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Catapulting Commissions Sales Talk with Anthony Garcia


Apr 6, 2022

This week on Catapulting Commissions Sales Talk Anthony sits down with Dave Young. Dave is a co-host of the Builder Nuggets podcast, which is focused on building and scaling a valuable business that requires less of your time. He’s also a business coach, entrepreneur, real estate investor, and a regional partner for Alair Homes, which builds luxury custom homes around North America. He’s joining us today to talk about how to separate yourself in a crowded market and stand out by being just a little bit different.

 

What was meant to be a 30-minute discovery call with the founder of Alair turned into a new career path for Dave. The founder proposed finding a way to bring together the otherwise-fractured construction industry. Though Dave had a background in real estate and had worked with builders over the years, he wasn’t sure how he could fit into something like this at first. But as he talked to the founder, he became convinced this was the new way forward, and he had the confidence to bet on it. Through the podcast and his coaching business, he wants to elevate the construction industry, figure out ways to get people collaborating, and demonstrate that it’s not about price, it’s about value. 

 

Making that leap into a new career path required him to take a lot of chances, but soon he was able to consistently deliver an exceptional experience to his clients, his team, and the trade partners. He says it’s important to take inventory on what you’re good at, and focus only on those things. That way, you’re constantly working in your effortless ability zone. Instead of labeling things that you hate doing as ‘crappy tasks to get done,’ think of them as an opportunity to hire others for whom those tasks fall into their effortless ability zone. Dave always seeks to elevate those around him; in turn he has elevated himself. 

 

As a team builder, you need a clearly defined story and a compelling mission. If your story is not compelling enough, people won’t come along with your ideas. Others need to see and experience your value, and then be the ones who amplify it for you. If it’s just a business owner going around telling others how great you are, you’re just a typical sales rep. For example, in the world of custom homes, it takes a huge team of people to bring that home to life. With the trade shortages out there, the best way to attract the top tradespeople is to show the quality work your tradespeople do. They’ll see that you value quality work, and they’ll apply for a job with your company. 

 

To be more than a commoditized company, you need a strong culture where you make investments in people. Your people will then invest back in you, your organization, and in each other– and they won’t take a chance on a new job for a minor bump in pay. There has to be real opportunity for people to grow and lead. At every level, team members should have an opportunity to shape the mission and add their layer of core value to it. That creates buy-in and allows for something special to grow.  You have to be worth it as a leader– be worth the investment of your team’s time and energy. The same is true no matter what industry you’re in. Whether you’re in home building like Dave, B2B like Anthony, or something else entirely. In every case, the need to invest in people is always the same.

 

Dave says it’s important to avoid the pitfalls of inaction and negativity when building a team. If you’ve identified a problem, you can’t just sit on it. You have to immediately make moves to improve it. Stamp out negativity whenever you can. Don’t make time or space for negative people in your life or your team. He also says understanding yourself as a leader is an important piece of the puzzle. Dave recommends everyone take the Kolbe A Index and the Clifton Strengths Assessment. He also has read several books that he’s found helpful, but he says to listen to thought leaders that speak to your core values and start following their work for inspiration and ideas. Networking with others in your industry and finding a coach are key as well.

 

Dave Young on LinkedIn

Builder Nuggets Podcast

Kolbe A index

Clifton Strengths Finder

Traction by Gino Wickman

Who Not How by Dan Sullivan