Not every episode follows a single thread, and this one does not try to. Paul McManus of McManus Kitchen and Bath pulls back the curtain on navigating a down market, building a generous PTO policy that keeps great people around, rethinking his website from the ground up, using AI to strengthen process instead of replace it, and opening a brand new showroom with some genuinely creative ideas inside. If you want an honest look at how a seasoned remodeler is thinking and building right now, this one delivers.

Today's episode is sponsored by Builder Funnel! Click here to learn more about how Builder Funnel helps remodelers and home builders grow through strategic digital marketing.

Explore the vast array of tools, training courses, a podcast, and a supportive community of over 2,000 remodelers. Visit Remodelersontherise.com today and take your remodeling business to new heights!

Key Takeaways

• Track lead flow and KPIs to anticipate market shifts.
• Use a flexible PTO policy to boost team loyalty.
• Invest in showroom expansion and new services.
• Leverage AI for process improvement and data organization.
• Focus on process improvement before adopting new AI tools.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and market overview for 2026

02:02 Current market challenges and lead flow issues

04:11 Financial management and preparing for a down year

06:08 Using KPIs to anticipate market trends

07:57 PTO policies and employee engagement

12:00 Website strategies and copywriting tips

20:02 Embracing AI and process automation

38:00 Showroom expansion and new service offerings

50:05 Future market opportunities and growth areas

57:55 Closing thoughts and key takeaways

Effective websites sell your projects before a prospect ever picks up the phone!

This week, Kyle sat down with Logan Shinholser of Contractor Growth Network to dig into why featured project pages have become the centerpiece of every website CGN builds. They cover what needs to go on these pages to actually build trust, how to use them in your sales conversations before you ever sit down with a client, and why great photography is still the single most important investment you can make in your marketing.

If you want your marketing to do a better job of attracting the right clients, this episode is packed with practical ideas you can start using right away!

Explore real client results and case studies at Contractor Growth Network Results, learn how they help remodelers build marketing that works at Contractor Growth Network, and check out their Podcast for weekly insights designed to help remodelers grow smarter.

Explore the vast array of tools, training courses, a podcast, and a supportive community of over 2,000 remodelers. Visit Remodelersontherise.com today and take your remodeling business to new heights!

Key Takeaways

• Featured project pages build trust faster than photo galleries.
• Document what makes your company different.
• Tell the homeowner's story, not just the remodeler's.
• Use featured projects throughout your sales process.
• Show the design journey—not just the finished result.
• Focus on the projects you want more of.
• Professional photography is one of your best marketing investments.
• Specific examples sell better than generic claims.

Chapters

• 00:00 Intro & Welcome
• 05:18 Why Marketing Remodeling Is Different
• 08:20 Why Featured Project Pages Matter
• 13:56 What Makes a Great Project Page
• 15:37 Choosing the Right Projects to Feature
• 21:33 How Project Pages Improve Sales Conversations
• 24:56 Why Professional Photography Matters
• 32:20 A Better Way to Showcase Before & After Transformations
• 39:55 Marketing Lessons Every Remodeler Should Apply
• 42:14 The Two Marketing Assets Every Remodeler Needs
• 44:27 Final Thoughts & Wrap-Up

Most remodelers know they need to move faster through Design and Project Development. Fewer know exactly where the time is going or how to get it back. Kyle walks through specific ideas for reducing cycle time, from building out a Design & Project Development schedule to setting clear client expectations up front, so your projects keep moving and your pipeline stays healthy!

JobTread helps remodelers bring estimating, scheduling, job costing, and invoicing into one connected system, so they can clearly see where jobs stand and what’s actually profitable. We’ve watched members move from guessing to confidently knowing their numbers, which leads to better pricing, planning, and leadership. If you’re ready for better systems and better decisions, learn more at jobtread.com.

Explore the vast array of tools, training courses, a podcast, and a supportive community of over 2,000 remodelers. Visit Remodelersontherise.com today and take your remodeling business to new heights!

