00;00;00;00 - 00;00;04;06
Speaker 1
Well, you know, it's hard for me to pick just one, Brian. It's like choosing, you know what child you love the most.
00;00;04;09 - 00;00;05;13
Speaker 1
first and foremost, do it.
00;00;05;19 - 00;00;06;20
Speaker 1
it is really scary.
00;00;06;20 - 00;00;08;17
Speaker 1
but there's so much you get to learn from.
00;00;08;17 - 00;00;11;16
Speaker 1
I enjoy risk, and I enjoy the rewards from risk.
00;00;11;16 - 00;00;13;16
Speaker 1
And I thought for sure
00;00;13;16 - 00;00;15;03
Speaker 1
he's taking me to Verizon to get the new Razr.
00;00;15;03 - 00;00;19;04
Speaker 1
Turns out he took a right into Golf Galaxy and bought me of my first pair of golf clubs,
00;00;19;04 - 00;00;21;15
Speaker 1
I told one guy that I was giving lessons to you, too.
00;00;21;16 - 00;00;21;19
Speaker 1
You
00;00;21;19 - 00;00;30;11
Speaker 1
I will be back here next week doing it for $200 an hour.
00;00;30;14 - 00;00;32;11
Speaker 1
Welcome to the Founders Club podcast.
00;00;32;11 - 00;00;35;15
Speaker 1
In this episode, we're going to revisit the reality show we did with builder,
00;00;35;20 - 00;00;36;04
Speaker 1
who makes
00;00;36;04 - 00;00;37;19
Speaker 1
software for home builders.
00;00;37;21 - 00;00;38;18
Speaker 1
Bro.
00;00;38;21 - 00;00;40;20
Speaker 2
Boom, boom. Chuck a lock.
00;00;40;20 - 00;00;40;29
Speaker 4
Started
00;00;40;29 - 00;00;45;06
Speaker 1
you remember, in that episode, we played nine holes of golf while discussing software and kind of having some fun with it,
00;00;45;09 - 00;00;49;12
Speaker 1
because it was a reality video episode. We didn't have a chance to show the entire interview,
00;00;49;12 - 00;00;50;28
Speaker 1
which we'd like to present in this episode.
00;00;50;29 - 00;00;53;18
Speaker 1
Had a great conversation with Bridget and Sean Maguire.
00;00;53;18 - 00;00;58;15
Speaker 1
They didn't know anything about software before they got into it, other than what they wanted and how they wanted to see it.
00;00;58;15 - 00;01;00;08
Speaker 1
they partnered with a software developer,
00;01;00;08 - 00;01;01;09
Speaker 1
AB Ski in Omaha.
00;01;01;09 - 00;01;02;01
Speaker 1
And went for it.
00;01;02;01 - 00;01;05;03
Speaker 1
I just think it's a really inspiring story, especially for those that maybe
00;01;05;03 - 00;01;06;01
Speaker 1
have a little bit of fear.
00;01;06;01 - 00;01;07;15
Speaker 1
Thinking that you need to know everything.
00;01;07;21 - 00;01;08;22
Speaker 1
One of the reality is
00;01;08;25 - 00;01;10;19
Speaker 1
you got to make that leap and take action
00;01;10;19 - 00;01;12;29
Speaker 1
and find the people who can help you make your dream come true.
00;01;13;06 - 00;01;13;20
Speaker 3
So, Bridget,
00;01;13;25 - 00;01;19;01
Speaker 3
tell me a little bit about built here. What who is it for? What was the purpose behind, creating it.
00;01;19;04 - 00;01;34;22
Speaker 4
Yeah, it's a long it's a long run. Yeah. So about I want to say 2020 right before Covid hit. Yeah. He was like, you know, we have all these systems put in place for for my home builder. And he works for a home builder here.
00;01;34;24 - 00;01;35;27
Speaker 3
Yeah.
00;01;35;29 - 00;01;54;27
Speaker 4
And he's like, but it doesn't work. It doesn't work for what I need for my clients. I need for my represented how I command clients better, how he can manage representatives better. Yeah. And so he was like, I would love to have an app. Okay. I was like, okay. Yeah, cool. Let's try and solve these people. Sure.
00;01;54;29 - 00;02;22;25
Speaker 4
Well, the app turned out to be like, you know, developing a really, really well-versed CRM system. Yeah, it's not just managing clients and contacts. It's actually managing the entire new home buying experience for the client themselves, for their agent. So if you have a realtor that's involved as well. Yeah. And then for Sean as a sales manager, to manage his team in a way that is effective and work for what new home builders need, you pretty wholesale.
00;02;22;29 - 00;02;23;19
Speaker 3
Gotcha.
00;02;23;22 - 00;02;27;06
Speaker 4
For a lot of programs out there, that's our CRM.
00;02;27;10 - 00;02;29;07
Speaker 3
Yeah, yeah.
00;02;29;10 - 00;02;35;04
Speaker 4
But there's nothing really I think that's specific for the home builder. Sure commands clients from start to finish.
00;02;35;07 - 00;02;37;20
Speaker 3
So this software helps home builders do their job better.
00;02;37;25 - 00;02;45;03
Speaker 4
Absolutely. And also keeping customers informed. So you answered your customer's question before they even have the question okay. Nice.
00;02;45;06 - 00;02;47;12
Speaker 3
how did you get interested in golf.
