How This Builder Couple Turned Their Business Around (Aly and Damian Dowling) | Level UP Podcast

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🔹DBD Constructions - https://dbdconstructions.com.au/
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🔹 D Pearce Constructions — https://dpearceconstructions.com.au
🔹 QuoteEaze — https://quoteeaze.com/Free-Offer.html

In this episode of Level Up, we sit down with Damian and Aly Dowling from DBD Constructions on the Tweed Coast.

Damian started as a 17-year-old chippy apprentice and built his business through word of mouth for years — but with no systems, no website, and no real business education, things got tough. After a serious health scare that landed him in hospital, and a major job falling through at the last minute, they knew something had to change.

Since joining the Live Life Build Elevate program, Damian and Aly have completely transformed how they run their business — from understanding their overheads for the first time, to implementing inquiry forms, building a pipeline, and finally getting their social media off the ground.

In this episode we cover:
🔨 Going from apprentice chippy to running your own building business
👫 Working together as a husband and wife team in construction
📉 What happens when you run a business without knowing your numbers
💔 Damian's heart scare and how it changed their priorities
🏔️ Lessons from hiking Australia's 10 highest peaks
🎯 How the right support network can change everything
📱 Why builders need to get on social media (and stop overthinking it)
🏗️ Their 10-year roadmap and plans to take on an apprentice

Whether you're a builder, tradie, or the partner behind the scenes keeping it all together — this one's for you.

🔗 Want to level up your building business? Visit livelfebuild.com
📩 Follow us on Instagram for more content

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 1:28

G'na guys, welcome back to another episode of Level Up. We are back in the studio this afternoon for another cracking episode. Really looking forward to this one. I wasn't expecting to have two guests, but we've got a bonus here today, so uh looking forward to this conversation. But um, today we've got with us uh Damien and Ali from DB Constructions, um, down on the Tweed Coast. Um, they're also members of LibLike Build's Elevate program, so I'm really keen to jump in and have a chat to them. So uh big warm welcome. How are you guys?

SPEAKER_00 1:54

Dwayne, we're good.

SPEAKER_01 1:57

I'm keen to see where this goes. Ali's giggling and smiling and talking a lot, and Damo's not saying too much yet, but we'll uh we'll get there. Um we've got a lot to talk about today, like obviously building and running a building business, working together, husband and wife, those types of things. Um, Damo, you you and I also did a hike the other week which was more challenging than we thought.

SPEAKER_02 2:18

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 2:18

But um before we get into all that good stuff, just take us back to how you got into building.

SPEAKER_03 2:25

Um, well, I suppose growing up I wasn't much of an academic kid, and um and yeah, school was just like not for me. Anything I did good in was really woodwork or all the tech tech stuff, so it was just pretty much finished school at year ten and uh I actually grew up in Penrith and we moved up to Kingscliffe then and I went straight to TAFEN and did a uh pre-apprenticeship course, which was like a year full-time, you know, four days a week, I think, doing just first and second year theory, knock it out at the start. So yeah, that's sort of where that started. Yeah, and so I think August that year that was 2000. Yeah, August that year I no sorry, 2001. Yeah, August that year is what I was doing one day a week for the boss that I worked for, so yeah, that's that's where I started.

SPEAKER_01 3:21

Did you um was so you as a chippy? Is that where you're gonna be?

SPEAKER_03 3:25

Yeah, yeah, pre-apprentipers carpenter, yeah, yeah. Yeah. Did did you always want to do a like be a carpenter or was that was it I don't know if it was carpentry is sort of like I wanted to do things with wood, like whether it was furniture or but that's sort of where where it sort of you know organically went through to, I suppose.

SPEAKER_01 3:47

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 3:47

Moved up here. Mum and dad were getting the house built and um before we moved up, they obviously had had the builder engaged and then uh he just asked if he had a job and yeah, we'll give him a go. So that's sort of that's sort of how how it went and started from there. So yeah, I was only seventeen I think at the time.

SPEAKER_01 4:09

So how long did you um work for other people before you decide to go out on your own?

SPEAKER_03 4:13

Um well I I think um I was still like I did my builder's license.

SPEAKER_00 4:22

Seven years later.

SPEAKER_03 4:23

Seven years later, but I was still still doing carpentry work, like it was just something that I think everyone was doing at the time, just getting the builder's licence because I don't know, it was just something to do, everyone was doing it, you know. And um yeah, but I was still doing carpentry work for my original boss for a fair few years after that. And I think I moved on when uh GFC sort of come, that's and then I was working for someone else, but yeah, and then I'm not sure when it was I actually started doing my own job, so it was it was a fair few years after I got my licence. So was it something you sort of planned to do or did you get f forced into work for yourself or No, well like we did like like you normally do, you do your apprenticeship and then I was still working for my boss, but I was subbing to him, so we're doing like you know, getting paid square meter rates for your jobs, but which back then was was not very much, I suppose. Like you were getting like forty dollars a square metre, and that was to do frame trusses, fix out and saffit.

SPEAKER_02 5:26

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 5:26

So and that was between how to share that between two two guys or or apprentice yeah, or an apprentice, yeah, that was it.

First Jobs And Learning Efficiency

SPEAKER_01 5:35

But it's tough going that sort of gig, but that is yeah, it teaches you that you've got to get you've gotta be efficient. Like and uh Yeah, that's right. Like we talk about having systems and processes in business all the time, but most builders think processes is how you lay out your like mark your frame out and stand your walls, like it's um it's all up here. Like Yeah, that's exactly where it is. So um where where did you go from so did you start off with just some small like decks and rena's or like what was your um what was your sort of first uh jobs that you took on?

