um knowing your numbers and everything is one thing, like all these things are great, but unless you're like you're like if you're not happy in what you're doing, like all that means jack shit, really. Like, it's um like that's what I found, like, and that's what I meant at the beginning.
SPEAKER_03:Like, you like when I first met you, like, holy shit, like this is this big burly bloke, and these are like the more I've got to know you, like you've been very vulnerable in a lot of the stuff, not just the in the conversations that we've had, but within our community, yeah. Um, and I've like I don't know about you, but for me, that was a turning point. Like, it's all good to be around other people and get this advice and knowledge, but until I was true to myself and was vulnerable enough to put my hand up and go, fuck, it's me. Yeah, like I don't understand this shit. Like, what am I doing?
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, um hundred percent. I think like vulnerability is massive. Like some of the you know, the videos I put up in you know, in the Facebook group, like I've had people reach out, and I was just it got to a point where I think like the first 10-15 videos you do, like your shit scared, you don't really want to sort of say too much, but I think you build on that, you get feedback, and then it was um mate, I don't know, 18 months in, two years in, like I just did like I did a video like just on the spot, like about how much it sort of changed my life personally for the better, like better father, better husband, better friend, like better just all around. And then I sort of laid it all out there, bared my soul, and I think the feedback from that, I had like four or five other people sort of reach out and say, Your video, like that was fucking unreal, and like that's made me like you know, not pull the pin, keep working hard at what we're doing, like it'll pay off. So I think vulnerability is massive, and then like the doors that that's opened for me, sort of you know, three years ago, like I wouldn't have dreamed of sort of saying these things, you know, to people, or like just I was probably afraid of what people would say or the judgment and how that would reflect on the business and things like that.
SPEAKER_03:That that sort of thing's big in a small town, isn't it? Oh, 100%. They um like in a small town, you there's not a lot of place you can hide.
SPEAKER_02:No, no, and it's like you see it, everyone's there, so like it's exactly that, there's nowhere to hide, and it is um, I suppose it like it kept me, especially doing socials and things, for a long, long time. I remember talking to Amelia about it like at the very first live event, and she just deadpan asked me, and she's like, What are you really afraid of? And I'm like, I don't know. I knew they'd be down, it was just judgment of other people and what they and the shit I would cop, like from the concretors and the tradies, and the yeah um, you know, you sort of you start to second guess yourself and like will it work? But you know, we've powered on, keep doing the socials, and like the feedback we get from our socials and the inquiry that that brings in um has just elevated everything to the clients that we want to work for now. I think it attracts a certain type of client and the people that we want to work for, and then that sort of leads into having the courage to sort of say no to jobs that you don't want to do. Where before I would have like dropped everything to take those jobs, fill your pipeline, and you're there thinking, why the fuck am I doing this job?
SPEAKER_03:Like education is like power, like not knowledge is power. Like the more um like I feel it changes everything. Like people don't believe me when that, especially when they like they're doing their calls with me, and I'm talking them through the overhead calculator and stuff, and I'm telling them, like, once you get this, like it will change everything, it'll change the way you show up, it'll change the conversation you have with people, it'll change the um response you have to designers, architects, like potential clients. But number one, it it will change your confidence. Like when you know your numbers and well, all your data in your business, like knowledge is power, so that power gives you confidence that you can say no to the jobs that you're gonna do your ass on. And I don't know, like the universe gives back what it what you put out. Like you, I don't know how it works, but when you start doing that, good shit starts coming your way.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, I agree 100%, and like when that the penny does drop, especially with the overheads and things like that, like and you do not you know, you see like people talk about it all the time, like members inside elevate, um, just in general, of like I think when you do find that confidence to say no to those jobs, like they don't even sit right with them. Like, you know, from the very first phone call, you're like, this is like I shouldn't even take this job, yeah. Just politely decline, but you like some at the start, you like you still take it, but after you sort of start to say no a few times, like exactly what you said, like the universe just works in funny ways and starts to open doors. And when one thing, like one door closes, another one opens, and the more I've lent into that, like the more that's become reality, and like, yeah, it's you sort of can't really believe like when you do first join up and then I suppose work through all that, the doors that that will open, you know. Once you sort of start to have that confidence to do to move through that, yeah.
SPEAKER_03:Um like stories is one it's been a big thing for you, haven't it? Like, I know you really struggled with a lot of old stories that you were telling yourself from the way you brought up and what people are gonna think and that sort of thing. But you just mentioned before we start a recording day, we're talking about accounting and stuff. And um, can we talk a little bit about you've just changed to a company? Yeah, but you the reason that's taking so long to happen is because of stories that you were telling yourself, but you said that you picked up on your old accountant telling her cell stories, yeah.
SPEAKER_02:That's that's funny, like um 100%. Yeah, so we're a partnership up until the end of this financial year. And I think even sort of moving through the years of Elevate, um talking to different people. I spoke to you about it at a live event, um, and it was funny sort of how it was how it was met to a lot of people. I couldn't really believe that it was still a partnership, and they said, Oh, you know, you should be a company by now for asset protection, all these sorts of things. Um, but we sort of, you know, she's she's a great accountant, but there was just different things about um why we shouldn't do it, and I wasn't privy to it, like same thing, like it was we learned our numbers, you know, you know, project management, all that sort of stuff that we've learned over the last few years. That sort of financial side, the company side wasn't something we really dug into much. It was just talked to a few people about it, but everyone has their own story about moving through it. Um but so we well, she actually retired anyway, that accountant. So we found a new accountant. Uh she's local, she's about an hour away, which is local to us where we live. Um, and she's amazing. Like, she's young, she's like um all the things I want to talk about. Like, I would come to you know meetings with the overhead calculator and like want to run through the numbers and like project the revenue and all these sorts of things. Um, where she's like she froths on that, like she loves it. So it's yeah, it's been a bit of a matchmade in heaven, and she's given us different ideas about things that we want to do in the future and how to structure those things, um, you know, and just sort of build like sort of you know, future wealth.