Key Takeaways

• Time kills deals. Faster design and development leads to more signed contracts.
• Measure your design-to-contract cycle time.
• Create a structured design and development schedule.
• Set expectations that major decisions happen before construction begins.
• Hold weekly client meetings to maintain momentum.
• Always schedule the next meeting before ending the current one.
• Limit the number of active design projects to protect capacity.
• Simplify client decisions and clearly communicate budget impacts and changes.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to the Podcast and Topic Overview

02:08 Understanding Cycle Time in Project Development

04:05 Strategies for Reducing Cycle Time

07:01 Setting Clear Expectations with Clients

08:59 Effective Client Engagement Strategies

11:54 Managing Project Capacity and Expectations

14:47 Streamlining Design Choices for Clients

18:10 Utilizing Technology for Communication

21:03 Budget Management and Client Transparency

AI agents are not as complicated as they sound, and Peter Ranney and Elliott Wittstruck of DataX are proof. They walk through exactly how remodelers are using AI agents inside JobTread right now to automatically clean up field notes, process receipts, cost jobs, and land a daily project health report in their inbox every evening. They also share a seven-level framework for AI adoption that takes all the pressure off and helps you figure out exactly where to start! If you have been curious about AI but not sure where to begin, this one gives you a clear and practical first step.

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Today's episode is sponsored by Builder Funnel! Click here to learn more about how Builder Funnel helps remodelers and home builders grow through strategic digital marketing.

Explore the vast array of tools, training courses, a podcast, and a supportive community of over 2,000 remodelers. Visit Remodelersontherise.com today and take your remodeling business to new heights!

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Key Takeaways

• Start with a specific problem, not AI itself.
• Think micro. Small use cases create big wins.
• AI is not a magic button. It takes time to learn.
• AI agents work automatically without manual prompts.
• Reporting is one of the most valuable AI applications.
• Better data in = better insights out.
• Focus on your current level of AI adoption.
• Don't let AI distract you from serving clients and improving your business.

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Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

06:39 Managing Multiple Ventures

10:16 Interacting with AI: The Basics

12:09 Automation and AI Agents

14:38 Practical Applications of AI in Business

19:40 Email Automation and Receipt Processing

21:52 Job Performance Analysis with AI

24:52 Self-Updating AI Agents

26:43 AI Models and Security Concerns

29:34 Advanced AI Prompts and Use Cases

34:18 Creating Contracts and Estimates with AI

38:16 Bridging the Knowledge Gap in AI

40:13 Understanding AI Levels of Interaction

49:21 Future of AI in Business

Making more money in remodeling comes down to understanding the right numbers and knowing which dials to tweak to improve those numbers.

In this quick overview, Kyle breaks down the financial side of running a remodeling business. He also shares practical ways remodelers can tighten up their estimating, improve profitability, and reduce the financial stress that comes from not knowing the numbers well!

Explore real client results and case studies at Contractor Growth Network Results, learn how they help remodelers build marketing that works at Contractor Growth Network, and check out their Podcast for weekly insights designed to help remodelers grow smarter.

Explore the vast array of tools, training courses, a podcast, and a supportive community of over 2,000 remodelers. Visit Remodelersontherise.com today and take your remodeling business to new heights!

Key Takeaways

• Financial Dials
• Gross Profit Margin
• Financial Literacy
• Operational Efficiency
• Proactive Control
• Incremental Tweaks
• Job Costing Mastery
• Strategic Partnerships

  Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Remodeling Success

03:01 Understanding Financial Goals

05:56 Key Financial Dials for Profitability

09:19 Maximizing Revenue and Gross Profit

12:08 Job Costing and Efficiency

14:57 Overhead Management and Budgeting

18:03 Achieving Sustainable Profit Margins

20:56 Conclusion and Next Steps

What if your website could answer pricing questions and book discovery calls before a salesperson ever picked up the phone? Paul DeRoche of Moss Building and Design built "Ask Natalie," an AI tool trained on 7,000+ real projects that walks prospects through actual costs and timelines based on work done in their neighborhood. He breaks down what it actually cost to build and what surprised him most after launch. If you have been wondering how AI can actually move the needle in your remodeling business, this one is worth your time.

Want to keep in touch with past clients and prospects without the hassle of writing content yourself? That’s exactly what Remodelers AutoPilot does — each month you get a done-for-you email newsletter and social media posts, ready to send.

Explore the vast array of tools, training courses, a podcast, and a supportive community of over 2,000 remodelers. Visit Remodelersontherise.com today and take your remodeling business to new heights!

