The Contracting Handbook: Builder & Trades Construction Podcast

Yahara Vasquez owns and operates Built By Her Construction @building_by_her out of Carson, Washington. With a degree in architectural engineering, she’s decided that the jobs that came with the degree were not for her. She loves working with her hands. Between that and wanting to be more available for her children, Yahara built her own home and she started a contracting company. She’s doing some work for the public but venturing into spec home building. While she says her role at home is fairly traditional, her career path is anything but traditional given her Mexican heritage. She  doesn’t care because she wants young girls to see her in that position and is organizing to have young women to work Saturdays on her spec to learn skilled trades. I can’t wait to check in with Yahara Vasquez in a couple years to see where she’s gone!     Host: Mike Knoche   Website: The Contracting Handbook Instagram: @thecontractinghandbook YouTube: @thecontractinghandbook TikTok: @tchmikeknoche   Contribute: Venmo: Mike-Knoche-1   Email: info@thecontractinghandbook.com   Guest: Yahara Vasquez Instagram: @building_by_her   Facilitating new construction company startups, supporting the building community with new ideas and affirmation, and ushering in the next generation of builders is the mission of The Contracting Handbook podcast. Through sharing information about how we operate our businesses and live our construction lives around the world, we elevate the construction life. Please leave us a review on Apple  Podcasts if you have an iPhone or on Podchaser if you are an Android to help spread the word about this 100% Independently Recorded and Produced Construction Podcast! Rate us on Spotify!

Randy Jones revisits @thecontractinghandbook for a quick catch-up on the growth of his construction company @fineremodeling.de in this episode of Mike Knoche’s Furious Fifteen. Randy was my second guest on the podcast back in May 2021… We hit upon: -relying on a sales manager -qualifying subcontractors -challenges to growth -“letting go” -his most challenging project to date   It’s an action packed 19 minutes with a bunch of random, yes/no, non-quantifiables at the end! It’s another great episode with a ton of insights for anyone operating a construction company, be it general contracting or specialty trade contracting.   Host: Mike Knoche Website: The Contracting Handbook Instagram: @thecontractinghandbook Venmo: Mike-Knoche-1 info@thecontractinghandbook.com Guest: Randy Jones Instagram: @fineremodeling.de   Facilitating new construction company startups, supporting the building community with new ideas and affirmation, and ushering in the next generation of builders is the mission of The Contracting Handbook podcast. Through sharing information about how we operate our businesses and live our construction lives around the world, we elevate the construction life. Please leave us a review on Apple  Podcasts if you have an iPhone or on Podchaser if you are an Android to help spread the word about this 100% Independently Recorded and Produced Construction Podcast! Rate us on Spotify!

Post frame builder, Kyle Stumpenhorst @rrbuildings, joins Mike Knoche @thecontractinghandbook where we hit upon, not only always doing our best but: -creating enduring video content that will always help -using social media to link up with the right customers -the incorporation of building science into the workflow and fiscal tradeoffs -having more knowledge than the inspector -why he no longer subs out work -not heeding the red flags   It’s another great episode with a ton of insights for anyone operating a construction company, be it general contracting or specialty trade contracting.   Host: Mike Knoche Website: The Contracting Handbook Instagram: @thecontractinghandbook Venmo: Mike-Knoche-1 info@thecontractinghandbook.com Guest: Kyle Stumpenhorst Instagram: @rrbuildings YouTube: @rrbuildings Facilitating new construction company startups, supporting the building community with new ideas and affirmation, and ushering in the next generation of builders is the mission of The Contracting Handbook podcast. Through sharing information about how we operate our businesses and live our construction lives around the world, we elevate the construction life. Please leave us a review on Apple  Podcasts if you have an iPhone or on Podchaser if you are an Android to help spread the word about this 100% Independently Recorded and Produced Construction Podcast! Rate us on Spotify!  

Meet Joe Canning aka @canadiancarpenter and hear the story of how a guy with a degree in 3D graphic arts leaves that life behind for a career in skilled trades. With a wife, four mouths to feed, and no work available in his field, Joe went to work as the laborer under 13 framers..it’s another case of the 4-year degree fallacy. So tune into to hear about Joe as an apprentice and the journey to the beard we all know and love.   Then, we take a stab at the impact of Instagram influencing on the industry as a whole. At the end of the day, Joe wants to make the framing process easier for anyone willing to listen and learn. He’s been reviewing tools long before Instagram was a thing and points out some flaws in that sort of promotion. Is he teaching the kids if its cool to be in the trades or that its cool to be an influencer.   We don’t dwell on the labor deficit but take a look the reasons why it seems like “everyone is soft”. We were raised to be tough but that has lead to a generation of parents that don’t challenge their kids.    Joe is not afraid to talk about his ADHD. It’s not a block. It’s just a different way of thinking. He also empathizes with those suffering from anxiety but you got to deal with it in what ever way possible. Bottom line: Discipline, people!     Please leave us a review on Apple  Podcasts if you have an iPhone or on Podchaser if you are an Android to help spread the word about this 100% Independently Recorded and Produced Construction Podcast! Rate us on Spotify!   Host: Mike Knoche Website: The Contracting Handbook Instagram: @thecontractinghandbook Venmo: Mike-Knoche-1 info@thecontractinghandbook.com   Guest: Joe Canning Instagram: @canadiancarpenter   Music Credit: Tell Nobody (The Contracting Handbook theme) by Tiny Pancake Breakfast Drew Frick- lead guitar Scott Crass- bass Brady Anderson- drums Mike Knoche- rhythm guitar and vocals