In this episode, hosts Todd Miller and Ryan Bell of Isaiah Industries sit down with Lawrence "Larry" Closs, a renowned leader in the home improvement industry and founder of Closs Coaching. Larry shares insights from his decades-long career, discussing the importance of people, creativity, and culture in building successful businesses. The conversation covers leadership, marketing, preparing a business for private equity, and the evolving landscape of home improvement.
Key Topics & Highlights:
Final Takeaway
Lead with intention, invest in your people and systems, and always strive for a positive impact—both in business and in life.
Connect with Larry Online
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lawrence-closs-976a1a12/
Website: https://www.larryclosscoach.com/
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This episode was produced by Isaiah Industries, Inc.
Construction Disruption was recently featured in this 15 Best Podcasts for Contractors list!
I'm Todd Miller of Isaiah Industries, manufacturer of specialty
Todd Miller:metal roofing, other building materials.
Todd Miller:Today I am joined by our creative director here at Isaiah and our
Todd Miller:show co-host today, Ryan Bell.
Todd Miller:Ryan, how's life going today?
Ryan Bell:I'm doing well.
Ryan Bell:How are you?
Todd Miller:Good.
Todd Miller:Well, I gotta tell you, I'm kind of excited.
Todd Miller:I saw something, a major news piece just came across.
Todd Miller:This is a major news.
Todd Miller:Breakthrough scientists announced that they have successfully grown human
Todd Miller:vocal cords in a laboratory setting.
Todd Miller:The results speak for themselves else.
Ryan Bell:Nice.
Todd Miller:Okay, sorry.
Ryan Bell:That's a pretty good one.
Todd Miller:Bad anyway.
Todd Miller:Shall we just jump into things?
Ryan Bell:Yeah, let's dive in.
Ryan Bell:I'm looking forward to this episode.
Todd Miller:I am too.
Todd Miller:You know, I've been enjoying these episodes lately where we've been
Todd Miller:doing a little more focus on, uh, home improvement and home services
Todd Miller:companies and things of interest to them.
Todd Miller:And, uh, today's gonna continue in that vein.
Todd Miller:Uh, so for today's show, we have Lawrence, Larry Closs, hailing from
Todd Miller:the New Orleans, Louisiana area.
Todd Miller:Uh, Larry is a very familiar name in the home improvement industry.
Todd Miller:He's provided marketing and leadership advice and guidance for many top home
Todd Miller:improvement and home services companies.
Todd Miller:Uh, Larry was also the founder of New Bath.
Todd Miller:Um, he owned a renewal by Anderson RBA franchise for many years.
Todd Miller:Uh, he also founded Max Home, which operated both in Louisiana and Houston
Todd Miller:as well as love Your Bath in Florida.
Todd Miller:Having proven very well that he can lead organizations to
Todd Miller:absolute pinnacles of success.
Todd Miller:Larry now focuses on business and executive coaching through
Todd Miller:his organization Cross coaching.
Todd Miller:Um, Larry, welcome to Construction Disruption.
Todd Miller:Truly honored to have you today and to dig into some great topics that
Todd Miller:I know will benefit our listeners.
Larry Closs:Yeah.
Larry Closs:Good to be here, Todd.
Larry Closs:I mean, we've known each other, think for, uh, 30 years, almost
Todd Miller:It's, it's gotta be close to that.
Larry Closs:just been about 30 years.
Todd Miller:Right.
Todd Miller:And I were just, I was trying to tell Ryan and yeah, I think, uh, if I remember you
Todd Miller:spoke at that dealer meeting we had down outside of San Antonio at that resort.
Todd Miller:Yep.
Larry Closs:Yes, I did speak at one of your dealer meetings a long time ago.
Todd Miller:Goes back.
Todd Miller:Well, you know, over those years, Larry, um, really, I've always had
Todd Miller:a huge amount of respect for you as an absolute creative genius.
Todd Miller:And, and I have to tell you one of the things again, since we're talking
Todd Miller:about 30 years ago, um, you were.
Todd Miller:Probably the first one that really opened my eyes to the importance of lead
Todd Miller:generation and how that can be done more effectively with creativity, knowing your
Todd Miller:numbers, all those types of good things.
Todd Miller:And, um, over the years you have been a marketing coach, uh, like we talked about
Todd Miller:an entrepreneur and your own, uh, you've, uh, also been a life coach and all during
Todd Miller:that time you've had this great journey through the world of home improvement.
Todd Miller:I'm kind of curious, um.
Todd Miller:Why do you feel that this off?
Todd Miller:Uh, industry offers great opportunity for those who want to work hard and
Todd Miller:build future and businesses, um, for themselves and their families.
Larry Closs:That's a great question, Todd.
Larry Closs:You know, I'm passionate about the answer to that, and the answer is.
Larry Closs:That like there's low barriers to entry, right?
Larry Closs:It's not hard to get into this business, but it's hard to succeed at it, right?