00;02;47;14 - 00;03;01;14
Speaker 4
Oh my gosh. Well growing up my dad my brothers always played. Yeah. And I'll never forget when I got my first pair of golf clubs. Yeah I really wanted and I knew phones and was on edge.
00;03;01;16 - 00;03;02;03
Speaker 3
Yeah.
00;03;02;06 - 00;03;15;19
Speaker 4
And as for my birthday. And so my dad, told me that he had a surprise for me. So we were driving. Driving and. No. Okay. You okay? Yeah. Guys over there. There's also a golf galaxy over there.
00;03;15;25 - 00;03;19;27
Speaker 4
And I thought for sure he's taking me to rise to get the new Razr.
00;03;20;00 - 00;03;22;06
Speaker 3
Oh, yeah. For sure. That's what you're hoping for?
00;03;22;06 - 00;03;26;26
Speaker 4
It turns out to go right into Golf Galaxy. About me of my first pair of golf clubs.
00;03;26;28 - 00;03;30;28
Speaker 4
Nice for ever. Yeah. Ones, actually.
00;03;30;28 - 00;03;33;21
Speaker 3
Yeah.
00;03;33;23 - 00;03;54;17
Speaker 4
That was his way of introducing me to the game of golf with my brothers, which I love. Yeah, but I was terrible at it, so it was kind of a fun way for me to hang out with my brothers and my dad and sure do things that they enjoy, even though I enjoy it. But over the past two years, I've definitely I've definitely fallen more in love with it.
00;03;54;19 - 00;04;00;03
Speaker 4
It's so peaceful. Yeah. You know what I mean? Like, it's such a mental game. Well.
00;04;00;06 - 00;04;09;10
Speaker 3
I wanted to ask you, like, how does it how does it combine with being an entrepreneur and entrepreneur being so stressful? Like, how does golf fit into your, I guess, work life balance?
00;04;09;12 - 00;04;16;12
Speaker 4
The question I think is kind of place you go where you don't. I mean, I work in tech, right? Yeah.
00;04;16;14 - 00;04;18;03
Speaker 3
Sure. I was inside.
00;04;18;03 - 00;04;30;01
Speaker 4
Always consuming something. And it's kind of the one place you get to go and clear your mind. Yeah. But when I golf with Sean, we have really great conversations about business.
00;04;30;03 - 00;04;30;27
Speaker 3
Sure.
00;04;30;29 - 00;04;38;29
Speaker 4
From there, it's kind of. You have nothing to focus on other than your thoughts and ideas, and you get to be a little more creative. Yeah. Yeah.
00;04;39;02 - 00;04;43;29
Speaker 3
I can tell you're a competitive person in golf and a business. Where did that come from?
00;04;44;01 - 00;04;45;27
Speaker 4
Having two brothers.
00;04;45;29 - 00;04;48;17
Speaker 3
In my dad. Yeah.
00;04;48;19 - 00;05;03;03
Speaker 4
It's kind of fun. We have a really great connection with both them, both my brothers and obviously my father. Yeah. And they always, you know, we're always looking at each other. They're always competing against each other, against me. And I think being the only girl. Yeah.
00;05;03;06 - 00;05;04;07
Speaker 3
Sure.
00;05;04;10 - 00;05;16;19
Speaker 4
Which actually is really interesting being in the business that we're now with within home building and just tech in general, there's not a lot of women. So you're kind of always competing against, against other.
00;05;16;19 - 00;05;18;05
Speaker 3
Men for sure.
00;05;18;07 - 00;05;22;10
Speaker 4
And other women of course. Well I think it's the competitive nature just naturally.
00;05;22;12 - 00;05;24;06
Speaker 3
Yeah. Kind of comes out with that.
00;05;24;08 - 00;05;26;24
Speaker 3
you know, building software sounds really daunting.
00;05;26;27 - 00;05;28;21
Speaker 3
Because you don't have a technical background.
00;05;28;23 - 00;05;51;12
Speaker 4
Yeah, yeah. We actually partner with a really great, development company here in Omaha. They're incredible. They're young, they're really smart, and they work really hard. Yeah, I which I think help me, here's what I want. And they will educate me on actually the process of getting to where I want to be sure, which is huge.
00;05;51;12 - 00;06;02;07
Speaker 4
Right. So you're always learning. You're always like, again, I have no idea anything about tech. It was underscore fashion. Yeah. And I ends up now in software development. I'm just kind of crazy.
00;06;02;08 - 00;06;06;24
Speaker 3
Well, I think that would be inspiring to someone that is maybe not technical, but they want to make software like it is possible.
00;06;06;25 - 00;06;12;17
Speaker 4
It is. Yeah. A lot of learning and it's trial and error. Yeah. Software is very imperfect.
00;06;12;20 - 00;06;13;10
Speaker 3
Yeah.
00;06;13;12 - 00;06;16;22
Speaker 4
I mean, if you're trying to create a perfect software, it's not going ever.
00;06;16;26 - 00;06;23;24
Speaker 3
So if you had any advice for somebody that's thinking about starting, a software company, what's something that you would tell them?
00;06;23;27 - 00;06;25;25
Speaker 4
First and foremost, do it.
00;06;25;27 - 00;06;33;15
Speaker 4
It's it is really scary. And there's a lot of opportunity to fail, but there's so much you get to learn from.
00;06;33;22 - 00;06;39;28
Speaker 4
And just because something maybe didn't go right one week, but, you know, great, the next week doesn't mean that.