SPEAKER_03:But now that you've got a taste of that part, like how exciting is it?
SPEAKER_02:Oh, it's I I love it's all I do. I just I read books on real estate and investing and like what I'm gonna do with my money, and like because I have no super because I subbed pretty much from the time I finished, and I you're young, you don't care about that shit. Yeah, it wasn't until I went to what did fly and fly out um that I actually got some money in my super and then sort of the thing is talking to those people too, like doing fly and fly out, they're actually making sort of good money and start to learn where to put money and things like that. But I was like, hang on a minute, like I need to sort of start thinking about my future. Um, so it wasn't until you know, like I struggled, like when we're younger, um financially with a lot of things, made a lot of dumb decisions. It's really sort of only been the last I don't know, like we're not taught, mate.
SPEAKER_03:Like, we don't know we don't they don't talk about this shit at school.
SPEAKER_02:No, not one bit. That's ridiculous. It's funny as I just said before, like I was talking to one of my mates today, and both things, like financially illiterate, like have no clue. Like, family really didn't really talk about that stuff when you're younger. It wasn't until like we've gotten older talking about this stuff more and more, and the people that you meet, um, same thing like he does, he drives cranes in the mine. So we've he's talking about real estate now and like how to sort of you know save tax all these different things that you learn as you get older. Um, exactly what you said, like you don't get taught these things in school, it's all self taught stuff, and um but it's it it does become addictive, Matt, because it
SPEAKER_03:Like people, until you sort of become a bit privy to it, it can seem like it's a it's a world away and it's unachievable.
SPEAKER_02:It feels like a mile away, yeah.
SPEAKER_03:Um like it I bang on all the time. Like you've you've got to talk to people that have done what you're wanting to do. Like, and you you really don't have to earn a a huge amount of money. Like someone that's earning like 100 grand is a pretty standard wage these days, really. Yeah. Like if you're earning 100 grand, there is no reason that you can't become a property multi-millionaire within five to ten years if you're putting that money with the right people, investing it in the right places and setting your structures up correctly.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah.
SPEAKER_03:And I'm like, I'm the same as you, mate. Like, I just froth at sitting down with the accountant and the financial advisor, running through the numbers, like just hearing what's possible. If if you save this bit here and you put that bit there, that's gonna get you to here. Like, it's just like and then and then that just makes me want more and more and more. Like, and not so I can just have heaps of money, but my mind just doesn't stop spinning with like whatever helping charities, helping family, like helping kids. Like, yeah, it's incredible.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, and like the more I've learned too, like, um, like I love helping people out, like there's you know, a couple of young tradies back home, you know, and they notice sort of what we've learned, what we implement, how we run our business, and things like that, and sort of what we expect from our trades. Um, and like the things they've asked me, and like to sort of be able to share those things with them, like they're only sort of you know 25, something like that, but like asking all these sorts of questions about like and they're young, like real estate and investing, and like we had nothing like until we bought our first house when we were sort of 27, but houses were cheap. I think we paid 90 grand for a house in Naranja, like yeah, but over time we've worked on it, we've built it up, you know, we've struggled to sort of get where we where you get to. Um, but then after a while, like the more you learn, the more it snowballs, you know, and then as you know, like you can start to grow your equity, you start to learn more things, how to structure it right is like a big thing, like we talked about before. Like, I had no idea about any like any of that sort of stuff, and how you just structure different things and the things that you learn and how to implement can save you like years of like learning the hard way, and exactly what you sort of said before, like it's I think reaching out to people too that are doing what you want to do and not listening to people you know that talk shit because like they're not where I want to be.
SPEAKER_03:So I don't know if you've experienced this, mate. I I I think you may have because of some of the conversations we've had, but um I was surrounded for like for a long time, I was surrounded by family friends that if ever like when those conversations come up, or whatever, you might have been at a having dinner with friends or a family function or whatever, and you like something came up about investment. There was always a negative to it, like oh, we can't achieve that, or we can't do that, or it's right for them, or their parents are wealthy, or like there's just always something that would like bad mouth the conversation or make it feel like it was out of reach. Yeah. Um, but again, that's just because the wrong people were in the room, yeah, and the stories they've been told, and yeah, and it's yeah, I agree 100%.
SPEAKER_02:Like it's the same thing. Um you start to I just stop talking about it pretty much with those sort of groups of people, like still like all the you know, family, like my family is not too bad like that. That's sort of if you want to go do that, do that. Like, that's good on you, good for trying. But I think once you sort of learn these things, and I suppose like you you understand about yourself, about the stories that you've been told, the stories that you believe, and you sort of start to pick yourself apart, you start to do the work on yourself and learn these things, like you start to see it in other people. And then I think like not judging them for that, yeah, I think has been like a big sort of learning curve for me. Like, I would get frustrated and angry of like, how do you not understand how do you not see it? Like, and I was pretty pig-headed like that for a long, long time. Like, yeah, I was angry, like um, I was pretty stubborn, pretty opinionated. Um, and like, yeah, it took a long, long time of you know, just I suppose the self-work for the anger and things like that to sort of what what are you?