Larry Closs:I've seen so many different people get in, apply themselves, work hard.
Larry Closs:And have an incredible life.
Larry Closs:Right.
Larry Closs:And I remember actually when I met you before I was in home improvement,
Larry Closs:I was in, I had an ad agency and I specialized in home improvement
Larry Closs:companies and car dealerships, and I decided I wanted to go in business.
Larry Closs:mean, the only way you get a car dealership is if your
Larry Closs:dad or mom give you one.
Larry Closs:There's a lot of industries like that.
Larry Closs:You just don't get to go in them.
Larry Closs:You can't just raise the money for a factory to create something.
Larry Closs:But home improvement is something that a lot of people can get in and if, and if
Larry Closs:they work hard and work smart, they can win at it and create an incredible life.
Larry Closs:And there's not many places like that.
Larry Closs:And you wanna, one of the.
Larry Closs:Things that, uh, blows my mind is having started and home, having started it
Larry Closs:with automotive and home improvement people, I would've never guessed 25
Larry Closs:years later that the multiples paid to home improvement companies for sale
Larry Closs:are way higher than car dealerships.
Todd Miller:And I know we're gonna talk a little bit about that
Todd Miller:later on, but that is phenomenal.
Todd Miller:Uh, what's happening right now?
Todd Miller:You, uh, as you talk about that and that entrepreneurial journey,
Todd Miller:I think a little bit about Charlie Ell, uh, who you might have known.
Todd Miller:He used to be an RRBA guy.
Todd Miller:Um, but you know what amazing story he has too, of a guy that was just
Todd Miller:a, a, not just, but you know, he is a factory guy, manufacturers, uh, guy
Todd Miller:for Alcoa and suddenly decide to do his own thing and build a tremendous
Todd Miller:legacy, uh, for him and his family.
Todd Miller:Well.
Todd Miller:Well, you know, as you went through that entrepreneurial journey yourself, um,
Todd Miller:you know, in home improvement, what are some of the key things that you learned,
Todd Miller:you know, down there in the trenches of your own businesses that you carry
Todd Miller:with you today as you coach and guide others to success in their businesses?
Larry Closs:I think the main one is that it's all people.
Larry Closs:There was one point where I would say early in my career that,
Larry Closs:hey, I'm in the leads business and I happen to install stuff.
Todd Miller:Mm.
Larry Closs:Um, that change as I got wiser, I'm in the people
Larry Closs:business, that it happens to get leads that happen to install stuff.
Larry Closs:mean, it's all about people.
Larry Closs:It's all about finding the right people, keeping the right people,
Larry Closs:finding more of the right people.
Larry Closs:I mean, it's all about that.
Larry Closs:It's, and it's all about keeping 'em happy.
Todd Miller:That, that is really interesting because I think a
Todd Miller:lot of people in home improvement still will say it's all about the
Todd Miller:leads, it's all about marketing.
Todd Miller:Um, but I love what you're saying there.
Larry Closs:Yeah, no, it, it, look, it is about it, but, but, um, the right
Larry Closs:people get you the right leads, right?
Larry Closs:The right people close the right leads, the right people, install them correctly.
Larry Closs:I mean, it's, we're in a people business to scale it.
Larry Closs:It's about people and there's a lot of aspects to that.
Larry Closs:As I said, keeping them, finding them, what.
Larry Closs:I find a lot of people stumble at is as they grow, not
Larry Closs:bringing the people on, right?
Larry Closs:Someone has a business of a certain size and it's time to bring on a sales manager
Larry Closs:and for any number of reasons, you don't want to give up the cash outta your pocket
Larry Closs:or whatever it takes, and all of a sudden you're not bringing on a sales manager.
Larry Closs:You're stuck in that role yourself.
Larry Closs:You know, you have to be able to know when it's, when it is time to bring people on.
Larry Closs:And by the way, it's usually time to bring people on.
Larry Closs:Right when you're uncomfortable, right before it's time to actually
Larry Closs:bring them on and, and then, you know, the, the work it takes, keeping
Larry Closs:'em happy and keeping 'em motivated.
Todd Miller:So, so one of the terms I often have used for you over
Todd Miller:the years, Larry, maybe you didn't even know it, is that you are.
Todd Miller:Absolutely though a creative genius when it comes to marketing and
Todd Miller:lead generation, and I, I love that focus on people, but the fact is,
Todd Miller:you are a genius at creativity.
Todd Miller:And I'm kind of curious, what changes have you seen in business
Todd Miller:and culture over the years, um, in, in those changes that you've seen?
Todd Miller:Uh, do, do you still see that creativity plays a big role in the
Todd Miller:success of home improvement companies?
Todd Miller:Um, and if so.
Todd Miller:What are some of the ways you suggest that companies tap into those creative
Todd Miller:marketing ideas and practices?
Larry Closs:Yes.
Larry Closs:I think creativity plays an important, very important part in success.
