Episode 38: Building A Business That Serves You With Zak Johnson
In episode 38 of the Professional Builders Secrets podcast, we’re joined by Zak Johnson, owner of ZJ Building based out of South Australia. Throughout this episode, we learn about Zak’s story and how he created ZJ Building from the ground up.
Episode 38: Building A Business That Serves You With Zak Johnson
In episode 38 of the Professional Builders Secrets podcast, we’re joined by Zak Johnson, owner of ZJ Building based out of South Australia. Throughout this episode, we learn about Zak’s story and how he created ZJ Building from the ground up.
Show Notes
Transcript
In episode 38 of the Professional Builders Secrets podcast, we’re joined by Zak Johnson, owner of ZJ Building based out of South Australia. Throughout this episode, we learn about Zak’s story and how he created ZJ Building from the ground up.
After starting his carpentry apprenticeship in January 2007. Zak immediately fell in love with the trade and all the opportunities to build and create. He gained a lot of experience in all aspects of the building trades including supervising architectural custom home builds and small commercial projects.
From that point his decision was clear, and he chose the path of building. Within Episode 38 Zak shares the reasons behind why he wanted to create his own building company, along with the lessons he’s learnt along the way, and what inspires him to strive for excellence with each and every build
Listen to the full episode to discover how Zak has created ZJ Building to be a business that serves him perfectly.
Zak Johnson - Owner of ZJ Building
After recognising a gap in the industry with a lot of builders lacking in customer focus during projects that closely involve the homeowner, Zak found himself with an opportunity to create something truly unique. With a passion to deliver high quality projects and improve the lifestyles of South Australian homeowners, he started ZJ Building in 2015 and has been transforming homes ever since. With a strong drive for self improvement and professional development, Zak continues to evolve and improve the company. From building strong systems and processes for our customer's benefit to proudly running a virtually paperless office, the future of ZJ Building is always looking bright.
Timeline
1:44 About ZJ Building.
02:05 The decision to choose the path of building.
02:59 Zak’s perspective on the current labour shortage.
03:43 What got Zak started and his journey.
04:29 When Zak decided to go into business for himself.
05:54 The reasons behind wanting to go into business for himself.
07:15 Lessons learned or most memorable moments.
08:56 What inspires Zak to executive plans of action and strive for excellence.
10:19 The transformation of ZJ Building.
11:41 Zak’s perspective on stepping away from the tools.
13:00 Zak’s feelings about being off the tools?
13:49 How Zak came across APB.
15:25 Learning lessons and knowing when to implement changes into the business.
16:20 ZJ Building's award wins.
18:04 How Zak feels about working in the office.
19:08 Getting to the stage where the business as designed?
20:32 The next focus for ZJ Building.
21:45 The challenges in the market.
23:37 How APB has helped the feelings of isolation.
24:50 Zak’s advice to new builders.
26:53 Innovation in construction today.
28:39 How Zak finds balance between running a building company and family life.
30:02 The advice Zak would give a younger version of himself.
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Zak Johnson:
Just because you're good at building houses doesn't mean you'll be good at running a business. Getting someone to build a wall frame like you can is not that hard, but you get a lot more value out of learning how to run a better business. I was just so gung ho. My attitude was, "Right, I'm just going to do this," and I just got on with it. I wasn't tracking my numbers or checking my profitability.
Bosco Anthony:
Every building owner has memories from those mistakes. They're either defining moments or learning moments.
Zak Johnson:
I did one project for someone. I didn't really have all the structure in place with a contract and things like that. In the end, I didn't really have a leg to stand on.
Bosco Anthony:
Hello and welcome to the Professional Builders Secrets podcast, a podcast by the Association of Professional Builders (APB) for building company owners, general managers, VPs and emerging leaders. Here, we discuss all things running a professional building company, from sales processes to financials, operations and marketing. Hello and welcome. I'm joined today by Zak Johnson, Director and Master Builder based out of Adelaide. Zak, thanks for being here today.
Zak Johnson:
Great to be here, Bosco.
Bosco Anthony:
Well, Zak, why don't you start off by telling us a little bit about who you are, what your company does and what you specialise in.
Zak Johnson:
We're based in Adelaide, South Australia. We are a custom home builder. We specialise in mid to high-end extensions, additions and large scale renovations.
