Business Growth

How to connect with the best in building – and why it’s important in 2023

Photo of top home builder Brad Leavitt with text reading, "Q&A with Brad Leavitt"

No matter what role you find yourself in as part of the construction industry, you likely face any number of challenges. The building boom ushered in by the pandemic seems to be over, the labor shortage in the industry is projected to expand in the coming years and inflation still impacts material costs.

There’s no time better than the present to connect with people who know their stuff. And there’s no better place to connect with other builders than the International Builders’ Show.

Connect with the industry’s best builders at IBS

Every year, IBS is the place to expand your network, learn how to scale your business and celebrate all the big moves in construction. IBS 2023 will be the biggest and best yet.

We’re thrilled to be a part of it, so we can share our industry insights and connect with the best builders in the world.

We’ll be hosting crash courses, sharing our new swag and, of course, hosting happy hours alongside some of the leading contractors in residential construction. (Want to know more? Check out our Guide to IBS.)

Another standout moment to anticipate? Buildertrend CEO and co-founder Dan Houghton will lead a panel: “Don’t Make My Mistake: Builders Share Their Project Management Fails & Ways to Avoid Them.”

During this one-hour presentation, Dan and our panelists will explore some of the most common mistakes made in construction management and identify the tools you need to boost your profits and processes.

Hear from:

  • Joe Christensen, founder and owner of Cardinal Crest Homes
  • Brad Leavitt, president of A Finer Touch Construction
  • Heather Tankersley, co-owner and VP of operations at Tankersley Construction

Q&A with Brad Leavitt: What you can learn from top builders

To give you a sneak peek into this expert-filled conversation, we sat down to chat with panelist Brad Leavitt.

The stakes are high for builders as we come off the pandemic building boom. How can builders benefit from connecting with and learning from one another during this time?

It’s so important to learn from other builders. This has allowed us to look around corners and refine our business and systems. We’re also part of the National Association of Builders 20 Club program. This has helped us understand the ideal client, pre-construction services, organization and, most of all, profitability.

We also just had five builders come to Phoenix to audit our business. They interviewed all our employees and some of our architects, designers, trade partners and clients. This gave a snapshot of our strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.

We will continue to make major changes based on this feedback and be a better company for it.

What are the benefits of learning from the mistakes of other top builders?

Why do I need to make the same mistake myself, especially when it can be costly? There are some mistakes that can possibly shut down a business. I love learning from others on mistakes they have made so I can set proper expectations and avoid those critical errors.

What challenges are ahead in construction? How can the best of the best get ahead and avoid making the same mistakes?

There are still many challenges on the horizon: lack of qualified labor, longer build times and rising interest rates while pricing has not drastically reduced.

It’s important to understand how all of this impacts our markets and buyers. Also, where are the buyers coming from? What’s drawing them to our specific markets, and how do we cater to them?

How is construction tech — like Buildertrend — helping and connecting builders?

[Tech] has changed everything. I know I have a handful of builders I can reach out to at any time. Our growth has been exponential because we have that information, knowledge and counsel at our fingertips.

It has made all the difference.

Want to hear more from Brad?

Check out our five-part Behind the Business series where we talk to Brad and his team and find out how they bring their epic builds to life.

Are you ready for the 2023 International Builders’ Show?

If Brad’s wisdom has piqued your interest, be sure to mark your calendars for our panel at IBS in Las Vegas! We can’t wait to see you.

Get the full rundown of what’s happening at IBS Las Vegas on our website – and don’t forget claim your free pass on us!

Can’t make it? Follow along at the event with us on Instagram or sign up for a demo to learn more.

About The Author

Kamrin Baker

Kamrin Baker Kamrin Baker is a freelance copywriter for Buildertrend.

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