The workforce shortage is more than just a practical problem—it’s an issue of morale, a mindset that can depress even those professionals who are committed to working in the construction industry. Two people are doing something about it. And they’re operating somewhat outside the box.

“Builder Nuggets,” a podcast from business coaches and consultants Duane Johns and Dave Young, is a combination information resource, advice line and networking platform, creating a community of builders who are able to reference each other and disseminate their passion for the industry. While the podcast is aimed at home builders and remodelers, the tips—such as having vision (episode 13), increasing profit while reducing risk (episode 37), client relationships (episode 81) and technology (episode 108)—are relevant for all leaders in the construction space. Guests such as human resources expert Warren Barry, design-build contractor Jennifer Hoffman and entrepreneur expert David Hickman round out episodes that seek to strengthen contractor companies from the ground up.

Johns, a builder and remodeler in Charlotte, North Carolina, who has been in the industry for more than 30 years, shifted from laborer to craftsman to business owner before starting “Builder Nuggets” with Young, an entrepreneur in Ontario, Canada, who began dabbling in real estate at age 25. The two dedicated industry professionals launched “Builder Nuggets” in 2021.

In this exclusive interview, Young talks to CE about building a community of expertise, sharing stories of success and failure and helping contractors face their biggest challenge.

Why did you decide to start a podcast?

We recognized that there was a gap in the marketplace for builders who really wanted to work more on their businesses. The breakthroughs that our builder clients were having made it undeniable that we had valuable stories to share with other builders. Duane has always been involved in elevating the industry through participation in various builder associations and groups, so it was natural to start extending what was working to other people. We thought it would be a great way to get connected to more builders and industry pros, so that we could do our part to increase the status of the industry.

How did you come up with the name?

The name was a fun exercise for us. We were struggling to come up with something catchy. In our coaching calls, we kept hearing people talk about their takeaways as “gold” and “nuggets.” It was “nuggets” that stuck for us, and we both giggled when Dave blurted out, “How about ‘Builder Nuggets’?” It turned out to be a perfect moniker—the guests of the podcast constantly share inspiring stories and best pieces of advice, which are indeed pure gold to the listeners who implement them.

How do you decide who to invite to the podcast and what to talk about?

We’re lucky that we hear amazing stories every day. Inspiration may come from a project manager, an owner, an architect or a service provider. Our show is made up of experiences. Sometimes they are uplifting and inspiring, other times they are gritty lessons of what not to do. This knowledge is so valuable to business owners who often feel like they are on an island.

“Builder Nuggets” has become a community of people who are willing to share successes and failures, so that others can benefit. One of the fun things about the show is that we don’t map out what we’re going to talk about. Our guests are all experts at telling their stories, so we get to do a quick intro and start asking some key questions. From there, the nuggets just flow.

Is there anything that you’ve learned from your podcasting experience that you weren’t expecting?

Yes. We thought we were going to be the ones sharing what we learned. By opening up our community, we got exponentially more value back. It fits right in with the laws of scarcity and abundance—the more you give, the more you get back. We were hoping for some of that with our “collaboration over competition” mindset, but we weren’t really prepared for the magnitude of the response.

It sounds as though “Builder Nuggets” has evolved from a podcast to a community, and now you’re launching new products and events. How did you get to this point?

It really just started to evolve. Listeners began to contact us for advice on their businesses and coaching. We began to implement assessments to help them see where they are now and what they needed to grow. That got us thinking about how to scale things and consider other ways to add value to them.

Once other coaches and influencers started reaching out to us, we realized we were building a community for them as well. Each person offers amazing services, support, leadership and mentorship in a multitude of business disciplines and geographies. There isn’t really a stable for such diverse knowledge or expertise—and they are all striving to find their ideal clients—so we began to think of “Builder Nuggets” as way to amplify their messages and get them connected with our community. On the show, we’ve hosted experts at coaching, marketing, accounting, recruiting, technology, business operations, personal development, sales, social media—you name it. Our upcoming events and online engagement opportunities are a great way for us to build valuable relationships for them as well as our builders.

What do you see as the biggest challenges facing owners of custom-building companies?

Probably the biggest challenge is creating a valuable business that doesn’t rely solely on the owner to manage everything. This is so hard to get right, especially when you consider the sheer amount of moving parts that exist in a contracting business. It can take hundreds of people to build a single [building]. That responsibility requires leadership, a strong team, the right client, excellent trade partners, committed suppliers, systems, processes, relationships, marketing skills—and the list goes on.

Right now, this is compounded by a shortage of trades workers, fewer young people entering the industry, rising costs, supply limitations and project manager scarcity. The outcome of that is a generation of builders who have worked their entire lives without turning their businesses into attractive, saleable assets. Most retired builders we talk with simply closed their doors at the end of their careers. We’re going to change that.

If you could only impart one nugget, what would it be?

Be curious and open-minded to learning new things. This industry has a tendency to hold onto its old ways of thinking. Stop trying to protect, and start learning how to grow. As a leader, your job is to have an exciting mission for your team to go on and to create opportunity for them. In order for that opportunity to be real, and for your team to be successful, you have to have the right systems, processes, mindset and culture in place. You won’t do that without making some personal investment in learning and collaborating.

The payoff is massive. By elevating your game and making the right investments for your team, you create freedom for them and for you. In the end, you leave a legacy business that is rewarding for everyone who contributed to it.