Podcast Episode #165
The Builders Ladder - Podcast Episode

What Builders Learn the Hard Way

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EPISODE Notes

Daniel’s journey is one every builder should hear.

He started as a plumber, then moved into building and eventually scaled to delivering more than 130 homes a year. From the outside, it looked like success. But behind the recognition and awards came real challenges: budgets blowing out, staff walking away, and the pressure of holding a growing company together.

Instead of letting those setbacks define him, Daniel turned them into the foundation for something bigger. He built Jack, a project management platform designed by a builder, for builders. Today, Jack helps construction companies across Australia and now the US run with greater control, stronger systems, and healthier profitability.

In this episode, Daniel shares his full story: the highs of winning national awards, the lows of staff turnover, and the leadership lessons that shaped how he now builds businesses. If you’re a builder caught between being hands-on and stepping into true business leadership, Daniel’s story will show you what’s possible.

🕒 Timestamped Key Points

  • [00:04:15] From plumbing to building, Daniel’s first steps into construction.
  • [00:07:40] Scaling up to 130–140 homes per year.
  • [00:12:05] Building a 20,000 sqm factory to support growth.
  • [00:16:20] The challenges of leading staff and balancing nonstop client demand.
  • [00:19:50] How the idea of international expansion began.
  • [00:24:30] Daniel’s 2026 target: expansion into the US market.
  • [00:29:15] Why leadership and mindset matter as the business grows.
  • [00:34:40] Advice for builders caught between hands-on work and executive leadership.

 

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Resources Mentioned

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About Your Hosts

Too many building company owners work long hours for very little profit, aren’t able to spend time with their families, and are stressed to the limit.

This is not your fault.

You can be the best builder in the world but trade school doesn’t teach you how to run a business.

This is why we created The Professional Builder.

Gaining control over your business doesn’t need to be hard.

Our proven systems have been used by 5,000+ builders from New Zealand, Australia, USA, UK, Canada, and all around the world to get back their freedom.