After starting his career in kitchen and bath design, Eric founded his own company nearly thirty years ago. Along the way, he began broadcasting for Around the House®, a radio show and podcast. Now, Eric shares his experiences running a contracting business to help homeowners and contractors with their home improvement projects.
In this episode, Eric details his thoughts on improving the customer-contractor relationship, establishing your competitive advantage, lessons he’s learned the hard way, the speed of change, and promising opportunities for the future of construction.
For more information on Eric, visit aroundthehouseonline.com, reach out through their contact page, check out Around the House on the radio, and keep your eyes peeled for the upcoming TV show Around the House.
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Eric Goranson:
Speaker:Probably the most important thing to me was saying no a few times a year. I kind of bring it to like dating. Not everybody is meant for each other. And if you're in that beginning in the process and you're not in the honeymoon period of, Wow, we're going out to dinner again tonight, this is really exciting. If it's not like dating in the beginning and you're not excited about this project, it's not going to get better, I promise.
Todd Miller:
Speaker:Welcome to the Construction Disruption podcast, where we uncover the future of building and remodeling. I'm Todd Miller of Isaiah Industries, manufacturer of specialty metal roofing and other building materials. Today, my co-host is Seth Heckaman. How are you doing Seth?
Seth Heckaman:
Speaker:I'm doing well. How are you today?
Todd Miller:
Speaker:I'm doing very well, thank you. I did hear the other day that the fastest growing country right now is Ireland.
Seth Heckaman:
Speaker:Really? Not what I would have guessed.
Todd Miller:
Speaker:Kind of surprising, it's Dublin every year. Okay. I also, the other day I was out shopping and we went into a bookstore and saw a book that said How to get rid of half your problems. So I bought two. Very optimistic and hoping that that's going to be helpful. We'll give it a whirl. So in today's episode of Construction Disruption, we have a guest who is a veteran of the home improvement industry, Eric G. Goranson. Based in Lake Oswego, Oregon, and with a history specializing in kitchens and kitchen design, Eric is co-host of Around the House with Eric G and Carolyn B. Around the House is a radio program syndicated on the Talk Media Network and also a podcast which can be accessed through aroundthehouseonline.com. Eric is also going to soon have a television show appropriately called Around the House. Eric, welcome to Construction Disruption. True pleasure to have you as our guest today.
Eric Goranson:
Speaker:Todd, Seth, thanks guys, appreciate it. Happy to be here today.
Todd Miller:
Speaker:Fantastic. Well, we're looking forward to learning and just having good conversation. So I'm kind of curious. I've given a little bit of a bio on you, but can you tell our audience a bit more about your background in history? And I'm also curious, thinking back on your years as a kitchen specialist and home improvement contractor, what did you enjoy most about that type of work?
Eric Goranson:
Speaker:Oh man, I'll unpack this quickly so we don't take an hour talking about it. But I started back in high school in radio and television production and actually did you know radio for jeez, four years. Going to high school, college, that kind of stuff, and then realized quickly that I could go work at McDonald's for a $1.50 more an hour. Kitchen and bath design.
Todd Miller:
Speaker:I hear you.
Eric Goranson:
Speaker:Then the addiction went. I wanted to learn more. I started out in this little chain that was in the Pacific Northwest here that grew to be a little bigger called Eagle Hardware and Garden. And worked for them in the nineties and really kind of honed my kitchen and bath design school knowledge and they did a really great job of that. They were later bought by Lowe's and then started working in the kitchen and bath design field, got my certified kitchen designer badge from the NKBA in what, 99? And then ran either my own construction remodel, kitchen and bath company off and on throughout, now next year will be 30 years.
Todd Miller:
Speaker:Wow. So are you still active in the construction kitchen business as well or has the broadcasting bug kind of taken over your life?
Eric Goranson:
Speaker:Broadcasting is like 60 hours a week. So I will say I love the design part of it, but I also don't miss waking up at 3:00 in the morning wondering if I ever did that last stick of crown molding.
Todd Miller:
Speaker:I hear you there. So I'm just curious, thinking back on your years in the business, any particularly memorable projects, or maybe a funny story you can share with us?