00;06;40;02 - 00;06;41;05
Speaker 3
Sure.
00;06;41;07 - 00;06;53;18
Speaker 4
So I do it. I think also like tech in general, it's really expensive to do. Right. So I think finding a really great investor. Sure. And business partner who's willing to kind of go down that path.
00;06;53;21 - 00;06;54;12
Speaker 3
Right.
00;06;54;14 - 00;06;57;02
Speaker 4
I think is something that yeah, it's really beneficial as well.
00;06;57;03 - 00;06;58;18
Speaker 3
Makes sense.
00;06;58;21 - 00;07;02;25
Speaker 3
So what is it like working with your father?
00;07;02;28 - 00;07;26;21
Speaker 4
That's a loaded question. It's actually really great. I'm very fortunate to have a great personal relationship with my dad. Yeah, a really strong business relationship. Yeah. So we do a really great job of balancing personal life and then work life. Yeah. There's times we have some pretty hot and heated combos and then, do a family dinner.
00;07;26;22 - 00;07;49;09
Speaker 4
Sure. An hour later and it's like nothing even happened. But I really respect my, my dad's work. Work? Yeah. And he's someone who I think I've always, you know, I think I've looked up to a lot from a business standpoint. Sure. He's had a lot of great successes and great failures. I think that's what makes someone successful.
00;07;49;09 - 00;07;58;00
Speaker 4
Yeah. And someone has to be honest about all of that is also, I think sometimes about his just just where he's at in life, you know.
00;07;58;03 - 00;07;59;09
Speaker 3
For sure.
00;07;59;12 - 00;08;05;10
Speaker 4
And so in I sense, I hope I have a lot of the same qualities of, of that.
00;08;05;12 - 00;08;07;10
Speaker 3
Yeah.
00;08;07;13 - 00;08;13;02
Speaker 4
It's kind of fun and it's like, it's so great. Like, you know, three hours ago he was pitching.
00;08;13;02 - 00;08;14;00
Speaker 3
Me an email or.
00;08;14;01 - 00;08;18;15
Speaker 4
Something, and now we're out having fun. And sure, it's like, never even happened.
00;08;18;17 - 00;08;21;18
Speaker 3
That's great. You're able to kind of kind of compartmentalize.
00;08;21;22 - 00;08;39;15
Speaker 4
Yeah. And I think you can be more honest, you know, like, yeah, he's my business partner in this. Sure. If I can have these hard conversations with him, I I'll never be able to do with anybody else. So, yeah, challenging and but very, very rewarding.
00;08;39;17 - 00;08;46;16
Speaker 3
So if you had any advice for somebody that's thinking about starting, a software company, what's something that you would tell them?
00;08;46;19 - 00;09;02;21
Speaker 4
First and foremost, do it. It's it is really scary. And there's a lot of opportunity to fail, but there's so much you get to learn from. And just because something maybe didn't go right one week, but, you know, great, the next week doesn't mean that.
00;09;02;25 - 00;09;03;28
Speaker 3
Sure.
00;09;04;00 - 00;09;16;11
Speaker 4
So I do it. I think also like tech in general, it's really expensive to do. Right. So I think finding a really great investor. Sure. And business partner who's willing to kind of go down that path.
00;09;16;14 - 00;09;17;05
Speaker 3
Right.
00;09;17;07 - 00;09;19;19
Speaker 4
I think is something that yeah, it's really beneficial as
00;09;19;19 - 00;09;25;11
Speaker 3
what's something that maybe you kind of figured out that helped you help your golf game?
00;09;25;13 - 00;09;26;14
Speaker 4
Slowing down.
00;09;26;17 - 00;09;27;04
Speaker 3
Okay.
00;09;27;06 - 00;09;36;09
Speaker 4
So, like, really thinking about my approach, and then once I get up there taking a breath. Yeah. And then kind of letting my backswing hit. Yeah. As I flow through.
00;09;36;12 - 00;09;38;11
Speaker 3
Yeah.
00;09;38;13 - 00;09;48;28
Speaker 4
That's why, I mean, my why the one thing I've really, really, really practiced every time and then I'll notice some shots and like I just felt there and it's like I didn't even think about it. Sure.
00;09;49;00 - 00;10;05;13
Speaker 3
You know, it's I always think that golf is a good analogy for life and business because it's such a hard, difficult game. It's a game against yourself. And when you said that, it made me think of that probably applies to business too. Yeah, kind of slow. Slow. Don't get too panicky. Don't freak out. Slow down. Yeah. Plan your approach.
00;10;05;19 - 00;10;08;20
Speaker 4
Yeah. One thing also too, like the more you do something, the better you get.
00;10;08;27 - 00;10;09;12
Speaker 2
Yeah.
00;10;09;14 - 00;10;27;21
Speaker 4
So whether you're starting a company or you're in a company or you're golfing or, you know, playing tennis, whatever might be, the more you do it, the better you're going to get it and the better you're going to understand it and all aspects of it, right? Yeah. Not just the hate of all, but you know, what you're doing on the practice field or what you're doing, know, before you even take your approach.
00;10;27;23 - 00;10;35;05
Speaker 4
So was kind of it kind of embodies the entire experience, not just the one thing that you need to just clean the ball. It's everything else.
00;10;35;11 - 00;10;36;14
Speaker 3
Sure.