SPEAKER_03 6:12

Um Yeah, I think I think yeah, that's probably what it was, just little little jobs or everything was word of mouth. I think the first guy that gave me a go was was um was Troy, wasn't it? Yeah, Troy Allison. Allison used to work at uh the local council do an admin and one of the executives there, you know, he just I don't know, who they must have been talking and he goes, Oh, I've got some stuff to do, you can come and do some stuff for me. So and I still do stuff for him now, so that's that's good.

Ali Joins And Business Reality

SPEAKER_01 6:46

Yeah. So Ali, how did you get into the business? Well you do you do a little bit.

SPEAKER_00 6:51

I do a little bit. So um I was in admin for about 17 years, just kind of helped Damien with quotes and things when he was doing them, reading the contracts and things, because it's not really a strong suit of his, I would say. Um so just helping him with more of that thing. Um, but that was about it. So we didn't really have any systems or processes, nothing. So TAFE um doesn't really give builders the tools to run a business at all. So um we have learned a lot since joining the Elevate program on how a business is actually supposed to be run, which has been really, really, really beneficial for us, I think. Um so the the last 12 months we've implemented a lot in our business. Like we didn't even have a website. It was always something we knew we needed in the back of our mind, but Damien has always had pretty solid work through word of mouth only. Um so it's not something he's really kind of needed, but you know, you still know that you need these things for your business. So that kind of pushed us along. So the start of I think 2025 was when we really lifted up a gear. We'd done Launchpad at the start of that year, went on to do Elevate as well after that because we got so much from the Launchpad program and really loved how kind of supportive it was. So Damien, I think, has always felt a little bit like you know, you have your subcontractors, you have the people you work alongside, your trusted um colleagues that you use for all of your work, but it's just not the same. So a lot of weight, I think, on builders' shoulders um for the responsibilities that they carry and the risk as well. Um, so it's been really, really great. Like I felt the weight lift off his shoulders when we did launch pad, and then even more so when we did Elevate. Um, he's in the little emu team group chat. Um, and like whenever he asks me something, I'm like, ask the boys in the group chat. Like, I don't know. Um, so it's been a really good resource for him to use to um get better as a builder and to take some of that weight off his shoulders. It's been really good.

SPEAKER_01 8:47

Hey guys, we have got a huge announcement to make if you're a builder or more importantly, the wife or partner of a builder in the construction industry. We are having a huge seminar on the 12th, 13th, and 14th of March, and you do not want to miss this. Live Life Build has events every single year, but we are making this one bigger and better than ever before. It's going to be an event across three days, and we've got an incredible lineup of guest speakers, mentors, and coaches to cover everything from imposter syndrome, building your confidence, estimating, uh building software, holistic health, leadership, systems and processes, like you name it. This seminar is all about better businesses, better projects, and better lives. So stay tuned, go to the Live Life Build website or go to the Live Life Build Instagram page or even my personal Instagram page. Stay tuned for the ads, click the links, and I look forward to seeing you at this event. You do not want to miss this one. So where where were you guys at? Like what were you like some everyone's gonna get to a point, I guess, like you don't just sign up to a program for for no reason.

SPEAKER_03 9:57

Like I suppose you things just get hard sometimes and you just you know, I suppose everyone's not everyone, but you nearly you've had enough, you're ready to throw it throw it away just because Yeah, it's just too hard sometimes. And yeah, and I'd been looking, you know, like look at it. There's there was other ones that, you know, pop up, other um coaching groups that pop up and you you um you look into them and but then your your your one showed up and it's sort of just just watching the videos, it was sort of more more aligned with you know what we needed, and yeah. The other ones felt more more I don't know, more like they were trying to sell you something more than what you needed, sort of thing. But yeah.

SPEAKER_01 10:45

You gotta be um like you gotta be a little bit vulnerable, don't you? Like you gotta be in position, be a bit vulnerable to to take the step to sign up. Like I would love to help as many bills as we possibly can, but um reality is a lot of people well people some people will sign up, but they don't do anything with it.

SPEAKER_02 11:00

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 11:01

Um but like you guys have showed up ever since you've joined. Like so what sort of results are you seeing by being involved in such a supportive community?

SPEAKER_00 11:10

Yeah, just just Damien not being as stressed as he normally would, like scheduling our weeks out before they start really helps me because I have to have it written down or else it doesn't really happen. Like I'm that meme that has a million doors open at all times. Um because like along with being a midwife, I um am on the board for the Tweed Valley Basketball Club where we live. I coach rep basketball twice a week. Um, both our daughters play representative basketball club basketball several places. Um we've also got two sons as well. Um, one's just turned 18 and the other one's eight, so he's starting his soccer journey this year. So like life is very, very full and busy for us. So the business was kind of like put to the side, I suppose, in a way. Um the last thing on my list, certainly to do. Um Damien was kind of always asking for help with things, and I'm it's just like a bit too hard. So when we did um the launch pad and elevate, I'm like, okay, I can like I can actually help. I can do all of these things and put all of these things into place. So like we have an inquiry form now that we send out to people, trying to not let time waste us into our business, essentially. Um so like just sending them an inquiry form, seeing if they respond or not, seeing and you kind of stop them at that point if you know they're not gonna they've already got another quote that's cheaper, maybe from a like a volume home builder or something. So not wasting your time, whereas we might have used to have wasted our time with that.

SPEAKER_01 12:31

Has it made a difference to you? Like I obviously like I I think it's great to um get access to documents and templates and things, but I I really feel like every building business is very different. So one of the things that I get as well out of our community is like there's although we put a lot of information in there, it's never hey, it's our way or the highway. Like I think like you guys get a lot out of being able to connect with other builders, ask other questions, um, and and I think when you can take other information in, then you can adapt it to suit your business. Yeah, and that's what makes it so powerful.

