Start With the Why: Fundamentals of the Custom Builder Business
In our inaugural episode of Taking Care of Business, host and custom builder Duane Johns sits down with Scott Beebe, head coach and founder of My Business on Purpose, to talk vision, purpose, mission, values, and more
Business
Why AI Is Now Key to Our Trade Partner Strategy
Thompson Custom Homes Business Manager Erin Day explains how AI became a crucial part of building and maintaining successful trade partner relationships
Business
Thriving in 2024: Tips for Succeeding in an Uncertain Environment
Author and sales expert Mark Richardson shares his insights on the industry and how to rethink your approach to success in the new year
Custom Builder
Understanding Your Biggest Competitor
You may not think of yourself as a tour guide, therapist, doctor, marriage counselor, or investment advisor. But those are the skills custom builders need in today's market
Advertisement
Marketing & Sales
Mark Richardson: Selling the custom builder experience
The business of being a builder is as diverse as the business of fine dining is to the business of fast food. The key is to distinguish custom-home building from the others, writes Mark Richardson in his latest Custom Builder column.
Business
Mark Richardson: 'When is it going to get better?'
Successful builders are not waiting for the market to recover. They’ve accepted the current economic environment as the new normal and wake up every day focused on making it happen in these stormy waters. Mark Richardson talks about what sets these builders apart from the rest.
Leadership
Mark Richardson: How to speak with a remodeling dialect
To help offset the downturn in home building business, many custom builders have taken on remodeling work during the past few years. A key to success in remodeling is understanding the rules of the game. Custom Builder contributing editor Mark Richardson discusses a few key differences in the language of remodeling versus traditional custom home building.
Business
Survey Defines Custom-Built Home Demographics
New research by Custom Builder magazine provides insights into client profiles, home specifications, and top business challenges. Among the findings: homes are getting smaller, purse strings are tightening, and move-up buyers rule the market. Check out our full report.
Leadership
Snapshot of the custom-home market
Last month, the U.S. Census Bureau released the first batch of the freshly collected 2010 census data of the nation. The big news so far: The official resident population count increased 9.7 percent over the 2000 census to 308.74 million people (the slowest growth rate since the Great Depression), with most growth occurring in the South and West regions, led by Texas.
Leadership
Former Simonini executives launch Charlotte-area luxury home building company
Bill Saint and Doug Dozier, former executives with recently shuttered Simonini Builders, have launched a Charlotte-area luxury home building company that will take over where their former employer left off — building custom homes in two former Simonini neighborhoods.
Leadership
How customer-centric is your company? Take our self-assessment test and find out.
IBM, GE, and American Express are among the Fortune 500 companies that have implemented “voice of the customer” programs to help create a customer-centric culture. How customer-centric is your company? Take our self-assessment test and find out.
Leadership
The Fine Art of Negotiating
In order to negotiate successfully, custom builders need to educate their clients throughout the construction process — and remember to keep their cool when things go awry.
Awards
The Veteran Rookie
Working her way up and learning the ropes from mentors, this sales newbie rose to the top to grab gold