Larry Closs:I will add though that I think creativity, uh, not just in marketing.
Larry Closs:Yeah, creativity in marketing is incredibly important.
Larry Closs:to tap into that, generally outsource it, right?
Larry Closs:I would generally say to outsource it and find the right people.
Larry Closs:And I would also, I would say outsource it, not necessarily to the person who
Larry Closs:has 10 other home improvement companies, outsource it to someone who might be
Larry Closs:able to think outside the box for you.
Larry Closs:Creativity, I think is very important in a lot of the other aspects.
Larry Closs:Um, hiring, pay plans, um, growth strategies.
Larry Closs:And then another way to tap into creativity I think, is make sure you
Larry Closs:have some diversity on your team, right?
Larry Closs:sure that your team looks, acts differently than you
Larry Closs:and each other, right?
Larry Closs:That diversity really plays a big part in it.
Todd Miller:Because your customer base is gonna be very diverse, so you've gotta be
Todd Miller:able to reflect that internally as well.
Todd Miller:That makes sense.
Larry Closs:Yes, and and I've seen that.
Larry Closs:I've seen that really spark creativities in ways would not happen otherwise.
Todd Miller:Mm-hmm.
Larry Closs:Right?
Larry Closs:Just would not happen otherwise.
Larry Closs:When you have a group of diverse people in the room things off, or some things come
Larry Closs:up that just surprise the heck out of you.
Todd Miller:You know, a couple weeks ago we had the, uh, CEO and Founder of Florida
Todd Miller:Window and Door, uh, on the show and.
Todd Miller:You know, he talked about how their company had come up with this mascot
Todd Miller:recently, or a couple years ago, and how that had really opened the doors
Todd Miller:for them in terms of being able to generate more leads and have that
Todd Miller:memorable fixture that people think of.
Todd Miller:Um, they think of Shelly, the turtle now when they think of new windows and doors.
Todd Miller:Well, let's talk, uh, switch a little bit and talk about.
Todd Miller:Culture in a company.
Todd Miller:And, you know, we talk about diversity and the importance of that, but um, I have to
Todd Miller:think that as an executive and business coach, this idea of company culture
Todd Miller:has to come up a lot for discussion.
Todd Miller:So what tips do you have for business owners and leaders to shape and
Todd Miller:maintain this strong positive culture?
Todd Miller:Um, while at the same time doing all the com complex stuff they gotta keep
Todd Miller:doing to keep the business going.
Larry Closs:So a couple things.
Larry Closs:One, I think culture is the most important thing in a business, and I
Larry Closs:think culture is the most important thing that senior executives need to do.
Larry Closs:Peter Drucker was the one who said, culture eats
Larry Closs:strategy for breakfast, right?
Larry Closs:The, the culture is more important than the strategy.
Larry Closs:It is.
Larry Closs:Probably the number one rule, the leader, the visionary, the head of
Larry Closs:it needs to believe what I just said needs to live it and spend time on it.
Larry Closs:A large percentage of his time on it.
Larry Closs:have to make the time to spend on it.
Larry Closs:can tell you when I was acquired, uh, like in the first
Larry Closs:meetings, culture was brought up.
Larry Closs:I feel strongly that I got a great price and a great partner
Larry Closs:because of the culture I built.
Larry Closs:And what's funny is when I still talk to them, they still discuss the culture
Larry Closs:that we have there and how they try to instill it in other companies.
Larry Closs:It takes the leader buying in.
Larry Closs:That culture's important and it takes that leader spending time on it.
Larry Closs:Right.
Larry Closs:just, it, it, it's, it's that easy, right?
Larry Closs:It's the same as customer satisfaction, right?
Larry Closs:Like people say, you know, I just customer satisfaction so high.
Larry Closs:I was always high at renewal by Anderson, which is just maniacal about it.
Larry Closs:they'd ask how you do it?
Larry Closs:Like, what are the secrets?
Larry Closs:And the secrets are the person at the top has to give a crap.
Larry Closs:Really, really care about it.
Larry Closs:For instance, I would never send an email out about sales being up or down, I would
Larry Closs:send emails to people in the company about customer service things, right?
Larry Closs:Just when you focus and you really care about those things, it makes a difference.
Todd Miller:Well, and that just filters down when it does.
Todd Miller:Start with that focus in your leadership, uh, on culture.
Todd Miller:Makes a lot of sense.
Larry Closs:Let me add something too, Todd, is that the leader has
Larry Closs:to be the one, the leader, not have to be the one the leader has
Larry Closs:to buy in and spend time on it.
Larry Closs:However, I'm a firm believer that as companies mature and as
Larry Closs:they grow in size, the culture.
Larry Closs:Needs to be developed by the people within the company.
Larry Closs:For instance, I always had culture committees where people
Larry Closs:would come together and work on mission, vision, values and things.
Larry Closs:It, it was, so, it was, I don't wanna say that I'm saying that it's top down.