SPEAKER_02 13:04

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 13:05

Yeah, well even even what the um the other day, uh yeah, I don't know, or maybe it was on the chat, the emu chat, the um one of the boys put their a few of them are doing it now, put their sixp uh wheel into chat GTP and come up with an action plan for us for the next three months or whatever, and it's giving them things to work on instead of going, oh, what am I gonna do next? You sort of it gives you just just little tips like that that the boys put out there and yeah. It's pretty unreal what uh Chat GTP can come up with.

SPEAKER_01 13:41

It is great.

SPEAKER_00 13:43

But yeah, like in terms of like the forms and things that you have, like we had um some work experience guys last year for the first time. We'd never had um people at school coming to look for carpentry work. So, like having all of those documents, like the induction OHS handbook like that we gave to them before they started and just putting all of our information on it, like type like making it our own document, I suppose, but just having that set template there for us to start from is a massive help to us. So I've just gone through and picked all the ones that we need at this point in time in our business and yeah, make it work for us.

SPEAKER_01 15:14

Yeah. And that's the most important part. Like, there's you think I I don't think things work as well if they're just generic. Like you've got to adapt it to suit the type of clients you want, the type of jobs you want to do, the the type of business you guys want to run. Not like it's not what I want to run, it's what you want to run.

unknown 15:30

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 15:31

So I guess tell us a little bit about like what type of jobs do you guys do?

New Systems That Save Time

SPEAKER_03 15:35

Oh just rentos to new builds, really. But so yeah, like a last year, it was the last year, did did big one, big extension reno at at uh Kingscliffe that was 12 months, and then straight off that did a little I don't know, little just a little renovation, little pool house sort of thing, and that was you know a couple of months, so and it really ended up another one coming up, doing a couple of bathrooms and kitchen, redoing the bathrooms and kitchen, so just sort of yeah. Bigger j bigger jobs are good, but like you need those little ones to fill in the gaps because the big ones aren't always gonna roll on.

SPEAKER_01 16:16

Do you feel your um your relationships with your clients have changed since you've got uh like you've had access to all this information, like you can set you're setting better expectations?

SPEAKER_03 16:26

Uh yeah. It's um yeah, it's it's a that's a tough one because I I've had I had a job fall through at the start of this year, but that was I've been talking to them before we joined Elevate, so the expectations weren't there on that one, and it's just fallen through right at the last minute and they got the final proposal. But um yeah, I suppose it's it's something that that's definitely gonna be uh helpful in the future, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 16:58

Like being able to um you guys are doing the pack process?

SPEAKER_00 17:02

Yeah, so Damien's just finished that. I've done half of it.

SPEAKER_03 17:05

We haven't haven't implemented it yet, so we haven't It's on our goal list. It's on the it's on the next three month list, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 17:12

But um like you've been involved in a lot of conversation with other members and like on the height the other day, I've heard you had talking to some of the guys about how they do some things in the PAC process.

SPEAKER_03 17:20

So Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 17:22

The um like just having that support, so again you can figure out what it is you want to do for your business.

Jobs Mix And Client Expectations

SPEAKER_03 17:28

Yeah, well they all do it do something a bit different, and just like just listening to them talk about what they're doing, it's just like, oh yeah, that's that makes sense, you know, whatever it is, but and they're all doing something a little bit different, so that's that's uh it's good knowing that you don't have to just do it a certain way. You can yeah, implement what you want and how you want to do it.

SPEAKER_01 17:50

So how have your numbers improved since you uh done your overheads calculator and stuff?

Pricing Properly With Overheads

Building Pipeline With Social Media

SPEAKER_00 17:57

So overheads were something we didn't even know existed until we did elevate programs, so they've improved a lot. So we were kind of like a standard builder that doesn't have the education of how to run a business properly, um, just popping like 10 to 20% on top of projects um and not doing it properly. So that has actually been s really beneficial. All the financial things for the business have been really, really beneficial for us. I think I've play with the calculators quite regularly, like the um the profit, like the predicted revenue calculator and things I really like because then you have all your projects in a list as well, you know what's coming up to where you're up to with all of them. Like I find that's really helpful when you've got a lot in the pipeline. Um, so that's really good.

SPEAKER_03 18:40

That's something we need to work on the pipeline.

SPEAKER_00 18:44

Yeah. Definitely.

SPEAKER_03 18:46

So it'd be good to have 12 months. No, we've got 12 months of work. Or even just something if a job falls over, there's something there that you can pull up, pull forward or whatever. But yeah, that's it.

SPEAKER_01 18:56

So what are you guys doing? Like we we had the elevated call the other day. I talked about social media and stuff. Like, what's your plan to bring that work in?

SPEAKER_00 19:04

Yeah, so for me, yes, my little domain. Um, so I want Damien on the camera a lot more. So I did say to him that. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 19:16

I'm quite tricky. I'm quite a bit of tricky one there.

SPEAKER_00 19:19

Yeah, I mean, like, he did send me one for a job yesterday, and he's up on like with scaffold, of course, but he's like, Oh, there's a soft landing down there.

SPEAKER_02 19:28

I'm like, no, it's not it.

SPEAKER_01 19:30

We're gonna have a swim tool there.

SPEAKER_02 19:34

Oh, look, that's it's not it.

SPEAKER_01 19:35

Add a bit of humour to it. Like that my big thing with the socials is like you you'll attract people that are attracted to you because of who you are. Like having a little bit of a joke in your video is is not a bad thing. Like yeah, you I'm sure you'll get some sort of comments from people thinking it's a bit silly or over the top or whatever, but you you might get someone that watches that video and goes, Oh, I actually wouldn't want to work with him. Like he's he's a bit of a character.