Bosco Anthony:
How did you get started in this industry? Was this one of those roles that came to you by design? Did you land on it? What made you choose this path?
Zak Johnson:
Well, yeah, it's an interesting story. Throughout high school, I was getting into woodworking and furniture construction. I really liked working with my hands and my dad was a mechanic, so he had a trade. I remember being in the car with him once and I said, "I'm thinking about getting a trade. Should I be a mechanic like you, or should I be a carpenter?" And he said, "Oh, you can't be a mechanic because when I was your age, I was doing all this, but you are not doing that." I said, "Oh, well, I'm a carpenter now."
Bosco Anthony:
You landed on it based on a conversation with your dad and that was the path that you took?
Zak Johnson:
Yeah, 100 per cent. I knew I would always do an apprenticeship and carpentry just looked like the path for me. I really enjoyed it, so that's the path I took.
Bosco Anthony:
Zak, what are your thoughts about being a skilled trade worker? Is it a lost, dying art? There are so many shortages in the labour force out there. What do you think is the solution to the shortage?
Zak Johnson:
I'm not sure what the solution to the shortage is, but the volume is definitely kicking up. More people are specialising in specific areas. So carpenters, these days, just do first fix, or they just do second fix. I worked for a builder who did it all, so I just got that big, broad view of all the different things you can do as a carpenter. But I think certainly that's a dying art of learning your trade. You're being pigeonholed so that you can only do one specific type of thing.
Bosco Anthony:
What was it like starting out? Take me through the process. Obviously, you decided to choose carpentry. Take me through the journey of some of those earlier milestones and some of those experiences as well.
Zak Johnson:
I started out in a commercial environment. I got a really different look to what you'd normally get as an apprentice, I suppose. I started getting a really broad view of all the different things you can do. I started working with a lot of plasterboard work and flashing and things like that. But then my interest there moved, so I went away and started working for a custom home builder and then I started learning all the other aspects of framing and roofing and cladding and things. That all really worked well because then, when I eventually started, when I went out on my own, I had all these multi-skills that really gave me the confidence to roll with it.
Bosco Anthony:
When did you decide to take that leap and go into business for yourself? It sounds like you started working for another company before you decided to go and branch out on your own.
Zak Johnson:
Yeah, definitely. Well, it's interesting because during my apprenticeship, I always knew that I was going to start my own business. That's just what I was going to do. I didn't know when or how, but I just knew that one day I was going to work for myself. Then an opportunity came up and I went with it, and I just loved it. I really, really enjoyed being my own boss and doing my own thing, but I was really just swinging from the hip; I just had no idea what I was doing. I ran into a shortage of work essentially, and I thought, "Oh, well, I haven’t got enough to do," so I went back. I had to work with someone again.
Bosco Anthony:
Right.
Zak Johnson:
That was on my first little look at working on my own, and it gave me a bit of a taste and so I really wanted to do it again. But I realised, well, I didn't really have leads coming in. I didn't really have a structure of a business yet. I was just doing carpentry projects and I was getting busy. So it worked that way, but then, like I said, the work dried up, so I just went back, worked for someone else. I just flitted.
Bosco Anthony:
Right. What appealed to you about working for yourself and starting a business for yourself? You said something that really resonated. You said you always knew you were going to end up having your own business. Do you credit your roots with your dad's profession as one of those reasons for wanting to be a businessman for yourself, or was it in your blood all the way?
Zak Johnson:
My dad did work for himself as a mechanic, and it was just a little business. He was like a sole trader, but I obviously looked up to him. I used to see him when I was really young. He'd go out, do his thing, come back, he'd do his books at night and things like that. So I saw that, and it appealed to me because he's my dad and I just wanted to follow in his footsteps. I hadn't really thought about it consciously, but you're probably right. I probably saw that, and I thought, "Oh, that's what I want to do because my dad did that." It didn't really matter what trade I was doing, but I just wanted to go down that path.
Bosco Anthony:
It's interesting because with all these conversations, it's always interesting to go back to the roots and try to find that origin story. A lot of the builders I've chatted to have said that really, their foundational aspirations came from home at the dinner table or seeing their parents come home from work. I certainly took a lot of my entrepreneurial passions from my parents as well. It's interesting how those memories are tucked away, when we think about it.
