What It Takes to Build a Lasting Business with Steve Berardi

1 - > Announcer: WWDB 860 AM Philadelphia and WPENHD two, 2 - > Burlington, Philadelphia. 3 - > The following programming is sponsored by Marc J. 4 - > Bernstein. 5 - > The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of 6 - > this station, its management, or Beasley Media Group.

7 - > Entrepreneur, founder, author and financial advisor, Marc Bernstein helps high-performing business owners turn their visions into reality. At March Forward, Marc and his partners and associates think out of the box to partner with their clients in regards to their visions for their lives, their businesses and their legacies. And through his innovative work with the Forward Focus Forums, Marc connects entrepreneurs to resources that help to fuel their success. Founders’ Forum is a radio show and podcast where entrepreneurs share their journeys, revealing the stories behind their successes, and the lessons they’ve learned.

Join Marc and his guests for a mix of inspiration, valuable insights, and a bit of fun! Now, let’s dive in... 8 - > Now let's dive in. 9 - > Marc Bernstein: Good morning, America.

10 - > How are you today? 11 - > I can tell this is going to be a fun show. 12 - > I can tell you this right off the bat. 13 - > And my guest today is Steve.

14 - > I'll introduce Steve in a second. 15 - > I have to tell you it's a beautiful sunny day in 16 - > Philadelphia because they say it's always sunny in 17 - > Philadelphia, but it's not, but today is. 18 - > We're here on WWDB AM Radio 860 in Philadelphia, and we're 19 - > you're probably listening to this on a podcast. 20 - > So welcome to Founders Forum.

21 - > Steve, I was thinking this morning for our topic of the day 22 - > about sports. 23 - > We don't talk about sports a lot on this, but you know, 24 - > Philly's a big sports town. 25 - > I know you're a Philly sports fan, I am too, particularly for 26 - > me, the Phillies and Eagles. 27 - > Um you can express a little bit more about that.

28 - > But um I think that sports has had a big impact on your life. 29 - > And I'm interested in the connection between sports and 30 - > business. 31 - > You know, what you might have taken out of sports and brought 32 - > to your business life, and then we'll introduce you formally and 33 - > talk about your business. 34 - > But good morning.

35 - > Good morning, Marc. 36 - > Thanks for having me on your show. 37 - > So tell tell us about your history with sports and how it 38 - > might have impacted you in business. 39 - > Steve Berardi: Well, I've been involved in sports since I was 40 - > probably six years old.

41 - > I just had a passion for I guess my number one sport was 42 - > baseball. 43 - > You know, I started throwing a ball against the wall, would 44 - > never quit. 45 - > Um and just it grew from there into ice hockey, um and whatever 46 - > sport I can get into. 47 - > Um so I think the the the relationship between sports and 48 - > business was the competitiveness, number one, 49 - > which was I've always been competitive.

50 - > And taking that feeling into business was, you know, it just 51 - > it just was inside me all the time. 52 - > Um and then the team commodity was always awesome. 53 - > And I try to take that, I actually coached over years, ice 54 - > hockey, baseball, and just getting people close, a team 55 - > close, I took that into my bait into my business, which uh it 56 - > really relates. 57 - > It really relates on how people respect you, how they look at 58 - > you, are they enjoying their job?

59 - > Are you are you showing your passion to them of what you're 60 - > doing? 61 - > And are they following that passion? 62 - > So uh very relatable. 63 - > Marc Bernstein: We um I I also am a big b baseball fan, not as 64 - > much of an athlete as you are, spent a lot of my time as you 65 - > did in music growing up.

66 - > And um, you know, but that too, I'm a bass player, so I have to 67 - > be a member of the team. 68 - > I can't really just go out and play by myself, you know. 69 - > So, although I've started doing that a little bit lately. 70 - > But the idea of competitiveness, we used to go 71 - > to battles of the bands and when battle of the bands with the 72 - > band I was in.

73 - > I was in marching band and we shared that experience. 74 - > They were competitive. 75 - > People don't think of musicians as being competitive, but you 76 - > know, think about big stars. 77 - > Steve Berardi: Oh, absolutely.