Eric Goranson:
Speaker:Oh, man, there's a few of them. One of them I got to work on a project that was... Here's one that I learned really often and early, not to judge that book by the cover. I was working in this very high-end design firm as a designer, you know, suit and tie, which is not my image. Now, sitting down in a in a high-end showroom in Seattle, Washington. And this guy pulled up in this old fifties farm truck with a colored door that's different than the rest, walking in like it's Mr. Green Jeans and the kangaroo thing going on there, what they used to do in that and walk right in. And I'm like, Mr. Skerritt, what can I help you with? It was Tom Skerritt, and everybody else pushed the guy off because what's this farmer doing in there.
Todd Miller:
Speaker:Wow.
Eric Goranson:
Speaker:And it was crazy, it was absolutely crazy. And we did his bathroom. And then the next fun client was Sir Mix-A-Lot and doing his master bathroom. So we had a few fun ones like that.
Todd Miller:
Speaker:So does Sir Mix-A-Lot have a bit of a eccentric bathroom or?
Eric Goranson:
Speaker:No. You know, he's probably the funniest person I've ever met. Kind, awesome, just a really nice house with a really killer recording studio in the basement.
Todd Miller:
Speaker:Wow, awesome. Hey, those are some good stories, very cool. So as you went through being a contractor, what did you feel set you apart from your competition? I know that that competitive edge is something I think that all contractors are always looking for. And I know that I'll often sit down with contractors and kind of help them process what they want theirs to be. And, you know, one of the things I often tell them is, you know, if you're going to have your competitive edge or your USP, whatever you want to call it, if it's something that the consumer is naturally going to expect from any contractor they work with, it's just happens to be you're the one who actually does it. You also have to kind of build a pain with them that, Hey, everyone else says they do this, but they don't. But I'm curious, what did you really feel customers could get from you that they weren't able to get from other contractors?
Eric Goranson:
Speaker:You know, we really pushed to have that very detailed estimate. So there are no surprises. We would tell the the homeowner that, Hey, we're here as your professional and it's our job to find as many hidden things as possible going in. You're paying for us to be the expert. We're not here to get you in the door and then hit you with the change orders and that kind of stuff. You know, surprises happen, but they're going to be a surprise that we couldn't have anticipated versus something that we probably should have. But we're scared to give you the number and we're going to surprise it with you later. So it was really giving that detailed estimate with budget numbers, with allowances, and really giving that detailed bids. So they could actually compare us and then we'd sit down with them and present it and say, Alright, here we go, this is what we're doing. Make sure you ask anybody else. Are these the same numbers and is this the quality that you're getting with every other contract?
Seth Heckaman:
Speaker:That's always seemed daunting to me from outside looking in in the kitchen and bath business, you know, in roofing we feel like we have lots of colors and options and things to deal with and plenty of opportunity for unexpected, you know, problems to come up. But then I think about kitchen and bath and it's multiplied by a million, it seems like. So what did that design, that sales process, the design process look like to uncover? You know, all those potential things walk homeowners through the plethora of options they have available. What did that look like? How did you hold their hand through that?
Eric Goranson:
Speaker:You know, we'd show up. We have that kind of initial consultation. I would show up, I would usually be coming from the design side of it with the partnership we had. And then I would have somebody that would be working focused, you know, we'd have the design focus and then the construction focus so we could each work on that half, because they were such two different parts that we could kind of focus on that together. So we kind of had it as a two-person team and then we'd come in and we'd come up with some concepts that we could base budget estimates on because, you know, if you don't have that concept, there's really no way to put numbers on it. If we're going to be moving the sink over there, that's going to be completely different than if we leave it in space for, you know, and a lot of different things like that. We'd figure out, are we using basic Whirlpool appliances? Is this a big Sub-Zero Wolf thing where now the appliance budget is $30,000 instead of $5,000? So we kind of get those things honed in so we could come up with a just a hip shot number. Is this going to be a $50,000 remodeler? Or is this going to be a $250,000 remodel? And then they'd say, Wow, we'd really like to be in that $50,000. We knew that we had to fine tune things to get them as close as we could to get them what they wanted.
Seth Heckaman:
Speaker:But that kind of sounds similar to what your kitchen process was.
Todd Miller:
Speaker:Very similar.