Larry Closs:I actually think it's the opposite, that the leader has to buy into it and
Larry Closs:it, when the leader buys in and makes it a focus, it grow from the bottom up.
Todd Miller:That's good stuff.
Todd Miller:I'm gonna be thinking about that tonight.
Todd Miller:That's, uh, that's good advice there, Larry.
Todd Miller:So, um, I'm curious for folks out there who are not working with you as
Todd Miller:their coach, and I shall say not yet.
Todd Miller:Um.
Todd Miller:What practical advice do you have for them, um, to ensure that they are
Todd Miller:leading their businesses with that kind of purpose and intentionality?
Todd Miller:Um, seems like one of the things that our industry is notorious for is people
Todd Miller:leading a business simply because they have a few years of experience and
Todd Miller:doing it by the seat of their pants.
Todd Miller:Um, so how does that executive make sure that they are always leading
Todd Miller:with purpose and intentionality?
Larry Closs:Honestly, Todd, I think you jumped ahead of yourself and I think
Larry Closs:you somewhat answered your question.
Larry Closs:I mean, really the key is to lead with purpose and intentionality, right?
Larry Closs:And how do they make sure, like if they do that, and I would
Larry Closs:suggest that it's written.
Larry Closs:And I would suggest that purpose and intentionality in anyone's life who's
Larry Closs:leading a home improvement company or any company, is written and tied to
Larry Closs:personal values and personal goals.
Larry Closs:Right.
Larry Closs:But I, I, I, I think you have to, you hit it.
Larry Closs:You have to lead with intentionality and purpose, and you have to know what
Larry Closs:that is, and you have to like own it.
Larry Closs:And by the way, this goes both ways.
Larry Closs:As a coach and a consultant for years and still involved in the industry,
Larry Closs:I've seen so many companies get to a certain point and stop, right?
Larry Closs:4 million in sales, 6 million in sales, 10 million in sales, 30
Larry Closs:million sales, whatever it is.
Larry Closs:Hey, you know what?
Larry Closs:There's no problem to that with that, as long as it's done with
Larry Closs:purpose and intentionality, right?
Larry Closs:I've seen so many people.
Larry Closs:Who probably, if they would work with me as a coach say within five sessions, wow.
Larry Closs:I'm completely happy with where I am.
Larry Closs:I love my business with where I am, but I go to these conventions and I
Larry Closs:go to these things and it's growth.
Larry Closs:I gotta do this, I gotta do that.
Larry Closs:I gotta be bigger, I gotta do this.
Larry Closs:And so they get confused and they're not really following
Larry Closs:their purpose or intentionality.
Larry Closs:Right.
Larry Closs:And, and like, it is fine to be that size as long as, and like
Larry Closs:you're purposeful about it.
Larry Closs:And it's fine to scale to a billion dollars if you're purposeful about
Larry Closs:it and you know that's what you want.
Todd Miller:You kind of alluded to it, you know, when you, someone
Todd Miller:comes on a, a board as a client of yours and you're their coach, um.
Todd Miller:What does that look like?
Todd Miller:Is a lot of that going back to, Hey, what is your purpose here and what
Todd Miller:is it you're trying to accomplish?
Todd Miller:But what does that look like when you onboard a new client?
Larry Closs:One of the first things that I'll do is do a personal values exercise.
Larry Closs:Um, and have them develop the personal values.
Larry Closs:I've had people where I talk about this, just say, no, no, no, no, no.
Larry Closs:Boom, boom, boom, boom.
Larry Closs:Or my personal values, and I have other people look at me, why?
Larry Closs:Hey man, I, I, I, I called you 'cause, I, I need to get outta this whole
Larry Closs:I, why are you going there?
Larry Closs:Um, so a lot of times it will start with personal values.
Larry Closs:You know, my coaching centers around, you know, helping people be happy and joyful.
Larry Closs:And, and, and, and I want them to focus on that.
Larry Closs:And I love businesses as a tool for that.
Larry Closs:Many times it becomes the opposite.
Larry Closs:I mean, it becomes the, the business is taking happiness and joy away.
Larry Closs:And by no means does it have to.
Larry Closs:Um, but coaching engagements will usually seriously revolve
Larry Closs:initially around personal values.
Larry Closs:And then we'll quickly get to what is it you really want?
Larry Closs:Right?
Larry Closs:And a lot of times I'll call this winning, like what does winning look like?
Larry Closs:you in three to five years.
Larry Closs:And I would say half my clients are blown away when they sit back and
Larry Closs:they really go, well, wait a minute.
Larry Closs:Like if I open five more offices, my kids are two and four, and if I open
Larry Closs:five more offices in three or four years, how am I gonna be home more?
Larry Closs:And what I really value is being home with my kids
Larry Closs:trade off.
Larry Closs:And you can't scale your business, but it might be a trade off in that, well,
Larry Closs:maybe you should scale in a different way.