78 - > I I remember through high school just uh auditioning for 79 - > state bands and district bands and just battling for seat 80 - > positions. 81 - > So it was it was competitive. 82 - > The music industry was very competitive. 83 - > unknown: Trevor Burrus, Jr.

84 - > Marc Bernstein: And and even and even if you think about solo 85 - > stars, you know, they always have either either bands around 86 - > them or producers or the everybody's got a team, you 87 - > know. 88 - > And when you hear people at the Grammys or the Oscars, you 89 - > know, and they talk about, I want to thank my team, it's 90 - > true. 91 - > They can't really do it without their teams. 92 - > So it it is all transferable, I believe.

93 - > And I just thought it was a good topic. 94 - > So thanks for sharing on that. 95 - > You're welcome. 96 - > So Steve Berardi is our guest today, and Steve is president 97 - > and founder of Omni Building Group LLC.

98 - > They do new residential construction and residential and 99 - > commercial renovations. 100 - > There's a lot of those companies around. 101 - > But Steve's story when we first met struck me because number 102 - > one, he had a lot of different experiences to get him there, 103 - > and he had specific reasons for wanting to do this. 104 - > And as a relatively small business, he's very successful.

105 - > And and it's a hard thing to do, especially in the climate 106 - > today. 107 - > And um, so anyway, I just want to tell you he's been in 108 - > business for 45 years. 109 - > Uh he gets involved with sales, design, oversight of completing 110 - > every job on time and on budget. 111 - > He's worked every facet of the business which helps him deal 112 - > with every issue that comes up.

113 - > So leading to that, let's talk about, you know, in high school, 114 - > you I know you played a little bit of sports, played a lot of 115 - > music, trumpet player. 116 - > Um you got out of school, went to college. 117 - > Tell me how your career prep progressed to bring you into the 118 - > home building business. 119 - > Steve Berardi: Well, I I was actually a music major in 120 - > college.

121 - > Like me. 122 - > Like you. 123 - > And uh once I figured I couldn't make any money in the 124 - > music industry. 125 - > Right, right.

126 - > I decided, okay, this is great and all, but I need to do 127 - > something else. 128 - > I, you know, I by the after college, I I got married, got 129 - > married kind of young at 23. 130 - > Um, and I need to support a family now. 131 - > So I was still involved with music.

132 - > I was playing in some big bands, but making no money at 133 - > all. 134 - > So uh I grew up, my dad was a stonemason from Italy, and uh I 135 - > grew up doing it. 136 - > I mean, at seven years old, he had me carrying bricks, and you 137 - > know, when I started working for him in grade school and high 138 - > school, I was a cement mixer, I was the stone carrier, I was the 139 - > backhoe, I was everything. 140 - > Marc Bernstein: So I told Steve earlier my wife's family, which 141 - > is was well, her maiden name was Bernardini, so add a few 142 - > letters and to Birardi, and you got the same name.

143 - > Maybe who knows? 144 - > But anyway, it was the other side of her family was were 145 - > stonemasons. 146 - > So I've heard a lot of stories and known her cousins, you know, 147 - > who got in that business for a while and that kind of thing. 148 - > So I know tough business.

149 - > Steve Berardi: Tough business. 150 - > And and I knew I I I there's no way I can do this for the rest 151 - > of my life, but uh I learned so much from it. 152 - > I learned, you know, the big big thing was my dad was he was 153 - > an unbelievable worker, and to be around him, it rubbed off on 154 - > me. 155 - > So the work ethic, I was like, okay, I have to take this and I 156 - > want to build something bigger.

157 - > I mean, my dad started, he he he worked hard just to support 158 - > his family, and that was his thought process. 159 - > Work every week, support the family. 160 - > My thing is I need to build something. 161 - > And that's how I always was.

162 - > I was someone who wanted to build something. 163 - > So I thought to myself, well, I'm gonna go on my own and I'm 164 - > gonna expand it a little bit. 165 - > So I expanded first started with home improvements, and then 166 - > I decided I'm gonna build a home. 167 - > And that's how I got started.