Seth Heckaman:
Speaker:Yeah, good sales principles start in broad and just naturally narrowing it down rather than dump it all out on the table and try to sift through it at once.
Eric Goranson:
Speaker:I learned over the years that they would sit there and as a homeowner they would look at you and you'd have their attention for about twenty minutes before the eyes glaze over. So we tried to give them something that was kind of edible for their appetite in the room and to be able to make those decisions and let them to be able to take it, because otherwise, you get into this big sales process that could be very cumbersome and they don't remember it. So the next meeting you go over it again and it's very unproductive if you don't manage it correctly.
Todd Miller:
Speaker:You know, when you mentioned your emphasis on having a very thorough quotation process, I thought of a company that's been a sponsor of ours and some other events before called Sumo Quote. And Sumo Quote really helps contractors build that very thorough presentation, package and proposal, and they do some cool stuff there. So one thing I realized I forgot to say in the intro, Seth should have kicked me. That must been why you were kind of looking at me. I forgot to mention that we are doing our challenge words in this episode. So each of us has been giving a word to try, including our guest, including Eric. We each have a word to try to work into conversation at some point. And then at the end of the podcast we will tell you what our word was and whether we were successful. So you can kind of have your ears open for any strange words we may work into things and say, Aha, that might be their challenge word. We shall see. So I'm curious, Eric, is there anything that you learned as a contractor that you really wish you would have learned earlier in your career or any of those maybe painful lessons or maybe not painful, just things that, Hmm, I wish I would have known this earlier?
Eric Goranson:
Speaker:You know, paperwork, paperwork, paperwork. And I mean, change orders, contracts, wordings, all those things. Those are all details that I would get burned from time to time. Oh, you mean that was $5,000 while we talked about that, you know, not stopping and getting that change order done. Some of those type of things is good. And I'll be honest, probably the most important thing was saying no a few times a year.
Todd Miller:
Speaker:Mm hmm.
Eric Goranson:
Speaker:If I didn't say no to a couple clients time of year, I really needed to go look and make sure that I was taking the right projects on. Because it was just important to say no as it is to say yes.
Todd Miller:
Speaker:Absolutely. Yeah, that's a good point. And you're right, that can be a painful lesson sometimes too. When it's one of those that you said yes to and later you realize maybe we weren't the right company for this and nothing against the consumer at all. It's just sometimes it's not the right fit for any of a variety of reasons.
Eric Goranson:
Speaker:I kind of bring it to like dating. Not everybody is meant for each other. And if you're in that beginning in the process and you're not in the honeymoon period of, Wow, we're going out to dinner again tonight, this is really exciting. If it's not like dating in the beginning and you're not excited about this project, it's not going to get better, I promise.
Todd Miller:
Speaker:Yeah, I agree. You know, it's been fun. This recently changed, but here for a few months, I was kind of helping out with an operation we have a few hours from here, which is the only operation we have in the country where we are a contractor, where we actually install our roofs. Every place else, we serve strictly as a manufacturer. But our general manager, who had been with me about thirty years, decided to try something else before he retired. So he left and we were several months filling those those big shoes, and he literally did have big shoes. I think he was about a size 14 and six foot seven. But anyway, I loved that thing during that time period where I was getting the opportunity to help out some, of just really bringing people as much communication and as much input and feedback and constant updating as I could. It almost became a challenge to me because I just loved doing that. And you know, at the end of the projects that we did, people consistently said I was just blown away by the way these folks kept me informed. And I do think that that's something a lot of contractors, whether it's intentional or not, they tend to, once they get the job started, they kind of back away and you don't hear much from them. And I really think that's an important thing that really sticks with that homeowner and helps bring in those referrals.
Eric Goranson:
Speaker:No question. And I just felt processes along the way that were so simple that made such a huge difference because it seemed like that was the one thing that I've noticed with all contracting out there, the breakdown of communication between the homeowner and the contractor through the whole process, through the initial phone call, I think that's where jobs either go sideways or they don't get sold or even worse, they get into a lawsuit category and communication could affect all of that so much easier.