SPEAKER_03:You've done the disc profiling with yeah, what what were you?
SPEAKER_02:Um ID.
SPEAKER_03:Oh, ID, yeah, yeah. You're the same as me.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, so like direct, don't stop, like don't fuck around, no time for small talk, yeah, get shit done. Yeah, and it's very and Christy is like on the opposite side of that.
SPEAKER_03:So it's um what was do you know what she is?
SPEAKER_02:No, I don't, but just for what we've learned, like she's on the bottom side of the circle of the yeah, the diss profile. Yeah, um, but yeah, like that's that was interesting, and it was like their podcast was attached to the stuff that um Helen gave us. I listened to that and it was um it blew me away. Like it's like they were just talking to me, like they pulled me apart and just went like this is why, this is how, this is you know, I was like, all right. Like I think learning that, um like just all the personal development stuff, mate. I think that we've talked about over the years, like even like the breath work that you do through Live Life Build at live events, like they've been life-changing for me, like those moments.
SPEAKER_03:Um, did you do breath work before you came to Live Life Build?
SPEAKER_02:No, no. So the first one I did with Justin, um Kingscliffe. At Kingscliffe, uh like completely changed my life. Like, I went home, found a breathwork instructor. Like, went there, went and did private breathwork sessions with them.
SPEAKER_03:Like actually, I think I remember that. You and you were driving a fair way, weren't you? Did you?
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, I went an hour, we'll drive an hour to do it.
SPEAKER_03:Yeah, an hour's not that far, mate. At least at least at least in an hour, you probably go 100 kilometres. Like someone well this morning I'd left here in an hour and 15 minutes, I did 19 kilometres.
SPEAKER_02:Oh man, I'll just think like an hour from the airport to here. I was like, running wrong turn, I was in the car for an hour and a half, but but yeah, like those things like with Justin.
SPEAKER_03:So what what was the change? Like for people that don't do breath work, like what was the change?
SPEAKER_02:Um I think just I suppose I don't even know how to explain the breath work. Like, you sort of I think it just takes away the chatter and the like the I don't know what you call it, suppose like the the everyday brain that you have, and just the the breath work sort of takes you to a place of um I suppose more of your subconscious mind is what I probably describe it as. And just um like I went pretty deep pretty quick on that very first session. Um I felt like I left my body, like saw things, heard things, felt like felt things like it was like I just lived, like had a dream on the beach, and then sort of came out of it, and um like things have been lifted, I suppose. Like like um it's hard to explain, like just things have been unblocked, I suppose, for me to think clearly and that sort of started to unfold different things for me and ask myself questions about that. So then, like I said, went home, did more breath work, um found I think it's Johannes, like found his stuff on YouTube and just did breath work at home, did his online stuff, and sort of went down the rabbit hole with that, and then that led to the ice bars and that sort of stuff, and um good stuff, build a freezer in the shed, and like just those things um have taught me I suppose like taking that step back and not being so quick to judge, so quick to which you know all helps running a building business and having a family and all the pressure that you have in a daily life, to sort of you know, take that pause before you react, and then even now, like I'll you know, I'll use breath work, you know. For example, like have an argument with Christy because we've been in the office for too long together, and it's just like I need to get out.
SPEAKER_03:Um, and just little things through the day, like you know we'll get onto that in a minute because I know that's been another big win for you as well.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, and like just things with Justin, like talking to Justin about stuff like that, just the five rounds of five, like has you know, it's been unreal like to sort of just take that break and take the gap, especially with two apprentices and like a bit of breath work, and you can come back and keep level-headed, you know.
SPEAKER_03:It's so awesome, mate. That that first one that you come to in Kingscliffe with Justin was a pretty powerful session, but like he um like doing those, he did that value exercise, I think, before that, where you had to write them down. Like that because that that's setting you up to to think about that.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, it's pretty uncomfortable that whole weekend, really. Like it got us well out of our comfort zone. I left I left King Kings um Kingscliffe a new man. Like, I just you sort of once you get pushed through that comfort zone of something that you think you would never do, like from the ice bars to the breath work and you know, staring into another man's soul on the beach at six o'clock in the morning that Justin made us do with your partner on the beach, and it's just like from those things it sort of grows and it's um so what made what I guess you've got to like everyone's got excuses, and like you you had only like I said before, you'd only been with us seven or eight weeks or something, I think. Yeah, but you wouldn't have three months or something like that, I think.
SPEAKER_03:Yeah, but you would have only been with us probably a few weeks when we released that.
SPEAKER_02:So like you you really like jumped in the deeper and you didn't really know anything that you hesitated because like the same thing, it's that the imposter syndrome, especially like I suppose coming from a small town, Instagram and social media, you see all the shit, you see the big builders, and you think like you're not even in that league to even have the conversation with them. And it was funny, like I hesitated for a long time about even going to Kingscliffe because of like you sort of see the people um on Instagram that have sort of you know had joined elevated at that stage, like it was pretty pretty new, like a small group of builders, which was pretty cool, but it was the same thing just the imposter syndrome of like I'm not even gonna talk to them, like why would they talk to me? That sort of stuff, but then you get there, I thought, fuck it, I'm gonna go. Gonna go just what have I got to lose. Um, and from the minute, just meeting people like at the coffee shop, you know, down the road that you've seen do Friday wins or whatever, like, and the conversation was just like that weekend was unbelievable. Yeah, that sort of and just set me off of like getting really out of my comfort zone just to go, like, what can't you do? And it's sort of just you keep pushing, keep pushing, I suppose, that ceiling, but then it's those stories of you know negative talk or self-belief start creeping back in. It's just it's a constant battle. Like, even now, like it's still like coming here today, it's like those voices start running through your head, and you're just like, shh, like, nah, we're doing it, like, we're going, you know.
