Podcasts Archives - Building Empires Media Group https://buildingempiresmedia.com/category/podcasts/ A media outlet for the construction and trades industry Tue, 14 Jan 2020 22:04:43 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.1.9 https://buildingempiresmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/cropped-BuildingEmpiresFavicon-32x32.png Podcasts Archives - Building Empires Media Group https://buildingempiresmedia.com/category/podcasts/ 32 32 Peter Akguc from Benchmark Design and Build https://buildingempiresmedia.com/peter-akguc-from-benchmark-design-and-build/ https://buildingempiresmedia.com/peter-akguc-from-benchmark-design-and-build/#respond Thu, 05 Dec 2019 21:58:11 +0000 https://buildingempiresmedia.com/?p=1004 The post Peter Akguc from Benchmark Design and Build appeared first on Building Empires Media Group.

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Peter Akguc started his career as trader on wall street after pursuing a degree in finance. But the stress of the job lead to an unhealthily lifestyle. He transitioned into real estate and construction as the economy was rebounding from the financial crisis. The skills he gained on wall street helped him take great calculated risk in real estate investing.

He said that once he started doing building projects on the side, he was much happier out there on the job site than he was managing projects on Wall Street.

But the biggest question he faced concerning whether to switch careers, was this, “Can I support my family?”

Wall Street was a business of taking risks. But so is this.

Take calculated risks, don’t gamble. Not all of them will be home-runs.

Here are some helpful tips to take calculated risks:

  • Be very sure on your numbers
  • Make sure you have a margin of error
  • Be ready, If your spec house doesn’t sell right away
  • Know the soft costs
  • Be aware of timing – it could take 18 months till finished
  • Have contingencies in place

Real estate investing is an easy way to generate wealth.

We live in a relationship-driven world so I like to have a realtor sell the property which they helped me find in the first place.

  • Communication is key
  • Always try to be 3-4 steps ahead in process
  • Be sure to find and retain reliable sub contractors

Here are some tech recommendations:

  • Phone calendar
  • Google maps
  • Google Drive
  • Plan Swift
  • Excel
  • Quickbooks

Peter says that we should pay attention to detail. He also says, “Spend money where we will the best return.”

Be fully transparent and totally honest.

When asked to what Peter contributes his success, he said, “I want to give credit to my family and upbringing. My father worked hard and instilled that into us.”

The best advice he ever received was: “Despite what the outcome may be, do the right thing to the best of your ability. 99% of the time it will turn out better than you expected.”

His advice to a new contractor just starting out is to make sure you enjoy what you are doing, and do it for the right reasons. Get the business knowledge so you can run this business profitably for you and your family. Educate yourself everyday.

Check out Peter Akguc and his awesome home building company here!

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Thank you so much for listening to this contractor podcast. If you have enjoyed this one please subscribe and share it with others.

Thanks,
Martin

You can learn more about the author of this podcast here:
https://protractorpodcast.com/

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]]> https://buildingempiresmedia.com/peter-akguc-from-benchmark-design-and-build/feed/ 0 Adam McKinnon From the Real Stair Guy https://buildingempiresmedia.com/adam-mckinnon-from-the-real-stair-guy/ https://buildingempiresmedia.com/adam-mckinnon-from-the-real-stair-guy/#respond Thu, 28 Nov 2019 21:54:20 +0000 https://buildingempiresmedia.com/?p=999 The post Adam McKinnon From the Real Stair Guy appeared first on Building Empires Media Group.

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Choosing a niche can be good. Adam McKinnon says he likes being specialized. He really likes sticking with installing stairs.

It would be much better for the general contractor to decide what stair finishes will be before framing.

Adam stressed the importance of establishing and maintaining relationships for future economy crashes. But be sure to choose the right kind of builders.

It’s not the quality of your work that will get you somewhere, but the quality of your relationships.

You want people to be happy that you are there.

Here are some of Adam’s tips on building relationships:

  • Get the job
  • Watch how you relate with others while on the job
  • Handle misunderstandings without animosity

On pricing the job, here’s a tip Adam gave. Figure out what it’s really worth. What the value of the project really is.