00;10;36;16 - 00;10;38;08
Speaker 4
Together to make that piece.
00;10;38;11 - 00;10;49;14
Speaker 3
And it's almost like what's going on in the rest of your life, kind of. It almost filters into the golf. You know, if you're stressed out in life, you might not have the best round. And it kind of forces you to kind of come back to the moment. Yeah.
00;10;49;14 - 00;10;55;01
Speaker 4
And it's also really humbling when you're, you know, when you're playing with someone like Sean who talks a lot.
00;10;55;03 - 00;10;56;00
Speaker 3
Yeah.
00;10;56;02 - 00;11;02;04
Speaker 4
It's really great practice. It's really kind of in your brain. How are you? How do you kind of get through that?
00;11;02;09 - 00;11;18;04
Speaker 3
Yeah. Still have fun. Well, you know, you know, part of the golf game is trying to get into your, your competitors head. Now, unfortunately, we're on the same team who's still trying to get in your head. But I think that's good mental practice. Yeah. To be able to handle that and still a swing a swing a club smoothly.
00;11;18;06 - 00;11;18;26
Speaker 3
Yeah I mean I will.
00;11;18;26 - 00;11;32;02
Speaker 4
Say no going back. So it makes me competitive. I think I'm really good at taking taking crap and giving. Yeah. Which is really helped me. I think in life. And this is the perfect example.
00;11;32;08 - 00;11;32;24
Speaker 3
Yeah.
00;11;32;26 - 00;11;34;13
Speaker 4
Giving it to my family.
00;11;34;13 - 00;11;39;23
Speaker 3
That sounds really quick with the, with the comeback. So I don't know if that rubs off or that's genetic.
00;11;39;25 - 00;11;45;09
Speaker 4
Try to do it. It's potentially doesn't bother me, but I know it shows that you're right.
00;11;45;11 - 00;11;49;23
Speaker 3
tell me a little bit more about your background. You mentioned fashion. I know you've done some things in marketing.
00;11;49;27 - 00;11;53;25
Speaker 3
What, what, what skills did you acquire and how up until this point.
00;11;53;28 - 00;11;54;09
Speaker 2
Yeah.
00;11;54;09 - 00;11;56;11
Speaker 4
So I actually fashion merchandizing.
00;11;56;16 - 00;11;57;16
Speaker 3
Yeah.
00;11;57;18 - 00;12;26;05
Speaker 4
And my college was really easy. It was a business school, but it focused specifically within the fashion industry. So every class we had came right back to the industry, which was which is really unique. Nice. Not much out there like that. Yeah. So I was given industry experience from the minute I went to school. So I did a lot of great internships, all PR and marketing and event production, which I think kind of goes into play.
00;12;26;08 - 00;12;41;06
Speaker 4
My idea of creating an experience. Sure. Which is kind of what we're doing. Right. And so it's creating a user experience, whether you're a builder, whether you're a sales rep or a buyer. Yeah. So it kind of all plays into I was kind of right on.
00;12;41;06 - 00;12;42;27
Speaker 3
And you spent some time in New York as well, right?
00;12;42;29 - 00;12;44;21
Speaker 4
Six years.
00;12;44;23 - 00;12;45;18
Speaker 3
How was that experience?
00;12;45;24 - 00;12;51;07
Speaker 4
It was amazing. It's there's nothing like the New York energy. Yeah. Everyone kind of feeds off of that.
00;12;51;12 - 00;12;52;00
Speaker 3
Yeah.
00;12;52;03 - 00;12;57;05
Speaker 4
And I met a lot of really, really smart people. They today.
00;12;57;11 - 00;12;58;19
Speaker 3
Yeah.
00;12;58;21 - 00;13;03;08
Speaker 4
Yeah. New York definitely shaped who I am. And I think it kind of gave me the grit that I have.
00;13;03;12 - 00;13;05;06
Speaker 3
Yeah. You got to be tough to
00;13;05;11 - 00;13;08;01
Speaker 5
For sure.
00;13;08;04 - 00;13;08;07
Speaker 3
I
00;13;08;11 - 00;13;08;20
Speaker 1
Whoa!
00;13;08;26 - 00;13;11;01
Speaker 3
three under through nine.
00;13;11;04 - 00;13;11;29
Speaker 1
Three. I said I'm bad.
00;13;11;29 - 00;13;12;17
Speaker 4
under.
00;13;12;20 - 00;13;15;15
Speaker 3
339. That was a that was a birdie right there.
00;13;15;18 - 00;13;17;06
Speaker 4
Oh heck yeah
00;13;17;09 - 00;13;18;09
Speaker 3
nine. Great job.
00;13;18;12 - 00;13;20;02
Speaker 1
Nice job.
00;13;20;05 - 00;13;21;03
Speaker 1
No.
00;13;21;06 - 00;13;24;04
Speaker 3
we we beat our goal by three strokes.
00;13;24;07 - 00;13;25;26
Speaker 1
That's pretty good. I think I like that.
00;13;25;29 - 00;13;28;23
Speaker 3
You guys got time to get a drink in the clubhouse. Yeah.
00;13;28;26 - 00;13;31;17
Speaker 1
Well congratulations everyone. We got three under through nine holes.
00;13;31;17 - 00;13;31;19
Speaker 5
It's
00;13;31;19 - 00;13;34;06
Speaker 1
going to be hard to beat the rest of the year, Brian, but we're pretty proud of that.