Larry Closs:Maybe add products so you don't have to travel in your hometown, right?
Larry Closs:Who knows what it is.
Larry Closs:But it's those kind of things like set up what values are and what
Larry Closs:does winning look like for you.
Larry Closs:And then, and by, but I will never talk about winning in terms of business.
Larry Closs:I'll always talk about winning in terms of someone's happiness.
Larry Closs:Life, spirituality, family, whatever it is, and, and, and try to put that
Larry Closs:first in that business serve that.
Todd Miller:Love it.
Todd Miller:Good stuff.
Todd Miller:Well, I promise we were gonna come back to this and you had talked about earlier
Todd Miller:with, you know, the multiples that a lot of home improvement businesses, home
Todd Miller:services businesses are selling for.
Todd Miller:Or, um, with a lot of private equity money coming in.
Todd Miller:Um, I'm, I'm curious, I mean, if there's somebody out there and they're
Todd Miller:running their business and they want that to be their end game to sell to
Todd Miller:private equity, um, any specific things they should be doing to be able to
Todd Miller:position their company best for that?
Todd Miller:Or do you think you just drive forward and do the best you can with
Todd Miller:your business in terms of culture?
Todd Miller:Um, and, you know, then it ends up where it ends up.
Larry Closs:No, you know what you do need to prepare and preparing is,
Larry Closs:some of it's easy, some of it's hard.
Larry Closs:One of the first steps, concrete steps is start getting your financial
Larry Closs:statements either compiled or reviewed.
Larry Closs:Compile is the lowest level that CPAs do reviews.
Larry Closs:An ex audit is a, is the third.
Larry Closs:Almost no one's gonna have their no one.
Larry Closs:This under a billion dollars.
Larry Closs:We'll have audited financial statements, but you know, even at
Larry Closs:$5 million, start a compilation.
Larry Closs:that done right.
Larry Closs:It's not expensive.
Larry Closs:It's not hard.
Larry Closs:Not only does it, does it help with, uh, exit, it also gives you confidence
Larry Closs:that you're doing your accounting right.
Larry Closs:Um, next thing is, is man, you gotta replace yourself.
Larry Closs:Private equity especially does not want to come in and see a business based
Larry Closs:on one person owning, doing the work.
Larry Closs:'cause they're about to give that person a bunch of money and they don't know
Larry Closs:if that person's gonna stick around.
Larry Closs:They might not want that person to stick around.
Todd Miller:Right.
Larry Closs:And if you don't have a good team, and if you're not
Larry Closs:working on replacing yourself, you're, you're lowering your value.
Larry Closs:And other than that, you know, I've heard so many things about product diversity.
Larry Closs:I don't like run business that is not based on the, based on the
Larry Closs:leader that has decent culture.
Larry Closs:And, and, and oh, and by the way, uh, one other thing to add to
Larry Closs:that is not just your accounting.
Larry Closs:Make sure all your other numbers make sense.
Larry Closs:Make sure the numbers that you're putting in for sales, marketing, all
Larry Closs:the other things, leads make sense.
Larry Closs:don't have, don't feel that they have to con conform to some standard that
Larry Closs:private equity, but be able to sit in a room and say, these are the leads I got.
Larry Closs:This is what I sold.
Larry Closs:This is what I installed.
Larry Closs:And know those numbers are correct.
Larry Closs:They don't have to be correct in any certain way, but make sure they're correct
Larry Closs:because I could tell you that alone.
Larry Closs:Even more than accounting, private equity firms are used to going
Larry Closs:in and seeing poor accounting.
Larry Closs:Private equity firms will come in and say whatever.
Larry Closs:We're putting our new accounting systems in they come in and they
Larry Closs:don't feel that the owner or whoever knows what the numbers are, there's
Larry Closs:no real feel for the numbers.
Larry Closs:That's a huge red flag.
Todd Miller:Very interesting.
Todd Miller:And you know, one of the numbers I keep hearing more and more about today
Todd Miller:is, uh, now I forget what what it is, but it's basically how much can an
Todd Miller:installation crew produce in a day?
Todd Miller:Um, what is that number?
Todd Miller:And, uh,
Larry Closs:Incredibly important.
Todd Miller:yeah.
Larry Closs:That was not, that was not as focused on, right.
Larry Closs:Incredibly
Todd Miller:right.
Todd Miller:It, it wasn't years ago, you didn't think a whole lot about.
Larry Closs:Oh, one other thing I'd like to add is, and this one is hard.
Larry Closs:Be as legally compliant as you can.
Larry Closs:It is impossible.
Larry Closs:It is impossible to be a hundred percent legally compliant, right?
Larry Closs:You're not gonna get every permit you need, you're gonna miss some.
Larry Closs:Even if you're trying permit, people will tell you all the
Larry Closs:time, worry about permits, right?
Larry Closs:Like, you'll go to the permit office, don't worry about permits,
Larry Closs:but they won't put it in writing.
