Women at WIRC

In this episode of Women at WIRC, Candice Rania, president of LEFF Design Build, discusses the transition of the company to an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) from a sole ownership model. With LEFF two years into this change, Candice shares insights into the cultural transformation, operational logistics, and goals for the company's future. She also delves into her personal journey from studying interior design to leading a company, emphasizing the importance of mentorship and determination. Additionally, Candice explains the workings of an ESOP, its benefits, and the impact it has had on LEFF's culture and financial transparency. Key challenges and strategies for maintaining growth within a changing market are highlighted, making this episode a valuable listen for those curious about alternative ownership structures in the construction industry. 00:00 Introduction 00:38 Meet Candice Rania 01:52 The Transition to an ESOP 06:12 Cultural and Operational Changes Post-ESOP 12:55 Understanding ESOP Structure and Benefits 18:12 Advice for New ESOP Leaders 20:18 Conclusion and Upcoming Events LEFF: https://leffdesignbuild.com/ WIR+CC: https://www.womensconstructionconference.com/2024/ Custom Builder: https://www.custombuilderonline.com/ Pro Builder: https://www.probuilder.com/ Pro Remodeler: https://www.proremodeler.com/

In this episode of Women at WIRC, Editor Caroline Broderick interviews Alaina Money-Garman, CEO and co-founder of Garman Homes (garmanhomes.com), who was honored as Woman of the Year at the WIR+CC Conference (womensconstructionconference.com). Alaina believes that accepting projects that don't monetarily move the company forward pays dividends by moving the industry forward. Garman Homes does this through its Operation Coming Home builds for Gold Star families, Habitat for Humanity builds, charitable donations, and a major project, The Farm at Penny Lane. Garman Homes built 15 tiny homes for individuals receiving support for mental health at The Farm at Penny Lane. Alaina shares insights on the impact of thoughtful design on mental health and the importance of community involvement in housing initiatives. 00:00 Introduction to Women at WIRC Podcast 00:18 Meet Alaina Money-Garman: Woman of the Year 00:56 The Farm at Penny Lane: A Special Project 01:23 Garman Homes: Building with Purpose 03:45 Designing for Healing and Connectivity 07:31 Challenges and Successes in Building Tiny Homes 12:12 The Team Behind the Project 16:34 Garman Homes' Commitment to Giving Back 21:37 The Broader Responsibility of Affordable Housing 23:38 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

In this episode of Women at WIRC, Custom Builder Online Editor Caroline Broderick interviews Ginger Curtis, founder and CEO of Urbanology Designs, about the emerging field of neuroaesthetics. Ginger shares her personal journey through significant life challenges, including her daughter's leukemia and her own battle with breast cancer. She discusses how these experiences influenced her instinct to create beauty and embrace the role of neuroaesthetics in design. Neuroaesthetics, a combination of design and neuroscience, explores the profound impact of beauty on the human experience. Ginger also provides practical tips for incorporating principles of neuroaesthetics in various spaces. WIR+CC Conference: https://www.womensconstructionconference.com/2024/ Urbanology Designs: https://www.urbanologydesigns.com/ Custom Builder: https://www.custombuilderonline.com/ Pro Builder: https://www.probuilder.com/ Pro Remodeler: https://www.proremodeler.com/ 00:00 Introduction to Women at WIRC Podcast 01:17 Meet Ginger Curtis: Designer and CEO 01:32 Understanding Neuroaesthetics 02:01 Ginger's Personal Journey and Inspiration 04:26 The Power of Fractals in Design 06:44 Ginger's Story of Resilience and Design 13:42 Launching a Design Firm from Adversity 16:26 Practical Tips for Neuroaesthetic Design 18:04 Conclusion and Upcoming Events

In this episode of Women at WIRC, Bree Jones, founder and CEO of Parity Homes, shares her transformative journey from Wall Street to affordable housing development. Driven by incidents of racial injustice and gentrification in her Bronx neighborhood, Bree purchased and renovated an abandoned building in the Bronx, providing a deeply affordable home for three families. She had found her calling, created Parity Homes, and moved her efforts to West Baltimore. Parity Homes focuses on revitalizing abandoned properties to create affordable housing, preserving historical and cultural significance, and strengthening the community. 00:00 Introduction 00:25 Meet Bree Jones of Parity Homes 01:00 Bree's Journey from Wall Street to Real Estate 01:37 The Impact of Trayvon Martin's Death 02:33 Gentrification and Its Effects 03:39 Starting Parity Homes in Baltimore 05:23 Challenges and Successes in Affordable Housing 10:12 The Importance of Preserving Historic Homes 16:13 Future Goals and Mentorship 17:16 Final Thoughts and Conference Announcement Women in Residential + Commercial Construction Conference: https://www.womensconstructionconference.com/2024/ Parity Homes: https://www.parityhomes.com/ Custom Builder Online: https://www.custombuilderonline.com/ Pro Builder: https://www.probuilder.com/ Pro Remodeler: https://www.proremodeler.com/