00;13;34;09 - 00;13;35;24
Speaker 1
We set the record for the year already
00;13;35;24 - 00;13;37;26
Speaker 1
Very nice. We were.
00;13;37;28 - 00;13;39;03
Speaker 3
Pretty good. It pretty.
00;13;39;03 - 00;13;45;22
Speaker 2
Good. Most scrambles like yeah 300 is kind of in the in the mix. What was your when you shot in the back.
00;13;45;25 - 00;13;47;26
Speaker 3
I thought I was the first.
00;13;48;00 - 00;13;49;24
Speaker 2
The first part you just drained out. Yeah.
00;13;49;29 - 00;13;51;01
Speaker 3
That was great.
00;13;51;04 - 00;13;53;18
Speaker 1
That was good. That was a great putt. Yeah.
00;13;53;20 - 00;13;54;27
Speaker 2
It's all about you. Yes. Really?
00;13;55;00 - 00;13;59;12
Speaker 1
Well, you know, it's hard for me to pick just one, Brian. It's like choosing, you know what child you love the most.
00;13;59;14 - 00;14;06;08
Speaker 1
I think they're all pretty good. I played pretty consistent to my normal game, so that's all I can hope to do.
00;14;06;11 - 00;14;19;09
Speaker 1
was a great day. We actually played at a pretty good pace. You know, I don't like weighing or being the person or the team stalling people out, but it was just fun to play. It was a good pace. We had a couple nice people watching us see what we're doing.
00;14;19;09 - 00;14;21;20
Speaker 1
I told one guy that I was giving lessons to you, too.
00;14;21;21 - 00;14;27;14
Speaker 1
You guys didn't hear that. But that was a big deal. I will be back here next week doing it for $200 an hour.
00;14;27;17 - 00;14;35;14
Speaker 1
Giving lessons there. They're going to be very disappointed. But I know there's a lot of fun there in the course for this early in the year was phenomenal. It's a lot of fun out here.
00;14;35;15 - 00;14;36;23
Speaker 1
I mean, it's a fun course.
00;14;36;29 - 00;14;41;24
Speaker 2
So and talking about this course, this course actually is relatively new. It's in a farm. Yes.
00;14;41;24 - 00;15;02;13
Speaker 1
We're somewhere out near Fremont. Yeah. While they in they had Newton near Ashley. But yeah, in between Newton and Ashland, they, they had change of ownership here about what, eight years ago or so. And they really you can tell that they're farmers because the greens look phenomenal. The fairways. It's just a it's a fun course. If you ever have time to come out and play nine holes at a kind of a utility course.
00;15;02;19 - 00;15;04;03
Speaker 1
This is certainly a this is a great course.
00;15;04;03 - 00;15;08;29
Speaker 2
It's got a really good vibe. You know, playing country music. They got this they got this new barn out here. Well it's a big enough conference.
00;15;08;29 - 00;15;10;25
Speaker 1
And you know, it's finally some grand.
00;15;10;28 - 00;15;13;25
Speaker 3
Concert series and summertime actually. Yeah, it's kind of cool.
00;15;13;28 - 00;15;17;24
Speaker 2
That's not too difficult. Of course, there's a couple of holes, a little tricky, but I have to get.
00;15;18;01 - 00;15;20;13
Speaker 1
Now while they're doing. They owe me a couple balls.
00;15;20;15 - 00;15;26;29
Speaker 3
Yeah. Hope. Like for not having too much to lose a ball in. I lost a lot of balls. But, you know, that's always a great goal.
00;15;27;02 - 00;15;29;29
Speaker 2
They do have a few. A few too many tricks in my balls. Yeah.
00;15;30;01 - 00;15;31;05
Speaker 1
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00;15;31;06 - 00;15;37;01
Speaker 2
I talked a lot about Bridgette, about, how she got started in golf and also the business. But how do you get started in golf?
00;15;37;04 - 00;15;56;27
Speaker 1
I got started golf really young. So, when I was growing up, the big thing to do was to get a bicycle, right? So it was all about the freedom of getting a bicycle. So as I started riding around my buddies and I realize there's a golf course nearby, and the golf course was Westwood, and back then you could you could play a round of golf for about $2, and you could get a rental clubs for a few more dollars.
00;15;57;02 - 00;16;12;07
Speaker 1
So I was probably 9 or 10 years old, and we'd ride our bikes out there, play golf. Now, it wasn't really golf back then. It was just hitting the ball. And then we ride back home. So it was just this independence was a big part of it. Then as you grow up, I played on golf team when I was in high school.
00;16;12;09 - 00;16;28;22
Speaker 1
For a few years and years. The good thing about golf that I really still enjoy is that kind of like work. It's not. It's never the same. You're always having to adjust to what your situation is. So if the if things are changing in business, you have to adapt. If things are changing golf, you have to adapt.
00;16;28;22 - 00;16;38;18
Speaker 1
So maybe you might be hitting the ball really well one day when you're not putting very well. So you go to practice, you're putting and all that good stuff. So you always it's always changing very much like business. And that's why I really enjoy about
00;16;38;20 - 00;16;38;29
Speaker 5
it.
00;16;39;01 - 00;16;48;28
Speaker 1
Yeah. Speaking of that, so how how else has golf helped you in business? Do you find that it's helped you like make business relationships or do you do much
00;16;49;01 - 00;16;49;15
Speaker 2
business?