SPEAKER_00 20:02

So um, so that's something that is a massive goal for socials this year. Um, the one that he has done even voiceovers on, they get a lot more likes and interaction than the ones that we don't have anything on like that. So that's that's the big goal for this year.

SPEAKER_01 20:15

Yeah, yeah. I think it's super valuable. Like you guys um yeah, you need to get on the socials. It's um and even like the doing the walk that we did the other weekend, mate. Like again, you'll attract people that are attracted to you because of what you do. Um, we ended up with it one of our jobs um two years ago is with this really lovely um female couple, and the only well, the only builder they got involved with a job, and the only reason they reached out to us is because I'd done been to base camp in Everest. Yeah. So they'd seen me talk about it on my socials, and as it turned out, uh, one was a lawyer and they actually had a charity that helped orphans over in um Chapmindu.

SPEAKER_02 20:53

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 20:54

So you you never know what's going to connect with people, and I've I um I really encourage you guys to to just put yourselves out there. Yeah. Like um, I think a lot of builders make it too polished, and they do make it all about the job and all about the fluffed up pillows, and yeah. That that's great, but it's going to attract a certain type of client that has a certain expectation based on what they've seen on those videos. So yeah, put it I like it. I'm I'm looking forward to seeing the humour in the uh in the videos, mate.

SPEAKER_03 21:25

I need someone to follow me around with the camera, I think, because I just forget to get the phone out half the time. It's only when Allison texts me, get some photos, get a video.

SPEAKER_01 21:37

Um and so Alison, how how's your well Allie? Um that calls you Allison. How's your like has it given you confidence? Like you're only doing um a few hours a week in the in the business, but like having in Live Like Bill, we have a you're you're involved in our wise and partners group?

SPEAKER_00 21:57

Uh no, I'm actually not. So remember having a million tubs in my head and a million great chats with like parents already.

SPEAKER_01 22:05

We will have to get you on there, but well, we'll work on that. But even um like you listen to the the recordings and the content in the course platform?

SPEAKER_00 22:16

Yes, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 22:17

And so is that giving you the confidence to like know what you have to do?

SPEAKER_00 22:21

Yeah, a little bit, but I think like I'm really actually looking forward to the summit next week because of the imposter syndrome, the women's day. So that's something I definitely am really looking forward to because I don't have imposter syndrome in many places in my life, but it definitely is in in the office there because and I guess it's just my lack of knowledge in the area. But I listened to your podcast with podcasts with Simone and saying that she did that HIA course that helped do the contracts and estimating. I'm like, oh great, well, I can go and do that, so I'll have a chat with her about that. And um those kinds of things are really helpful. It's it's the knowledge that I don't have that I need to get if I want to continue further, or we need to get somebody else in to help Damien. Yeah, yeah, that can make it happen.

SPEAKER_01 23:01

So who else is in the team at the moment? Who's in the business?

SPEAKER_03 23:04

Oh, we don't have employees as such, as uh um I work with Justin. Justin's another, he's another builder, so that's another thing. We've been working together pretty much From the start. From the start, yeah. So yeah, my original boss. I got I was I think he started, he's the same age as me, started um I don't know, probably three or four years after me. So he was an apprentice while I was a carpenter, so our boss would employ apprentices and he'd just put them with the subby, so he was one of the guys that was you know the apprentice working working with us, helping us do the job, so and and he's a builder too, so we've sort of worked together for on and off for the whole time. And if he's ever got a job, it's sort of that's how we've been doing it for years actually. Like he'd he'd have jobs and I'd just be working for him and then I'd have jobs and then he'd come work work with us, so and that's where we got to the crunch. We're just at a point, yeah, at a point where we need to. You get you get ahead and then you you're working doing his jobs for a year or whatever, and then you start going backwards. Yeah. Just got to a point where we just had to sort of knuckle down. And start get getting ahead, I suppose.

SPEAKER_01 24:24

Yeah, well, if you like you've made a big improvement on your numbers and things, we just we need to get you guys on the socials. I'm gonna uh I'm gonna uh be checking in with you, mate, and get no.

SPEAKER_00 24:35

We put a nice little uh post up yesterday. Demo was in the sauna um at the job he did. He did a beautiful pool house um up at Terranora and they uh he built a sauna as well, so kind of sourced the timber, beautiful timber, um, and got like the sauna components for it. Um and I put it up yesterday, like he did this job a couple of months ago, and I get a message from the the owner. Is Damo in her sauna? And I was like, oh no, not today. That was months ago. She thought it was really funny. She just thought he was randomly in her sauna yesterday because that's when I put the post up. That gave me a good little giggle.

SPEAKER_01 25:13

Yeah, no, it's look, it's it's powerful stuff. You really uh and it's free. Like you need to you really need to get on it to build your pipeline. The um like builders can't just have word of mouth anymore. Like word of mouth's great, but even when it's word of mouth, like they still want to, they still need we'll go somewhere and and research you and follow you and see what you're doing. So like I wouldn't be afraid of putting like it doesn't have to all be video, like yeah, yeah, do some posts or um there's so many things that builders can talk about because it's not just on site, like you've got your all the estimating and all your stuff that you're doing behind the scenes in the in the office. Like I think the more of that stuff that you can show a client, it just makes that client understand more about you and your business so that it builds that relationship stronger when they when they finally reach out to you. But um, so what what's the plan moving forward? Like you're obviously putting a lot of energy into getting things in place. So is there a plan to like employ an apprentice or a carpenter and and obviously bring the work in and keep building it up?

SPEAKER_03 26:11

Yeah, the plan the plan was this sh started this year to putn't uh try find an apprentice, but uh just that job falling through. I'm glad glad I didn't do it straight away because I would have been outsourcing them straight away. But yeah, that's hopefully hopefully by the middle of the year we can um yeah, get all that underway, get an apprentice and start training training people up. I suppose we all we're all an apprentice at some stage, you gotta learn.

