Sean Doyle and his wife Katie are the founders of SD Custom Homes. They call themselves a Family building for families. Sean shares stories and insights he’s learned over the years that have helped him start and run a successful contracting business.
Sean Doyle started SD Custom Homes in 2010.
He started by building a spec house and putting in the the local Parade of Homes.
From there he was able to get a few leads, and start building more custom homes for his clients.
Although spec homes aren’t for everyone, Sean believes they are worth it because he is able to showcase more of what they are capable of doing in their builds. Then, when you put that home in the Parade of Homes, people will come through and see your abilities.
One thing Sean wishes he knew when he was getting started is how willing other builders are to share insights with each other. For whatever reason we sometimes believe that other builders will not be willing to share advice to their peers. But Sean has found that is not true. When you reach out and build relationships with other builders, it actually comes back to be a huge blessing in your own life and business.
Sean reminds us that we do not need to reinvent the wheel. There are plenty of great builders out there who are more than willing to share what is working for them. Don’t hesitate to reach out and ask if you need help, or have a question.
His best advice is to reach out to others when you are needing help or advice.
As contractors we have to control the process.
* That is something that we can control.
* You can’t control how others will feel, but you can control the process.
* Don’t get trapped in the emotion of a situation.
* Try to remember that people process things differently.
* You focus on control the process, and let people respond however they need to.
“I always thought that giving someone a good price was doing them a favor,” Sean says. “But in reality, doing a good job and charging for it is doing them a favor.”
As far as technology goes, Sean uses:
* BuilderTrend
* Docusign
* Excel
When you are posting on Instagram, Sean’s advice is to:
* Be authentic.
* Be real.
* Show through stories the life behind the scenes.
As far as finding employees, Sean has learned to reach into your existing network.
The book that Sean recommends is
Profit First by Mike Michalowicz
Sean loves to listen to podcasts too! A couple of his favorites are:
* Todd Dawalt’s Podcast
* The Modern Craftsman
His advice to a young contractor just starting out is:
* Be true to whatever you are trying to accomplish.
* It’s a process.
* It doesn’t happen overnight.
* Be passionate about what you do.
This was an awesome conversation! Listen all the way through and be inspired!
Today’s Protractor Tip is given today by Brad Leavitt from AFT Construction, and It’s all about Learning From Your Mistake This is a super important lesson and we all would do well to be reminded of this often.
Our featured Protractor Website today is RRBuildings … And also talked a little about Kyle’s incredible Instagram account and his rrbuildings Youtube channel!
The book Martin recommends in this episode is called Good To Great. Get your copy today on our contractor resources page, and be inspired to build a better company.
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