00;16;49;17 - 00;17;07;27
Speaker 1
Yeah. You know, one of the things I like about golf is that, you're you're you're thinking it's a game you play against yourself. And there's a lot of time to think. And so, I like golf because I make a lot of business decisions as I golf, and I'll storm away. I do golf with some guys occasionally that are business people.
00;17;07;27 - 00;17;27;12
Speaker 1
But to be honest with you, we golf to get away from business. So when you're out there golfing, you're not you're not talking to anything but golf. So I really enjoy, it's just a it's a personal thing. You think all the time you're trying to be, you're thinking of the next shot, but you're also thinking about, maybe something pops up in your mind about business, a decision you can make or something.
00;17;27;12 - 00;17;33;08
Speaker 1
I can do better in business. And I'll. Sometimes I'll even write down the scorecard. It's that man.
00;17;33;11 - 00;17;39;02
Speaker 1
I was telling Bridgette. I can tell she's really competitive. And she told me she got it from for her upbringing, which you're a big part of,
00;17;39;10 - 00;17;39;21
Speaker 1
Oh, yeah.
00;17;39;23 - 00;17;41;08
Speaker 1
So where did you get your competitiveness?
00;17;41;10 - 00;17;55;20
Speaker 1
My my brothers, my two brothers. I was, I have five kids in my family. I was I had two older brothers. Older sister. My two older brothers were really competitive. And that's kind of what gave me a little bit of that, too. I think one of the things that's that it's a competitive I think more competitive.
00;17;55;20 - 00;18;02;24
Speaker 1
But I also think it's it's it's we're not afraid to take risk. I've always taken a risk my entire adult life. My career.
00;18;03;01 - 00;18;06;00
Speaker 1
I enjoy risk, and I enjoy the rewards from risk.
00;18;06;00 - 00;18;08;28
Speaker 1
So I think I have that in common with my my two brothers as well.
00;18;09;00 - 00;18;11;22
Speaker 1
Fantastic. You've been an entrepreneur for a long time and
00;18;11;22 - 00;18;13;11
Speaker 2
got some different business interests. How
00;18;13;11 - 00;18;17;25
Speaker 1
did you kind of get started in wanting to control your own destiny with in terms of business?
00;18;17;26 - 00;18;31;07
Speaker 1
Yeah, I started I originally started just basically surviving. Right. You know, so I had two, two kids at the time when needed support. So I had to go out and work. Then all of a sudden I realized, you know, a guy can make a living doing this. And I was fortunate enough to to do that, tighten up what I wanted to do.
00;18;31;09 - 00;18;46;19
Speaker 1
And it wasn't so much making a living what I was doing, but I just wanted to be the best at what I was doing. So you would see people doing stuff, you'd imitate it, or you see people not doing very well. And I could say, okay, if they did this better, they'd be successful. And that kind of morphed into me trying to be as best I could be in every position.
00;18;46;19 - 00;19;02;18
Speaker 1
So when I was, when I was, later in life, I'm selling new homes. I was a pretty good production agent selling new homes. I was actually a sales manager. Well, as a sales manager, my job is to train, And to coach these people to be the best they can be. And I'm fortunate I can do that.
00;19;02;20 - 00;19;20;14
Speaker 1
I've been a, teacher for that and instructor for the National Association of Home Builders for 25 years. So all that, it's kind of just moves you long to be. You know, I can't in business. I can't really be soft. I can't be second place. I've got to be the best I can be in what I do.
00;19;20;16 - 00;19;39;14
Speaker 1
And and that's that's that's where I take taking the risk. The neat thing with what Bridget are doing now is that it's brand new to me. You know, I've developed businesses, I developed and I've developed communities. I've developed floor plan selling practices. I've developed a lot of stuff. I've never developed a, a program. I've never developed an app.
00;19;39;20 - 00;19;43;28
Speaker 1
So it's a really cool challenge. And I just enjoy. It's a lot of fun.
00;19;44;01 - 00;19;48;16
Speaker 1
So you two work together closely. And I asked Bridget what it was like working with her father. What's it like
00;19;48;20 - 00;19;50;03
Speaker 2
working?
00;19;50;05 - 00;20;09;28
Speaker 1
Well, it's funny, because Bridget is a lot like me. Or, like you say, I think she's got competitive edge, which is like, she doesn't mind taking risk, but she's also wants to make sure that she understands everything she's doing. So a lot of this is while it's newer to me. And I keep telling myself, Bridget's done this before, there's a lot Bridget hasn't done before that we're picking up as we go and we're sitting systems up.
00;20;10;00 - 00;20;25;24
Speaker 1
She's setting her systems up. I set mine up. And it's really cool to see her being able to, progress and get, a system set to make us successful because what we're doing now is going to I know it's going to be very successful. So I see her saying that her systems that's I'm proud that she's doing that.
00;20;25;24 - 00;20;42;02
Speaker 1
It's kind of cool. Senior kid do that. She's she's she's, smart. So it's fun to work with her. She's, she's reactionary to. If I have an issue, she'll react. But I also need that push back to to keep me honest. And she's not afraid to do that either. So it's it's a it's a good it's a good mix.
00;20;42;04 - 00;20;48;20
Speaker 2
That's great. Tell me about the business, how the idea came about. And what has it been like for you?