SPEAKER_01 26:39

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 26:39

Yeah. Just want to be able to teach it teach them right the right way to do things as well.

SPEAKER_01 26:45

Yeah. The um so is your plan like is that why you sign up to elevate to to get sort of the the nuts and bolts right so that then you've got the confidence to to chase more work?

SPEAKER_03 26:56

Yeah, yeah, just pretty much, yeah. Needed to just need the help, needed the help. Not not the physical help, but more the knowledge help to you know, know know the best way to go around about things and that's uh yeah that's that's uh yeah. I'm I'm not uh I'm not a big reader or anything like that, so just um I'm I'm more of a visual learner so it's easier if I can see things or watch videos or listen to podcasts and that. So Yeah.

The Aussie 10 Peaks Challenge

SPEAKER_01 27:31

Yeah. So the way that we do things in Elevate is does that resonate with you with like all the recording and stuff we do, or you prefer showing up live to the Zooms?

SPEAKER_03 27:40

Oh I'll s I'll show up if I'm there, if I'm if I'm able to, but yeah. That's what watch yeah, I suppose the videos and the like I'm not gonna sit there and read the transcripts out of a from a video that that way. That's yeah, it just won't just won't happen on my account, so yeah. But yeah, videos, videos are definitely definitely a big help.

SPEAKER_01 28:00

Yeah. Well that's why we decided to do it the way like we do it the three ways, they'd transcribe their voice recorded and their video recorded, because it we're all different, and yeah. Well most strategies are are very visual, so I um yeah, I'm the same. I I won't read a book, but I'll sit and listen to podcasts for three hours of audible books. So um it was funny, like on the Ten Peaks walk the other day, there's a lot of um titles of books getting thrown around. I wasn't taking notes, so um I've seen a few pop up in the WhatsApp group, but um so let's talk about the the walk. So I threw the challenge out to the group about three three and a half months ago to come and do the Aussie 10 with me, which is the 10 uh highest peaks in Australia over two days because they're all in Kosyosko National Park. So you Dama, you were the one of the ones that put your hand up and come along. What did what did you reckon?

SPEAKER_03 28:51

It was uh a lot more challenging than I think any of us thought it was gonna be, but it was definitely definitely worth worth the trip down there. Yeah. It was uh it was a challenge. I remember when we were sitting down that sitting down the uh first night when we got there, and Glenn's like you know, run us through all the stuff we're gonna do. And he says to everyone, this is probably harder than any any one day at um Cakada. And we're just like, you know, he goes, I can tell you none of you believe me, but I didn't.

SPEAKER_01 29:24

Yeah. I think he followed that up by saying it'll probably be the hardest thing you've done in your life.

SPEAKER_02 29:30

Yeah.

Highwood Timber Sponsor Message

SPEAKER_03 29:32

It was. It uh yeah, it got to a point where I just I was just watching the boys mainly Lurgy was like you know, he's fast, fast little short legs, but anyway. He was a little pocket rocket, wasn't he? Yeah, I just had to uh keep just go at my own pace, I suppose. I uh I was trying to keep up, but anyway it was it was hard.

SPEAKER_01 29:58

What um look I I I get a lot out of doing those sorts of things, and the reason I put it out to the group was to uh and we spoke a little bit about it the night before we started walking, but um for me personally I need those types of challenges. Like I think they're exactly the same as business. Like we all think it's really hard to get to a certain point in business, but those sorts of adventures teach you that it you've just got to keep get pushing to the next like it teaches you your new level, yeah. And it's always um even though there was um six or seven that didn't finish that weekend, you still reach a new level, you still push yourself harder than you have before. Yeah, that's right. All right, guys. I want to introduce you to a really exciting new product that I believe is going to play a massive role in Australia building healthier homes. As you all know, I am extremely passionate about healthy homes, and I'm doing a lot of research and putting a lot of time and effort into making sure my construction business is leading the way when it comes to building healthy homes here in Australia. We've teamed up with the guys from Highwood Timber. Highwood Timber are pioneering condensation management with their high flow ventilated LVL baton system. High flow battons give builders a stronger, straighter, and smarter way to create a ventilated cavity behind cladding and underneath roofs without compromising on structural performance. While tackling condensation to improve building health and ease of insulation, highwood battons are built to perform. When it comes to dealing with condensation and ventilation, high flow battons will help you create continuous ventilated cavities behind all your cladding and underneath your roof sheeting. They reduce condensation risk and support healthier, longer lasting buildings. Highwood timber batttons are also in alignment with the proposed NCC condensation management requirements as well as passive house ventilation requirements. Being an engineered LVL product, they are stronger, straighter, and more dimensionally stable than a solid material such as pine. This helps resist warping, twisting, and shrinkage, ensuring more consistent installs less prone to splitting than solid timber. Howard timber battens are precisely manufactured, meaning that your installation will be faster and easier than other products on the market. The part that I like the most about these batons are they are H3 treated for long-term protection against decay and turmoiles. They use a waterborne H3 treatment which reduces reactivity with membranes and adhesives when compared to LOSP. These are the exact battens that you want to be using on your homes and your builds if you are considering building healthier homes or passive homes. Check them out. Highwood Timber Products.

SPEAKER_03 32:46

Yeah, well that first day I was I was uh I think we'd done the was the sixth first day. I got we'd done the fifth one, and it you had no choice on the first five because it was just around trip, but then that last peak was just to peel off and then come back, and I was just like I was it was a Jake Jake the other the other fellow that was uh the trek to it too. I see, yeah. He um I was just like, oh I think I'm just gonna head back at this one, but then everyone's gone up there. I can't be the only one that walks back, but anyway, we got up there and and did it. I'm glad I did now. That that was uh it was definitely definitely rewarding getting up to that last peak. It's just uh actually I think there were seven hills that day. That last once we went over the snow river there and walked up that last hill. I think that was the seventh peak, extra peak. That that 200 metres up to the uh car park.

