Professional Builders Secrets brings you an insightful episode with Andy Skarda, Head Coach at APB. In this episode, Andy breaks down what leadership really means for building company owners, and why it’s the defining factor that separates builders who are stuck in chaos from those running calm, predictable, and scalable businesses.

This episode is sponsored by Apparatus Contractor Services, click the link below to learn more:hubs.ly/Q02mNSsG0

INSIDE EPISODE 222 YOU WILL DISCOVER

• The difference between fixing symptoms versus fixing systems
• What stops builders from becoming effective leaders
• How delegation, trust, and systems unlock time and growth
• Why your business can never outperform your leadership
• Practical steps to start leading intentionally instead of reactively
• And much, much more.

ABOUT ANDY SKARDA

Head Coach at the Association of Professional Builders, Andy specialises in helping business owners in the building industry identify and implement the skills and systems they need to be successful, without needing to go back to school. Or more importantly, without going bust.

Connect with Andy: linkedin.com/in/andy-skarda-92a6875/

TIMELINE

• 2:36 What leadership really means for builders
• 6:11 Why most builders don’t set out to become leaders
• 8:38 What well-led building companies actually look like
• 16:43 Why delegation fails without systems
• 20:32 Fixing broken systems instead of firefighting symptoms
• 26:28 Why your business can never outperform your leadership

LINKS, RESOURCES & MORE

APB Website: associationofprofessionalbuilders.com

APB Rewards: associationofprofessionalbuilders.com/rewards/

APB on Instagram: instagram.com/apbbuilders/

APB on Facebook: facebook.com/associationofprofessionalbuilders

APB on YouTube: youtube.com/c/associationofprofessionalbuilders

Professional Builders Secrets brings you an exclusive episode with Nicole Scanlan, Partnerships Manager at APB. Throughout this episode, Nicole breaks down what it really takes to build, manage, and sustain strong business relationships over the long term. Drawing on her experience managing over 130 partners globally, Nicole shares practical, repeatable systems for building trust, reducing friction, and turning short-term transactions into long-term partnerships.

This episode is sponsored by Apparatus Contractor Services, click the link below to learn more:hubs.ly/Q02mNSsG0

INSIDE EPISODE 221 YOU WILL DISCOVER

• One powerful question that can transform every business interaction
• Best practices for handling difficult conversations and misaligned expectations
• How authenticity and transparency accelerate trust
• The importance of long-term partnerships over short-term transactions
• Simple habits that strengthen relationships
• And much, much more.

ABOUT NICOLE SCANLAN

Nicole Scanlan is the Partnerships Manager at APB, connecting solution-driven brands with elite residential builders. With a background in events, software, and business development, she builds high-impact partnerships focused on long-term growth, trust, and meaningful engagement.

Connect with Nicole: linkedin.com/in/nicole-scanlan-apb/

TIMELINE

• 3:04 Why every interaction in your business is a stakeholder relationship
• 5:04 Common gaps builders face in communication and follow-up
• 9:30 Why strong relationships are a powerful risk reducer
• 13:00 Why rapport isn’t a “soft skill” you can build on the fly
• 21:02 Simple habits that strengthen relationships and avoid the “sorry culture”
• 28:59 How to handle difficult conversations and realign misaligned partnerships

LINKS, RESOURCES & MORE

APB Website: associationofprofessionalbuilders.com

APB Rewards: associationofprofessionalbuilders.com/rewards/

APB on Instagram: instagram.com/apbbuilders/

APB on Facebook: facebook.com/associationofprofessionalbuilders

APB on YouTube: youtube.com/c/associationofprofessionalbuilders

Professional Builders Secrets brings you an in-depth episode with Russ Stephens, Co-founder of APB. In this episode, Russ unpacks the three biggest challenges builders are facing worldwide as they head into 2026, breaks down why a lack of planning continues to hold builders back, and explains how mastering lead generation, profit, and systemisation can completely transform the performance of a building business.

This episode is sponsored by Apparatus Contractor Services, click the link below to learn more:hubs.ly/Q02mNSsG0

INSIDE EPISODE 220 YOU WILL DISCOVER

• The three biggest challenges builders face heading into 2026
• Why planning is directly linked to higher margins and more profit
• Why financial literacy is critical to sustainable growth
• How construction slots create real scarcity without “selling”
• How documenting processes can add millions to long-term personal wealth
• And much more.

ABOUT RUSS STEPHENS

Co-founder of the Association of Professional Builders, Russ is a data analysis expert who has introduced data-driven decision making to the residential construction industry. Russ is also a proud member of the Forbes Business Development Council.