Here are some tips Adam gave for the general contractor when relating to their sub contractors:

  • Call the subs sooner rather than later
  • Talk to the homeowner about finishes before framing
  • Be accommodating to the sub’s needs
  • Be prepared ahead of time
  • Try not to schedule too many subs at once
  • Supervise the job
  • Adam recommends the books written by Malcom Gladwell:
  • Blink
  • Outliners
  • Tipping Point

To the new contractor just starting out, Adam has this advice:

Build quality relationships. You still have to be a good sales person. Even though you do high quality work, you will still need to sell yourself and your work. Learn to sell yourself. This is very important.

Thank you so much for listening to this contractor podcast. If you have enjoyed this one please subscribe and share it with others.

Thanks,
Martin

You can learn more about the author of this podcast here:
https://protractorpodcast.com/

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]]> https://buildingempiresmedia.com/adam-mckinnon-from-the-real-stair-guy/feed/ 0 Justin Macdonald from JMD Electric https://buildingempiresmedia.com/justin-macdonald-from-jmd-electric/ https://buildingempiresmedia.com/justin-macdonald-from-jmd-electric/#respond Thu, 21 Nov 2019 21:48:30 +0000 https://buildingempiresmedia.com/?p=994 The post Justin Macdonald from JMD Electric appeared first on Building Empires Media Group.

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Justin MacDonald loves helping clients realize what they want.

Concerning whether a contractor should have a college degree or not, Justin says that when you have an education no one can take that away from you.

However, Justin was more interested in building a life than he was in building a career. So he found a way to do just that by building a successful electrical contracting company.

Some tips for building a great contracting company:

  • Be honest
  • Do good work
  • Show up on time
  • Don’t gouge your clients – be reasonable

Back when Justin was getting started he wished he would have knew more about quoting, pricing, and billing. Some of the guys he worked with during that time helped him out a lot.

To the general contractor who hires sub contractors, Justin has some great advice:

  • Make sure your scheduling is organized
  • Let your subs know the due date
  • Don’t rush them
  • Pay on time
  • Be detail oriented
  • Keep the site clean

Best advice Justin remembers receiving is: Stay small at first. In other words, don’t bite off more than you can chew.

The book Justin recommends is:

  • Can’t Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds -David Goggins

To the new contractor who is just getting started, here is Justin Macdonald’s advice:

  • When out there working with others, make sure you give the full effort from start to finish.
  • Leave no small detail undone.
  • If you are a subcontractor, buddy up with other trades people.
  • Networking is so key.

Thank you so much for listening to this contractor podcast. If you have enjoyed this one please subscribe and share it with others.

Thanks,
Martin

You can learn more about the author of this podcast here:
https://protractorpodcast.com/

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]]> https://buildingempiresmedia.com/justin-macdonald-from-jmd-electric/feed/ 0 Brady Johanson from Brady Colt Custom Homes https://buildingempiresmedia.com/brady-johanson-from-brady-colt-custom-homes/ https://buildingempiresmedia.com/brady-johanson-from-brady-colt-custom-homes/#respond Thu, 14 Nov 2019 21:39:39 +0000 https://buildingempiresmedia.com/?p=988 The post Brady Johanson from Brady Colt Custom Homes appeared first on Building Empires Media Group.

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Brady Johanson is the founder of Brady Colt Custom Homes. Brady Sits on the Board of directors and is also significantly involved in the Young Professional Leadership Committee where the young professionals of the industry combine their resources to help and aid local San Antonio charities. He is definitely a leader in the industry and it’s exciting to watch him and his business grow.

Here are some notes from this episode:

We started off talking about IBS/KBIS:

Brady says that he is glad he has a degree to fall back on. Early on in his career he got burned out doing commercial construction. So, he started a concrete company. He had 3 partners. Eventually the company fell through, and Brady went on his own.

He started a custom home building company. When just getting started he was turned down by 18 banks on his first spec house. But he pressed through and his business took off.

