Launch Class is the first of three class sets. Participation typically takes place within the first 3-6 months of joining Aspire as part of the first phase deliverables. Topics cover the 6 pillars: Marketing, Sales, Estimating, Production, Feedback, and Development, as well as integration of the Aspire Intelligence (AI) System to track and manage your business by the numbers. The content delivered at Launch will provide the foundational framework to build upon over the remainder of the program and help increase knowledge on Aspire methods and strategies. These classes are offered quarterly and are available to any and all of your team, as many times as needed.
October 12-14, 2022
January 25-27, 2023
April 12-14, 2023
July 12-14, 2023
October 4-6, 2023
Class Details
> Industry Trends
Provides an overview of the issues and topics currently influencing the construction industry, including the concept of contractor culture. Learn how to identify industry shifts to adapt and protect your business.
- Provides an overview of what is currently happening in the construction industry.
- Identify shifts in the industry and how to adapt to protect your business.
- Understanding and improving the culture of our industry.
> The Important Difference Between Contractor Strategies & Tactics
Identifying the vision and goals for your construction business is critical for business success. Identify the right strategy and tactics to help reach that vision and learn the most effective path for long-term business success.
- Identify the vision of your company.
- Identify the goals of your company.
- Develop the correct strategy to achieve your vision.
- Identify the necessary tactics to achieve your company vision most effectively.
> Business Modeling – Tracking & Managing Your Numbers
Use your company’s actual Profit & Loss statement to understand how the Aspire Intelligence system tracks and manages monthly financial data to assist with increased profitability and decision making. Improve awareness of where and how to categorize line items, track Key Performance Indicators (KPI), and feel more fiscally confident.
- Effectively categorize your Profit & Loss.
- Increase understanding of how a Profit & Loss relates to AI.
- Create an increased understanding of how your business model assists with tracking numbers and managing the business.
- Set Financial goals based on your company vision and strategy.
> The Power of Contractor Marketing
Understand the different types of marketing plans and why the use of a plan is critical. Convey who you are, why you do the work, and why it matters through the use of storytelling.
- Increase your knowledge of marketing plans.
- Understanding why marketing and a marketing plan is critical to your business.
- Identify why you do what you do.
- >Increase understanding of the value of storytelling.
> Creating a Digital Footprint Analysis
Improve your knowledge of digital marketing. During this hands-on session, participants will develop a Digital Footprint Analysis (DFA) and begin immediate implementation.
- Understand the importance of your digital presence and what metrics need to be tracked and managed.
- Develop the ability to identify what a strong digital presence looks like and how to improve marketing position.
> Logical Sales for Contractors
Increase your understanding of the relationship between marketing and the sales process. Learn how and when you should use a Professional Services Agreement (PSA) and how to track your sales process. Participate in the opportunity to practice making sales and receive live feedback from experts in the field.
- Improve your knowledge of the relationship between the marketing & the sales process.
- Increase your awareness of buying decisions, buying motives, and how they impact one another.
- Provides an understanding of the need for an early commitment using a PSA.
- Increases the understanding of how to track and manage the sales process.
- Provides an opportunity to practice the sales processes.
> Client First Impressions
Learn the importance of responding promptly to clients and how to improve your current intake process. Identify which best practices fit your business model and walk away with clear and concise action steps.
- Increase awareness as to the importance of responding to clients promptly.
- Provide information on best practices for responding to clients.
> Sales Process: Step by Step
Develop a comprehensive understanding of the Aspire Sales Process from start to finish. Learn how to prepare and conduct a successful sales meeting and effectively track and manage leads. Develop several customized tools and resources for immediate use as part of your Killer Sales Proposal (KSP).
- Learn how to conduct an effective and successful initial sales meeting.
- Develop a documented step-by-step process of how to use the KSP.
- Real tools to manage client expectations through project education.
- Increase knowledge of the importance and use of a system to manage leads.
> From a Professional Service Agreement to a Signed Contract
Identify how to manage and supervise the PSA process and know what conversations are necessary to have with clients. Understand how different buying motives and budgets factor into the sales process and learn strategies to increase the likelihood of a signed contract.
- Increase understanding of how buying motive factors into the sales process.
- Identify ways to manage and supervise the PSA process.
- Increase understanding of how the budget relates to the process.
- Increase awareness of what conversations are critical to have with clients.