Connect with Russ:linkedin.com/in/russstephens

TIMELINE

• 03:11 The three biggest problems builders face worldwide
• 07:44 Why planning alone can dramatically increase profit
• 09:15 How an org chart can buy back weeks of your time each year
• 13:18 The real reason builders struggle to get quality leads
• 22:38 How supply and demand impact margins
• 34:18 Why systemisation is the key to scaling without burnout

LINKS, RESOURCES & MORE

APB Website:associationofprofessionalbuilders.com

APB Rewards:associationofprofessionalbuilders.com/rewards/

APB on Instagram:instagram.com/apbbuilders/

APB on Facebook:facebook.com/associationofprofessionalbuilders

APB on YouTube:youtube.com/c/associationofprofessionalbuilders

Professional Builders Secrets brings you an exclusive episode with Blake Doolan from The Not So Silent Business Partner. In this episode, Blake breaks down how builders can take control of their financials in a way that’s simple, practical, and sustainable. Drawing on deep experience in construction bookkeeping and financial systems, Blake explains why understanding your numbers is the key to confident decision-making, long-term growth, and real freedom in business.

This episode is sponsored by Apparatus Contractor Services, click the link below to learn more:hubs.ly/Q02mNSsG0

INSIDE EPISODE 219 YOU WILL DISCOVER

• Why many builders feel profitable but still struggle with cash flow
• The biggest mistakes builders make when tracking financials
• How the right job management system simplifies financial control
• Why consistency matters more than complexity
• How financial clarity reduces stress and improves decision-making
• And much, much more.

ABOUT BLAKE DOOLAN

Blake Doolan is the Managing Director of The Not So Silent Business Partner, helping residential builders gain clarity and control over their finances. With deep experience in construction accounting and job management systems, Blake focuses on practical financial solutions that enable confident decisions, sustainable growth, and long-term freedom.

Connect with Blake: linkedin.com/in/blake-doolan-3243821b4/?originalSubdomain=au

TIMELINE

• 2:10 Why builders struggle with financial clarity
• 5:05 Why freedom matters more than profit
• 7:30 The power of making systems simple
• 10:15 How to choose the right job management software
• 15:40 Why getting WIP wrong can cost you millions
• 20:30 How financial systems helped a builder step away from the business

LINKS, RESOURCES & MORE

APB Website: associationofprofessionalbuilders.com

APB Rewards: associationofprofessionalbuilders.com/rewards/

APB on Instagram: instagram.com/apbbuilders/

APB on Facebook: facebook.com/associationofprofessionalbuilders

APB on YouTube: youtube.com/c/associationofprofessionalbuilders

Professional Builders Secrets brings you an exclusive end-of-year wrap episode with Russ Stephens, Co-founder of APB. In this episode, Russ reflects on the biggest milestones, challenges, and breakthroughs of 2025, and unpacks the impact APB has had on the building industry, the lessons learned from rapid growth, and the systems that are helping builders become more profitable while working fewer hours.

This episode is sponsored by Apparatus Contractor Services, click the link below to learn more:hubs.ly/Q02mNSsG0

INSIDE EPISODE 218 YOU WILL DISCOVER

• The biggest growth challenges APB faced in 2025
• Why “what got you here, won’t get you there”
• The three small systems that help builders reclaim time and add profit
• Key insights from the 2025 State of the Residential Construction Industry Report
• How APB Brain is transforming access to builder-specific knowledge using AI
• And much more.

ABOUT RUSS STEPHENS

Co-founder of the Association of Professional Builders, Russ is a data analysis expert who has introduced data-driven decision making to the residential construction industry. Russ is also a proud member of the Forbes Business Development Council.

Connect with Russ:linkedin.com/in/russstephens

TIMELINE

• 3:31 The growth ceiling that stops builders from scaling
• 7:00 What thousands of builder questions reveal about common challenges
• 13:11 The systems that buy back time and increase profit
• 16:24 How builders are adding net profit through APB Rewards
• 20:26 What makes a truly world-class industry event
• 39:07 The impact of systems beyond business

LINKS, RESOURCES & MORE

APB Website:associationofprofessionalbuilders.com

APB Rewards:associationofprofessionalbuilders.com/rewards/

APB on Instagram:instagram.com/apbbuilders/

APB on Facebook:facebook.com/associationofprofessionalbuilders

APB on YouTube:youtube.com/c/associationofprofessionalbuilders

Professional Builders Secrets brings you an in-depth episode with Andy Skarda, Head Coach at APB, to unpack the biggest builder wins across the APB community this year. Throughout this episode, Andy breaks down the five most consistent trends behind real builder success, sharing why profitability, systems, leadership, and implementation are the true drivers of sustainable growth.

This episode is sponsored by Apparatus Contractor Services, click the link below to learn more:hubs.ly/Q02mNSsG0

INSIDE EPISODE 217 YOU WILL DISCOVER

• Why Pricing 4 Profit© and fixing margins are the foundation of growth
• The power of structured sales processes
• Why consistent marketing creates pipeline stability and better clients
• How leadership, vision, and clarity tie every system together
• How builders are working fewer hours while earning significantly more
• And much, much more.