The transition from commercial construction to custom residential is hard. Why? Because in commercial EVERYTHING is spelled out exactly how it is to be done. Down to the very last minute detail. But in residential construction there is more “gray area” that isn’t specified in the plans. Here are some tips:

  • Create mockups
  • Get sign offs
  • Constantly tweak your specifications

When asked to what Brady contributes his success, he replied:

  • Got lucky
  • Being able to take advantage of situations that present themselves in front of him
  • Being open minded

Here are the core values of Brady Colt Custom Homes:

  • Be professional
  • Bid presentation
  • What we wear
  • The way we speak to people
  • Clean jobsites
  • Job site signage
  • Be on time
  • Answer your phone

Make time management a priority.

  • Set your parameters with your clients concerning your family and the time you spend with them.
  • Get up early and get stuff done while it’s quiet.
  • Office hours are from 8-10am
  • Time in the field for 3-4 hours
  • Then back to the office to finish out the day.

As far as technology goes, Brady likes to use these apps:

  • Bluebeam software (PDF reader)
  • OneDrive
  • Upwork – to outsource any computing work like, virtual staging, logo design, or marketing videos.

For marketing here is Brady’s advice:

  • Use Instagram
  • Network, and be out there in your community
  • Have a good website

Books:

  • Peaks and Valleys
  • NUTS (founder of Southwest Airlines)
  • Let my people go surfing
  • Shoe dog (Nike story)

If you are just starting out, here is Brady’s advice:

Join your local Home Builder’s Association. Ask for help from other people in the industry. Focus on educating yourself and continuing to grow. Get involved as you can.

Thank you so much for listening. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review and share this podcast with others.

Thanks,
Martin Holsinger, show host

You can learn more about the author of this podcast here:
https://protractorpodcast.com/

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]]> https://buildingempiresmedia.com/brady-johanson-from-brady-colt-custom-homes/feed/ 0 How To Find Your Unique Voice And Market Yourself In The Local Community – Kayle Sickler https://buildingempiresmedia.com/how-to-find-your-unique-voice-and-market-yourself-in-the-local-community-kayle-sickler/ https://buildingempiresmedia.com/how-to-find-your-unique-voice-and-market-yourself-in-the-local-community-kayle-sickler/#respond Fri, 25 Oct 2019 15:09:24 +0000 https://buildingempiresmedia.com/?p=975 The post How To Find Your Unique Voice And Market Yourself In The Local Community – Kayle Sickler appeared first on Building Empires Media Group.

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Kayle Sickler joins us from Settlement Post and Beam which specializes in building solid post frame structures. Sickler, shares how he develop a sales and marketing acumen while working at his family’s business. He learned more about the craft from his dad and is now helping grow their company through online marketing, pay-per-click advertising and branding.

Kayle is passionate about finding your voice in your community and show your client before they come to you that this is a right fit for them. He talks at length about figuring out what makes your product unique in the community.

Something that helps this process is to think about things like:

  • What drives customers?
  • How can we provide outstanding customer service?
  • How can we acquire exceptional imagery of our best work?
  • Are we returning phone calls and getting back to people. (This is something you can control)

Find a way to personify your company.
An easy way to do this by posting pictures of your team on your website.

Start from the foundation up:

  • Website with a solid landing page.
  • Must have good imagery.
  • Feature a house plan on your website to give people a starting point.

Concerning Instagram… Don’t put all your work out there; only your best.

Tech tools they use:

  • Google Sketchup

Books he recommends:

  • Advance Timber Framing
  • The Alchemist

To the new contractor just starting out:
There is a huge need for young people in the trades. You could really build something awesome for yourself and your family. Go for it!

Thanks so much for listening. Please share this podcast with others. We would love to inspire, motivate, and educate more contractors through this material.

Thanks!
Martin

#Protractors – Making A Difference!

You can learn more about the author of this podcast here:
https://protractorpodcast.com/

The post How To Find Your Unique Voice And Market Yourself In The Local Community – Kayle Sickler appeared first on Building Empires Media Group.