SPEAKER_03:Yeah, here, it's time to smash it out. Yeah, um, I just mentioned before, like um like Christy, so that was a big goal of yours, wasn't it? To work in the family business.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, it was a big goal of mine. I don't know if it was hers.
SPEAKER_03:Um, but that that's something that's been able to happen because you understand your overheads and like she's getting paid and all that.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, and 100%. And like, you know, I've heard you tell a story before, like, even with Camille, like, you think someone's in the office and you're not paying them, so like you got the jump. Um, so you sort of, you know, you've got free labour kind of thing. But I never even stopped for a minute to think about how that made her feel or anything like that, for one. Like, I think you sort of just expect it to sort of help out because you're on the tools all day, you're coming home, you're smashing out quotes, like, you're not going to bed till 11 o'clock most nights trying to do stuff. Um, either that or they feel sorry for you, and they've just um, but that's sort of where it started, and then what like she was sort of doing you know, same thing nights and stuff like that. But once we sort of learnt about overheads and the overhead calculator and how to play with those numbers and sort of project that out with different jobs and things like that, of how we can make that work. Um, so then she jumped in for one day and she was at the school, she was doing three days a week at the school, and she was doing the canteen, like her time was pretty, like, pretty well chewed up, and then doing our stuff on top of that. So and the frustration, I suppose, of that, and then trying to learn that, and but once we sort of did that and had like more discussion about it, um, so she's moved into sort of two days in the office now, and having that over her calculator, you can see, and like knowing for me, like I could take a pay cut, like on the third, like I'll have an office day Thursday, and knowing that I could just pay myself less that day to get her in the office and understand that once you get your head around that and you can work with that to get her on board, bring more jobs in, help with the admin, that helps me bring more jobs in, and you can start to allocate more costs for that.
SPEAKER_03:And learning that was huge, and then that is huge, mate, because that so many people struggle to get their head around that. Like, the overhead calculator is it's a tool to help you constantly adjust things, yeah. And like for business growth, um, people question me all the time and I say every now and then I'll take a pay cut. Like, once you can't manage things if you don't know what's going on, but like you've just said, like you took a pay cut. Like, yeah, when you understand the data in your business, it's very easy to go, all right. Well, I'm just gonna reduce my pay for the time being because that's gonna cover this over here, and then that'll help the business get to this level here, and then I'll be able to pay myself more over here.
SPEAKER_02:Like, yeah, and it all becomes quite clear of like the steps you need to take, and then sort of you can project those jobs out and think, well, how long is that gonna take? Once that job sort of starts bringing in more cash flow, then yeah, we can bring her in for another day. And if I still if I'm on a lower wage for the my two off on my office day, like that is what it is, until we can sort of build that up, and just gives you like it's really gives you a lot of clarity around sort of what you can do, um, and sort of you know, and then that leads into the conversations of like where she wants to be, like whether it's full-time in the office. I think she killed me if she was full-time in the microphone in the office, but um, she works at the school three days a week in the office there, so you know, that's um she loves that, which is cool. So we just we make it work, and I think that leads into a lot of stuff, you know, we've talked about before too, of uh, I suppose like what you want your company to look like, and I never understood that until sort of recently about building our business around what I like doing or what she likes doing, and things like that. Like that's only sort of really sort of come into play the last sort of six to twelve months of highlighting what I want to do, and it's taken me a while to sort of work out how to structure the business and like to be on site because I have two apprentices, so for me to be on site three days a week, to be in the office two days a week, um, and make that balance and stuff, you know, has been massive.
SPEAKER_03:Like, so how do you make that work? Because there'll be a lot of people listening. How do you get the time away from site when you've got a young team?
SPEAKER_02:Uh it was hard, like Huddo's um his third year and Blakey's first. So it's taken, you know, like we're before um, so the boys will go to TAFE on Thursday, so they can do on-site stuff, but I send them to it's Wagga Tafe, so they're an hour away. So it started off just as their TAFE day, I would make that an office day. Um, because and then I was sort of dropping back because you can't leave them on site for the first year, two years. So it was more knock off a bit earlier, come home, do a few hours in the office, and then sort of you you build that up. Um, and I think when you're starting out, like you just gotta do the hard yards. Like, there's no two ways about it. Like, you've got to do the long nights and all that, and then it was just as we build that up, because it's hard to get trades where we are too. So I've sort of made the decision to build our business from the ground up with the apprentices and have that conversation around them staying on and things like that. Um, but then it's it grows, I suppose it's moved into that as Hudson's progressed into third year, it's given me more time, giving him, and I think me letting go as well, giving him more responsibility. Like he's just doing his first bathroom now. Like this.
SPEAKER_03:People learn very quickly. Well, depending on what type of person they are, but a lot of people learn very quickly when you throw them in the deep end.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, and I had the tendency of like um, you know, like the old helicopter parent, like, do it this way, do it this. And I was like, and I found myself like giving him the answer before like him asked some questions, I suppose. So I've sort of learnt, you know, through elevate through reading books and things like that, of how to sort of structure that and teach him and then give him more of the rope, uh more of the reins, and then sort of back off. And now it's like that has freed up so much more time in the office, and even now, still, mate, like there's still like the last two, three months. Like, we've been going hard in the office, like it's weekends. I don't think I've been in the office sort of two or three weekends in a row, but it's just the season, like it's just jobs are changing over, there's things that we have to do, like I said, we changed accountants, software, all that sort of stuff. Um so it's just scheduling the time and just doing it, like even if it is a Saturday or a Sunday, like it's not forever, and just building that, you know.