Larry Closs:Um, your EPA stuff, try to get it as right as you possibly can,
Larry Closs:And as you grow, it more right.
Todd Miller:And that sets you apart from your competition for one thing.
Todd Miller:But it is also, you know, I have to imagine anyone in private equity
Todd Miller:doesn't wanna step into a business that's going to have surprises.
Larry Closs:No surprises.
Larry Closs:No.
Larry Closs:Yeah, no surprises.
Larry Closs:And look if like, but no one, but also they don't expect small businesses
Larry Closs:to be a hundred percent perfect a
Todd Miller:Right.
Larry Closs:Right, you're gonna have your credit card data might not be perfect.
Larry Closs:I mean, all these things like, I mean, you're not, but if you're, and by the way,
Larry Closs:even regulatory agencies are the same way.
Larry Closs:Like when they come look at you, not trying is terrible.
Larry Closs:and doing it right, 95% of the time is very much appreciated, You're gonna
Larry Closs:make some mistakes, you might miss this.
Larry Closs:Your doors might not be locked correctly or something.
Larry Closs:However, generally fine with that.
Todd Miller:I, I'm kind of curious for your thoughts on.
Todd Miller:Consumer buying habits.
Todd Miller:When you and I first knew each other years ago, I don't
Todd Miller:know that Amazon even existed.
Todd Miller:Um, but yet this whole Amazon culture has kind of, to me impacted how consumers
Todd Miller:want to go about buying, uh, things.
Todd Miller:And I, and I'm starting to see that spill over into home improvements as well.
Todd Miller:Um, any thoughts on how company leaders a adjust to that?
Larry Closs:So I sat on the advisory board of a very large home
Larry Closs:improvement company for years, and this discussion had come up years ago.
Larry Closs:Sadly my answer, Todd, is at my age I will even exit at any current companies
Larry Closs:by the time that becomes a true issue.
Larry Closs:Right.
Larry Closs:I, I,
Todd Miller:Fair enough.
Larry Closs:I think, right?
Larry Closs:I, so I think that it is definitely coming to a greater extent.
Larry Closs:And I don't have an answer to it.
Larry Closs:it's important, but I also know at my age and the tenure of my companies will
Larry Closs:probably be, I will, I will have still, I mean, we have another good 10, 15 years
Larry Closs:of baby boomers driving the economy,
Todd Miller:Sure.
Todd Miller:Yep.
Larry Closs:the baby boomers are still gonna have someone to their house.
Todd Miller:Yeah.
Larry Closs:Beyond that, I can't tell you.
Larry Closs:It's a concern, and I don't know how it's gonna, I don't
Larry Closs:know how it's gonna shake out.
Todd Miller:Well, any thoughts on AI and maybe your thoughts on that are kind of
Todd Miller:similar, but any thoughts on how AI's, uh, impacting or going to impact us?
Larry Closs:I don't have thoughts on how AI is gonna impact us, but
Larry Closs:here's the analogy I like to use.
Larry Closs:Um, when people are talking about AI now, and I was just recently in a talk in a
Larry Closs:peer group about it, they were talking about, uh, how these chat, how like chat
Larry Closs:GBT, how you prompt them and how you ask questions and how this all works
Larry Closs:and the new ones that are coming out.
Larry Closs:When I told them, I said, guys, it sounds like we're talking about
Larry Closs:the beginning of internet and asking how we ask a OL something.
Larry Closs:Okay.
Larry Closs:But what we really need to get to is Uber.
Larry Closs:What are the further applications of this that are going to do things
Larry Closs:that we haven't even thought about?
Larry Closs:'cause Uber is a complete consequence of the internet and
Larry Closs:how connectivity and phones work.
Larry Closs:Right?
Larry Closs:But nobody is talking about that then.
Larry Closs:And I think that's the kind of thing that you have to be constantly aware of.
Larry Closs:Like what are the, like of course you can use AI to judge
Larry Closs:your, your judge, your leads.
Larry Closs:You can use AI to, to.
Larry Closs:For instance, I'm a big fan and, and I'll give 'em a pitch of Rilla where you
Larry Closs:record the conversations in the house.
Todd Miller:Yep.
Larry Closs:I'm a big fan of that for so many reasons.
Larry Closs:It provides customer safety, like like, right?
Larry Closs:We have to make sure our salespeople are saying the right things and nothing wrong.
Larry Closs:I love it.
Larry Closs:But then again, you put that through an AI filter and it
Larry Closs:gives you all sorts of feedback.
Larry Closs:There's all sorts of applications now that I think you have to stay on, but I
Larry Closs:think that the applications that it really brings, we don't really understand yet.
Todd Miller:Yeah, that's, I, I like that.
Todd Miller:That's good.
Todd Miller:And you kind of reminded me of something years ago when, yeah,
Todd Miller:the internet first started.
Todd Miller:Boy am I dating myself, but, um, one of the guy.