]]> https://buildingempiresmedia.com/how-to-find-your-unique-voice-and-market-yourself-in-the-local-community-kayle-sickler/feed/ 0 Have A Passion To Educate Yourself And Continually Improve Your Business – Dan Devol https://buildingempiresmedia.com/have-a-passion-to-educate-yourself-and-continually-improve-your-business-dan-devol/ https://buildingempiresmedia.com/have-a-passion-to-educate-yourself-and-continually-improve-your-business-dan-devol/#respond Fri, 18 Oct 2019 15:02:19 +0000 https://buildingempiresmedia.com/?p=970 The post Have A Passion To Educate Yourself And Continually Improve Your Business – Dan Devol appeared first on Building Empires Media Group.

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Early on Dan Devol went to work for Appalachian Forest Products. Then he went to work for a finish carpenter. Dan says that in finish carpentry, he learned you have to be good and you have to be fast.

At 21 he bought and rebuilt a house and then sold it. He made $40K  on it. Then after that he bought a lot and built his first house from scratch.

Some things Dan says made this house a successful experience:

  • Build in a good school district
  • Built the house for himself.
  • Had no intention of being a builder.

After Dan built his third house someone approached him about building a custom house for them.

In the year 2000, he built a really nice house in the Parade of Homes.

Something that was hard for him was letting someone else do the finish work.

Building for others who have a large budget made it much easier to explore more of what he could do and build into a house. Dan says that when the budget is there it gave them a chance to showcase what they could really do.

The key to the whole thing is THE TEAM.

Communication is KEY to good customer service!

Dan says they don’t send text messages to their clients. They do all their communication through Co-Construct, and it works perfectly! It eliminates so much of all the text messaging nightmares that happen to so many contractors out there.

Other keys to a good experience are:

  • Pre-Construction agreement
  • Take a deposit
  • Line out a schedule for the next 8-10 weeks

Dan learned the importance of setting grade on a house. By learning how important this is, he makes sure that he is present to set the grade on every house he builds no matter what the scale or cost. It’s that important!

He uses all Huber products.

Having a website is very important to having a modern up to date contracting business. Dan says they’ve had a website since 2000, and he’s had it redone 7 times since then.

He had a mentor one time who told him that when the economy is good to put your head down and work. Make hay while the sun shines so to speak. Right now the economy is good for builders, so get after it!!

Favorite book:

  • The Millionaire Next Door

To the contractor who is just getting started, here is Dan Devol’s advice:

Always be educating yourself. Understand all phases of construction. Go the IBS every year and attend the seminars. Leverage software to streamline your business. Have a passion to educate yourself!

Check out Dan Devol and his amazing work here:

Devol Builders 

Instagram 

Thanks for listening and following on. Please share this podcast with others!

Thanks,
Martin

You can learn more about the author of this podcast here:
https://protractorpodcast.com/

The post Have A Passion To Educate Yourself And Continually Improve Your Business – Dan Devol appeared first on Building Empires Media Group.

]]> https://buildingempiresmedia.com/have-a-passion-to-educate-yourself-and-continually-improve-your-business-dan-devol/feed/ 0 Stick To Your Values And Get The Job Done Right – Sam Pabich https://buildingempiresmedia.com/stick-to-your-values-and-get-the-job-done-right-sam-pabich/ https://buildingempiresmedia.com/stick-to-your-values-and-get-the-job-done-right-sam-pabich/#respond Fri, 11 Oct 2019 14:47:26 +0000 https://buildingempiresmedia.com/?p=964 The post Stick To Your Values And Get The Job Done Right – Sam Pabich appeared first on Building Empires Media Group.

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Sam Pabich is now co-owner of the building company his grandfather started decades ago.

Sam incorporated the company with his dad at age 19.

Their company, Pabich Homes, is based on these guiding principles and core values:

  • Customer relationships
  • Clear communication
  • Honesty
  • Doing what we say
  • Being on time
  • Being on budget
  • Being upfront when issues arise.

Sam says that he wants their customers to still be singing their praises 30 years from now, because they chose to do that right thing today.