Competitive Shooting And Mental Skills

Community And Mindset From Adventure

SPEAKER_01 33:40

Oh man, that was a killer. I I I was hoping when we got around that sort of bend, like because we you could see the car park from where we were, but you couldn't see that gully. I I was really hoping when we got around that band, it was just a bit of a sort of straight run across to the car park, but then when we got down there, it was bloody I don't know, whatever it was, 300 metres down, another 200 metres back up the other side. Yeah, um it's just like what did you think of the like just having the boys there? Like there was 15 or 14 of us, and then I I took Lottie, my daughter, like yeah, just had like the conversations we got to have along the trip there, like they're some of the most valuable conversations you can ever have.

SPEAKER_03 34:18

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Some some of the boys you'd I was probably I spent a fair bit of time by myself because I was going so slow at the end of the first day, but yeah, some um yeah, some of the guys you just sort of you'd walk up and you'd catch back up and yeah, have chats and yeah, I don't know, it was just it was I can't even remember what we're talking about, but it was it was it was good, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 34:45

It's just being in that environment, isn't it?

SPEAKER_03 34:47

Like you're out of your comfort zone and and not yeah, not necessarily yeah, that's it.

SPEAKER_01 34:50

This is the environment and yeah figuring out new stuff about yourself.

SPEAKER_03 34:54

Yeah, your brain your brain ticks over a lot when you're out there for sure.

SPEAKER_01 34:58

You um like I learnt a lot about you on that trip. Like I had no idea you were um shooter and you've you've re represented state and national and all sorts of things. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 35:08

Um haven't done it for a few years now, but yeah.

SPEAKER_01 35:12

So what tell us a little bit about that because that's um like that's a big commitment to get to that sort of level.

SPEAKER_03 35:19

Yeah, yeah, it is. Well, that sort of it was only uh sort of an accident that uh it wasn't an accident or I got into it. Fell into it, yeah. Only started when I was uh probably 23. Gallison's family family worked at the uh firearms registry and they had an open open day in um Wollombar at the at the pistol local pistol club and and uh yeah, it was uh they said should go have a go and went went went and had a go and I was it, got got stuck into it. I said, I'm gonna keep keep doing this. So you hit a few targets. Yeah, it's it's um yeah sorry.

SPEAKER_00 36:05

The the mental strength I think for student like I've tried to do it, and even holding the gun, I can't, I'm like this. Um so watching him do that at that high level, the mental like magnitude that you have to have like in finals and things at that level is like insane. Yeah. Um we went and watched the COM games, like watched his friends in the com games when they were at Brisbane, um, and that was really, really exciting. Some of them come away with I think did Dan get gold? So she got silver. So it was really exciting to be there in that environment. People that had never been to shooting before really excited next to us. I'm like, what's happening now? And like it was it was really I really do remember that. That was really fun. Um, but yeah, to get to that next level is another step that I guess we probably just couldn't take in our lives at that time. Like no. Yeah, but we need to be shooting every day and just running a business, kids not having the time for it.

SPEAKER_03 36:56

It's like the to do that high-level stuff, you've got to be just like anything, training, doing things every day. It's it's uh it's a mental game and it's it's actually physically hard, like not different sort of physically hard. Like just being able to s stand there and hold that that pistol steady. It's um yeah.

SPEAKER_01 37:18

So do you like uh does that involve breath work and stuff?

Health Scare And Lifestyle Reset

SPEAKER_03 37:20

Do like getting Yeah, yeah, you gotta um yeah, you gotta definitely control your breathing the way you Yeah, it's there's a process, a process in it all, I suppose, yeah. You gotta um you know, take your breath in as you're coming up and let it out and you just gotta try to settle yourself and just squeeze it, squeeze that trigger at at the right time. Sort of like yeah. A lot of people come and just think you're just going there and just snatching a trigger, but it's like it's uh yeah, it's there's a little technique in it. Just um it's almost like the um Yeah, you you're not you're not trying to it's hard to explain, but yeah, you're not you're not trying to hit the perfect shot. You're just trying to hold it as steady as you can. Have that group. You're always moving, you just gotta try uh slow that movement down, I suppose. That's why you gotta slow your breathing down so you can hold that gun steady.

SPEAKER_01 38:19

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 38:19

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 38:20

Oh, it's definitely a a skill, like it's not something you can just get.

SPEAKER_03 38:25

It definitely um if you once you stop training it the uh the the skill level drops drops pretty quick. Just I suppose like in anything business, if you drop the ball on something, it's same thing. Like you can easily, easily um, you know.

SPEAKER_01 38:44

I don't know what I'm trying to say there, but that's why that's why I do those the adventures because I like I find I get comfortable with like yeah, just with anything, life or business, like everything sort of seems to be going along alright, and I just find if I don't have those things that get me out of my comfort zone, um I just fall up like I don't train, I don't like everything goes downhill, the cash flow, the business, your relationships. Like um so what what was your main driver for jumping on and having a crack at those Aussie 10?

SPEAKER_03 39:16

Oh, I just thought it'd be a good idea, actually. That was uh oh, that'd be a good thing to do.

SPEAKER_00 39:21

It wasn't wasn't really We'd been doing a couple of local hikes um because just trying to get Damien's health um a bit better. He had a bit of a health scare last year with his heart, so that like me seeing him shocked like defibried back his heart back into rhythm was enough for enough for me.

SPEAKER_03 39:39

Oh, I just yeah just atrial fibrillation.