> Fully Loaded Estimating
Gain the ability to further breakdown your Profit & Loss to create solid estimates. Understand how the Labor Burden Calculator, Estimating Tool, and Speed Estimator work together with your numbers through the Aspire Intelligence system. Develop an estimate during class using the tools provided.
- Review and identify highlighted areas of your P&L and determine if they go into the Labor Burden Calculator or the Estimating Tool.
- Provide an opportunity to have participants update their Labor Burden Calculator.
- Increase understanding of the relationship between a Profit & Loss, the Estimating Tool, the Labor Burden Calculator, and AI.
- Increase understanding of how to develop an estimate using the above-listed tools.
> Increasing Labor Productivity
Develop insight into how the Cost of Goods and services can impact the production process and why tracking the production process for jobs is important. Identify your primary sources for production loss and, more importantly, strategies for reducing that loss.
- Improve awareness of how the Cost of Goods impacts the production process.
- Increase awareness of how and why to track the production process for jobs.
- Identify what the primary sources of production loss are.
- Provide strategies for reducing production loss.
> Get What you Need from Trade Partners
Increase knowledge on identifying and recruiting the Trade Partners you want to work with and understand how they differ from an employee. Learn how to develop an annual agreement for working with Trade Partners in multiple service trades.
- Increase awareness of the differences between Trade Partners & Employees.
- Provide information on how to identify and recruit the Trade Partners you want.
- Improve knowledge on how to improve your business model using Trade Partners.
- Provide information on how to create an annual agreement for a Trade Partner.
> Proper Use of Change Orders
Learn what a Change Order is, how and why you should be using one and what the relationship is between a Change Order and a PSA is.
- Provide an overview of a proper Change Order process.
- Identify when to use a Change Order.
- Increase understanding of the relationship between Change Orders and a PSA.
- Increase awareness of the benefits of using Change Orders.
> How to use Job Costing to Improve Profitability
Refine your understanding of what Job Costing is and how it can improve the profitability of your business. Identify where your current Job Costing is and what steps are needed to reach the next level.
- Provide an understanding of what Job Costing is.
- Identify the company’s current level of Job Costing.
- Identify the steps needed to reach the next level of Job Costing.
- Be able to implement the content from today with your Coach.
> Accountability Through Feedback Loops
This class will teach you what a Feedback Loop process looks like, how to implement one for a specific item and why it matters.
- Provide an overview of the Feedback Loop process.
- Understand the importance of Feedback Loops in tracking and refining your business processes.
- Be able to successfully implement a Feedback Loop and understand what to be aware of.
> How to Manage Your Time
Understanding time management and why it is crucial for you to manage your time effectively as well as what tools and resources may be most helpful to you in the construction industry.
- Increase the understanding of why it is important to manage time.
- Identify tools and resources to better manage time.
- Practice time blocking strategies.
This class series is designed for those who have completed Launch Class Series and have been in our coaching program for six months or more. While these classes introduce new topics, they also build upon previously established best practices and key topics. Classes allow for increased discussion, sharing of best practices, and in-depth focus on how content specifically relates to your company. Attendees will refine Pillar Progressions, and Strategic Action Plans to help guide the coaching experience. Classes are aimed at ownership and senior management employees. Advanced Class is offered twice a year in the spring and fall.
October 19-21, 2022
April 19-21, 2023
October 11-13, 2023
Class Details
> Industry Trends
Provides in-depth information on current issues that are impacting the construction industry. Learn strategies for how to insulate your business as well as how to make positive impacts as a business owner to improve contractor culture.
- Provides an overview of what is currently happening in the construction industry.
- Identifies shifts in the industry and how to adapt to protect your business.
- Identifies strategies to improve contractor culture.
> Leading Your Team
Increase knowledge of leadership styles, including how your style impacts your team. Identify areas for leadership improvement, how and when to adapt as a leader, and learn how to develop a consistent process for team development.
- Identify your leadership style and how it relates to other styles.
- Develop the ability to adapt leadership styles when needed.
- Increase awareness of the company team, including how to motivate and lead that team.
- Develop a consistent process for team development.
> Business Modeling and Forecasting
Increase the understanding of your business model by recognizing how Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are used to identify areas of improvement and assist you in managing and tracking progress. Understand how the Pillar Progression’s regular and consistent use relates to your Strategic Plan’s intended outcomes.
- Use KPI’s to identify areas for improvement.