SPEAKER_03:Gotta do shit when it's gotta be done, eh?
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, and that's you know, and Christy and I talk about it all the time. Like, we're happy to work a Saturday and a Sunday in the office, you know, if that's gonna give us, you know, like a weekend away with the kids or more time with the kids, and and the kids understand that too. Like, they know you know, mum and dad are in the office, they're doing that so we can go and do other things, and like um that's been massive.
SPEAKER_03:Just structuring the time, I suppose, and then getting that that mindset around treating every day the same is massive. Yeah, but there's no weekends and weekdays. Like every day's the same, whatever day it is, you just gotta get shit done, whatever needs to be done.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, 100%. And that's I think that's the biggest thing, is just there's no off days when you have a business. Like, my brain doesn't stop. Like Christie reckons, she can hear me thinking while I'm asleep.
SPEAKER_03:Well, that's the D and the I, mate, coming out. Yeah, I know, yeah, yeah. 100%. But that's that's just well, I guess. Like, is it business? Like, is it is your brain not stopping just because of business?
SPEAKER_01:Because I No, it's never stopped.
SPEAKER_03:Like, it's yeah, and like that's some for some people that's alright. Like, people tell me I'm crazy because that's the case, but for me, that's freedom. Like, I for me sitting down somewhere quietly on my own for too long will drive me nuts.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, it's like a holiday on the beach, like it's just it's good for a couple of days, and then I'm like, Yeah, what are we doing? Yeah, I need to go do something. It drives Christy crazy. Like, we go on holidays, and I'm like, me and my eldest daughter, we're quite similar. We want to go off adventure, you know, go do this, that, and Harry and Willow just want to hang by the pool and like just you two go, like, leave us alone. Like, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_03:Um it's uh mate, it like I said, I'm I'm super proud of you. I I I've messaged you a few times and we've had some conversations. Like, I just think it's unreal the effort you've put in and the growth you've been able to have in uh in whatever it's been the two and a half, three years, and yeah, three years, yeah. I can tell like you've just uh you're currently doing your first new build, aren't you? Yeah, correct, yeah. And that was a massive goal. Like you like the thing for me is just to see you setting goals and reaching them, like it's exciting. So it must be exciting for you and Christy.
SPEAKER_02:Oh, it's it's amazing, and it's like that was a huge goal. Even you know, when I first got my license, like that was just the end goal, move away from doing small, and they're not shitty jobs, they are what they are. Like they get you to where you need to be, but to move into the new builds and just extensions, and I suppose to be really known for that, like where we live, and I think you know, through the content and stuff like that, to show people the other side of like using a custom builder as opposed to a volume builder, things like that, have just um it's been huge, but like you say, mate, those goals like um I think you talk about all the time, like taking your foot off the gas. Like, I still remember like pouring the slab and just sitting there like on the trailer, like looking at it, like and I think reflecting and taking in those moments is like really important because I think if you don't, like the next goal like is there, and it's like you don't take the time to sort of reflect and sort of look back to where you've been. Um, and I think that that gap and game mentality, I suppose, like yeah, getting stuck in that and not being in the game and sort of realizing and looking back to where you've been and sort of always looking forward to the next goal, like because you just it's like you're chasing the sunset, like it's um if you don't enjoy it off topic, mate.
SPEAKER_03:Just a question on your slab there. I'm pretty sure I saw it on your insta. You did you purchase some macro brackets?
SPEAKER_02:We did, mate, yeah. I've got that off your um social media actually. They're pretty good, eh? Oh mate, they're unreal.
SPEAKER_03:It's actually I um the guys put a heap of a big load of gear on one of the trucks yesterday and it was outside here, and I was unloading it last night and I was unloading the market brackets. Like, shit, I'm gonna ask Todd tomorrow if he I'm sure I saw those macro brackets on his video.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, mate, they're unbelievable. Like, even the boys are like, this is unreal. Like, where'd you get this from? I said, Oh, I saw it on like you know, main social media.
SPEAKER_03:Um mate, it's not one of my secrets. I I saw them on someone else's social media. We've had them for years now, but they it's they're unreal. Like, just they make life so much easier.
SPEAKER_02:And everything, like you know, like my man, like same thing as a builder. Like, we did everything from the ground up, like back from the old days, you do the footing, brick it up, put the infill in, all that like done all those types of slabs, and like it's just always the pegs, the outriggers, you know, the elbow like there's got to be a better way. And I looked at other ones, but they'll just like they're really expensive. We're macabre bracket, like they're really well priced. Um they last discount on the next lot of macabre brackets. But yeah, like they were brilliant, and like that ground where we're working is like it is the hardest. We have to use like a post hole, um, a petrol post hole um driver driver to get the pegs in. Like it was but yeah, mate, they're unreal.
SPEAKER_03:Yeah, um off topic, but yeah, they are a good good thing. Um, so mate, where where's TKM? Like, where you're heading? What's your what's your goals? Like you I know like well, actually, on top of that, I know we're going a little bit around in circles, but a lot of people struggle because they think that the town they're in or that where they live this shit's not gonna work.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah.