Seth Heckaman:
Speaker:We had a webinar where one of our larger dealers shared some of those principles they've built into their business over the last twenty years, as they've done job after job after job. It's developed new systems, new inspections, additional sign-off forms. And, you know, they laid it all out for everyone who was on the call. And I was talking with the VP of production afterwards and he said, you know, people probably think we're anal and just over the top and we've got too much going on. And, you know, it sounded to me like you had a situation where you lost money and then you came up with a way where that didn't happen again. So it's pretty logical. And, you know, I think preventing we're going to have situations, things will go sideways. But taking that time afterwards to ask, how do we head this off from getting us the second time?
Todd Miller:
Speaker:Well, and I know that we as a manufacturer, you know, get the opportunity a lot of times to be pretty closely involved with projects that are going on where our products are being used. And man, I'll tell you, as soon as you start seeing that communication slip between the two parties, between the customer and the contractor, you know, it ain't going any place good after that. I mean, it's just once that slips, everything just breaks down and heck in a handbasket real quick. And, you know, on the other hand, people you really want them to have a bodacious, positive experience. And yet you see them having things fall apart and not end up with good experiences. So that's painful for us and we're always trying to head that off and coach our customers, Hey, you may want to cozy up a little bit more to this person. So good stuff.
Eric Goranson:
Speaker:One of the secrets that we did in the kitchen and bath, you know, residential remodeling world is that the day that we figured out that the job cost was the job was completed, we set a six month and a one year follow up at the job site to walk it. So we'd come out there with a technician. We do a warranty, walk it six months, we go through, make sure everything was adjusted, things were good, and then we do it at one year and we found out we got five times referrals out of that because they're out there. They've been through the stress of the remodeling. You've been out of the house, they're happy. They've shown it to a dozen friends and said how much they loved it and just sat there. They'd go, Hey, you know while you're here can you come look at the bathroom now? You're off to the next project.
Todd Miller:
Speaker:Absolutely. Or they start to bring you a referral and connect you with other folks. And that's good stuff. I do recall, though, as you said, that the first major home improvement project my wife and I ever had done on our house, the contractor was still there a year later, so it was quite a while.
Todd Miller:
Speaker:But God bless him, he became a great friend, he's a good guy. So I'm curious, Eric, you know, with your years in the industry, have you seen anything change with homeowners? You know, how has the whole HGTV culture impacted them? Or are you seeing that they're better educated or informed? Are they are they looking more, I'm not sure I want to say in-depth at they're options? Or are you saying it really hasn't changed that much?
Eric Goranson:
Speaker:You know, I see it as HGTV, and I have great friends that are on HGTV and DIY Network, Magnolia, that kind of stuff. So I apologize to you now, but we're going to get to the hard facts here. I think it has led to homeowners being less informed with wrong expectations more often than not, because budgets are not budgets on HGTV or DIY Network or any of those. You're not going to do on a kitchen remodel for $10,000. You know, I always tell clients that, hey, when you see the the Kraftmade truck and the Caesar's Stone truck and the Whirlpool appliance truck out there, those appliances, cabinets and countertops were not in that remodel budget. So you have not paid for those because those were sponsored like at the credits at the very end. They didn't pay for those. Those were contributions to the show. So I think it's done, it's really hurt in the world of budgets of what actually a remodel costs.
Todd Miller:
Speaker:Yeah, I think that's a great point. And you also see these afters that have $80,000 worth of staging and furniture in them and that also wasn't part of the number that was being kicked around either.
Eric Goranson:
Speaker:And then a lot of these things, TV-ready is one thing that I laugh about being that I've done TV segments now for ten years. There's projects that I got done for TV that looked great, but you could walk away and you see that if you slow down things on these TV channels. I mean, it's like, Wow, that trim is so not caulked in, you could have a kangaroo rat run into the middle of that thing it was so huge. And the paint's bad, nothing's fixed, you know, and but it looks good when they're panning across it quickly. So it's no offense to the guys that had Extreme Home Makeover out there. I wouldn't have wanted one of those homes that was built in 72 hours. I don't want to be in that place because that thing's not even dry yet.
Todd Miller:
Speaker:Yeah, I agree. I remember once or maybe twice we had opportunities to possibly have our roofs used on those. And, you know, the time frames they gave to us were like, this is impossible to do it right? So we took a hard pass on those, that's for sure. So thinking a little bit more about the consumer, though, are you finding I mean, do they tend to want different things than they wanted or are there trends that you're seeing coming up or let's even just say homeowners that are asking about things that 15 years ago they never would have asked about? Just kind of curious of any observations you have along those lines.