168 - > Marc Bernstein: By the way, I was thinking about this, you 169 - > know, thinking back to like little kids and the story of 170 - > three little pigs and all that. 171 - > The brick layer, I mean, think about it, it's literally like 172 - > building a foundation for a strong home, right? 173 - > So you kind of started at the bottom, not in a negative way, 174 - > but started at the bottom and sort of built up from there, if 175 - > you think about that. 176 - > Steve Berardi: Aaron Powell Well, it's funny you say that 177 - > because I always think that way.

178 - > Like you have to build a foundation and the foundation 179 - > needs to be strong. 180 - > Marc Bernstein: Yeah, I'm not a home builder, but I just I just 181 - > figured that out. 182 - > So interesting. 183 - > So um so you but tell us about some of the you had a lot of 184 - > business experience prior to getting into the home building 185 - > business.

186 - > So between bricklaying and that tell and and and and starting 187 - > the home building business, what other kinds of things did you 188 - > do? 189 - > Steve Berardi: Aaron Ross Powell, I actually um after I 190 - > got out of college, I got into uh like a wholesale business of 191 - > selling housewares and whatnot. 192 - > Uh I did really well with it, and they promoted me into my own 193 - > business. 194 - > At the time, I was only 22.

195 - > Um they shipped me down to Maryland to open up a company. 196 - > And here I am at 22 interviewing guys who are 10, 15 197 - > years older than me, trying to act like I knew what I was 198 - > doing, which I had no idea what I was doing. 199 - > But it gave me so much experience. 200 - > Um, and I I had I had just gotten married, and my wife, she 201 - > gave up her whole hairdressing career, moved down with me, and 202 - > supported me through the process.

203 - > But it got to the point where we both said, all right, enough 204 - > is enough, let's move back home in PA. 205 - > And uh I need to find something else. 206 - > It's not gonna work for me. 207 - > Marc Bernstein: Somewhere in there you also had some 208 - > experience in manufacturing, too, which is building things 209 - > again.

210 - > Steve Berardi: That's correct. 211 - > I did. 212 - > I I worked in a company that built uh airplane and space 213 - > stuff. 214 - > Um and I I I I walked in there needing a job, um, trying to 215 - > find myself, and um I I learned how to take care of the 216 - > building, I learned how to fix all the machines, so I got 217 - > promoted really quickly there, but I still knew knew this is 218 - > not what I want to do.

219 - > Marc Bernstein: So when did you decide and how did you decide 220 - > that that you wanted to build things and the and you started 221 - > that business? 222 - > Steve Berardi: I always knew I wanted to build things. 223 - > Um the thing was like, hey, I just got married, um I'm 224 - > starting to have kids. 225 - > Uh it was just like, how do I get this started?

226 - > And I remember one day I just said, it's time. 227 - > And I just went out in my own business. 228 - > I did a small renovation. 229 - > I made pretty good money.

230 - > I'm like, this could be pretty good. 231 - > And then I just built it from there. 232 - > Marc Bernstein: Trevor Burrus, Jr.: So you're building homes, 233 - > you're building a business, and you're building a family all at 234 - > the same time.

235 - > That's correct. 236 - > Pretty cool. 237 - > Uh so how did it go in the beginning with the business? 238 - > Steve Berardi: The keep on putting this on the side now.

239 - > I the uh uh it went okay. 240 - > You know, I was getting some jobs, and then one day I bumped 241 - > into an old class uh uh a friend of mine that I I went to high 242 - > school with. 243 - > We were like best friends in high school. 244 - > And he was kind of doing the same thing.

245 - > So uh we discussed it. 246 - > I remember his father said, Hey, I'm gonna retire soon. 247 - > Why don't you two get together? 248 - > So we got together and we formed a partnership, and then 249 - > we started building started building more houses.

250 - > Marc Bernstein: His dad was a home builder? 251 - > Aaron Ross Powell, Jr. 252 - > Steve Berardi: No, his dad was a masonry, we were both masonry 253 - > guys, so I told him what I was doing. 254 - > So we kind of got together and still not knowing what we were 255 - > doing, we started building houses and we we got pretty good 256 - > at it.

257 - > And we were we were partners for 25 years. 258 - > Marc Bernstein: What kind of challenges did you have in that 259 - > business as you were Because you know, because people start a 260 - > business, they always say, well, it's a smooth ride from there, 261 - > right? 262 - > Steve Berardi: Trevor Burrus Well, in the home building 263 - > business, it's all about capital. 264 - > Right.

