Austin discusses his experience stepping in to manage production for a week while the regular production manager, Mark, was on vacation. He gained valuable insights into the business, including the frequency of running to job sites for last-minute materials and the need for better communication with clients.

Austin noticed that the team was often running to job sites for materials, leading to multiple small supplier bills for a single project. He proposes solutions like involving crews in the ordering process and making site visits before larger projects to better anticipate material needs.

Austin realized that the team was not providing daily progress updates to clients, leading to more questions from clients. He emphasizes the value of over-communicating with clients to set proper expectations.

The group delves deeper into the material ordering process, including the timeline, the role of the production manager versus the driver, and the challenges of accurately estimating material needs for each project.

Austin shares how his week managing production was reminiscent of his early days at Student Works, with a constant influx of emails and responsibilities. He describes using techniques like listening to a specific song to help manage his workload.

Austin discusses how he has worked to empower his operations team, Max and Brady, by encouraging them to take more ownership and make decisions without relying on him as much. This has helped boost their confidence and decision-making abilities.

John shares his thoughts on a recent video released by a local real estate firm, Vantage West Realty, which provided a raw, unedited discussion among the firm's leaders about the current state of the real estate market. He found the video to be a rare and genuine look at the concerns of real estate professionals.

John explains the property assessment system in British Columbia, which provides homeowners with an annual assessment of their property's value. He discusses how this information can be used to identify properties that may be overpriced compared to their assessed value.

John and Amer discuss the importance of emotional regulation and discipline in investing, drawing parallels to sports and sales. They explore common emotional triggers, such as fear of missing out and confirmation bias, and strategies for managing them.

The conversation concludes with a brief recap and John and Amer agreeing to wrap up the call, as John needs to attend a church event

John, Amer, and Austin discussed strategies for business growth, wealth creation, and the importance of strategic partnerships. They also explored the evolution of Amer's business offers, the complexities of managing franchisee warranty holdback funds, and the risks of offering financial advice. Lastly, they provided guidance on coaching an individual struggling with proactivity and time management, and shared their own personal struggles and successes.

Austin is considering selling his Rydel franchise location, citing the need for more dedicated coaching and oversight as the franchise group has grown to 26 locations. He has identified two key motivators: 1) his own personal development and ability to have a greater impact on the franchise group, and 2) the strong performance of his current production and sales managers, Mark and Gabe, who have helped grow the location but are now ready to take on more.

The group discusses the importance of having a strong internal coaching function within franchise organizations, drawing examples from successful chains like McDonald's, Chick-fil-A, and In-N-Out Burger. They note that this is a key area of focus for the Rydel franchise group as it continues to scale.

Amer raises the idea of Contracting.com potentially offering bookkeeping services as an add-on for their customers. John provides insights on the bookkeeping services industry, noting the potential benefits but also cautioning about the high costs and maintenance required to build an in-house solution versus partnering with an existing provider.

John discusses the value he has gained from participating in a local business networking group, including generating referrals, making connections, and learning from other business owners. He emphasizes the importance of being in a group where you are not necessarily the most experienced, in order to continue learning and growing.