ABOUT ANDY SKARDA

Head Coach at the Association of Professional Builders, Andy specialises in helping business owners in the building industry identify and implement the skills and systems they need to be successful, without needing to go back to school. Or more importantly, without going bust.

Connect with Andy: linkedin.com/in/andy-skarda-92a6875/

TIMELINE

• 04:49 Why implementation matters more than knowledge
• 06:32 Pricing for profit and fixing margins to fund growth
• 16:11 How hiring and delegation remove the biggest bottleneck
• 26:00 Why structured sales processes lead to higher-value contracts
• 31:55 How consistent marketing creates pipeline stability
• 40:47 Why leadership, vision, and clarity tie everything together

LINKS, RESOURCES & MORE

APB Website: associationofprofessionalbuilders.com

APB Rewards: associationofprofessionalbuilders.com/rewards/

APB on Instagram: instagram.com/apbbuilders/

APB on Facebook: facebook.com/associationofprofessionalbuilders

APB on YouTube: youtube.com/c/associationofprofessionalbuilders

Professional Builders Secrets brings you an exclusive episode with Leah Ward, Executive Business Coach at the Association of Professional Builders. Throughout this episode, Leah unpacks how understanding both your own communication style and your team’s can radically improve leadership, trust, and performance inside your building company.

This episode is sponsored by Apparatus Contractor Services, click the link below to learn more:hubs.ly/Q02mNSsG0

INSIDE EPISODE 216 YOU WILL DISCOVER

• Why miscommunication derails great intentions, ideas, and teams
• The four DISC quadrants and how they show up on site and in the office
• How to avoid pigeonholing people while still using profiles effectively
• Practical ways to structure roles and hiring around communication strengths
• How self-awareness shifts you from managing to truly motivating your team
• How to read non-verbal cues and adapt to clients to build trust faster
• and much, much more.

ABOUT LEAH WARD

With more than two decades in corporate finance and leadership, Leah’s coaching approach is deeply rooted in enhancing financial performance, nurturing effective communication, developing mindset strategies, and fostering team building. Her extensive experience in financial management and consulting has provided her with a profound understanding of the key factors that drive success for both companies and their teams.

Connect with Leah: linkedin.com/in/leahmward/

TIMELINE

• 3:50 Why miscommunication derails “good” teams
• 9:40 The DISC quadrants and non-verbal cues
• 15:20 Matching roles and hires to communication styles
• 22:10 How self-awareness transforms your leadership
• 28:45 Using micro-adjustments to better connect with clients

LINKS, RESOURCES & MORE

APB Website: associationofprofessionalbuilders.com

APB Rewards: associationofprofessionalbuilders.com/rewards/

APB on Instagram: instagram.com/apbbuilders/

APB on Facebook: facebook.com/associationofprofessionalbuilders

APB on YouTube: youtube.com/c/associationofprofessionalbuilders

Professional Builders Secrets brings you an exclusive episode with Scott Groschel, owner of SG Construction. Throughout this episode, Scott shares how he has completely reshaped his business by embracing offshore team members, leveraging the right software, and working closely with his APB coach to free up his time, improve margins, and build a stronger team culture both locally and overseas.

This episode is sponsored by Apparatus Contractor Services, click the link below to learn more:hubs.ly/Q02mNSsG0

INSIDE EPISODE 215 YOU WILL DISCOVER

• How Scott used JobTread to identify bottlenecks
• How he successfully rebuilt his offshore team with GoRecruit
• How an offshore drafter evolved into a trusted office manager
• Practical ways Scott integrates offshore team members into his company culture
• Why offshoring hasn’t replaced local jobs in his business
• and much, much more.

ABOUT SCOTT GROSCHEL

Scott Groschel is the owner of SG Construction, a company specialising in fully custom outdoor living spaces. Starting his career in construction at age 15, Scott has grown his business through strong systems, JobTread implementation, and successful offshoring, creating a more efficient and scalable operation.

Connect with Scott: linkedin.com/in/scott-groschel-96227889/

TIMELINE

• 4:20 Why the pandemic pushed Scott to overhaul his systems
• 9:10 How JobTread opened the door to offshoring
• 13:50 The time audit that revealed what Scott needed to delete, automate, or delegate
• 18:30 Scott’s first failed offshore hire—and how GoRecruit helped him bounce back
• 24:40 How offshoring improved margins and allowed Scott to expand his U.S. team

LINKS, RESOURCES & MORE

APB Website: associationofprofessionalbuilders.com

APB Rewards: associationofprofessionalbuilders.com/rewards/

APB on Instagram: instagram.com/apbbuilders/

APB on Facebook: facebook.com/associationofprofessionalbuilders

APB on YouTube: youtube.com/c/associationofprofessionalbuilders