Builder Mindset to Business Mindset with Duane Johns of Alair Homes

Most builders hit a wall. They work 80-hour weeks, carry tools, manage crews, chase payments, and somehow still struggle to make ends meet. Sound familiar? That was Duane Johns twenty years ago, grinding it out in Charlotte, North Carolina after moving from the Hamptons.

Then 2008 hit. While other builders went under, Duane used the crisis as a mirror. 

"I think that that too, one thing that happened in that 2008 environment, especially the few years after, was everyone got reduced to a commodity, you know, I mean, the builders or modelers, they had the lower hand, no doubt." 

The shift from thinking like a builder to thinking like a business owner changed everything.

In this conversation with Michael Krisa, Duane walks through that transformation. He talks about the moment he tracked his time for two weeks and discovered he was doing 75% of tasks that weren't moving his business forward. He shares how joining a Vistage group opened his eyes to what real business owners were doing across industries. Turns out, the guy running the insurance company and the woman with the graphic design business faced the same problems – just different flavors.

"I started thinking differently, really approaching it as a business, just lots of different opportunities seem to arise from that, you know, and I think what people need to know when they hear that is that doesn't mean you're giving up your respect for the craft or your quality or any of that."

We dig into the financial reality most builders face. When you actually calculate your hourly wage against all the hours you put in, McDonald's starts looking competitive. Duane explains why most builders leave money on the table by not charging for all their time, and how understanding your numbers becomes the foundation for everything else.

"People simply are not charging for all the hours they're working. It's that, it's really that simple. That's the biggest area that I've found across the board where people can, if they put some attention, they could immediately add to their bottom line."

The conversation moves into systems and scaling. Duane joined Alair Homes as a franchise partner, initially skeptical about how a franchise model could work in custom building. But he discovered something powerful: having proven systems meant he could focus on building his business instead of building the business itself. 

"A lot of times I equate it to it's using the mousetrap versus building the mousetrap."

Time blocking becomes a central theme. Duane shares his approach to protecting calendar time like it's sacred, ending each day organized so he can actually disconnect, and setting boundaries with clients about when emergencies are really emergencies. 

"Don't be one of these people that commits to it, but then gives everything up, you know, and takes this meeting and takes that meeting and moves this around. You got to say no." 

The goal isn't working less – it's working on the right things.

We explore the future of construction, touching on technology, automation, and the workforce shortage. 

"When you look at where we are and how we still actually build homes is, it's pretty archaic, it's really the same way we've been building them for a hundred years."

He believes builders who embrace change will thrive, while those who don't will get left behind.

The conversation also addresses the skilled trades perception problem. Duane never went to college, watching friends graduate and end up on job sites anyway. He's passionate about changing the narrative around construction careers, showing young people that building offers real opportunities for entrepreneurship and wealth building. 

"We have to get to a place where skilled labor in this country it's an absolute necessity. It's, as I said before, most of these crafts are noble positions."

Toward the end, we talk about vision and leadership. Many builders struggle to think beyond next year, but Duane pushes them to imagine where they want to be in ten years. 

"I would say over 50%, maybe 60% to 70% of the builders that I talk to, if I straight up challenge them on that, they really struggle. They kind of think of it as a prediction." 

Do you want fifteen offices? Want to dominate the Southeast? Want to retire on a beach? You can't get there without knowing where "there" is.

As Duane puts it, "What gets measured gets done. If you don't have a very strong level of accountability in your organization, it's going to be really difficult to track any kind of forward progress."

This isn't another podcast about better estimating software or the latest nail gun. This is about fundamentally changing how you think about your role in the construction industry. Whether you're swinging hammers or managing crews, the principles Duane shares apply to anyone ready to stop being a builder and start being a business owner.

Topics Covered:

• The psychological shift from craftsman to entrepreneur
• Financial management and knowing your true hourly wage
• Systems and processes for scaling construction businesses
• Time management and calendar blocking strategies
• The role of franchising in construction
• Technology adoption and industry evolution
• Workforce development and changing perceptions of skilled trades
• Vision setting and long-term business planning
• The EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System) framework
• Avoiding the commodity trap in competitive markets

About Duane Johns
Chief Operating Officer 

As COO of Alair, Duane oversees operations, implements strategic plans that align with the company’s vision, and ensures the entire organization is communicating and functioning at a high level. He works closely with the executive team and department leaders on research and development and systems optimization.

Duane joined Alair in 2016 as a Builder/Partner and became a Regional Partner in 2017. He was instrumental in incorporating EOS into the Alair culture.

Duane entered the construction industry over 30 years ago, working on oceanfront estates in The Hamptons on Long Island, New York. In 1996 he moved to Charlotte, North Carolina, and started a general contracting business.

As a builder, remodeler, coach, consultant, and COO, he is dedicated to elevating professionalism in the construction industry by promoting continuous learning, strategic planning, collaboration with like-minded peers, and the elimination of egos. He believes that if you fail to do these things the industry will reduce you to a commodity and leave you alone on an island.

When he is not talking shop, you will most likely find him outdoors. He and his family love to travel, hike, explore, and discover new places and new things.

Listen to the story of Alair Homes on Episode 12 of The Builder Nuggets Podcast

Links:

* Alair Homes website: https://www.alairhomes.com
* Alair Homes YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@alair_homes

Chapters:
00:00 - Introduction
01:39 - Early Beginnings in Construction
02:44 - Business in Charlotte
10:16 - Passion and Workforce Development
15:42 - Challenges and Opportunities
17:47 - Role of Systems and Franchising in Business Growth
27:02 - Future of Construction: Technology and Innovation
33:13 - Adopting New Technologies
33:35 - Role of AI in Construction
35:16 - Coaching Builders
36:56 - Financial Management for Builders
38:08 - Knowing Your Numbers
44:17 - Value of Vision and Skilled Labor
53:50 - Podcasting and Personal Insights