Bosco Anthony:
You talked a little bit about getting into the business. Every building owner has made some classical mistakes. Every building owner has memories from those mistakes. They're either defining moments or learning moments. I'm just curious, what are some of those moments that you would classify as learning or memorable moments?
Zak Johnson:
When I started on my own, I was so excited. I was really young. I was full of drive. I was really passionate about it because every day I would get up and do the thing that I love, which was just building things. To be honest, I actually feel like I dodged a few bullets because I don't really remember having any major issues go wrong. I was just so gung ho. My attitude was, "Right, I'm just going to do this," and I just got on with it. I wasn't tracking my numbers or checking my profitability. I was just doing it every day. It didn't really bother me. I definitely would've made some mistakes and there is one that I'll touch on, which was with a project for someone. I didn't really have all the structure in place with the contract and things like that.
Zak Johnson:
In the end, the homeowner was just making up a lot of excuses around why he didn't want to pay and then I started realising, "Oh, I actually don't have a contract in place. I'm missing all these pieces. I don't really have a leg to stand on," so I just let it go and that cost me a few thousand dollars. So realistically, it was a really cheap lesson to learn that way, in hindsight. That put me on the path of realising that surely, there was a better way to do this. I started looking into different things. But back to the question, I feel really lucky that I didn't really come across any of the big mistakes that I'm hearing other builders have made. I think it's from my eagerness just to get in and get it done. If anything came up, I just sorted it. I'm a real ‘just go and get it done’ sort of guy.
Bosco Anthony:
Right. You've been known to be a master executioner, not only just being a master builder. Everyone at APB calls you that. I want to know how this came to life and what inspires you to put the excellence into the details. I'm sure there's a story here.
Zak Johnson:
It's funny you say that. No one's nicknamed me that, and I haven't heard anyone call me that before, but I can see how they get there. I just have an attitude that it doesn't have to be perfect, but when I learn something, I just want to implement a little bit of it or as much of it as possible. I'm not one to linger on it and try and perfect it and perfect it and perfect it and then only do it once I can do it perfectly. I'm happy just to get it done and do it. There's this saying that knowledge is power, but knowledge is nothing unless you implement it. So, applied knowledge is where the power comes in and that really resonates with me because I've heard that saying a lot.
Zak Johnson:
For me, I'll do some of the trainings with APB or whatever. There's a lot of information in there and I think, “Well, I'm never going to be able to process it all. What's the one thing that I can actually do? I'm just going to do that and that's just going to roll onto other things.” I always look for at least one thing that I can do, and I just do it. It doesn't matter if it's not right because I can always just say, "Oh, well, that didn't work. Let's just scrap it. Let's just do something else," but I'm a real ‘go do it’ sort of person.
Bosco Anthony:
Tell me a little bit about the company. Obviously, the company's grown now and you've got different people working with you as well. What does it look like today, and where have you come from? I'm really wanting to talk a little bit about that transformation. What was the crediting piece that led to that growth?
Zak Johnson:
Probably over the last three or four years, the company has changed a lot. I was on the tools initially, so certainly, one of the biggest changes is that I'm no longer on the tools at all. I've grown a team. We've got a couple of project managers and a full-time admin person. I've got a few carpenters as well, so we've got a really good team together at the moment, which means I can focus on other parts of the business. That's really good. I'm no longer on site. That was a really big hurdle for me to try and get over. What the business looks like today: I've come from a one-man, two-man show where I was doing everything. Now we've got a lot of structure in place. We've got a proper presence in a commercial building, so we've got an office now rather than the home office.
Zak Johnson:
We have really moved quite quickly, in hindsight. It's funny how when you're doing it, you don't really feel like it's moving that much, but when you look back, you realise, "Oh, wow. We've actually done quite a lot." See, I'm really happy with where we are at the moment and obviously, I have more goals to tick off as well.
Bosco Anthony:
Maybe we should call these episodes ‘the confessions of a master builder’. What's your take on getting away from being on the tools? I've heard so many different stories. When some builders go, they miss it. When others go, it was the best thing for their business and their brand. What's your take on stepping away from the tools?