Todd Miller:Here in the office saw me, um, searching for something probably on Yahoo, and I
Todd Miller:searched in the form of a question and you know, he just thought that was hilarious
Todd Miller:that I was searching by asking a question, but yet that's what we're doing today.
Todd Miller:So I was ahead of my time.
Todd Miller:That's all I can,
Larry Closs:Yeah.
Todd Miller:so.
Todd Miller:What, any thoughts on who people should be paying attention to, obviously,
Todd Miller:than yourself, other than yourself.
Todd Miller:Um, any advice in terms of folks, people should be listening to
Todd Miller:reading those types of things.
Larry Closs:Um, God, I just, what's the right people on the bus book?
Todd Miller:Oh, Jim Collins.
Todd Miller:Yeah.
Larry Closs:Jim Collins, uh, just seminal book e Myth Revisited.
Larry Closs:and these aren't, I mean, the books that I read now are, are more things you talked
Larry Closs:about intentionality, manifesting futures and things like that, that I'm concerned
Larry Closs:with, but those are two books that Jim Collins and like E Myth Revisited, Michael
Larry Closs:Gerber, that are completely needed.
Larry Closs:never forget when I was a young person in business, I walked into a peer group.
Larry Closs:I was, was in Vistage years ago.
Larry Closs:I walked into a peer group.
Larry Closs:And I said, guys, I, I need some time today.
Larry Closs:I have to figure out if I have the right people on the bus.
Larry Closs:And if you read the book, you know what I'm talking about in the right seats.
Larry Closs:this older gentleman started laughing.
Larry Closs:He's like, Larry, like, that's not something you solve.
Larry Closs:That's not, you don't get the right people in the right seats and sit back like
Larry Closs:you're gonna ask this question month.
Larry Closs:He's like, you don't solve for this.
Larry Closs:He's like, because what's gonna happen is they're gonna leave.
Larry Closs:You're gonna grow the business.
Larry Closs:Things are gonna happen.
Larry Closs:Like you don't, just like, you can't come in, we can't just talk about
Larry Closs:it once, you're always gonna worry.
Larry Closs:Do I have the right people in the right seats?
Larry Closs:Colin, that's a seminal book that I, as far as other people paying
Larry Closs:attention to, not sure, right?
Larry Closs:I, you know, there's economists and theorists that I pay attention to, but
Larry Closs:I wouldn't necessarily suggest those.
Todd Miller:Good stuff.
Larry Closs:I do think just on a greater macroeconomic thing,
Larry Closs:I am very bullish on American.
Larry Closs:I think America has a couple years of tough times and is gonna really,
Larry Closs:really be a boom town for for years.
Todd Miller:We're glad to hear that, and I'm right there with you.
Todd Miller:I agree.
Todd Miller:I agree.
Todd Miller:Well, Larry, this has been a privilege to have you with us
Todd Miller:today and some great soundbites are gonna be pulled out of this.
Todd Miller:Some great advice for our listeners.
Todd Miller:Um.
Todd Miller:Any final words of encouragement or advice that you have for, uh,
Todd Miller:contractors out there to reach higher levels of success today?
Larry Closs:Look, I would just say do it with intention, intentionality.
Larry Closs:by the way, uh.
Larry Closs:I learned long ago that not just people, but it's the systems too.
Larry Closs:You get the right people in the right systems and you operate, right.
Larry Closs:Operations is where it's at.
Todd Miller:It goes back to Michael Gerber and what he started telling us 30
Todd Miller:years ago, and it's, uh, holds true today.
Todd Miller:Well, thank you.
Todd Miller:Well, I gotta ask you before we close out, um, we're kind of too close to
Todd Miller:the end of our business, end of things.
Todd Miller:Are you willing to participate in our rapid fire questions?
Todd Miller:These are just five questions just for you to give an off the cuff response.
Todd Miller:Awesome.
Todd Miller:Ryan, you wanna alternate questions?
Ryan Bell:Yes, let's do it.
Ryan Bell:You want me to go first?
Todd Miller:Go for it.
Ryan Bell:Okay.
Ryan Bell:What's the best leadership book you've ever read?
Larry Closs:dysfunctions of a team because it's actionable,
Larry Closs:immediately actionable.
Todd Miller:Good stuff.
Todd Miller:I agree.
Todd Miller:And you know, it's funny, I always have to laugh at, at Lencioni, 'cause when I first
Todd Miller:started reading him, I hadn't heard him.
Todd Miller:And I thought, you know, this guy is really serious and erudite.
Todd Miller:And then I started seeing him speak places and I found out he
Todd Miller:was just a complete goofball.
Todd Miller:He's still extremely smart and brilliant, but what a, what a funny guy.
Larry Closs:That's just, that's just great in that like all these
Larry Closs:other books you can read and you might not be able to do it.
Larry Closs:Five dysfunction as a team comes with workbooks.