SPEAKER_03:Can we I know we touched on it just a little bit before, but like you've really just smashed that fucking mentality out of the park, haven't you?
SPEAKER_02:Yeah. And I think like we talked about it before, and it was like it honestly goes back to that conversation I had with Amelia that weekend. Like, she just hit me with the hard truth of just like what was I really afraid of? And it's judgment, I think, like of other people, the small town, like it's never been done any other way. And I think like you've said it a million times, like the construction industry is so broken from design to like people just don't know what they don't know, and it's like I think that's the biggest thing, and it held me back for a long, long time. Um, even after that conversation with Amelia, like I didn't want to admit it, or like it was hard to sort of I suppose take action on it. Um, to do that first post on social media and put that up was like it was cringy, but like it was like that step, I suppose, and it was once you post it, it's out there. Um I suppose it's just it's just the small town sort of thing. I've talked to Maddie, um, you know, from Amst Constructions about it before. He's in a small town as well, and it's just it is hard, it's a hard hurdle to get over. But I think once you just do it and you just stop really caring about what people think, um, you know, and it's like honestly, mate, like um one probably a big moment for me was like um when my grandmother passed away a few years ago. Like, I thought about that moment, and it's sort of helped me a lot in that about what people sort of think of you, and sort of watch someone come into the last years of their life and like you think about all those things that you didn't do because of what someone would say or what you thought was gonna happen, or like the worry about it, yeah. Um, I think that sort of like helped me a lot and just biting the book and just going, I was like, fuck it, like I don't really care what they think anymore.
SPEAKER_03:Like, so how's the social media work for you? Because that that's the same thing. Like, a lot of people think social media is not gonna work in a small town, but you're having success with it.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, and it's funny, like we we dropped off, we started pumping the socials, doing a lot of um we do it all our own, so make all our stuff through Canva, just post the reels and do all that sort of stuff. Um and I didn't really pay attention to it, but there was a big uptick in sort of inquiry, and I saw that was just the ebb and flow of it. But I have noticed now, like once we sort of stopped doing socials, or like we took sort of six months off. Even my daughter was saying, Dad, like you haven't done anything for six months, like you know, smarten up. Um, but like once we sort of started doing the content on the new build, like the inquiries just picked right back up, and it's just um I think we'll talk about it sort of before we started, you know, um the podcast, like just about they're just like keeping it raw and real. I think like people see that much bullshit on social media. I think they're happy to see someone just bang themselves.
SPEAKER_03:Everyone thinks it's gotta be all the fluffed up pillows, the finished projects.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, like and we get the most feedback from those posts, and like it was funny, like once we sort of started doing that, and like near just a small town, like we've talked about that. We've had like people just in the street in the supermarket, like out walking the dog, like mate, like loving your content, like just you know, it's awesome to see someone just showing behind the scenes, like just the shit that you don't see, like yeah, putting insulation in the walls, like you know, we had like so much feedback about an insulation video, like it's hilarious. So, but yeah, it's and I think like it works, like small town. Um, I've talked to a few of the boys in the elevator about it. Like, just do it, like it's yeah, it definitely works.
SPEAKER_03:So, do you do you get in involved in your community? Like, do you support any sporting groups or schools?
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, so we like we do um sponsor the local footy club and netball club and stuff like that. Um which yeah, we sort of like we sort of donate as much as we can. Like, I'm not really involved that much with the footy club. I did I coach my daughter's under 14 uh netball team this year, which is a bit bit different, but it's but it's a full circle, isn't it?
SPEAKER_03:Like so it is, yeah. Like you educating your community on the building work you're doing and then showing up in signage or at events, yeah. Like it's just building your brand, yeah.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, and it's I think it's massive, like exactly what you said. It's not about um it's building the brand and building, I suppose, the trust. Um, and I think being real, like on our social videos and things like that, just me being who I am and doing a video, like I don't change the person I am on socials compared to the person you meet at the supermarket. I think people really resonate with that. And I think like, and even though being a small town, like you don't know everybody, but like people sort of get to know you through those videos. So by the time you have the first meeting, like they're talking to you like they've known you for yeah, ever anyway.
SPEAKER_03:Let's build a relationship, yeah, and you don't even know it.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, it's it's powerful, like it's um it's helped the business grow. Like, I think it's funny like to think back to that uh when we first changed our um logo and everything. I did an online course um with a company that did the logo, just a social media, just sort of basically learn about Instagram and things like that. And she said from day one, she's just like, What do you want to do? And I'm like, as in what she's a building was like, what are the projects you want to do? And I said, like new homes extensions. She said, just talk about that. She said, if you don't want to do bathrooms, if you don't want to do this, she said, don't do videos on that. She said, Post content about what you want to do. And I was like, I don't think that'll work. That won't work. And like she was 100% right. We sort of, once we sort of start pushing that, um, I suppose that the work that you want to do, you know, the sort of you know, like we're talking about before, the universe just sort of works in funny ways and sort of starts to open doors and those jobs start coming up. And I think it's just the trust. Like, people see you around town, they see the signage, they see the socials, um, you start to build that rapport with people and that trust, and that just leads to you know, these projects that we want to do, like new homes and extensions.
SPEAKER_03:It's mate, it's powerful stuff. Like, people don't understand. Like, for anybody out there that's scrolling through social media, like you you stop when something resonates with you.
SPEAKER_04:Yep.