Sam likes to lay out his days work the day before.

He believes that a contractor must have an online presence in today’s economy.

He listens to podcasts on a regular basis. Here’s a few he likes to listen to:

Sam says that the key factor to their success is their honesty.

To the new contractor just starting out Sam says,

Decide exactly what you want out of this career. And find a mentor that will help you get going. Join some association and make it known that you are in the community.

Follow Sam Pabich on Instagram @pabich_homes and check out the website for Pabich Homes

You can learn more about the author of this podcast here:
https://protractorpodcast.com/

The post Stick To Your Values And Get The Job Done Right – Sam Pabich appeared first on Building Empires Media Group.

]]> https://buildingempiresmedia.com/stick-to-your-values-and-get-the-job-done-right-sam-pabich/feed/ 0 Just Find Out What People Want And Give It To Them – Connor Crook https://buildingempiresmedia.com/just-find-out-what-people-want-and-give-it-to-them-connor-crook/ https://buildingempiresmedia.com/just-find-out-what-people-want-and-give-it-to-them-connor-crook/#respond Fri, 04 Oct 2019 20:16:05 +0000 https://buildingempiresmedia.com/?p=957 The post Just Find Out What People Want And Give It To Them – Connor Crook appeared first on Building Empires Media Group.

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Comes from a long line of contractors. But went to school to be a lawyer.

Connor says, the best thing that happened to him is when he got pushed out of the law firm and went out on his own.

The most important thing to learn in business is what you don’t know.

When Connor took over Diamondback Toolbelts, they had a superior product but it was unknown. So he had to find ways to make it known.

Best advice:

  • Stop!
  • Don’t go get a job.
  • Find what you like.

You have to have connections. Family and friends to rely on. It doesn’t make the failure go away, but it gives you a support group to lean on which helps you make it through.

Connor’s key to success is:

  1. The product
  2. Found a way to get it out there. Find what people want; then give it to them.
  3. Figured out what we are all about. He wants to give the trades people the same respect that white collar folks get every day.

If you are wanting to get a Diamond Back Toolbelt for yourself or someone…Do it today! Don’t wait!

Are you enjoying this podcast? Please subscribe and share it with others!

Thanks,
Martin

You can learn more about the author of this podcast here:
https://protractorpodcast.com/

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]]> https://buildingempiresmedia.com/just-find-out-what-people-want-and-give-it-to-them-connor-crook/feed/ 0 How To Quit Your Job And Go On Your Own Successfully – Michael Kaestner https://buildingempiresmedia.com/how-to-quit-your-job-michael-kaestner/ https://buildingempiresmedia.com/how-to-quit-your-job-michael-kaestner/#respond Fri, 27 Sep 2019 20:05:13 +0000 https://buildingempiresmedia.com/?p=952 The post How To Quit Your Job And Go On Your Own Successfully – Michael Kaestner appeared first on Building Empires Media Group.

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In this episode Michael Kaestner shares entrepreneurial wisdom and practical advice that highlights the importance of getting started early, networking, and coming out strong with a well-defined business plan.

Had a lot of fear in taking that 1st step and committing to starting his own thing.
It’s important to save money and set it aside to have a buffer for when you go out on your own.
You have to be sensible about that exit.

Taking notes helps keep your brain fresh

In retrospect something Michael wishes he would’ve known when he started is to hit the ground running harder at first. The earlier you get started the better off you are.

Nothing comes easy.

Harmony is the best policy.

The best advice Michael remembers is: “Don’t ever burn your bridges.”

Network with people. Talk to people. Those relationships will get you farther down the road.

Designer/ Contractor relationship tips:
* Be accountable – Be willing to provide a solution no matter what.
* Be transparent.
* Fix issues as they come up – But be discreet about it.
* Do a walkthrough with contractor beforehand.
* Have contractor sign off on it.
* Be attentive
* Be on site.
* Be available.
* All plans at the job site.

The more prepared you are before hand the better off you’ll be. There should always be mutual respect.

