10 blossoms of wisdom cultivated by the Tile Money Podcast, by Ben Santos

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A recent incredible figure: According to Chartable, an average of 757 podcasts were launched every day in 2018. One every three minutes! Undoubtedly, many of those will fizzle and fade after a handful of episodes. As a podcast connoisseur, I’m not surprised by those figures. We live in a world of infinite choice so in order to have staying power, relevant information must be transferred in a relatable package. The creators must have passion for their topic, and a hook, in order to cultivate a steadfast audience.
Luke Miller, host of the Tile Money Podcast, brings all those characteristics to the table and the show’s hook is a powerful inspiration to me. His excitement and dedication to providing value to his audience has made me into a loyal listener.
How has Luke been able to retain me as an unwavering Tile Money podcast listener, despite the flooded market? What will the average tile installer learn from listening? Here are ten blossoms of wisdom cultivated in me by the Tile Money Podcast:
  • 1. Tile Money has helped me see that I’m not alone.
  • Before Tile Money I was under the impression that I was the lone light in a sea of wage slaves. I figured guys like me were few and far between. Self-employed, craftsmen, striving to improve, who provided a premium service. Interviews with many of the top guys in the tile business showed me that what I was doing and what I aspired to be was, indeed, possible and that I could flourish. Tile Money plays into the idea of “seeing it, to believe it”. It brings different people with varying perspectives, but they are all related in bringing home the bacon through tile. We are all linked in wanting to better our families, our communities and our trade.
    • 2. Sales and Marketing pays the bills.
    • You can be the greatest craftsman in all the world, building stunning works of art, but if no one knows about you, you will be relegated to obscurity and you’ll struggle to make money. My business was having that issue. We were providing a top-level service, with a high-end finish, working for a builder that could care less. There was no shortage of people who were willing to take advantage of us because we allowed it. We didn’t have options. Tile Money aided in the development of the idea that without a loaded sales funnel, we could not demand the money we needed to be profitable. Paul Luccia detailing how he differentiates his glass installation compared to the competition during a sales presentation; Steve Rausch role playing sales calls (and playing BOTH PARTS!) demonstrated the power of learning sales. Luke teaches the fundamentals of marketing, timeless and effective, but also has guests like Deric from DP tile speaking about his Instagram marketing techniques. This is knowledge people pay untold amounts of money for.
      • 3. Accept and form a process.
      • Every successful tile business has developed a distinct process. The guests on Tile Money have developed systems and they know exactly who their customers are. Knowing who your customers are, knowing what they look and sound like, requires that you accept your process, which can be very difficult! You need to get used to saying “no”! Systems are not only for clients to follow, but they are also for technicians. I point specifically to Jason McDaniel, of Stoneman Construction, who noted that he knows one of his techs doesn’t silicone, so he puts another tech on it, who is a specialist. That is a system that works for his company. I now realize that the
        reason 100% of our clients are happy is because they follow our process and the system that we employ day to day is what makes our projects magazine worthy when they are complete. OWN IT.
        • 4. Be a goal setter.
        • Listening to Ulas Maris, I heard a man who has some serious aspirations. What keeps us going as people? It’s not the daily grind, it’s the hope for the future. Whether that’s the end of the week when you finish a bathroom, or years down the road when you’re opening your own showroom, goals keep us working to be better. The bigger the dream, the more driven the person. Tile Money has me tracking my goals. When we track, we achieve.
          • 5. What success looks like to me and that success is possible.
          • The meaning of success is as varied as the rainbow, but life is a lot easier with money in the bank. Tile setters have a marketable skill, but the business end must be on point. Tile money has convinced me that it’s not a cliché to say, “if you work hard, you’ll make it.” But be sure to add one other word, “If you work hard and SMART, you’ll make it.” America wasn’t built on hard work, that was part of it, but it was built with systems that utilized the labor effectively. Tile money has assisted me in devising strategies that put my persistence in the right place. Success will ultimately be having control over my time. It will be achieved by directing my time at the right things. Training and employee acquisition, for example, is a recurring topic on the podcast and Luke is assisting me in getting to the bottom of that common challenge.
            • 6. Get involved.
            • I have been to Coverings multiple times, but Luke’s recent shows from the convention have given me a whole new perspective on what it means to network. It’s clear to me that getting off the job site is extremely important. Relationships often start on social media and bloom into real life collaborations. The only way that happens is by putting down the trowel and making time to go to a NTCA continuing education class, becoming a Certified Tile Installer, or even attending a Schluter workshop. If you pull one gem from the mine, it’ll be well worth the investment.
              • 7. Don’t stop learning!
              • I love the vulnerability and honesty of all the guests on Tile Money. A couple have mentioned their former improper building techniques, until they discovered the NTCA manual and other organizations like CTEF (Ceramic Tile Education Foundation). This speaks volumes about the utility of these organizations. Tile Money is a highly effective advocate for the NTCA because through interviews with highly regarded tile business owners, Luke elaborates on the direct benefits of everything the organization does. These interviews also show that even the best at one time fell short, but it was ultimately their curiosity that drove them to be better! Curiosity has made me into a regular Tile Money listener and curiosity puts more money in my pocket because I’m constantly learning how to be a better installer and business owner.
                • 8. Value vs. Price
                • Price is what you pay, value is what you get. Sounds easy enough, doesn’t it? I had never heard of those two words defined in that way. Price is essentially an arbitrary number until the consumer knows what they’re going to get for that number. I build value from the moment I first speak to a potential client. Tile Money has guided me to the acceptance that I’m not selling a tile glued to the wall, I’m selling comfort, prestige, security, a custom, permanent, functioning living space.
                  • 9. Be different, Sell the difference.
                  • Many of us want to fit into the herd. It’s natural, but if you’re like everybody else why should someone pay you more? Joshua Nordstrom has a tile business in Nome, Alaska and he has differentiated himself by building exemplary Mosaic Tile Art. He’s the guy who put together the incredible glow in the dark kraken shower you’ve seen all over social media. He’s embraced his difference and he’s so great at it, people hire him specifically for his mosaic art. A recurring theme on Tile Money is developing a niche in your field and pushing that to differentiate yourself from everyone else. I’ve decided I want to be the glass tile expert in my area because of Tile Money.
                    • 10. Profit is non-negotiable.
                    • Profit allows us to do so many things. It allows us to stay in business and without it we certainly won’t be. How many jobs have I done in the past for wages thinking that would be enough? I’m not ashamed because I know I’m not the only one! Frankly, without profit we should not be in business. Thank you, Tile Money for helping me know my numbers. You know the old saying “The numbers don’t lie!”
                      Tile Money has made me think about the business of tile in a whole new way and the show has no equivalent in the podcast world. It’s a show directed squarely at improving the lives of intelligent, hard- working people and its success at doing that will keep it around for an indefinite period. The podcast is specifically geared to help tile professionals earn the money we deserve. If you don’t think you deserve to make great money, just look around at tile work in everyday life. That should be all the evidence you need!
                      I wanted to make more money. I took my fate into my own hands and you can too. Tile Money is the information resource you need to make permanent change. So, put your headphones on and tune in to the Tile Money podcast. Putting the tips and techniques into practice will be the key to increase your profitability and also improve your life.

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