- Complete a business assessment using the Pillar Progression to track progress and identify improvement areas.
- Refine and adjust your business model and target goals to better manage progress.
> Building a Sales Funnel to Capture Your Ideal Client
This class introduces how to use lead magnets to attract the type of leads your company desires. Develop customized content to assist in moving leads through the sales funnel process.
- Introduce the concept of using lead magnets to attract targeted leads.
- Develop content that resonates with the ideal client.
- Develop sales funnels to move leads into the sales process.
> Managing Your Digital Presence
Build upon your company’s existing digital presence by identifying improvement areas and developing specific strategies designed to make a measurable and immediate change.
- Review the Digital Footprint Analysis (DFA) started in Launch Class and refine.
- Learn to effectively manage your digital marketing.
> Managing Your Professional Reputation
Understand your digital reputation’s importance and how to effectively manage reviews and your online presence. While reviews are critical to properly manage, there is much more to your online professional reputation. Learning how to effectively manage and track results for the best outcome.
- Understand all aspects of your online reputation and why it matters.
- Learn to track and manage your reviews and proper responses.
> Own the Home, Own the Client
Securing clients for additional work once the initial project is completed is not only viable, but it can yield huge benefits. We will share information and tips on how to create long-term clients.
- Introduce the concept of retaining clients beyond the initial project.
- Demonstrate strategies and techniques to keep customers for multiple interactions.
- Increase awareness regarding the benefits of keeping clients long-term.
> Beyond Client First Impressions
Revisit the importance of responding to clients promptly, measuring progress made, and determining realistic next steps. Identify how to take client interactions to the next level.
- Compare statistics and improvement from Launch Class to Advanced Class.
- Review the importance of responding to clients in a timely manner.
- Identify strategies to improve upon within your company.
> How to Customize Your Sales Process
This class will provide the opportunity for you to review your current sales process and materials by tracking each step through the Aspire process. Identify where and how to improve your Killer Sales Proposal (KSP) and further build out resources by job type.
- Review the sales process established in Launch Class.
- Identify where and how to improve your current KSP.
- Track each step in the sales process.
- Track the steps within the sales process by job type.
- Identify steps that need to be added or deleted to your sales process.
> Building Winning Comp Plans for Your Team
Increase understanding of the different types of compensation plans and how those plans can be used to motivate individuals, your team, and your bottom line. Walk away from this class with the ability to implement effective comp plans for your team.
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- Increase your knowledge of the different types of comp plans.
- Understand how comp plans can make a positive impact on gross profit.
- Increase your awareness of the relationship between comp plans and motivation.
- Learn how to use comp plans as a tool to lead your team.
- Increase understanding of how to build a comp plan for your team that benefits both the company and the employee.
> Effective Hiring Strategies
Hiring employees can be a costly and frustrating endeavor. Learn how to effectively hire, onboard, and retain the right people for your company. Outcomes for this session include a hiring process, job description/posting, and a practical that can be used immediately during your next interview.
- Increase your understanding of how costly employee turnover can be.
- Develop an accurate job description and/or job posting.
- Develop a hiring process that secures the right people.
- Identify and draft a sample practical for each company position.
> Fine Tuning Your Estimating Process
Use your Profit & Loss to better understand what job costs should be in your estimating process. Identify trends that emerge from your AI Dashboard and head off issues before they arise.
- Increase your awareness of costs that need to be accounted for “above the line” in estimates.
- Demonstrate the importance of keeping the Labor Burden Calculator current.
- Increase your understanding of how the correct use of Job Costing can result in more accurate estimations.
- Increase your understanding of trends that emerge from your AI Dashboard.
- Identify how to locate potential issues before they arise.
- Identify strategies for resolving potential issues using Aspire tools & resources.
> Improving Productivity and Communication
Gain an understanding of effective and consistent communication with your team, Trade Partners, and clients. Develop processes from top to bottom to ensure great communication.
- Increase your understanding of why and how effective and consistent internal communication is important.
- Define what effective and consistent communication looks like.
- Provide strategies and techniques for effective communication.
- Increase your awareness of how to positively communicate with clients.
> Accountability Through All Aspects of Your Business
Learn how to take the Feedback Loop process and apply it to all aspects of your business for continual improvement. Participants will develop a Feedback Loop for an area not currently utilizing this process and be able to practice and receive feedback from coaches.