265 - > You need capital. 266 - > So the biggest challenge was capital. 267 - > Right. 268 - > Trying to buy land, trying to finance company.

269 - > It that was the biggest challenge. 270 - > Right. 271 - > And you know, you're you're competing against guys who are 272 - > in the business for 20, 25, 30 years, and you want to build 273 - > their home. 274 - > How do you say, hey, I've been in business for three years, how 275 - > do you win that job?

276 - > Trevor Burrus, Jr. 277 - > Marc Bernstein: And you did this primarily. 278 - > I know you're in based in Bucks County. 279 - > That's correct.

280 - > Is that primarily where your building was? 281 - > Correct. 282 - > That's a pretty competitive area for a home building. 283 - > Very competitive from what I know.

284 - > Steve Berardi: Very competitive. 285 - > Marc Bernstein: So you had those challenges. 286 - > How did you what strengths did you build from that? 287 - > From the financial and the capital end?

288 - > You probably figured out how and where to get money. 289 - > Steve Berardi: Well, we borrowed money at a high interest. 290 - > Marc Bernstein: I mean, did what you had to do. 291 - > Steve Berardi: You did what you had to do.

292 - > Until you until we were really established, and then we were 293 - > able to get, you know, standard finance it, if you will, uh, to 294 - > move along. 295 - > So uh things started going really well. 296 - > Through the 2000s, um we were doing real well. 297 - > I was the best salesman in the world.

298 - > I could sell a house to anybody. 299 - > That's how good it was. 300 - > Marc Bernstein: And then came 2008, right? 301 - > Yes.

302 - > And what happened then? 303 - > Steve Berardi: Well, 2008, the housing crisis came, and all of 304 - > a sudden the greatest salesman in the world can't sell a house. 305 - > Marc Bernstein: Right. 306 - > Steve Berardi: Uh and back then Because nobody's buying.

307 - > Nobody's buying, and back then we did spec houses, and nobody's 308 - > buying the spec houses. 309 - > And you know, loans started getting called in, and it just 310 - > for two, three years it was bad. 311 - > We just couldn't sell a thing, couldn't started losing 312 - > properties that we owned. 313 - > So it we took a huge hit back in the day.

314 - > Marc Bernstein: So what so what happened then? 315 - > I mean, it that business didn't last, I guess, after that. 316 - > Steve Berardi: Well, my partner and I decided, hey, we're we're 317 - > just going to go our own way, each to their own, because it 318 - > was that tough. 319 - > There was two years in a row, we didn't make any money.

320 - > Uh so he went out on his own and I decided to form Omni 321 - > Building Group. 322 - > Marc Bernstein: Aaron Powell Did he go out on his own building 323 - > homes also? 324 - > Steve Berardi: No, he he just stayed into like smaller 325 - > projects. 326 - > Matter of fact, he still calls me and needs advice if he's 327 - > doing a bigger project.

328 - > Because uh back in the day I was the guy, uh the leader of 329 - > the construction end. 330 - > Right. 331 - > I knew everything about it, so everybody came to me. 332 - > Marc Bernstein: Um your coaching experience, I think, came into 333 - > in handy at that point, right?

334 - > Steve Berardi: It still does to this day. 335 - > It still does to this day. 336 - > I you know, I think about situations and I think how do I 337 - > handle it? 338 - > Well, how would the coach handle it?

339 - > Marc Bernstein: Right. 340 - > Cool. 341 - > Steve Berardi: Yeah. 342 - > Marc Bernstein: So that's that's really nice how that worked 343 - > out.

344 - > So you started in when 2008, 2009, you started Omni? 345 - > Steve Berardi: I started Omni in 2012. 346 - > Marc Bernstein: Oh, 2012. 347 - > Steve Berardi: Yeah.

348 - > So we lingered on for a while. 349 - > Marc Bernstein: Hung on for a while. 350 - > Steve Berardi: And then I I probably took six months to 351 - > decide how I'm going to do this. 352 - > And I still remember to this day sitting down at the 353 - > telephone and just calling everybody I knew just to try to 354 - > figure something out.