Zak Johnson:
I talked to a lot of guys about this, and I think the key thing is your mindset, because when you start a business, you're doing it all yourself. You believe that only you can do it. The business is your little baby. You need to be able to let go, and part of letting go is getting the right people in so that you can trust them, so that you can let go. But I think that's where a lot of builders and a lot of business owners in general really trip up. They just can't allow themselves to let someone else do it and they're constantly micromanaging. I see it. I've got a lot of friends who are older generation builders and they're still on the tools. They're still doing it all themselves. I’ve talked to them about their mindset and it's pretty evident they just don't trust anyone and so they get stuck.
Zak Johnson:
For me, it's a lot of personal growth, I think, reading books, just getting your head around the concept that you don't have to do it yourself. Then once again, back to that ‘just do it’ attitude. I say, “Okay, I'm just going to do it on this job. I'm just going to hand it off and just help where I need to, but I'm really going to try and switch off and just let them do it because I trust these people,” and then it works. Then you get a little bit better at it, a little bit better at it. It's like any skill, you’ve got to keep practising it to get better – and mindset is 100 per cent. That's what it is.
Bosco Anthony:
Do you miss not being on the tools anymore? Do you miss that lifestyle or are you enjoying where you are today?
Zak Johnson:
I do miss it sometimes because it is a lot of fun being on the tools, doing things with your hands, having a bit of banter on site. It is a lot of fun, but to be honest, I really enjoy the office environment and this new role that I've moved into. I get a lot of fulfilment from it because although I'm not getting the banter on site, I've now got a team of people who I'm building and I really like helping them grow in all different aspects in life – personally, professionally, that sort of stuff. So, I really get a lot of fulfilment out of that and that really is what probably drives me the most.
Bosco Anthony:
Let's talk a little bit about your membership and coaching with APB. I believe you've been coached by Andy, is that correct?
Zak Johnson:
That's right, yeah.
Bosco Anthony:
Tell me a little bit about how you heard about them and what got you into it and where are you now and what are some of the memorable experiences so far and how has it transformed your business?
Zak Johnson:
I’ve been with APB at a membership level for quite a long time. I remember they were just hammering me with Facebook ads or whatever it was. I just remember seeing them everywhere and I thought, "Oh, what are these guys about?" So I started looking into it and started having some conversations with their team and then obviously, I signed up for the membership. Then I just saw their library of trainings once I got into membership. They've got all these things you can just do straight away, all this learning you can do. I remember this story quite well, actually. I was talking to one of their team members. It was quite a few years ago. He was saying, "Oh, you could try. There's a lot of information here. It could be a bit overwhelming. You might just want to try and do one a month."
Zak Johnson:
First time I looked at it, I thought, "Oh, my God!" I was just ready for it. So, I was thinking to myself, “I'm just going to try and do this whole library in a month and just absolutely kill it.” I get a bit excited about that sort of stuff. The APB Membership and all their information has really given me a bit of rocket fuel because I want to do all these things. I've got no idea how to do them, but here's a simple training that I can watch and then I can implement something straight away. I was just loving it. I will just watch the training videos at every spare moment. I would just consume as much of it as possible. So, that really gave me a big boost.
Bosco Anthony:
Right. What lessons are you applying to the business today? How has it impacted the growth of your business? Most builders talk about financial awareness, some talk about operational processes as well, and some talk about growth. Which stage did you go through to implement it into your own business?
Zak Johnson:
I think the most powerful systems that APB teaches are about the financial management side of things. They just take it to another level and give that clarity. I'm a real numbers and detail guy, so I really thrive on that sort of stuff. Digging deep and knowing all that information then just allows you to make other decisions so much more easily, because if you're so confident with the financial side of things, it makes investing in new software an easy decision. Will it help? Can I afford it? Yes, yes. Okay, let's do it. Instead of thinking, "Will it help? Oh, I'm not sure. Can I afford it? I got no idea." You're just walking around with a blindfold on. So certainly, the financial side is, I would say, the number one thing that's helped me the most, for sure.
Bosco Anthony:
Looking you up and reading about your biography on the website, it sounds like your company has won some awards. You've won an award as well. Tell me a little bit about these accolades.
Zak Johnson:
Yeah. I've got a real thing for awards. I really want to be highly awarded. There's a lot of authority that comes with it. Our company is an HIA [Housing Industry Association] member, and they do awards every year. We've entered for the last couple of years, and we've been lucky enough to win. There are quite a few. We've just won Professional Builder of the Year, so that's more of a business award about how we run as a company. My apprentice won Apprentice of the Year, and we also won a couple of project awards as well for a couple of internal, smaller renovations that we've done that just came out really, really well. I think we have about five awards at the moment, and we've only been entering for the last two years.