Eric Goranson:
Speaker:You know, it's interesting. So the style is changing so much quicker than it used to. You think about the process thirty years ago, an interior designer or a kitchen designer would come up with a new trend. They'd build it out. You know, nine months later, the magazine would be out there, they'd take a picture of it. Ninety days later, it shows up in the magazine, and now people start to see that trend. And then that was almost a decade long trend, like the sixties, seventies you had all those colors. Now with social media, that homeowners pick the colors out with the homeowner. That sample board is now on their on their Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook thing. And as it's being installed, it's now out there. And in a year, those new colors are sitting there on the shelf of Target. And things change so much quicker, which I think is also a challenge for people to come up with, you know, those groundbreaking new trends and colors because it happens so quickly. And, you know, you think about also with a kitchen or a bathroom, the things we put in is so much different than thirty years ago. You didn't have the Williams-Sonoma stores with the 42 different ladles and 100 knives and 42 pans to put into a kitchen, let alone steam ovens and combi ovens and all the different things that you would put into a kitchen. So all of those things have changed so much over the years, and it's become more of a lifestyle space versus a utility space.
Todd Miller:
Speaker:Wow, those are great points. And Seth had alluded, my wife and I went through a kitchen remodel four years ago, and at the time it seemed like we were doing the very trendy colors and designs. And, you know, today already they look relatively dated. I mean, we're still pleased as can be with our kitchen, but it looks dated compared to what we thought it would be just four years later.
Eric Goranson:
Speaker:And there's things you can do as a as a contractor and a homeowner out there, of make it so if metals change that, you can change that hardware. You know, if you use knobs, it's very simple to change that out or change the faucet. You know, you can have a more neutral palette on the kitchen cabinets, but change out a backsplash, knobs and handles and maybe even a faucet. You've got a whole new look so you can actually get out there without doing something that's groundbreaking and leave yourself some adjustability down the road and still have a cutting edge kitchen look.
Todd Miller:
Speaker:You know, I like that. And to me, that really is even entering into that discussion or even that thought process is bringing a lot of extra value to the customer. And I'm kind of curious what sorts of things, in addition to that, do you think contractors can do to really bring extra value to their clients?
Eric Goranson:
Speaker:You know, I think it's education and and I think that's the big thing because I don't know how many times I'll be talking about a new product and I'll have that contractor that'll send me the hate mail, which I love getting. Actually, it's hilarious. They'll go, I've been doing it this way for thirty years and of course, in my head I'm going, you've been doing it wrong for fifteen. You know, there's new technology out there and a lot of things. And it's no different than roofing. You know, if you get into roofing, look how things have changed with membranes and things like that, you know? I mean, I can go back and watch on TV in Canada where they're turn off roofs and they're going, wow, we're going to add some added value by putting roofing felt down because it's not required by code.
Todd Miller:
Speaker:Mm hmm.
Eric Goranson:
Speaker:And for us in the United States, our eyes roll and go, What? So there's a lot of technology that keeps changing. And I just say, for anybody out there in the residential field, stay on top of your game and continue that education, because the world with technology is changing around you and you can offer a better experience and a better product down the road if you stay on top of those new trends.
Todd Miller:
Speaker:No, it's good stuff. Well, kind of along those lines, I mean, if there is we believe that a lot of our audience members are folks newer to the construction industry, and that's kind of who we've been targeting, trying to get in front of folks who really want to know where the industry is going so that they can build their careers and businesses that direction. And we love it when that's even someone who's been in the industry for years but is still forward-thinking. But I'm kind of curious, what are some of the areas of home improvement that you think could really grow in coming years? I mean, are there any particular areas that if you were just getting started, you would be saying, that's an area I think I want to be where where the puck's going to be in the future?