355 - > And uh associate I have today, we partner up on a lot of 356 - > projects. 357 - > His name is George. 358 - > Um he was a huge influence and helped me get going. 359 - > Uh he has his own building company, and uh he really helped 360 - > me uh get going.

361 - > Marc Bernstein: Nice. 362 - > Steve Berardi: Um and then we end we end up doing He was a 363 - > mentor uh uh as such. 364 - > Yeah, he's definitely a mentor. 365 - > Marc Bernstein: Mentor, yeah.

366 - > Steve Berardi: Yeah, he's definitely a mentor. 367 - > I don't want to call him smart because he'll get a big head. 368 - > Marc Bernstein: Well, listen, you know, every listen, 369 - > mentorship is such a great thing, and we've all had them, 370 - > and it's it it helps tremendously to help you find 371 - > your way. 372 - > So how did you start?

373 - > You started with one house, I imagine. 374 - > Steve Berardi: I did. 375 - > It's funny. 376 - > Um as soon as I started, a good friend of mine, Joe, uh, re 377 - > referred me to um uh someone who wanted to build a home.

378 - > And it was the timing was perfect. 379 - > Uh we signed a contract and we got our first big home as Omni 380 - > Building Group. 381 - > Marc Bernstein: That is a perfect jump-off point for us to 382 - > take a quick commercial break and hear a little bit more about 383 - > Omni, and we'll be right back on Founders Forum. 384 - > Thinking about building, renovating, or expanding your home or business?

Trust the team at Omni Building Group. Based in Doylestown and serving Bucks County, Montgomery County, and surrounding areas, Omni specializes in custom homes, luxury additions, renovations, and select commercial construction projects built with craftsmanship, communication, and attention to detail at every step. For more than 30 years, Omni Building Group has helped clients bring their vision to life while delivering a construction experience that feels organized, transparent, and personal.

Whether you're planning your dream home, upgrading your current space, or exploring a commercial project, start the conversation with Omni Building Group today. Visit omnibuildinggroup.com to schedule your consultation. 385 - > Marc Bernstein: We're back on Founders Forum with my guest 386 - > Steve Barardi today.

387 - > And Steve, so you started you built one house, and then I 388 - > assume you started building more houses at the time. 389 - > Steve Berardi: I did. 390 - > I did. 391 - > You know, I I had a a different business setup than I did with 392 - > my first company.

393 - > First company, we primarily built houses. 394 - > And I told myself I'll never get in that situation where I'm 395 - > relying on just building houses. 396 - > So I decided to get into renovations, additions, um, some 397 - > commercial work. 398 - > Um so it started, you know, just like anything else, the 399 - > domino effect.

400 - > I started business started coming, referrals started coming 401 - > and started building. 402 - > And I started hiring more guys, and from that point it started 403 - > taking off. 404 - > Marc Bernstein: I mean, I had some rough years, but uh So if 405 - > you had to st if I stepped away, stepped outside of this and 406 - > looked back looked at it and compared it to other businesses, 407 - > like if you were a manufacturer as an example, you started 408 - > making more products.

409 - > You started diversifying so that if you couldn't sell this 410 - > product during a certain time, you'd have this other thing to 411 - > back you up. 412 - > It's also like investing in a more diverse portfolio, right? 413 - > Correct. 414 - > Something's not performing, something else is.

415 - > Steve Berardi: Well, you know, and and then in the uh 416 - > construction business or building business, cash flow is 417 - > everything. 418 - > So it created really good cash flow. 419 - > So, you know, you know, my thing is I hate a bill being 420 - > paid late. 421 - > I just I don't accept it.

422 - > I just drives me crazy. 423 - > So it just helps everything stay online. 424 - > Marc Bernstein: Aaron Powell Has that model worked for you over 425 - > the years? 426 - > It has very well.

427 - > It has. 428 - > It has. 429 - > It has so then it was a smooth ride after 2012. 430 - > Steve Berardi: Aaron Powell It was.

431 - > It it gradually got better every year. 432 - > Every year it got better. 433 - > You know, when I first started, I was kind of on my on an 434 - > island by myself. 435 - > You know, I'd I'd work I I remember when I was growing up, 436 - > I did a job with my dad with a doctor.

