A Major Setback, A Stronger Business With Phill and Heather Oddo of Closer Look General Contracting

In this far-ranging conversation, Phill and Heather revisit a painful embezzlement that left them questioning every facet of the business. Rather than retreat in the face of that disruption, they used the moment as an opportunity to rebuild their systems with a trust-but-verify mindset, putting safeguards in place that protect the business from repeating past mistakes. The discussion also covers the success habits that strengthened their leadership and brought their team into full alignment.

In this episode you will learn:
• How to identify the right moment to make early hires
• Strategies for using partners and systems to keep admin work organized
• Key numbers to follow when planning for long term growth
• What it takes to shift your energy toward the tasks that move the business forward
• The organization that changed how they approach business

Learn more about Closer Look General Contracting www.closerlookgeneralcontracting.com

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00:00 Introduction to Builder Stories
00:20 Meet Phil and Heather Oddo
02:48 Phil's Journey into Construction
05:13 Challenges and Setbacks
05:54 Heather Joins the Business
10:05 Embezzlement and Recovery
17:41 Building a Strong Team
24:37 Joining Remodeler's Advantage
31:44 The Leap of Faith in Coaching Investments
33:24 Transparency and Role Identification
34:17 Overcoming Overwhelm with Job Tread
36:45 Fostering Team Buy-In and Core Values
45:59 Balancing Work and Personal Life
54:48 Leadership and Continuous Learning
57:18 Final Thoughts and Advice for Aspiring Builders
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Welcome to Builder Stories, the podcast where builders, remodelers, and contractors share their personal and business journeys.

Many small to mid-sized construction businesses are great at their trades but not always equally business savvy. Come learn from the stories of successful entrepreneurs who share how they got started, how they found success, and the lessons learned along the way.

Meet Your Host, Eric Fortenberry
Eric is a voice and leader in the construction industry delivering education and technology solutions that are helping thousands of businesses grow and scale. He is the Founder and CEO of JobTread Software, a construction estimating and project management platform that has helped thousands of builders and contractors sell and manage over $1 billion in construction jobs. Prior to JobTread, he successfully built two other businesses, one in software and one in construction.

Eric’s goal for the Builder Stories Podcast is to contribute education to the industry by sharing success stories that can help construction leaders learn and develop their businesses.

Learn more about Builder Stories: BuilderStories.com