Eric Goranson:
Speaker:You know, there's a couple of things I'm seeing out there. I'm seeing, you know, really smart homes are getting big, of course. But I think bringing in that integrator, and that's a new trade out there that a lot of people don't even realize. Integrator is like your electrician, it's like your plumber. That is the person that is handling all of the the sound and maybe the smart lighting and all the stuff within your home. So, you know, years ago they'd be the the low voltage tech, but now it's the integrator that's making everything work together. That is a really up and coming new thing because you've got to get all these things working together and that's a big thing that's coming in and out there. But I think quality tile work is huge out there. I think if you're, there's a huge need out there for. If I was somebody out there, I would start that today. I'd probably go into doing a high quality tile jobs out there and be that tile person. Everybody that I know is doing that across the country, doing very quality work. They're booked out years and they can't get enough people and you can make the job be beautiful and do it right and you'll have a waiting list.
Todd Miller:
Speaker:That's a good point. I'm curious, and this this might be a little bit of a difficult question. Are there any products in home improvement that you thought this is going to be the best thing since sliced bread? This is really going to take off, that just never really took off and went anyplace. Anything come to mind when you think about that?
Eric Goranson:
Speaker:Yeah, there's been a few. It's funny. And one of them hit a lot later. In the nineties I was selling a GE cooktop that was magnetic induction and I'm like, This is never going to be hot. And it went out and it was on the shelf for a couple of years. They brought it in from Europe. It crashed and burned and now, of course, it's a very big thing out there. You know, that was one of them. Some of the stuff that you're seeing now I think that's going away is just your regular, very simple. The Ring doorbells are big, but I think we're starting to integrate these into much bigger programs where it's part of a security system, it's part of stuff. And then the other part of that I think is, is the smart home appliances where your washer and dryer is telling you the weather. Who cares? I don't want my rice cooker to tell me what the weather is tomorrow. Don't make it smart because you're marketing it smart. Make it smart because it's doing something smart for you.
Todd Miller:
Speaker:Because it's actually being helpful, not just giving you something that you've already got or can easily get. That's good.
Eric Goranson:
Speaker:I got a phone in my hand. I don't need it to tell me that. I can look it up if I need it.
Todd Miller:
Speaker:So. So yeah, I would agree. A cooktop that's never going to be hot is probably a bad thing. You made some reference to that. Anyway. So a huge issue out there in construction right now for contractors is hiring labor. Any advice for folks or anything you've seen that you think helps give particular contractors a real edge in that area?
Eric Goranson:
Speaker:First off, keep your good people. If you've got them on the team, make sure you've got those people, those men and women locked in and you're helping them develop their careers. Help them along, treat them right. Second of all, when you've got that poison pill on your crew, get rid of them quickly because they will chase the good people you have. And then third, I would recommend getting involved with some of the charities and nonprofits out there that are bringing workers into the construction industry. For instance, I work with one here in Portland called Constructing Hope. They take people that were formerly incarcerated and are homeless, and they actually get them into skilled trade programs that get them all the help they need and they get them into trade school so they can go out and be somebody on the other side. And they walk them through the entire process until they have a job well after they've left their program. These are all great things you can do. You're helping people and you can find really good, loyal employees.
Todd Miller:
Speaker:Boy, I love that. That's good. And you know, another thing you started, I thought you were going to go and then it kind of flipped direction there. When you said getting involved in various charities and programs, you know, we've also seen companies that simply get their name out there really solid as a community supporter.
Eric Goranson:
Speaker:A hundred percent.
Todd Miller:
Speaker:And a lot of younger folks are really drawn toward that because they want to feel like I'm having some role in improving society, not not just making a living with this company.
Eric Goranson:
Speaker:So 15 years ago, I worked for a company that was at the time called Pacific Crest Cabinets, and they sponsored villages in El Salvador. So I got to spend about six weeks camping in the jungle in a refugee camp in an El Salvador, putting a roof on a school house, hooking up a water system. And they were doing that as just part of their giving back. So a hundred percent, those are great programs that you can help people and it's free marketing while you're doing it.
Todd Miller:
Speaker:Yeah. Oh, what an experience for you too, to have had that opportunity to do that. I mean, how many people in construction get that kind of opportunity to to be able to make that kind of memory and have that kind of a out-of-the-country experience? That's cool stuff.