SPEAKER_00 39:41

Atrial fibrillation, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 39:43

Yeah, it just goes out of rhythm.

SPEAKER_00 39:44

It's sort of quite high, yeah. High heart rate.

SPEAKER_03 39:48

It was all day. I was I was in the hospital all day, they're pumping drugs into me trying to level it out, but ended up just saying that we've got to shock your heart back into rhythm.

SPEAKER_00 39:57

I just come off a night shift and he rings me and he's like, Oh, I'm just gonna work at King's Cliff. I don't feel really great, but I'm gonna work at Kingscliffe. And I'm like, okay, no worries. Um, and then he gives me another ring just as I'm hopping into bed. And he's like, Yeah, I don't feel right. My heart feels really funny, and I'm like, Oh my gosh, I think we need to go to hospital. And I'm like, come home, I'll check you out. So I came home, I had a filibus pulse. I'm like, yeah, you need to go to ED. And then then, like after an hour of me not, he's like, Go back to sleep. Like, we have stuff on tonight, you need to sleep. And I'm like, okay, I'll try. Um, I ended up at the hospital pretty quickly. Um, but yeah, so so that was a shock for both of us. So me seeing that happen to him helped me realise the magnitude of okay, I actually need to help him get back on track diet, exercise-wise. Like he's always been fit and active on the job and playing basketball weekly as well. But I'm like, we need to be doing more here for demos. So um that was enough to kind of shock us both back into a we need to get back on top of things. So we started walking, running on our local rail trail, um, and then doing some hikes. And then he then that came up in the emails, and he was like, This looks really good. I'm like, Yeah, I want to go too. And then we did an 8k hike at Springbrook, and I'm like, Yeah, I don't think I can do it. Like, I think it's good you're doing it on your own. Good job, honey.

SPEAKER_03 41:09

I think you read the information pamphlet and went, uh you're going on your own.

SPEAKER_01 41:16

So do you do you um do you think you'll go back and have another crack and and do the tent?

SPEAKER_03 41:21

Yeah, yeah, definitely. I'm gonna uh go back and do it. I know Sam. I know Sam's keen to get back on there. He's pretty devastated that he didn't get to go through, but yeah.

SPEAKER_01 41:32

It'll do, um I guarantee you, mate, it'll it'll make big changes. Like those, um and like Glenn Glenn was fully revving us up the night before. Like, I and I agree with him, like adventure is the best personal development because you um it's out of your comfort zone, you're in a different environment. There's you've got to get comfortable spending a lot of time in your own sort of thoughts. Um because yeah, when you're trekking up those hills and you're puffing, like you you're not really having conversations with people, so you've you've really got to put a lot of time into what's going on up here. Yeah, you try and talk, but you can't get the words out sometimes.

SPEAKER_00 42:08

And like that's what I found with our business as well. Like when we were waking up early and going for walks together, you have so much time to talk over everything, and everything just works smoother on your day. Um, so we fell out of that a bit in January. So we really, really need to get back into doing that, don't we? Um, but our motto for this year is growth and comfort do not coexist. So we've we've kind of got that on our stuff now. So um, yeah, we we've been comfortable for far too long, and we need to start getting a bit uncomfortable so we can can grow everything in our lives even better. I feel like we've got the best decade of our lives actually now coming up. So what decided?

SPEAKER_01 42:45

What's driving that? Like, is that time with family? Is it holidays? Is it property?

Long-Term Plans And Building An Asset

SPEAKER_00 42:49

Like everything, all of the above. Yeah, all of the above, hey. So um, because like you know, we're going away for rep weekends um down the north coast as far as Port Macquarie, like at least once or twice a month. So spending more time, quality time with like our close family and friends is something that it's kind of like pinpointed to us. You know, we have the summer off, and that's when you just get to decompress again after a really busy year, and that's really important for us. But you start thinking about what's really important where you do spend your time, and yeah, for us it's business, family, friends, um, like financial growth for us, setting setting the f the future up for our kids, I suppose. Um putting out to the community like we do, like all the volunteer work with the basketball association that we really enjoy, like mentoring all of those um under 14 girls is who I coach a Div One team, like mentoring them, like where my goal is to create really good humans out of that. It's not making them the best basketball players possible, it's it's all the other stuff that goes into it that I really enjoy.

Live Events And Getting Off The Fence

SPEAKER_01 43:53

That's awesome. So then like bringing that into the business is gonna be add add a lot of value as well, especially if you start building a team with apprentices and things, like yeah. The um oh look, I I think it's really exciting, and I think like if that's your guy's goal, like we talk a lot in Live Light Build about like a a good business, like you're actually it's it's more in the business, like you're building an asset. Yeah, like and now you guys are getting your head around the numbers, and I I think we might add a little bit of a conversation about this maybe in the bus or something on the walk the other day, Damo. Like you're once you once you got your systems in place, you you you guys are paying yourselves correctly, you're knowing your numbers, like you you are creating an asset, and that asset is something that at some point in time you will be able to put on the market and and sell for a chunk of change instead of just what the industry's always done, just shut down and walk away. So um I think it's awesome. I th I think you guys are a great team. Um Damo's the quiet one, and you're the bubbly one. That's um definitely it's um need the moral support, but um like um Ali, you mentioned before about the live events, you're looking forward. Like, we got our our big one, um our first one for the year coming up next weekend down in Melbourne. Um, I'm looking forward to it too. It's a it's the first big event. It's like we try to get a bigger room and we've sold it out, it's freaking it's fantastic. But I get a lot out of those events. What do you guys think of our live events?

SPEAKER_03 45:16

Yeah, well, we know you been to the one in Gold Coast, the Gold Coast one, but yeah, it was it was amazing, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 45:23

Yeah, we left there really like reinvigorated again.