- Review the process of a Feedback Loop.
- Increase your awareness of different areas where Feedback Loops are needed.
- Draft a Feedback Loop process for a new content area.
> Understanding Personalities and Developing Your Team
Increase your awareness of primary and secondary characteristics that you possess as part of your personality. Learn how your characteristics affect your team as well as how the individuals on your team affect the overall dynamic. Take that understanding to a deeper level and recognize where opportunities and challenges may arise.
- Understand what characteristics one’s personality is comprised of.
- Increase your understanding of the variety of personality characteristics that exist within your team.
- Increase your ability to recognize opportunities in which personalities align.
- Increase your ability to recognize where challenges may exist within team dynamics.
> How to Manage your Time
Review your current time management practices and determine how to take immediate action to buy back time. Leave this class with a realistic and tangible process that you are able to implement using the strategies and resources provided.
- Learn to have a good work-life balance through proper time management.
- Increase your understanding of how managing time can improve efficiency.
- Provide strategies and resources for improving time management.
This class is for Clients that have attended Launch and Advanced Class and have been successful in leveling up their business and are now ready to focus on higher-level business practices as well as looking to the future both for the business and personal lives. Master Class is designed to be much more interactive, with discussions and collaboration. We celebrate Clients’ successes and help you improve to reach the next level of success. The topics in Master Class are designed for long-term success, both business and personal. Classes are aimed at ownership and senior management employees. Master Class is offered once a year in August at our Headquarters in Sandpoint, ID.
August 10-11, 2023
Class Details
> Powerful Contractor Decision Making
Everyone can become a better decision-maker and problem solver, and every decision-maker must make decisions with inadequate or insufficient data. Learning how to break down problems using a logical framework is a powerful tool and the key to great decision-making.
- Learn the art of high-performance decision-making.
- Learn how Game Theory is used in the modeling of conflict and cooperation to achieve the best outcome for any given decision.
- Real-life interactive exercises and discussions to better understand how to apply great decision-making tools in your daily life.
> Wealth Management
Develop a plan for your future, understand your starting point and end goal and build a strategic plan to ensure you achieve your retirement goal at your chosen time.
- Review your current situation and prioritize your goals.
- Identify potential opportunities, risks, and costs.
- Create a plan for the future.
> Website Review
Gain a deeper understanding of best practices for online content and how to effectively differentiate your company and become the thought leader in your market through online storytelling.
- Review web content and identify areas you can refine your content to better connect with your ideal clients.
- Learn to use your story to build credibility and be known as the expert in your field.
- Become the thought leader in your market.
> Virtuous Cycles and Doom Loops; How to Keep Improving Without Slipping Backward
Learn how both virtuous cycles and doom loops can compound and either help or hurt your business. Understanding how to continue the “Flywheel” effect of a virtuous cycle and how to stop doom loops quickly is critical to your business success.
- Identify characteristics of virtuous cycles and how to build on them.
- Understand the characteristics of doom loops and how to stop them quickly.
- Real-world examples of both virtuous cycles and doom loops, including discussion and interactive to promptly identify and adjust your processes to ensure a great outcome.
> Employee Development
Developing and improving your team is important for company success. Having a clear path of growth for each employee will keep them focused and motivated to be productive team members. This class will help you develop processes with clear steps to develop and manage employee growth.
- Develop clear job duties and responsibilities where each employee is now and what steps/training is needed to advance.
- Better understand each employee’s ability, growth potential, and goals.
- Learn to coach your team to improve and develop.
> Budgeting and Planning
Planning for the future, what are your 5-year goals? How much do you want to work, how much do you want to make, and what is your business and staffing model to achieve that? In this class, we will introduce the Aspire Budgeting tool and plan for the future.
- Calculate and anticipate costs and ensure you have the cash flow for growth both in staff and in equipment.
- Refine your projections using current and projected AI numbers to know what you need to reach your goals.
- Learn to factor in taxes and debt service to have the cash flow you need.
> Succession Planning
One thing is certain, you can’t do this forever. What is your exit strategy? Sell the company, develop a GM to run the company, find and train a successor? There are many different options; it takes time to build and refine a plan. You must understand all options and time needed to ensure you have the best plan for yourself and your company.
- Understand what it takes to sell a Construction company.
- Learn how to develop a second in command that can run the day-to-day operations.
- Strategies to develop a GM and build a Succession plan over time.