Eric Goranson:
Speaker:It was awesome. But I'll tell you where I had the problem was coming back to work on Monday. So great example. The first trip I've been gone for 14 days in El Salvador. I come back, I land Sunday night, take a showe,r crash, go to work the next morning. I have a 6 AM meeting with the contractor and the interior designer and the homeowner. And the homeowner at 6:00 in the morning is yelling at the interior designer, screaming at the top of his lungs because she forgot the bathroom fridge specifications. I was not as patient as I probably should have and gave a nice little speech about priorities, being where I just come from. And this is what we're fighting about on Monday morning.
Todd Miller:
Speaker:Yeah, yeah. That is what you call a first-world problem, I guess.
Eric Goranson:
Speaker:Amen, amen.
Todd Miller:
Speaker:Well, this has been great. Thank you again. You know, we're getting close to wrapping up kind of what I call the business end of things here and this has been a lot of fun. Anything we haven't covered today that you'd like to share with our audience?
Eric Goranson:
Speaker:You know, I think just as far as contractors out there, whether you've been doing this for two years or thirty, just continuing that education. Whether it's showing up for some seminars at a trade show, you know, keep your mind open for the new stuff out there because I think there's a lot of great things coming that'll be better for homeowners and you as a contractor.
Todd Miller:
Speaker:Good stuff. That's what we encourage folks all the time. Keep learning, keep your eyes open, keep aware, keep going toward that next thing. Because historically, when you look at the businesses that are sustainable and long-lasting in our industries, they're not the ones that stayed in one place. They're the ones that kept moving. So cool stuff. So before we close out, I have to ask you if you'd like to participate in something we call rapid-fire questions. These are seven quick questions, maybe a little serious, maybe a little fun. All you gotta do is give us a quick answer to each one, and our audience has to understand, if Eric agrees to this, and I'm not sure what I'll do if he doesn't. So we're going to go on the assumption he will, but if he agrees to this, he has no idea what we're going to ask. So what do you say? Are you up to it? Up to rapid-fire?
Eric Goranson:
Speaker:I'm 100% game. Let's rock.
Todd Miller:
Speaker:Awesome, cool. Okay, Seth, why don't you ask the first one?
Seth Heckaman:
Speaker:Alright. So, Eric, would you prefer to be a cat or a dog?
Eric Goranson:
Speaker:Dog.
Todd Miller:
Speaker:That was my answer, too. And then someone pointed out to me that if I was a cat and had to pee, I could just go over in the corner and do it and go back under the bed and sleep some more. So I thought, cat life might be a little more appealing. Question number two, do you prefer the top or bottom half of a bagel?
Eric Goranson:
Speaker:Oh, I am a top half.
Todd Miller:
Speaker:That's an interesting. We've asked that question a lot because people are pretty adamant one way or the other. It's not, I'm not sure, they're both fine. No, it's, you go one way or the other.
Seth Heckaman:
Speaker:One polarizing issue, most polarizing of all issues that we discuss here.
Todd Miller:
Speaker:Maybe this is something that, you know, when people are dating, they should find this out. And, you know, you put someone who likes the top half and someone who likes the bottom half together and everything's smooth sailing.
Seth Heckaman:
Speaker:Or dealing with customers on home improvement projects. Make sure you're compatible. It goes back to the honeymoon analogy.
Eric Goranson:
Speaker:Even better.
Seth Heckaman:
Speaker:There you go.
Eric Goranson:
Speaker:Good point, Seth.
Seth Heckaman:
Speaker:Alright, question number three. If you had to eat a crayon, what color would you choose?
Eric Goranson:
Speaker:I'd go white, hoping it whitens my teeth.
Seth Heckaman:
Speaker:There you go. That's a new one.
Todd Miller:
Speaker:Good answer. Favorite car or other vehicle that you've ever owned?
Eric Goranson:
Speaker:That I've ever owned? A 1966 Ford Galaxie 500.
Todd Miller:
Speaker:Oh very nice. Two door or four door?
Eric Goranson:
Speaker:Two door, big block.
Todd Miller:
Speaker:Oh, awesome. What color?
Eric Goranson:
Speaker:It was my first car. Turquoise, lowered, all shaved door handles.
Todd Miller:
Speaker:Very nice.
Eric Goranson:
Speaker:All custom.
Todd Miller:
Speaker:I had an uncle that had a 64 that was very similar to that. Now my parents had a 68, but it was four door and small engines and nothing special there. But yeah, those, those mid-sixties were pretty cool.