437 - > And the doctor said if you can always use your hands, you'll 438 - > always be able to make money and feed your family. 439 - > And I remember when I first got started, I literally got back 440 - > out in the field and did what I had to do until I can build it 441 - > up. 442 - > So, you know, I was out in the field during the day. 443 - > Marc Bernstein: You must have had subs.

444 - > You didn't build the house by itself. 445 - > I had subs. 446 - > Steve Berardi: I did have subs. 447 - > But you know, I was supervising jobs, I was, you know, doing 448 - > the administration the whole nine yards, and it eventually 449 - > got better and hired people to do that job.

450 - > And now, you know, I can just manage the company, which is now 451 - > you have, I think, about seven people in your company. 452 - > Marc Bernstein: I do. 453 - > Plus, obviously you use a lot of subcontractors as well. 454 - > Steve Berardi: So we do.

455 - > And they're they're they're almost like employees. 456 - > There's we use the same guys all the time, and they're 457 - > they're great. 458 - > Marc Bernstein: I mean, so if you looked at your whole crew, 459 - > including your subs, how many people are probably about 460 - > thirty. 461 - > Yeah, so it's a substantial substantial operation.

462 - > Steve Berardi: Yeah. 463 - > Marc Bernstein: And well, so what kind of challenges have had 464 - > have you had with that? 465 - > I know we talked a bit offline about how you treat your people 466 - > and your retention's been pretty good. 467 - > Do you if you had to describe the company culture that you've 468 - > built, how would you describe that?

469 - > Steve Berardi: Um well, I think everybody is very dedicated to 470 - > the cause. 471 - > You know, we set goals. 472 - > Um and I'll give a shout out to my guys, my brother-in-law Joe, 473 - > son-in-law Matt, Tyler, Colin, Bill, Nick, T. 474 - > These guys have been great.

475 - > They're they're I can trust every day that they're they're 476 - > dedicated to the cause. 477 - > They're um I I just trust them with everything. 478 - > And they they follow through. 479 - > I I never I never not have to think about what are they doing, 480 - > how are they doing it.

481 - > They just do it. 482 - > They've picked up what I want, because we we do weekly 483 - > meetings, uh production meetings, and we go over every 484 - > job, every schedule, and they're on top of it. 485 - > I don't I don't need to sit there and tell them what to do. 486 - > Marc Bernstein: So that means you have good people.

487 - > So it started with p picking good people, but not everyone 488 - > can do that. 489 - > Not everybody picks good people right off the bat. 490 - > And and there's there they need leadership. 491 - > So what kind of things have you done on your end to find and 492 - > retain good people and to continue to guide them in a way 493 - > that you can trust them?

494 - > You have to have trustworthy people, but you also have to 495 - > have people that have the skill sets that you know you can trust 496 - > them. 497 - > Steve Berardi: Well, I think through leadership, people see 498 - > that. 499 - > So the people have high. 500 - > Like I I knew some of these people that I hired, but they 501 - > didn't they didn't work for me at the time.

502 - > And they saw what I was trying to build. 503 - > And I, you know, I said, come and come and join me. 504 - > Be part of this. 505 - > We're building it.

506 - > And I, you know, I'm not a quitter. 507 - > I I'm I'm aggressive. 508 - > And they joined up. 509 - > And everything I if I told them I was going to do something or 510 - > do something for them, I always did it without question.

511 - > I never backed up on something I said. 512 - > Marc Bernstein: So first leadership lesson, do what you 513 - > say you're going to do. 514 - > That is correct. 515 - > And do it on time.

516 - > Absolutely. 517 - > Right? 518 - > Yes. 519 - > So I that's one of the things I've in fact, that to me, that's 520 - > a there's a technical Harvard Business School definition of 521 - > integrity, which is basically say do what you say you're going 522 - > to do and do it on time.

523 - > And that means keeping your word. 524 - > And if you can't keep your word, you honor your word, which 525 - > means you get in front of it and you say, look, I told you I 526 - > was gonna have this done by Friday. 527 - > I can't. 528 - > Here's why.