Larry Closs:All of a sudden you're doing it with your team, following a workbook and
Larry Closs:you're, and leadership gets better.
Todd Miller:Next question.
Todd Miller:Uh, what is a product or service that you've acquired, um, in recent memory
Todd Miller:that was a game changer for you?
Todd Miller:Sort of a, oh, where's this been all my life type thing.
Larry Closs:Infrared sauna.
Todd Miller:Infrared sauna.
Todd Miller:Tell me about that.
Larry Closs:One.
Larry Closs:I love it.
Larry Closs:But what's crazy is I am, uh, M-D-V-I-P, which is the largest concierge medicine
Larry Closs:group in the country, had just come out in like their five recommendations of
Larry Closs:longevity and health as infrared saunas.
Larry Closs:all the studies and, and how it, like, how me with inflammation rest, everything,
Larry Closs:like a massive fan of infrareds.
Todd Miller:Wow, so right, right here in Ohio right now, it feels like
Todd Miller:you're as sauna when you go outside.
Todd Miller:But is infrared sauna a daily thing or what is this?
Larry Closs:A couple times a week.
Todd Miller:Okay.
Ryan Bell:Maybe you've answered
Ryan Bell:the third question here already, but how do you recharge after a long week?
Larry Closs:I don't have long weeks.
Larry Closs:I'm retired.
Todd Miller:Good for you.
Todd Miller:Well, I'll go onto the next question.
Todd Miller:Um, what is one habit that you've acquired or you've developed that you
Todd Miller:think enhances your effectiveness?
Todd Miller:Something that, you know, you've discovered, Hey, I just gotta make
Todd Miller:this a regular part of my life.
Larry Closs:I, I'm gonna tell you, I really wanna think of the
Larry Closs:man's name, who, who taught it.
Larry Closs:He's one of the premier speakers at Vistage, handwritten thank you notes.
Larry Closs:And, and the secret to handwritten thank you notes is you keep them
Larry Closs:sitting on your desk in front of you.
Larry Closs:You put them there.
Larry Closs:And I write, I buy my stationary from a very fancy hoity-toity
Larry Closs:stationary store in New Orleans.
Larry Closs:And they flat out tell me they, you write more hand, hand notes than any
Larry Closs:like rich old lady in New Orleans.
Todd Miller:Except for you.
Larry Closs:and it is.
Larry Closs:Look, it's a couple minutes a week.
Larry Closs:It changes people's, changes, people's attitude and like do it, start it.
Larry Closs:Start somewhere.
Larry Closs:But the key to it he teaches is have them as the sole thing on your desk.
Larry Closs:I have my computer, like a light.
Larry Closs:And then I have thank you cards that I stare at
Todd Miller:Wow.
Todd Miller:I love that.
Todd Miller:I love it.
Todd Miller:Good, good stuff.
Todd Miller:I may have a thank you note or two from you from years ago now.
Larry Closs:might have a thank you note from me from, I have probably
Larry Closs:written you, thank you notes.
Ryan Bell:Okay.
Ryan Bell:Last question here.
Ryan Bell:Or what is your favorite meal?
Todd Miller:Love that.
Larry Closs:One side of my family's from Maine.
Larry Closs:That's an easy one.
Todd Miller:Good answer.
Todd Miller:Well, Larry, thank you again.
Todd Miller:You are making a difference out there.
Todd Miller:You always have and you continue to be.
Todd Miller:And, um, thank you for being a great part of this great industry.
Todd Miller:We've worked together.
Todd Miller:And so for those who want to learn more, um, or to connect with you about your
Todd Miller:consulting and coaching, uh, what's the best way for them to do that?
Larry Closs:closscoaching.com.
Larry Closs:Just Closs coaching or LinkedIn.
Larry Closs:Look me up Lawrence Closs on LinkedIn.
Larry Closs:Either way you can get me.
Todd Miller:Come to you that way.
Todd Miller:Good stuff.
Todd Miller:Well, we're gonna put that in the show notes and we very much
Todd Miller:encourage folks to reach out.
Todd Miller:Thank you again for being on the show, Larry.
Todd Miller:This has been great.
Todd Miller:Well, thank you so much for tuning into this episode of Construction Disruption
Todd Miller:with Executive Coach Marketing genius and home improvement expert Larry Kloss.
Todd Miller:Please watch for future episodes of our podcast.
Todd Miller:We always have great guests.
Todd Miller:Don't forget to leave a review on Apple Podcast or give us a thumbs up on YouTube.
Todd Miller:Um.
Todd Miller:In the meanwhile though, keep on disrupting, keep on challenging, keep
Todd Miller:on looking for better ways of doing things, and don't forget to have a
Todd Miller:positive impact on everyone you encounter.
Todd Miller:Um, bless them, make them smile, encourage them.
Todd Miller:Um, so in the meanwhile, God bless and take care.
Todd Miller:This is Isaiah Industries signing off until the next episode
Todd Miller:of Construction Disruption.