Home » Multimedia » Podcasts » Walls & Ceilings 'If Walls Could Talk' » Episode 48: Chatting With W&C’s Contractor of the Year: Cal Drywall
Walls & Ceilings 'If Walls Could Talk'
Welcome to “If Walls Could Talk” where Walls & Ceilings magazine is out to discover just that.
Listen as W&C talks with influencers in the industry who are making an impact. We are helping educate and entertain the wall and ceiling industry as only W&C can do. What brought these people to the industry? What’s in store for the contractor? And “If Walls Could Talk,” what stories would they tell? Find out all of this and more on each episode.
By now we are sure you’ve met Walls & Ceilings’ Contractor of 2021, California Drywall. Headquartered in San Jose with satellite offices in San Francisco, Livermore, Santa Clara and Atwater, California Drywall definitely keeps busy. W&C Editor John Wyatt and Associate Editor Hannah Belloli talked with President and Owner of California Drywall, Steve Eckstrom, on what this honor means to him and his team.
“To be named the best of the year…I feel a lot of pride in that,” Eckstrom
tells W&C.
As Cal Drywall celebrates its 75th anniversary, Eckstrom
discusses what it means to stay up-to-date as a contractor after all that time. And being in Silicon Valley as Eckstrom
is, there is tremendous pressure to stay ahead of the curve.
Not only do you need to be on top of your game or the latest technology, you have to be on top of your trade and your craft, or you’ll get left behind. And when that happens, Eckstrom
says, it’s hard to catch back up.
Eckstrom
also shares some of Cal Drywall’s exciting prospects and plans for 2022, the construction tech he is currently excited about, and what he thinks the future of the wall and ceiling contractor looks like.
In a special episode of If Walls Could Talk, Group Publisher Jill Bloom delves into the significance of databases with Anna Anderson, CEO of Art Unlimited, who emphasizes the importance of reaching and retaining customers. Anderson underscores the need to leverage past customer lists and cultivate profiles of ideal customers to enhance marketing strategies and foster growth. She advocates for a thoughtful approach to content creation, urging businesses to identify their ideal customers and actively cultivate relationships with them.
In the latest episode of "If Walls Could Talk," John Wyatt explores the upcoming developments in the spray foam industry, with PUR Consulting's Tom Harris providing insights on first-quarter trade shows and industry trends. Notably, the SPFA event in Las Vegas saw a record-breaking attendance increase, while educational initiatives like ABAA's training programs experienced unprecedented participation. Concurrently, Spray Foam World Wide's annual gathering boasted record numbers, featuring significant giveaways including a fully equipped rig worth $170,000. Additionally, industry exhibitions like the International Builders' Show and the Roofing Expo highlighted the growing interest in spray foam applications, with Harris's Building Envelope Audit Team expanding its offerings, including upcoming virtual training sessions aimed at building owners looking to enhance efficiency and reduce environmental impact.
In this episode of "If Walls Could Talk," W&C Editor John Wyatt interviews Jim Spellos, president of Meeting U, who will be presenting at the NWCB Wall and Ceiling Conference & Trade Show in Indian Wells, Calif. Spellos discusses the impact of AI on productivity and effectiveness, its role in enhancing the building process, tips for implementing AI in both field and office settings, cautionary considerations within AI, and a list of affordable or free AI tools worth exploring.
Join Brett Sareyka and Armstrong World Industries to hear about some productivity-enhancing drywall framing solutions that can help overcome today's skilled labor shortages and installation challenges common on nearly every project.
Recent changes to the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) have legal and marketing implications for roofing contractors, prompting adjustments to their strategies, with W&C providing comprehensive coverage of these developments. In a video featuring Legal Insights expert Trent Cotney and marketing expert Anna Anderson, new FCC rules targeting automated calls and texts are discussed, focusing on consumer protection measures against "robocalls" and "robotexts" and the requirement for explicit consent or approved exemptions. Cotney highlights the potential consequences of TCPA violations, emphasizing the importance of compliance, while Anderson advises on ensuring adherence to regulations to optimize marketing efforts, particularly concerning lead aggregation and SMS campaigns.
In this episode of If Walls Could Talk, W&C Publisher Jill Bloom and Trent Cotney, partner at Adams & Reese, discuss the evolving subcontractor market, emphasizing its enduring transformation and the shift towards subcontracting labor for construction projects. Cotney underscores that this shift is primarily driven by the need for scalability and growth within contracting firms rather than solely for cost-saving purposes. However, effective subcontractor management entails thorough vetting, onboarding, and ensuring proper insurance coverage to mitigate risks and ensure project success.