SPEAKER_03:And it's the same for people looking for a builder, like so getting that personal connection or building that relationship online is like is a new word of mouth, I think. Um, and even if people are still getting referred the old-fashioned way, the first thing they're gonna do once that conversation's finished is go home, jump online, see if you've got an Instagram page and start following you. Yeah, the um, but every everyone will have like I think this this really excites me. Um, and I think more builders and tradies need to take advantage of it, like, or understand it. Every single person will have something different that they see value in. Yeah, so like every video you do, like someone might not care so much about the slab, but like to them, the insulation is super important. And if you're the only builder in your area that's done a video on insulation, guess who they're gonna reach out to? That's right. Like, yeah, so the more video and the more content you put out there on every part of the build, um, and I've talked about this before, like you're you're going to attract like-minded clients that are coming to you because of what you're gonna deliver, which means they're not gonna question the price as much. Yeah, but yeah, I I really believe that these bit these builders out there and tradies that are just showing the finished product are creating their own problems.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, yeah, I agree, and then or no socials at all, like, and that's you know, we're the only builder in town that does like social media. Um, you know, and like there's plenty of work, like the guys have always got work, like the other builders I know in town, like always have work, but I think it's the work that you want to do, and I think it just like is exactly what you said, like it leads to that and it attracts those people, um, attracts the clients that you want to work with. You know, I've heard you talk about before, like, you know, there's not one client that we've worked for that we've had a falling out with, or like it's you know, we could go back and have a barbecue with them, like you know, you see me at the pub, have a beer with them. Like it's that's the way it sort of works now, like with you know, all the jobs that we do, because we attract that type of client.
SPEAKER_03:Like, it's well that's success, isn't it? Like when you're when you're in control of the people you're working for, like that's that's success. Yeah, if you're stuck in that mindset that you're like as you said before, your scarcity, you're taking on every phone call that comes your way, every inquiry that comes your way, that's when you're going to take on jobs just because you think you have to to keep the cash flow going. Yeah, they're gonna be the clients that are gonna give you grief, give you a hard time, take a lot of management. Yeah, um, but also the ones that are more likely to probably come back after the job's finished and complain about defects or things going wrong because there's no personal connection there.
SPEAKER_02:No, and like it's funny, like you know, you know, I'm not like backing at my old man or anything like that, but just like hearing him like talk about that, like shit clients, like and it's not I don't think it's the client's fault. Like, yes, you know, there's different personalities that we like we've learned with Helen, like that you clash with different people, but I think a lot of them, if you're like not explaining a lot of things to the client and just assuming a lot of things, like like you don't know what you don't know, and I think that leads to so many problems and things like that.
SPEAKER_03:Like it's um well a lot of people don't create a environment where the clients feel comfortable enough to be able to ask things, and so the next thing you know that it's too late, like something's been done, installed, purchased, whatever, differently to what their expectations were.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah.
SPEAKER_03:Because there was no the relationship wasn't there to be able to educate them or have the weekly site meetings or give them a detailed enough proposal. Like a yeah, as you say, assumptions. Like a lot of people make assumptions.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah. And I'll and this I'll say this to clients, even our current client, like I'm more than happy to explain things ten times. Like, if I can't explain it in a way where you understand it, like I'll explain it again. Like until you understand sort of what we're doing or the choices that you're making, like once it's in there, it's too late. So I'm more than happy to have the conversation now and like we can work it out. And I think it's been a big thing too, like communication. Like probably the last six to twelve months, I've really sort of worked on that, and the way that I explain things and describe things and things like that about um people that aren't really visual. Like, yeah, we do it every day. So like clients are especially it's 90% of clients can't really sort of picture what you want to talk about. So it's it's definitely communication is a big thing, and yeah, working through that.
SPEAKER_03:Awesome, mate. Well, um, we'll start to wrap it up. But for I guess anyone that's listening or out there that may be considering going out on their own or possibly is having troubles in their business at the moment, what what advice you got for them?
SPEAKER_02:Um get some coaching, I think is probably the first thing. Just and we were like, I didn't think we could afford it. Um, like and it's it sounds like a big sort of price tag to start with, but once you sort of realize through the coaching, um, you know, the help that you can get sort of highlights so many things that you're doing wrong, like that you make that money back in no time at all, and sort of what that will highlight. Um, I think reach out, ask questions, like on people on social media that you follow, that you look up to, like, ask them. There's anyone that's sort of doing you know uh stuff that you want to do, like 90% of the time they're gonna get back to you and sort of help you out because they're keen to help other people that are keen to learn.
SPEAKER_03:So the um, like I said, mate, I'm really proud of you. I think just keep smashing out. I'm keen to see where uh where you guys end up. I'm uh we'll be spending a bit of time together in about six or seven months. You're coming on the Kakoda track?
SPEAKER_02:I am, mate. Yep. I'm uh just started my training, so it's yeah, it's gonna be a long few months of training, but I'm I'm pumped for it. I can't wait. Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_03:I'm pretty keen. We got a really, really good bunch of guys going.
SPEAKER_02:So uh it'll be a laugh in between the crying up and down the hills, but it'll be uh it'll be it'll be a good time, yeah.
SPEAKER_03:Is that are you like being a D or being very similar to me in the uh disc profile? Do you need challenges to have something to aim for?