Key Takeaways

• Innovation through Core Values and Technology
• Transparency as a Strategic Differentiator
• Proprietary Data and AI for Market Advantage
• Blending Human Expertise with AI
• Digital Tools Enhancing Customer Experience
• AI-Driven Proactive Project Management

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Paul and Moss Construction

07:07 The Evolution of Moss and Its Challenges

11:11 Innovating with AI: The Birth of Natalie

15:15 Customer Engagement and Trust Dynamics

21:20 Leveraging Technology for Project Management

34:58 AI in Marketing and Project Analytics

40:58 The Future of AI in Construction

47:21 Customer-Centric Approach in Business

Running a remodeling business means constant demands on your time, and your day will fill up whether you plan it or not. Kyle walks through eight practical ways to prioritize your day and make sure you are spending your hours on the work that actually moves the needle instead of just reacting to whatever comes at you first!

JobTread helps remodelers bring estimating, scheduling, job costing, and invoicing into one connected system, so they can clearly see where jobs stand and what’s actually profitable. We’ve watched members move from guessing to confidently knowing their numbers, which leads to better pricing, planning, and leadership. If you’re ready for better systems and better decisions, learn more at jobtread.com.

Explore the vast array of tools, training courses, a podcast, and a supportive community of over 2,000 remodelers. Visit Remodelersontherise.com today and take your remodeling business to new heights!

Key Takeaways

• Prioritization is a mental shift, not just a task list
• The real power of time management lies in character, not tools
• Energy management determines work quality more than time blocks
• High-impact work is a mindset about worth, not privilege
• The urgency versus importance filter is a strategic compass
• Work from energy zones to sustain high performance

• Prepping the next day resets momentum and reduces mental clutter

Chapters

00:00 Maximizing Your Time: The Core Question

02:59 Daily Prioritization: Identifying Your Top Three

05:57 Effective Scheduling: The Power of Block Scheduling

09:17 High Impact Work: Focusing on What Matters

12:58 Marketing and Sales: The Lifeblood of Your Business

14:53 Urgent vs. Important: A Strategic Approach

16:47 Energy Management: Working with Your Natural Rhythms

19:33 Preparing for Tomorrow: The Importance of Resetting

21:03 Mindset Matters: Celebrating Wins and Staying Positive

High end remodeling and high end landscaping have more in common than most people realize.

Kyle sits down with Jeffrey Scott of Jeffrey Scott Consulting to unpack the similarities between successful design-build remodelers and top landscape companies. They talk about emotionally invested clients, protecting margins, managing high expectations, building trust, handling handoffs between sales and production, and why scaling an “artisanal” business is harder than most owners expect.

There are a lot of practical takeaways in this one for remodelers looking to improve client experience, tighten systems, and grow without losing quality!

The Summer Growth Summit in Detroit is a hands on growth experience for lawn and landscape business owners and their teams, featuring behind the scenes access to Great Lakes Landscape Design and Troy Clogg Landscape Associates.

Tour two outstanding companies, meet their leadership teams, and learn practical strategies for marketing, sales, operations, AI, culture, and growth from the people driving success every day.

Walk away with fresh ideas, proven systems, and practical tools to help take your company to the next level.

To learn more and get event details, check it out here: https://jeffreyscott.biz/summer-growth-summit-26/

If you’re serious about improving your remodeling business, you should check out the Rise Conference from Remodelers On The Rise, happening August 11 and 12 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. This two day event is built specifically for remodeling business owners who want practical strategies they can actually implement, from improving your sales process and marketing to building a stronger team and running a more profitable business. You’ll connect with remodelers from across the country, hear from experienced industry leaders, and walk away with ideas you can put into action right away. To learn more and grab your ticket, head over to remodelersontherise.com/rise.

Explore the vast array of tools, training courses, a podcast, and a supportive community of over 2,000 remodelers. Visit Remodelersontherise.com today and take your remodeling business to new heights!

Key Takeaways

• High-end clients prioritize emotional fulfillment over rational factors.
• Exceptional detail management is crucial for high-end success.
• Branding and reputation serve as a psychological safety net for clients.
• Effective handoffs and communication routines are critical for scaling.
• Protecting margin requires active scope and scope change management.
• Building trust through consistent branding reduces perceived risk.
• An advisory role elevates professionalism beyond mere order-taking.
• Scaling success relies on systematizing processes and delegating roles.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Jeffrey Scott and His Background

05:45 Transitioning from Family Business to Consulting

10:32 Understanding Client Emotions in High-End Sales

15:32 Managing High Expectations in Service Industries

20:24 The Importance of Details and Quality Control

26:24 Effective Communication and Client Relationships

30:46 Building Trust Through Branding and Reputation

35:32 Advisory Role in Client Relationships

40:44 Scaling a Business Without Compromising Quality