To the contractor:
* View designers as professional
* Ask for the treatment you deserve.
* Ego and stress affects performance negatively.

We as people are communicators. It never hurts to ask.

Just keep pushing. You will get there.

Michael says the key to his success is Perseverance. He just doesn’t quit.

You have to have failure to elevate your game.

Tech:
* Google Drive
* Google Calendar
* 2020 Design Software
* Chief Architect
* Canva

Book:
The E-Myth Revisited

To the contractor who is just getting started:
Never be afraid to fail. It is inevitable. It is the one way we mature and grow. Be easy on yourself. Take your work seriously but not too seriously that you burn out on it. Take risks. Help is only a phone call away.

You can learn more about the author of this podcast here:
https://protractorpodcast.com/

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]]> https://buildingempiresmedia.com/how-to-quit-your-job-michael-kaestner/feed/ 0 Be Yourself – How Being Vulnerable and Transparent Leads to Deeper Connections and Builds Better Relationships – Spencer Padget https://buildingempiresmedia.com/be-yourself-spencer-padget/ https://buildingempiresmedia.com/be-yourself-spencer-padget/#respond Fri, 20 Sep 2019 19:48:51 +0000 https://buildingempiresmedia.com/?p=946 The post Be Yourself – How Being Vulnerable and Transparent Leads to Deeper Connections and Builds Better Relationships – Spencer Padget appeared first on Building Empires Media Group.

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It’s all about finding the right solutions for your customers issue or problem. Sometimes you just got to think outside the box a little bit. But when you do find the right solution, you will have a happy customer for life.

A lesson Spencer learned the hard way is that not everything you think will work out actually does.

Be prepared and think about what could happen. And have humility to except the outcome.

Some tips Spencer shared about running a successful contracting company:
* Be fiscally conservative
* Don’t live for the right now
* Take the long view
* Be able to strip out the fluff in those time and it not hurt your company.
* Setup biz for efficiency
* Squeeze every penny out of every dollar.
* Fulfill the promise you made to your clients.

If you are dealing with an architect, here are a few tips to help that relationship be a win/win.
* Be genuine with the architect up front.
* Have mutual respect for both person’s craft.
* You both want to maintain your good reputation.
* Both of you are proud of your craft.

The best advice given to Spencer came from his wife. It was leading up to him giving a talk at conference, and he was struggling knowing what to say, since he felt like his business had failed in the national recession. He was concerned about having people judge him for his story.
But his wife encouraged him, and said, “Be Yourself.”
She told him to just go out there and be himself. To be vulnerable and tell the truth. So he did. And that advice has stuck with him over and over and over again since then. He often tells himself, to just “Be Yourself.”

Relationships are paramount over everything.
Be vulnerable and transparent for the purpose of connection. Don’t try to manipulate people by being vulnerable. But don’t hold back either. Be willing to share about your honest experience, or lack of it, in order to develop connection with people.
This will lead to a deeper and longer lasting relationship with people. Guaranteed.

Co-Construct:
* Estimate quickly and accurately.
* Integrates with quickbooks really well, and that integration goes both ways so you don’t have to enter items twice.
* Communicate details with customer effortlessly.
* Scheduling efficiently.
* And so much more.

If you have Co-Construct and it seems overwhelming to you, try this exercise.
Think about what is keeping you up at night concerning your business, and figure out how to eliminate that issue using Co-Construct.

The over riding goal of Co-Construct is to help the construction industry develop into a more financially stable and respected industry. (Lines up with our goals here at Protractor Media perfectly!)

Books recommended:
* Contractor Marketing Simplified
* Start With Why
* Accounting and Financial Management for Residential Construction

Advice to a new contractor just starting out:
* Slow down.
* Take time to think about what you are doing.
* Find a mentor, peer group, or roundtable to be a part of.
* Get vulnerable and ask lots of questions.

You can learn more about the author of this podcast here:
https://protractorpodcast.com/

The post Be Yourself – How Being Vulnerable and Transparent Leads to Deeper Connections and Builds Better Relationships – Spencer Padget appeared first on Building Empires Media Group.

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