Professional Builders Secrets

Professional Builders Secrets brings you an exclusive episode with APB Co-founder Russ Stephens, along with APB’s Head Coach, Andy Skarda, to break down the insights and data from the 2026 State of Residential Construction Industry (SORCI) Report, and translate the numbers into practical actions builders can take to become more profitable, more systemised, and less trapped in the day-to-day firefighting.

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

INSIDE EPISODE 224 YOU WILL DISCOVER
The intention vs action gap (why “systemise” stays on the to-do list)
Why more hours doesn’t mean more income
How to stop being the bottleneck
The “illusion of profit” and why bank balance ≠ profitability
The key financial levers builders must understand
How systemisation lifts revenue, margins, and owner returns
And much, 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

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
02:00 Why this year’s industry data reveals deeper insights than ever
08:10 The gap between what builders want to fix and what actually gets done
15:40 Why working 60+ hours leads to lower income
23:30 The illusion of profit and why most builders misread their numbers
31:45 Systemised vs non-systemised builders (and the revenue gap)
40:20 Where builders should start to break the owner bottleneck

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 Tyson Lawes, Head of Sales at the Association of Professional Builders. In this episode, Tyson dives deep into the sales mindset challenges builders face and explains why sales is less about scripts and techniques, and more about intent, self-awareness, and becoming a trusted advisor.

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

INSIDE EPISODE 223 YOU WILL DISCOVER
Why sales is a mirror of your mindset and personal growth
The biggest reasons builders resist sales
How to shift from “salesperson” to trusted advisor
Why intent matters more than technique in sales conversations
Why asking better questions builds trust faster than pitching
Practical tools to reset before and after challenging sales calls
And much, much more.

ABOUT TYSON LAWES

Tyson Lawes is Head of Sales at the Association of Professional Builders, with over a decade of experience in sales, leadership, and behavioural psychology. Passionate about mindset and performance, Tyson helps builders grow through stronger sales conversations, trusted advisor relationships, and high-impact leadership.

Connect with Tyson: linkedin.com/in/tyson-lawes-456b56188/

TIMELINE
2:49 Why sales is a mirror of your mindset
6:18 Why most builders resist sales (and how it limits growth)
10:44 How to shift from salesperson to trusted advisor
19:36 Why you accept objections you haven’t overcome yourself
25:24 Practical tools to reset before and after sales calls
27:25 The biggest mindset shift builders need to improve sales conversations

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 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