Eric Goranson:
Speaker:Solid for all cars.
Seth Heckaman:
Speaker:What is your bucket list vacation?
Eric Goranson:
Speaker:I want to be at the Monaco Grand Prix to watch the Monaco Grand Prix from a boat.
Todd Miller:
Speaker:That's very specific, I hope you can do that.
Seth Heckaman:
Speaker:Sounds fantastic.
Eric Goranson:
Speaker:Can't tell I've thought about that one before.
Todd Miller:
Speaker:Next to last. If you could spend a month trading places with anyone living, who would you trade places with?
Eric Goranson:
Speaker:Elon Musk. Because I like the fire.
Todd Miller:
Speaker:I hear ya. We've asked that question a few times and guys are pretty much always Elon Musk. Women are usually something that, you know, someone that's going to improve the world. And well, Elon.
Seth Heckaman:
Speaker:He's striving for that too.
Eric Goranson:
Speaker:Mine's not even a money thing. That dude could not have a dollar. But I like his out-of-the-box thinking.
Todd Miller:
Speaker:I hear you.
Eric Goranson:
Speaker:And fearlessness to say whatever he wants to say, whether you agree with it or not.
Todd Miller:
Speaker:I've said this before here on Construction Disruption, but did you know that Elon actually is not from South Africa? He is from Madagascar. Mad-at-gas-car, Madagascar. Okay.
Seth Heckaman:
Speaker:We usually try to get your dad jokes out of the way at the beginning.
Todd Miller:
Speaker:Yeah, now I'm really throwing people off.
Eric Goranson:
Speaker:That was pretty electrifying though, I like it.
Seth Heckaman:
Speaker:Oh gosh.
Eric Goranson:
Speaker:Somewhat shocking too.
Seth Heckaman:
Speaker:Oh gosh, now we're getting into puns. Last rapid-fire question. What do you hope to be remembered for?
Eric Goranson:
Speaker:That's a harder one. Providing great home improvement advice and helping people know more about how to care for their home.
Seth Heckaman:
Speaker:Fantastic.
Todd Miller:
Speaker:Good answer. Love it. Well, this has been great fun and I have to report back to our audience on our challenge words. We were all successful. We all worked in our challenge words. Seth, your word was...
Seth Heckaman:
Speaker:Plethora, I had the easiest of the three this week.
Todd Miller:
Speaker:Yeah, you did well with it, though. Eric, your word was...
Eric Goranson:
Speaker:Kangaroo.
Todd Miller:
Speaker:And you said kangaroo rat, I think. I assume that's a really big rat.
Eric Goranson:
Speaker:It is. And then I talked about Captain Kangaroo right at the beginning, too, I slid it in twice.
Todd Miller:
Speaker:You did? I missed that one the first time. Oh, man, that's awesome. My word was bodacious, and I don't remember how I used it, but I worked it in somehow.
Seth Heckaman:
Speaker:Did I? You know, I was thinking you were going to come and ask if Sir Mix-A-Lot had a bodacious bathroom, but you passed that one up. You got it later.
Todd Miller:
Speaker:Just not quick enough.
Eric Goranson:
Speaker:Baby got it back, though.
Todd Miller:
Speaker:Well, this has been great, Eric. If folks want to get in touch with you, how can they most easily do that?
Eric Goranson:
Speaker:Uh, social media or just over at our website that has a Contact Us page which is very old school, aroundthehouseonline.com.
Todd Miller:
Speaker:Aroundthehouseonline.com, cool. Thank you so much for your time. I've really enjoyed this and we'll have to do this again sometime.
Eric Goranson:
Speaker:Any time. This has been great, guys. Thanks again.
Eric Goranson:
Speaker:Todd Miller: Well, and thank you to our audience for tuning into this episode of Construction Disruption with Eric Goranson of Around the House with Eric G. Please watch for future episodes of our podcast, we have more great guests on tap. And don't forget to leave a review on Apple Podcasts or YouTube. Until the next time though, change the world for someone, make them smile, encourage them, powerful things that we can all do to change the world. God bless, take care. This is Isaiah Industries signing off until the next episode of Construction Disruption.
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