00;20;48;22 - 00;21;04;02
Speaker 1
Yeah. So. So, a few years back, I was, challenged by my builder, and they said, hey, you know what? We want an app. And I thought, okay, how can you see how difficult an app? I'm going to go get an app. So we sat down and I called a few people and I thought, okay, I want to get an app here I want to look like.
00;21;04;02 - 00;21;16;06
Speaker 1
And they were like, well, yeah, we'll do that. And they told me the cost. I'm like, I'm not going to do that. So, we started talking a little bit more as time went by. A few years went by and I went and I, my builder asked for, how's the app going? I said, well, I'm not going to do an app.
00;21;16;09 - 00;21;40;00
Speaker 1
And so I started thinking about it and I thought, you know, for all the stuff that I've been through, my I've been through my entire career. An app really isn't what we really need. We need an app, but we need a program that basically, supports the app. But the app then supports the app business. So the, the app that we that we wanted to create, it was something that was going to basically be, bringing, people who are in the market to build a new home together, identifying them as prospects for a builder.
00;21;40;06 - 00;22;00;02
Speaker 1
Then when the builder basically progressed them into a buyer situation, the buyer can then manage that. They can then manager buyer properly give them the service they deserve. Simply easy. And then when they became a homeowner, the homeowner can go on the app and it still continues, to engage on that app. And so a lot of the things we've seen, I've been working with CRM forever.
00;22;00;09 - 00;22;22;04
Speaker 1
I didn't want just be a CRM. I didn't want just collect the data and put it somewhere. I wanted to collect the at the data, qualify the data the prospects right makes. And they're really good. They're phenomenally good because I'm make an effort towards those people. They've got to be good. So we verify that they're good prospects. We put them into our system and then we nurture them in that system, not just as, you know, across your fingers and hope you got the, the, the email address, the phone, the texting.
00;22;22;04 - 00;22;39;10
Speaker 1
All done. But these are real qualified people looking for your product. And so what we really concentrate on that. I've been a conversion guy before. Conversions were cool. So I've been doing this for 30 years working, worrying about conversions. Right. Yeah. So my job and all I, I'm worried about is if I meet somebody, I need to qualify them.
00;22;39;10 - 00;22;55;11
Speaker 1
If they're fit for my product, we put them into our sales program, which includes our app in our in our in our program. And we nurture them into a buyer. And those are we've been getting some phenomenal results. You know, the people that we qualify and we put into our system and we just do this after one year.
00;22;55;11 - 00;23;11;29
Speaker 1
But, you know, 25% of the people that I put into the system, they end up basically being a buyer with us. And I don't know if may CRM for what I do that, do that. So we're really pleased on the what we're doing so far, and we just can't wait to do it in the next couple of years.
00;23;12;01 - 00;23;13;21
Speaker 1
This is only going to grow.
00;23;13;24 - 00;23;18;15
Speaker 4
The conversion rate for last year was 4.4.1.
00;23;18;17 - 00;23;20;14
Speaker 1
or something is really low.
00;23;20;16 - 00;23;21;10
Speaker 4
Which is wild.
00;23;21;11 - 00;23;24;01
Speaker 1
And now it's up to 25. Is that what you're saying or
00;23;24;01 - 00;23;24;11
Speaker 2
know?
00;23;24;11 - 00;23;35;27
Speaker 1
So every four people this past year that we checked it. So every four people that come in we we get it, we get a buyer. So one of every four. So that's 25% of the people that come here. And that's phenomenal.
00;23;35;27 - 00;23;38;03
Speaker 4
And I think the previous year was six something.
00;23;38;04 - 00;23;40;06
Speaker 1
Yeah the previous year is close to over 30%.
00;23;40;12 - 00;23;58;19
Speaker 1
So. So your software's it's for home builders, but it takes the potential home buyer from the first time they come through the door or even from the website to when they come through the door to the follow up calls. And then once they get into the buying process, the closing process, and then even after the close, like it kind of takes them through the whole system.
00;23;58;19 - 00;23;59;14
Speaker 1
Is that how it goes?
00;23;59;17 - 00;24;17;25
Speaker 4
Yeah, it's essentially once they once they sign a contract their experience, filter opens up. So now they can actually see the process of their home being built on filter. They get, email updates from the builder automatically or get special documents in their profile, progress images, everything along those lines, they can share, they can share details with their household members.
00;24;17;25 - 00;24;22;26
Speaker 4
So spouse, relative, whomever it is, probably built on this one system.
00;24;22;28 - 00;24;24;27
Speaker 1
Do you have any competitors?
00;24;24;29 - 00;24;42;24
Speaker 1
We do. There's there's some CRM competitors out there, but, you know, nobody really, if you take it piece by piece and break out what we're trying to accomplish, there's no way it really does. And give you a great example. A lot of the CRM competitors are people that are really good at grabbing data, holding that data. I want you to basically send it information out and connect that data.
00;24;42;25 - 00;25;02;13
Speaker 1
That's fine. But nothing is nurturing that data other than just sending out email, stuff like that. So what part of it is, is you have to make certain that each customer, each prospect, is treat in the same effort as far as prospecting, as far as engagement. And that's what Bill does beyond just a CRM. So even even though it's there is a CRM that's great.
00;25;02;13 - 00;25;20;15
Speaker 1
But we go beyond that to where we're actually nurturing those prospects and trying to get them into buyers and, and training and showing the agent how to do it. In matter of fact, that's the thing we're working on right now. Is that part of having a good CRM? Just a CRM is making sure that the that you're contacting people, that's great.