LEFF Design Build Director of Operations Morgan Thomas is tired of ineffective, boring meetings. At LEFF, Thomas has learned—and taught—how to maximize everyone's time through engaging, productive meetings. After all, design-build remodeling thrives on communication, so you better do it correctly. On this episode, Thomas shares her background in construction while providing the best practices for effective meetings. This includes how to train team members on facilitating, creating pre-meeting checklists, and how to wrangle in client meetings. Timestamps: 00:00 Meet Morgan Thomas: From Project Manager to Director of Operations 1:11 The Evolution of Leadership and Team Dynamics at LEFF Design Build 1:58 No More Boring Meetings: A Passion for Efficiency 3:23 Inside LEF's Meeting Culture: Training, Structure, and Execution 6:53 The Art of Facilitating Productive Meetings 12:15 Handling Meetings with External Parties: Strategies and Challenges 14:07 Continuous Improvement: Rating and Reflecting on Meeting Effectiveness 15:00 Open Invitation for Meeting Innovation and Feedback

Stephanie Dailey of Steven Dailey Construction has more than 110,000 followers @stephaniebuildsit on Instagram—and most of that happened within the past year. On this bonus track for Women at WIRC, Dailey shares her Instagram growth story and actionable tips for contractors looking to up their social media game. 00:00 Opening Question on Social Media Presence 00:28 The Journey of Instagram Growth 01:47 The Power of Authenticity and Consistency 03:39 Turning the Camera Around: A Game Changer 04:38 The Real Value of Social Media for Business 05:39 Personal Connections Through Social Media 06:19 The Commitment to Social Media Success 07:14 Closing Thoughts: The Impact Beyond Followers

Every business needs a story. Steven Dailey Construction's story is its people, its reputation, and its community. On this episode of Women at WIRC, Vice President Stephanie Dailey shares how the contractor shares its story to gain clients through its website, community involvement, social media, and more. "We don't do any marketing. The most marketing that you'll see come out of us is my Instagram," says Dailey. "And even at that, you'll notice it's not a lot of promotion of our company. And it's definitely not purposefully directed to clients." Listen to the full podcast to hear the varied ways Dailey showcases the contractor's unique value propositions. 00:00 Meet Stephanie Dailey: A Construction Industry Innovator 00:32 From Architecture to MTV: Stephanie's Unique Journey 01:10 Returning to Construction: A Family Legacy 01:53 Building a Reputation: The First Female President of Utah Valley Home Builders Association 02:15 Innovating with Jobsite Codes: A Tech Venture 04:24 The Power of Storytelling in Client Relationships 07:08 Unique Business Practices: Setting Steven Dailey Construction Apart 11:51 Revamping the Website: A New Approach to Marketing

On this episode of Women at WIRC, Bridget Bacon, development manager at Red House Design Build (https://redhousecustombuilding.com/), discusses the journey she underwent to systematize the pre-construction process at the Rhode Island-based remodeling company. Bacon identified issues all contractors have faced: slippage, a delayed design process, and low pre-construction team morale. On this episode, Bacon outlines each step she took to turn each issue around. Listen to see how and why Bacon interviewed every team member, created new project timelines, and ensured each team member's understanding. Using this new system, the company saw a significant improvement in morale, efficient task management, and financial performance. Learn More: Red House Design Build: https://redhousecustombuilding.com/ Pro Remodeler: https://www.proremodeler.com/ Pro Builder: https://www.probuilder.com/ Women in Residential+Commercial Construction Conference: https://www.womensconstructionconference.com/ 00:00 Introduction and Background 01:14 Identifying the Problem 03:11 The First Steps to Improvement 04:28 Interviewing the Team 05:27 Creating the New Process 06:54 Implementing the New Process 08:06 Addressing Troublesome Areas 10:04 Lessons Learned and Advice 11:00 The Results and Benefits 12:53 Final Thoughts and Recommendations

Laura Burnes is the director of project planning and design at Adams + Beasley Associates in Carlisle, Mass. On this episode, Laura delves into her approach to leadership and project management, which relies on an emphasis of effective communication, in addition to sharing insights into the company's winning culture. Laura shares insights into conflict resolution, communication styles, and the company's commitment to diversity, highlighting the strong representation of women in leadership and project management roles. Follow Us: www.proremodeler.com www.probuilder.com www.adamsbeasley.com Women in Residential + Commercial Construction Conference: www.womensconstructionconference.com About Us: Women at WIRC is brought to you by Pro Remodeler and Pro Builder magazines. On this podcast, we, the editors, talk to standout women in residential construction to share their professional insights and highlight the amazing things these female leaders are doing. Be sure to rate and review, and like and follow our brands on all social media channels to stay up to date on everything women in res.