529 - > Which I'm sure you do with your customers, because I'm sure 530 - > something happens, right? 531 - > So that's integrity. 532 - > So that's that sounds like one of your core values, although 533 - > you may not call it that in your company, I would think. 534 - > Steve Berardi: Yeah, well, we we have KPIs in our companies that 535 - > we we set them and everybody follows them.

536 - > Marc Bernstein: Um that's a culture built on integrity. 537 - > Um obviously also on on it sounds like on goals, because 538 - > when you told them you they're following what you wanted to 539 - > build, what you wanted to do, I'm sure you had a vision for 540 - > hey, this is what we're doing this year in revenues, or uh how 541 - > many homes we're projects we're working on, and I'm sure there 542 - > was a vision for next year we're gonna up that right? 543 - > Yeah, we do that all the time.

544 - > And that's part of the KPIs, I'm sure that you're that is 545 - > that is correct. 546 - > Interesting. 547 - > So that's good. 548 - > So how did you come by those skills?

549 - > Because you didn't learn that probably in the masonry 550 - > business. 551 - > Steve Berardi: Well, um, my first company, I learned a lot 552 - > of skills from failing. 553 - > Marc Bernstein: Well, there you go. 554 - > That's what it was.

555 - > Steve Berardi: You know what I say all the time? 556 - > Um when you start doing well, you get into bad habits. 557 - > When you start doing really bad, you get into bad or good 558 - > habits. 559 - > So, you know, when when things are going well, you start doing 560 - > things.

561 - > You get a little lazy, I guess. 562 - > And I learned that I can't go that route. 563 - > When things are going really well, you never know what's 564 - > going to happen. 565 - > And you know, when 2008 came along, you know, it was a punch 566 - > in the face.

567 - > And I I thought to myself you weren't prepared for that. 568 - > I was not prepared for that. 569 - > Marc Bernstein: But it sounds like should that happen again, 570 - > which it could, because right now we're at a we're at 571 - > interesting times right now. 572 - > Steve Berardi: I'm very prepared for it this time.

573 - > Marc Bernstein: You're very prepared, right? 574 - > Yeah. 575 - > Steve Berardi: And everybody around me sees it. 576 - > And you know, we again, you know, we I I take guys in, we 577 - > set goals, we we say this we want to do.

578 - > I even ask my guys think we're looking at a job, whether we 579 - > want my my partner George, we do business together, associate. 580 - > Marc Bernstein: Mentor partner. 581 - > Steve Berardi: Yeah, he says, you know, when you're dealing 582 - > with a customer, you have to decide to listen, listen. 583 - > Uh they'll speak loud enough if you want them as a customer or 584 - > not.

585 - > Marc Bernstein: Right, right, right. 586 - > Steve Berardi: So we even get together and here's a job, you 587 - > know. 588 - > Should we take it? 589 - > Do we want to deal with this person?

590 - > Because it could get rough out there. 591 - > Marc Bernstein: For sure. 592 - > Steve Berardi: So I I allow everybody into that 593 - > decision-making process, which you know brings everybody 594 - > together. 595 - > I think it it works out really well for us.

596 - > Marc Bernstein: So that's a really interesting concept to me 597 - > because in our business, which is wealth management, we're like 598 - > that. 599 - > We're very selective about who we deal with. 600 - > But again, that I wasn't when I started out that way because 601 - > you know you need to you need to pay the bills, right? 602 - > You need to keep the lights on.

603 - > So so I understand that. 604 - > So you learn uh uh through experience who you who you want 605 - > to work with. 606 - > I'm not sure there's as many people in your business that are 607 - > doing that, I if I had to guess. 608 - > Steve Berardi: I I don't know.

609 - > You know, other people say, Did you ever hear of this building 610 - > company? 611 - > And I was like, I only know one building company. 612 - > It's only a building. 613 - > That's it.

614 - > So I don't pay attention to that because I can't control 615 - > what other people do and how they go about it. 616 - > I can only control what we do and how we go about it. 617 - > Marc Bernstein: You you stay in your lane. 618 - > Steve Berardi: I do.