Bosco Anthony:
Wow.
Zak Johnson:
We won two in the first year and three in the second year, so I'm really excited about that. This year's award entries are going to be closing soon, so we've got about another six entries we're going to put in for this year and we’re really gunning just to be highly awarded. We get a lot of leads come in and they mention, "Oh, we rang you because of your award," so it really does help.
Bosco Anthony:
I think you're the first guest who has such a track record of awards and also all these different accolades. It's interesting that you talk about the fact that the accolades can also generate leads. It's a different type of credibility that most builders might say they don't have time for, but they probably haven't considered the impact too. I think it's a really cool thing that you're doing. You talked a little bit about the fact that you missed the job being on the tools and you missed that fun environment and the world of banter. What do you love about the office environment? You’ve now moved your career and you’re evolving your career to being a managing director and a business owner; what do you love about the office life?
Zak Johnson:
It's a really good question. It was a difficult transition to get used to it because you need to change your mindset around how you see productivity. I used to only see it as how many wall frames I can build, but now, it's how can I improve the business? But I suppose, from the office, I get more of an overarching view of everything that's happening. We're obviously in constant communication with the on-site team and my project manager, so I'm pretty up to speed with what’s happening. I get my taste of just making sure I know what's going on on-site because that's always a thing that the business owner wants to know.
Zak Johnson:
But then I get a real kick out of looking at ways we can improve, implementing new systems, training the team, keeping them up to date with our vision and our mission and where we're trying to move the company and helping everyone grow. So, I think it all stems from that.
Bosco Anthony:
It sounds like you've built this business to really serve you and where you're going in the next phase of your life. How did you get to that stage? How did you get to this stage where the business is now operating by design as opposed to default?
Zak Johnson:
I think I still have a way to go before the business is 100 per cent serving me, but certainly, we didn't get here by accident. I do implement quite a bit and I try to just get it done, as I've mentioned before. I think that's the real key. The only way a business is going to change is if you just start putting the value and the time into it. Years ago, when I was trying to do everything myself and I was finding myself working late nights, I had this epiphany that if I'm going to sit here at nine, 10 o'clock at night doing some work, what sort of work should I be doing? Should I be pricing this project so I can have a job, or should I be doing something that once it's done, I no longer have to do it at nine o'clock at night?
Zak Johnson:
So, that's working on the business to perhaps research new software that's going to make life easier, or building new systems. It could be a whole range of things, but it's not necessarily quoting a project or dealing with admin tasks. That's where my mindset went. I thought, “If I'm going to sit here late at night, I'm going to make sure the things that I'm doing, once they're done are going to make sure that I don't have to do this again next month or next year.” So, it was a slow progression out of that.
Bosco Anthony:
As you've grown the business to where it's at today; what's next on the horizon for you? What are you focusing on and what are you getting everyone at the company to look forward to in the coming months?
Zak Johnson:
I've got a real obsession with systems at the moment and trying to put them in the right spot, make them look the right way, make them accessible for our team. I'm trying to really build a systems culture, so just talking about them more, making sure everyone knows where they live and what they look like and how to use them and how to refer to them; and if we update the system, updating the team. So, I'm a bit obsessive like that. I've been focusing on that quite a bit. That's definitely my focus at the moment when I've got the time in between all my other duties. But once again, because I'm a detail guy, I actually really enjoy it. It's not a chore for me; it’s sort of a curse and a blessing.
Bosco Anthony:
So you're understanding why you’re nicknamed the Master Executioner. I like the way you nonchalantly say, "Oh, yeah, I'm a bit obsessive, but basically, I'm attentive to detail." I get it. I get it.
Zak Johnson:
Yeah.
Bosco Anthony:
Let's talk about the future and let's talk about the industry. Obviously, so much is changing right now. There are headaches in the US, there are heartaches in Australia, as they say. What are some of the struggles that builders are facing today in the industry? What are some of those challenges that you're seeing in the market?
Zak Johnson:
When I talk to a lot of other builders and trade business owners and the like, the theme that I hear is that they started their businesses because they're really good at doing carpentry or really good at building houses, and then they're struggling with whatever they're struggling with. But I think the key thing is that they're not putting effort in to learn how to run a business, because it's a really different skill.