SPEAKER_03 45:26

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 45:27

So we'd started the Elevate programme, we'd been to your level up conference in the May at Brisbane, um, and then we went to that awards night. It just all reinvigorates you every time um getting to chat to the friends that you make as well, and like kind of like, are you going, are you going? And like just kind of like making sure everyone's going. Um so you can all improve your business together. Everybody is like-minded, so everybody is supportive, everybody wants everybody to do really well, and I think that is the really special thing about the programme. Yeah, yeah. Everybody wants everyone else to succeed. There's no jealousies, there's nothing like that in this what you've built. So yeah, it's always I it blows me away.

SPEAKER_01 46:01

Like I it there's no wankers.

SPEAKER_02 46:04

No.

SPEAKER_01 46:05

Like it is a everyone is so genuine, and just I think it's absolutely amazing. And the I like I really like that everyone sort of um like after the event, like everyone's still wanting more, like they'll they'll everyone some someone will put their hand up and say, Hey, we're going to this bar or we're going to this. Restaurant, and um I think that's really powerful stuff, and I'm glad that you guys get a lot out of coming along. I'm really looking forward to the um like this year is the first time we've done the whole Wives and Partners day, so I'm really keen to see the results of that. I I think it's gonna be great. Christine, the speaker we've got about imposter syndrome and confidence. Like that's um, I think that's something that we all need to um work on. But um, yeah, so keen to get your feedback on that.

SPEAKER_02 46:47

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 46:48

Um, I guess what's some feedback, I guess, for people out there that are sitting on the fence, know they know there's needs to be something changing their business, but just hesitate to to reach out and do anything about it.

SPEAKER_03 47:00

Yeah, you just gotta jump in and do it. I remember like when we were at the the uh your level up event last year, that's where we met Luke and Laura and they were dri driven up and they were thinking about it. We said you just gotta do it, jump in. It's just like you know straight away, like it's just yeah, a positive difference. Yeah, positive difference, that's it, yeah. And it just helps helps your outlook and it yeah, it makes you makes you excited again about doing doing what you want to do.

SPEAKER_01 47:31

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 47:32

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 47:32

So what's um yeah, like I I think it's fantastic, and I love that you're you've already got a bit of a goal that in for the next ten years you've you've got things you want to achieve. Um so how how are you going about that?

What Level Up Means

SPEAKER_00 47:45

So we've like I've I've I've got a roadmap. I've I've got a pretty detailed roadmap of how to get there. Um and we've just got to make it happen. And we need to talk to the right people to make sure that we can make that happen. So we've had um after like encouragement through your um podcast and things through Elevate, like reached out to our accountant, we were getting a bit more support there. We met with her like I'd never met her before, so you know, just doing extra additional things like that, um like asking her if she can keep us on track, things like that um are really helpful for us. Um obviously I need like we're both we're Leos, so um I'm probably the fiery Leo and you're like the relaxed Leo. Um but we work well together. Um but like I we I need somebody to push me along. So Damien's always like, Oh, can you please help me? Can you please help me in the office? And I'm like, okay, like it.

SPEAKER_02 48:38

I need the push, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 48:42

Um so just that just having people around to like help push you in the right direction, I suppose.

SPEAKER_01 48:47

Yeah. Yeah, it's awesome. No, look, I'm looking forward to seeing where you guys end up and helping you along in your journey. I think it's fantastic. Um uh one of my challenges is to get Damo talking more. So um I'll um this is why I brought my support first. We'll um we'll get you there, mate. We'll um by the time by the time we do our next adventure, you'll be bloody flat out on that phone doing videos. We won't be able to shut you up.

SPEAKER_00 49:13

Sounds great.

SPEAKER_01 49:15

But um what does level up mean to you guys? Go go separately.

SPEAKER_00 49:25

Um Level Up for me is is trying to put the best version of yourself forward. Um, and I guess now I know like you need the support systems behind you to help that happen. I'm a bit of a control freak, so I kind of just do things my own way. Um so I think knowing that you actually do really need a team around you to help things happen and letting go of certain things so that can happen and you can keep moving forward. So leveling up, yeah, to me is is being the best version of yourself and that means like the six P wheel is perfect for that because it it encompasses every part of your life. Um, and if all of those pieces are in place, then you will be leveling up if you want to really make it happen.

Final Thanks And Listener Callouts

SPEAKER_01 50:07

Awesome, love it. Yeah, your turn, Damo. Come on, you've got to give us your own one.

SPEAKER_03 50:12

Well, that leveling up is not just I suppose about you, it's um bringing the people around you up as well, like helping helping others out what what they need help with and yeah, just just support supporting each other and yeah, everyone else that needs help, not just not just banning it for yourself, sort of thing.

SPEAKER_00 50:31

So I see he may be quiet, but he comes out with these awesome gems.

SPEAKER_01 50:37

We did get we did have some good talks on the walk. He wasn't uh he wasn't totally quiet. But um no, look, really appreciate you guys driving up from Tweed this afternoon and and having a chat. I think it's um I've said I say it all the time. Like, I think the building industry is propped up by husband and wife teams like a lot of the time. Um I think it's great that you guys are working together and um you've got big plans, and I I really yeah, I'm excited to see where you guys end up. So appreciate your time.

SPEAKER_00 51:04

Thank you. Thanks for having us.

SPEAKER_01 51:06

Awesome guys. Well, I hope you've liked our uh our chat with um Ali and Damo this afternoon. Uh make sure you go to the DwaynePears.com website, get on board with the level up merchandise so you can help continue to grow our level up movement. Um, like, share, subscribe, tell your friends and family about this podcast so we can keep delivering you fantastic uh content. Look forward to seeing you on the next one.