Construction Executives Live, the popular podcast series featuring interviews with leading construction industry experts, has just released a new episode exploring how business owners can build their ideal business while preserving their valuable time. Host Jeremy Owens interviews a construction industry veteran, Duane Johns, who provides a unique perspective on the industry based on his extensive 30-year experience in construction.
Johns agrees that the vast majority of building and remodeling business owners invest 20 to 30 years of their life in the grind and end up with nothing of transferable value at the end, and they close the doors. They get stuck in the weeds, hyper-focused on the day to day activities. They need to spend more time strategically thinking about what their ideal business could and should look like.
As co-host of the popular construction podcast The Builder Nuggets Podcast, Duane Johns has had the fortunate opportunity to speak with top builders and remodelers in the industry about what their ideal business would look like – if they spent more time thinking about it. “As the title says, the ideal business is different for everybody. For some people, it’s pure monetary gain; for others, it’s freedom or time. That’s really where the concept of the podcast came to be. It was pretty quickly into the podcast, probably by, I would say, maybe our eighth or 10th episode that we were just blown away by how much others were willing to share.” Stated Johns.
Owens reiterated that he, too, struggles with this concept. “And you do almost need a mentor because if you don’t have somebody that can help guide you through these steps, I do think our industry is set up to lose multiple years and decades without you even thinking. We’re used to putting out fires, and I think you really need to figure out a way to manage your time. I mean, that’s got to be step one with this whole process.”
Johns explained that for many construction business owners, it is a passion project, but not necessarily one you have gone to business school for. “We need to get ourselves to the point where we focus on the important stuff. The important stuff is generally some of that longer-term stuff. What things do I need to be doing to think about my business six months, a year, five years from now?” Johns described. For so many others, the freedom of time is most desired. “One of my favorite quotes, I’ve heard it from a few people, but as entrepreneurs, entrepreneurs will work 80 hours a week to avoid working 40. That’s just so true. That’s what we do. We don’t want to go back to the job, so to speak. We want that freedom. We want to be able to make our own decisions. But we also get into that hamster wheel. Before we know it, we start to say, Well, why did I go into business in the first place? I challenge everybody to really put a lot of effort into that. Think about what’s the whole point of the business. Where are you taking it? What is it going to do for you? What do you want out of this business 10, 20, 30 years from now? It’s so much easier to build towards that than go the other way and try to figure it out in the last few years.”
To allow for the critical thinking needed to “strategically think about your business,” one must develop the time management and delegation skills to make this a reality. Time blocking, reliance on your team, and letting go where necessary are all critical ways to find the needed time. We cannot build our ideal business while preserving our valuable time without putting the time into making this happen.
Construction Executives Live has become a go-to resource for construction industry professionals looking to stay up-to-date on the latest trends and developments in the field. The podcast series has featured interviews with some of the most prominent and respected leaders in the industry, covering topics ranging from diversity to mental health to sustainability.
“The construction industry is constantly evolving, and it’s important for professionals in the field to stay informed and connected,” said Jeremy Owens, host of Construction Executives Live. “Our podcast series provides a platform for industry experts to share their insights and expertise, and we’re thrilled to have Duane Johns on the show to discuss the future of the industry.”
The episode is now available for streaming on the Construction Executives Live website and on all major podcast platforms. Listeners can tune in to gain valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities facing the construction industry and learn how to position their companies for success in the years to come.
About Construction Executives Live:
Construction Executives Live is a podcast series featuring interviews with leading construction industry experts. Host Jeremy Owens explores a wide range of topics, from project management to safety to sustainability, providing valuable insights and advice to construction industry professionals. Focusing on innovation and best practices, Construction Executives Live is a go-to resource for anyone looking to stay up-to-date on the latest developments in the construction industry.