Zak Johnson:
Just because you're good at building houses doesn't mean you'll be good at running a business. That's the biggest reason I see there's a problem. But then, people are not really seeking out the help to learn how to run the business. They spent four years doing their apprenticeship. They spent X amount of time after that refining it and getting better and better and better, but they're not putting any effort into the business side of things. That's where all the value comes in, because getting someone to build a wall frame like you can is not that hard, but you get a lot more value out of learning how to run a better business and then it flows through in all aspects.
Zak Johnson:
You always hear different problems like, "Oh, I've got a cashflow problem. I've got this problem with this client," whatever, but if you put some effort into learning and better understanding how to run a better business, all those problems will solve themselves just by working on this one skill that you're not putting any effort into. It is a bit frustrating because I think business owners in the building industry are quite stubborn and they just think, "Oh, I don't need to do that, or whatever. This is the way my dad did it and this and that." That's okay; sometimes you can't help everyone, but if I can just switch the light on for some people, I know it'll improve all aspects of not only their businesses, but also their personal lives.
Bosco Anthony:
Right. It sounds like the building industry can be quite isolating and it's amazing that you have associations of professional builders out there having events and having memberships where people can come together and share their experiences as well. Because I would probably make the assumption that prior to APB, you probably were a lot more isolated than where you are today as well.
Zak Johnson:
One hundred per cent. I know I felt this way and I think a lot of other building business owners feel the same way. You're looking at other builders as your competitors and you don't want to talk to them. You don't want to tell them what's going on. I don't know what they're thinking really. But there's so much power in networking, just talking about your problems, talking about what's happening in the industry.
Zak Johnson:
You could talk about anything, but it’s important to just being open to having a chat with someone else who you might think is your competitor. There’s an abundance of work out there. It’s not going to be a problem. If you’re talking about something or sharing a system or talking about a problem you’re having, someone else might be able to just say something in a certain way that really helps you with it so that you can go and fix that problem, and it wouldn’t ever have happened if you didn’t talk to them.
Zak Johnson:
I think that’s a real nugget for any other business owners listening to this podcast: don’t be scared to talk to other people in your industry. Network with them. They’re not going to buy your products, but it doesn’t matter. You’re going to get a lot of value out of it, and you can build long-lasting relationships.
Bosco Anthony:
If you had to give a perspective to a new builder out there, and obviously as someone who’s been in this game for a long time, what advice would you give to each party?
Zak Johnson:
I am a big basketball fan. My idol is Michael Jordan. Michael Jordan is the best basketball player in the world, and he had a coach. You need to think, “Why does the best guy in the world need a coach?” It’s because when you’re in it and you’re doing it, you can’t always see the overall picture. A third party can look at it and give you a different perspective.
Zak Johnson:
So, my advice to anyone is it doesn't matter how good you think you are, you can benefit from a coach or a mentor. And whether you pay for it or you find someone who's done it before, just someone you can talk to, it doesn't really matter. But just having someone you can bounce ideas off, just to objectively look at an issue and not just get in the trenches with you and get all upset and angry with you about a certain problem, but just sit back and just think, "Hmm, how can you solve this problem?" or "What have I done in the past? What perspective can I give that's going to help you see things in a certain way to help you with this problem?"
Zak Johnson:
To be honest, it's really just finding someone who can help, whether it's a coach, a mentor, call them whatever you want to call them, pay them or don't pay them, but I think there's so much value in that that so many people are missing out on.
Bosco Anthony:
It's funny you mentioned Jordan. I actually watched the documentary. I think it's called The Last Dance.
Zak Johnson:
Yeah.
Bosco Anthony:
They won their sixth trophy. The coach is stepping down, all the players are leaving and at the end of the show, Michael Jordan talks about the fact that they probably had it in them to go for a seventh run and actually win a seventh trophy, but the dynamic changed, the coaching changed, everything changed, and they just left it on a high note. One always wonders if Jordan had a seventh run in him. I guess we'll never know, but at the same time, it's an interesting perspective about coaching and the reliance of building those dynamics with someone you trust, right?
Zak Johnson:
One hundred per cent.