00;25;20;17 - 00;25;31;15
Speaker 1
But what people forget is that you have a sales agent, who needs to be engaged and enthusiastic in doing that if they're not engaged or enthusiastic and doing that, all you have is a name and a system. That's all you have.
00;25;31;18 - 00;25;34;25
Speaker 2
So it assists the human element, which is the most important thing.
00;25;34;29 - 00;25;53;20
Speaker 1
It does. It does. I can't live without the human element. You can't, you can't, you know, and then you have the thing. One thing we've set up is, is and this is being pushed out here soon, but we're actually showing people that if when I was the sales team, my, at the beginning there the beginning of the year, they'll go in and say, here's my goal for how many number of sales I have.
00;25;53;22 - 00;26;08;05
Speaker 1
Well, what's really unique with that? That's fine. And they'll actually see that goal every time they open up their portal page. You'll see it. But what it does is it automate. Now I'm actually bracketed into this percentage of people. From your goal of number sales, you have to get this many registrants because that's where we know our conversion.
00;26;08;09 - 00;26;27;08
Speaker 1
So now that many of conversion, conversion numbers, a certain number are basically people to walk in the door, certain number of people that are brought in through real tours to us. Some are on the internet, some are, you know, other ways pressed us. So they need they can actually follow and see that, Holy cow. I've got a lot of registrants, but not enough real true registrants.
00;26;27;12 - 00;26;38;22
Speaker 1
So maybe I should work on realtors today. Or you know what? My my, today I see that I probably could get more people walking in, so maybe I should try reaching out to people and inviting them back to my model, or invite them to come visit me.
00;26;38;25 - 00;26;51;20
Speaker 1
fantastic Founders Club as a group for entrepreneurs to learn from each other. So if you were giving advice to an entrepreneur that's either starting a business or is is starting to scale, what's that? What's a piece of advice that you've learned along the
00;26;51;24 - 00;26;52;16
Speaker 2
way?
00;26;52;18 - 00;26;53;10
Speaker 1
Oh yeah.
00;26;53;12 - 00;26;55;18
Speaker 2
You'll love it up. And coming off.
00;26;55;20 - 00;27;10;29
Speaker 1
Failure is everything, right? I mean, we all fail. I mean, the the only the only time you really fail, you don't if you don't try. So, failure is everything. You know, the human, the human spirit, the human element is built for failure. We don't last forever. So we're all going to fail. We're going to fail at the end.
00;27;10;29 - 00;27;24;07
Speaker 1
We're going to fail up to the end. So there's failure going on all over the place. Now, what you learn from that failure and how you correct yourself after that failure, that's what you can actually see over time. What's going to make people successful or make people just say, look, the failure is too strong. I'm gonna, I'm gonna, I'm gonna going back down.
00;27;24;07 - 00;27;38;28
Speaker 1
And that's fine. Just nothing wrong with that. But at least you tried and you back down. But failure. Failure is inevitable. It's going to happen every step of the way. And, it's just a matter of basically seeing that hurdle, knowing that you're coming up that hurdle. And now you figured out a way, how do I get over that hurdle?
00;27;38;28 - 00;27;40;26
Speaker 1
That's all it is.
00;27;40;29 - 00;27;50;08
Speaker 1
Well, you've both been really inspiring to me and and our members as well. Bridget, what are you looking forward to in this next year for your business?
00;27;50;10 - 00;28;03;28
Speaker 4
I think it's continuing to grow the product and be able to deliver something that's really great. That feels great for whether you're a buyer, a builder, a realtor, a lender, everyone who's involved in the home buying experience, that's that's what I'm looking forward to.
00;28;04;00 - 00;28;08;23
Speaker 1
And, Sean, going out even beyond a year, what's what's what's the future have in store for you
00;28;08;25 - 00;28;09;26
Speaker 2
and your business in your family?
00;28;09;28 - 00;28;27;09
Speaker 1
Yeah, I'm really fortunate. I worked for a builder for many years. I've sold, help sell many homes. So work wise, I've been very fortunate. I'm certain I'm doing that until I retire. It's enjoyable. And I got it. It's great. I love it, for my for, my wife and I, we're we're we're very fortunate.
00;28;27;09 - 00;28;42;21
Speaker 1
And blessed that we've been, successful in both our careers. So that's really that's great. And probably, I don't know, ten years, I'll probably be retiring and and, only because I want to and even then, I'm certain I'll be doing I gotta do something. Builder would be a I'll be if I have to. I'll drive down the road.
00;28;42;22 - 00;28;48;18
Speaker 1
I'll drive down the next town and go talk to a builder about builder if I have to, I don't care. I'd be fun for me. That'd be exciting.
00;28;48;20 - 00;28;49;17
Speaker 2
Sounds like a great retirement.
00;28;49;21 - 00;28;51;14
Speaker 1
Yeah.
00;28;51;16 - 00;28;53;27
Speaker 1
Well, I want to welcome you both. Thank you for joining me
00;28;53;29 - 00;28;54;09
Speaker 2
You bet.
00;28;54;14 - 00;28;55;26
Speaker 1
And, welcome to Pro Founders
00;28;56;01 - 00;28;59;01
Speaker 1
Thank you. Man. Appreciate it.
00;28;59;04 - 00;28;59;20
Speaker 2
And cut.