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, 100%. I think I was talking to Helen about that not long ago. It was um I would probably set myself too many challenges, and I had the conversation with Helen about it, and it was more like I would set too many challenges for myself and then beat myself up that I couldn't quite achieve those things, and I like throw it all away and then like ah fuck like but she said, Have you ever thought about like maybe um you know the way that you do it and things like that? And it's more I've come up with the thing now of like creating a menu for myself, like where I can just pick things out of that menu instead of trying to do everything because I always have a list and the list just keeps growing, you're like fucking we talked about before, you know, like to reach those goals, like you want to sort of you know enjoy it for a minute before the next one. But I seem to just keep starting new projects before we uh explain the menu thing more. Uh so instead of like I have a list of like say my morning routine, for example, like get up, you know, I stretch because like as you get older, like I need to stretch more, so I just uh get moving for the day. Yeah, I stretch all those things I do in the morning. Like, if I don't do all those things before, like if I was slept in or whatever, like it would annoy me for the rest of the day. But now I just create a menu, like they're a menu instead of a task list. So if I just get my stretching done, cool, like that's one thing I ticked off for the day, like, and then that's what I just build on that through the day, and then same thing at night time. Like, as I wind out at night, like um if I don't write stuff down the night before, like I'll go to bed thinking about it. Yeah, so now I just you know do this and I wind down, read my book. Like, if I read my book or do whatever I do, like I'll just pick one or two things instead of trying to do so many things, and I found that through like work as well. Um, Apples has been good for that, like you know, writing the list and highlighting what's most important, and if I can achieve sort of 80% of the day with those things, um so that's yeah, many things like that now, sort of just trying to do it all. Um yeah, it's been huge.
SPEAKER_03:And mate, it just comes back to you, you gotta find out what works for you, eh? Like, yeah, 100%. We're all different, yeah.
SPEAKER_02:And like whether it's personal or business, like you once you sort of learn that and try to adapt everything to suit what you want to do, and then like you've talked about it before, like, then that becomes success for you, like, which is different for me, for you. Like, it's everyone's sort of idea of success is different, sort of trying to live up to someone else's idea of it, which I did for a long time, and until sort of got comfortable on my own skin to sort of know what I want to achieve, what I want to do for my life and my family.
SPEAKER_03:Um, that's been yeah, you do seem very content, yeah. Like the last event we did, you you seem very just yeah, humble.
SPEAKER_02:You're happy, mate. Yeah, and it's like and I think we talked about it before, you know, like if you're doing all these things, like making a million dollars a year, like if you're not happy, like what's the point? Like but I think just through the work I've done, like um, yeah, but like a lot of reflecting, a lot of um, you know, changing the way I think about things, the stories, all that sort of stuff. Um, letting go of a lot of things has yeah, just made me content. And I think like finding my idea of what success is for me and sort of what I want to achieve has allowed me to let go of so much baggage, I suppose you would call it, and just sort of achieve what I want to achieve. So I'm I'm happy, mate. Like, got a good family, got an amazing wife. Um, shout out to Christy. Like uh, I wouldn't be where I am without her. Like, she's yeah, she's she's amazing.
SPEAKER_03:So yeah, no, you are very lucky, mate. You're a great couple. It's um it's a pleasure seeing you when you both rock up to live life build events, and uh yeah, we love it. Yeah, definitely super proud of both of you and um mate, appreciate your time taking the time out to fly up here and come on the podcast today. So um appreciate you having me.
SPEAKER_02:Thank you.
SPEAKER_03:Um guys, look as always like, share, subscribe, all the things. Um, make sure you go to DwaynePierce.com and check out the merchandise. Um, if you want to keep supporting the level up movement, um, yeah, I'm gonna see tradies, builders everywhere in Australia wearing the level up gear. So uh um look, as always, if you've got questions, if you want to know something about something that I do or that I say, um happy to help you out wherever I can. If you want to come on the podcast, let us know. We'll um we'll reach out, we'll have a conversation. But um we really appreciate you helping continue to make this Australia's number one construction podcast. We'll see you on the next one. All right, guys. I want to introduce you to a really exciting new product that I believe is going to play a massive role in Australia building healthier homes. As you all know, I am extremely passionate about healthy homes and I'm doing a lot of research and putting a lot of time and effort into making sure my construction business is leading the way when it comes to building healthy homes here in Australia. We've teamed up with the guys from Highwood Timber. Highwood Timber are pioneering condensation management with their high flow ventilated LVL batten system. High flow battons give builders a stronger, straighter, and smarter way to create a ventilated cavity behind cladding and underneath roofs without compromising on structural performance. While tackling condensation to improve building health and ease of insulation, highwood battons are built to perform. When it comes to dealing with condensation and ventilation, high flow battons will help you create continuous ventilated cavities behind all your cladding and underneath your roof sheeting. They reduce condensation risk and support healthier, longer lasting buildings. Being an engineered LVL product, they are stronger, straighter, and more dimensionally stable than a solid material such as pine. This helps resist warping, twisting, and shrinkage, ensuring more consistent installs less prone to splitting than solid timber. Howwood timber battons are precisely manufactured, meaning that your installation will be faster and easier than other products on the market. The part that I like the most about these batons are they are H3 treated for long-term protection against decay and turmoiles. They use a waterborne H3 treatment which reduces reactivity with membranes and adhesives when compared to LOSP. These are the exact battens that you want to be using on your homes and your builds if you are considering building healthier homes or passive homes. Check them out. Highwood Timber Products.
SPEAKER_00:Are you ready to build smarter, live better, and enjoy life? Then head over to livelifebuild.com forward slash elevate to get started.
SPEAKER_03:Everything discussed during the level up podcast with me, Dwayne Pierce, is based solely on my own personal experiences and those experiences of my guests. The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this podcast are for general information only, and any reliance on the information provided in this podcast is done at your own risk. We recommend that you obtain your own professional advice in respect to the topics discussed during this podcast.