Bosco Anthony:
How do you see the construction industry evolving today and where are you focusing? You talked a little bit about the fact that you’re obsessed with some of the systems. Are you spending more time in technology? What does innovation look like to you today in that construction space, specifically where you are?
Zak Johnson:
Yeah, technology's starting to have a big impact and I think a lot of builders are coming around to it. Once again, I think people in our industry are quite slow to adapt to it, so it's taking everyone a while to catch up, which is good because our company has a competitive advantage because we use a lot of technology. But I think in terms of how the industry is evolving, our prospects are becoming much more educated and they're asking better questions and so making us have to provide better answers. Then it's forcing us to pivot and change in how we go to market and what are people looking for. So what do we give them in terms of information?
Zak Johnson:
Design is becoming more mainstream, as people are spending more time figuring out how to make their houses beautiful and pick their selections in a more thorough way and things like that. They're not just interested in the builder’s selection anymore. They want a more customised experience. At least that's from my perspective.
Zak Johnson:
That's really exciting because the build quality is starting to go up. There's always going to be a place for the cookie cutter builds, but even those standards are starting to lift as construction standards lift. Bringing in certain building methods, double glazing, all that sort of stuff starts to become more mainstream, which is better because it's just a better way of building. I really see the construction industry going in a good direction for the quality of build. In terms of affordability, I think that's a different conversation, but maybe we'll leave it there.
Bosco Anthony:
I think we may need to have you on another episode just to go over the different changes in there, in that area as well. What do success and happiness and balance look like to you today? You're a family man, from what I assume. How do you juggle being a business owner and a family man at the same time? How do you promote that balance?
Zak Johnson:
Yeah. We've got two young kids, aged one and four. Life at the moment is extremely busy. We're just in a spot where we're obviously busy at work with a lot of stuff going on. When I come home, it's flat out with the kids. And so for success and happiness, you certainly need balance and that's not going to happen by accident. You have to plan and schedule for that sort of thing to make sure that you are filling your own cup and looking after your own mental health so that you can be successful and be happy.
Zak Johnson:
For me, contributing to the family and to other people, that's a big way for me to feel fulfilment. Learning is also important to me, so that’s reading books, constantly looking at different things and learning different things. To answer the question, what do success and happiness look like to me? Constantly learning, contributing and having quality time with the family, booking things in and making sure that with the time we do spend together we’re doing something that is a lot of fun, to create those memories.
Bosco Anthony:
Well, a bit of a curve ball question to end this interview today, but it's my final question and I'm sure we'd love to have you back again for other insights as well. Let's just say that APB invents a time machine, and you go back in time. You have a choice to go back in time. Where would you go back in time in your life and what advice would you give a younger version of yourself?
Zak Johnson:
Right. That's a deep question. I can't really think of the specific time, but I would go back to some time when I was in high school, in the early days of high school. We all have bits and pieces of trauma or bullying or whatever the case is throughout our teens and as young adults. Going back to talk to myself before that stuff happened, I would tell myself you need to do life just as I've done it. Go through all that stuff. I wouldn't change anything. You need to go through all that stuff because going through it is going to turn you into the person who will eventually become who you're meant to be. I really feel like you can't grow or change without going through some things to learn lessons.
Zak Johnson:
You can't just learn a lesson by reading a book and hearing about it. You have to go through it, because that fundamentally changes your mindset about how you think about it and that changes your actions in future scenarios. I wouldn't necessarily go back and tell myself to change anything. Maybe invest in Tesla earlier or something, but mainly to follow the path and just embrace it and all the lessons you're going to learn, all the hardship you're going to go through is going to form you into the person that you need to be so that you can be where I am right now. At the moment, where I am in business and in life, personally, I'm really happy. I'm really content. Everything's going really, really well for us and I'm really excited for the future and what's to come.
Bosco Anthony:
That’s really insightful my friend – and I really appreciate your honesty there as well. It's been a pleasure having you on the show and I look forward to seeing more awards and more accolades coming your way as well in the future.
Zak Johnson:
Thanks, Bosco. I really enjoyed it.
Bosco Anthony:
Cheers.
Bosco Anthony:
Thank you for listening. Remember to subscribe to Professional Builders Secrets on your favourite podcast platform and leave a review. To learn more about how the systems at APB can help you grow your building company, visit associationofprofessionalbuilders.com. See you next time.