619 - > Marc Bernstein: Well, the only reason I know that is both from 620 - > working personally with contractors and working with um 621 - > clients who are contractors, you know, uh not maybe not 622 - > complaints, but comments about what they have to do with some 623 - > of the customers, whether it's commercial or or individual, 624 - > tells me that they need the business so they take certain 625 - > jobs on perhaps that they might not otherwise do. 626 - > You've gotten to a level of success where you don't have to 627 - > do that, which is wonderful.

628 - > And your whole team buys into that, which is which is really 629 - > great too. 630 - > Yeah. 631 - > So um we just have a few minutes left. 632 - > I want to ask you, Steve, if this were this is now June 3rd 633 - > of 2026.

634 - > I don't know when you all are listening to this, but that's 635 - > the date that we're talking. 636 - > And if you you and I are talking again, which I hope we 637 - > will be on June 3rd of 2029, and we're looking back on the last 638 - > three years, what would have to have happened for you, Steve, to 639 - > feel that that was a successful period in your business and 640 - > your life? 641 - > Steve Berardi: What would have to happen? 642 - > That's a great question.

643 - > Um, I I think everything that has happened, I can't ask for 644 - > more, to be honest with you. 645 - > Everything has been the last three years have been great. 646 - > I mean, there's there's nothing else that I would want to 647 - > happen. 648 - > My I have grandchildren, I have a great wife, great friends.

649 - > Um, you know, my I know I talked to you, I love going to 650 - > Florida, I get to do that a lot. 651 - > Marc Bernstein: Well, and I think doing a little more of 652 - > that is part of your vision, right? 653 - > Steve Berardi: Absolutely is part of my vision. 654 - > So, you know, I I would say like three years ago, what my 655 - > vision was has come it's I I followed through what that 656 - > vision is.

657 - > And then the next three years I do have a vision. 658 - > Marc Bernstein: What so what is that vision? 659 - > Steve Berardi: So that vision would um to hand off my company 660 - > to my guys. 661 - > Um and they are you know working hard to learn it.

662 - > Um I would love for them just to kind of take over and I can 663 - > just be the consultant for the business. 664 - > Um and they deserve it. 665 - > They deserve to make you know to to to pick up their careers 666 - > and run a business, and they've worked hard for it. 667 - > Marc Bernstein: So so your vision really is to continue 668 - > doing what you're doing, but do less of it, be more in a 669 - > consulting role, enjoy more time in Florida that you've earned, 670 - > and uh continue to have a good life.

671 - > That's correct. 672 - > That's a pretty good vision. 673 - > Uh so let me ask you this. 674 - > Um if you first of all, what do you do for relaxation?

675 - > I know for going to Florida's part of it, but what a what do 676 - > you think? 677 - > Steve Berardi: I play golf, I work out, I work out every 678 - > morning. 679 - > Like I walk two miles every morning, push-ups, squats, whole 680 - > thing. 681 - > So that gets me going for the day.

682 - > Um and I I love playing golf and having a catch with my 683 - > grandson, things like that. 684 - > Oh, cooking, I'm a big I love I love to cook hobbies of 685 - > cooking, yeah. 686 - > So that relaxes me a lot also. 687 - > Marc Bernstein: What's your favorite dish to cook?

688 - > Steve Berardi: Well, you know, I'm an Italian, so every pasta 689 - > dish known to man I can make. 690 - > Right. 691 - > Marc Bernstein: Right. 692 - > What's your do you do you make sauce or gravy with it?

693 - > Steve Berardi: I make s I make sauce. 694 - > Marc Bernstein: Sauce. 695 - > My wife's family also sauce, but but I grew up with families 696 - > where we went for gravy, you know. 697 - > But anyway, it's well, it was a debate.

698 - > Steve Berardi: I grew up and they called it gravy, but I 699 - > somehow trans transitioned over to sauce. 700 - > Marc Bernstein: Well, on that note, we're just about out of 701 - > time. 702 - > So thank you for being here today, Steve. 703 - > It was a great, great talking with you.

704 - > Uh great speaking with all of you out there in listener land. 705 - > And uh stay tuned next week for Founders Forum. 706 - > We'll see you then. 707 - > Founders’ Forum was brought to you in part, by March Forward, LLC.

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