In this episode, Greg Wilkes sits down with Dr Gretchen Gagel — 40-year veteran, board adviser and founder of the Women Thriving in Construction Institute — to unpack the talent shortage crippling the industry and show exactly how getting more women on site (and in the C-suite) accelerates profit, safety and culture for everyone.

🔹 Key topics covered

✅ The numbers that matter – from China’s 16 % female workforce to Indonesia’s 1.6 %, plus why the UK & Australia are moving the needle with government-backed culture standards
✅ Unconscious bias & dominant culture – practical ways to spot the hidden habits that stop women applying (and drive good men away too)
✅ Quick wins on site – flushing loos, correctly-sized PPE and split shifts that turn “death, dirt & divorce” job sites into professional workplaces
✅ Recruitment that works – the 53 % female school-build project and how to write ads that attract skilled women without lowering the bar
✅ Retention & progression – mentors, sponsors and quarterly one-to-ones that create a 99 % engagement score and fuel 2× revenue growth
✅ Leadership superpowers – why mixed-gender teams literally score higher IQ points and the neuroscience of the 12-lane female “super-highway” brain
✅ Small-builder playbook – define your values, keep every coaching meeting, publish the dashboard and watch performance lift across the board
✅ Gretchen’s big vision – scaling the best grassroots programmes worldwide through the Women Thriving in Construction Institute

If you’re struggling to find good trades, juggling half-staffed projects or just want a happier, higher-performing crew, this conversation hands you the blueprint. Tune in, challenge the bias and build a construction business where everyone thrives. 🎧👷‍♀️👷

Gretchen Gagel One Sheet

Gretchen Gagel Book Summary

https://developcoaching.co.uk

For more episode please visit:
https://developcoaching.co.uk/construction-podcast/

If you'd like to discuss fast-tracking your results, book in a free call - https://www.developcoaching.co.uk/schedule/

If you'd like help growing your business join my private Facebook group - https://m.facebook.com/groups/constructiontradesaccelerator

In this episode, Greg Wilkes breaks down the five core systems every construction firm needs to scale smoothly from £1 million to £5 million — without the owner running on fumes. Drawing on the frameworks he installs in his own companies and those of his coaching clients, Greg shows how the right tech-plus-process combo turns day-to-day chaos into predictable profit.

🔹 Key topics covered

✅ Lead Management – ditch the diary scraps and build a CRM that captures, nurtures and auto-follows every enquiry
✅ Quoting & Job Approval – why outsourced estimating, square-metre benchmarks and one-click approvals protect margin and speed
✅ Project Management – when Asana is enough, when to step up to Buildertrend or Procore, and the daily logs that stop overspend
✅ Document & Communication Control – centralised cloud storage, Slack channels and SOPs that keep teams and clients aligned
✅ Finance & Cash Flow – fast invoicing, realistic 12-week forecasts and the “progress-payment ladder” that ends cash crunches
✅ Bonus – a quarterly review ritual to refine systems before small cracks become profit-draining gaps

If you’re juggling sticky notes, late quotes and mystery margins, this playbook will help you regain control, win the right work and scale with confidence. Plug the gaps, follow the frameworks and watch your construction business grow — sustainably. 🎧🔨

https://developcoaching.co.uk

For more episode please visit:
https://developcoaching.co.uk/construction-podcast/

If you'd like to discuss fast-tracking your results, book in a free call - https://www.developcoaching.co.uk/schedule/

If you'd like help growing your business join my private Facebook group - https://m.facebook.com/groups/constructiontradesaccelerator

In this episode, Greg Wilkes chats with Jamie Mills, founder of Signature Build, to unpack how he grew a one-man renovation sideline into a multi-million-pound contractor trusted with London’s most prestigious heritage homes. From risky buy-outs to razor-sharp branding, Jamie lays out the real-world moves that turned early hustle into sustainable, high-margin growth.

🔹 Key topics covered:

✅ Starting with modest refurb jobs and networking his way into Prime Central London work
✅ Buying out a business partner—the due diligence, the nerves, and the upside of full control
✅ How a mastermind community gave weekly structure, accountability, and the push to “stop playing small”
✅ Turning brand touchpoints—from site cleanliness to online presence—into a magnet for high-end clients and architects
✅ Fixing under-pricing: building in proper prelims and margins without scaring off prospects
✅ Hiring “rocket-fuel” talent and learning to delegate so the business can scale beyond the owner
✅ Simple ways to solve problems for referrers and lock in repeat work
✅ Jamie’s next steps—regional expansion, apprenticeships, and giving back through community projects

If you’re stuck juggling every role, under-charging, or struggling to break into higher-value projects, Jamie’s story proves you can level up your margins and your market position—without losing the craft you care about. Tune in and map out your own path from small-scale builder to respected industry player. 🎧🔨

https://www.signature.build/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/signaturebuild/

https://www.instagram.com/signature.build/

https://www.signature.build/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Signature-Build-Brochure-2024-Digital-1.pdf

https://developcoaching.co.uk

For more episode please visit:
https://developcoaching.co.uk/construction-podcast/

If you'd like to discuss fast-tracking your results, book in a free call - https://www.developcoaching.co.uk/schedule/

If you'd like help growing your business join my private Facebook group - https://m.facebook.com/groups/constructiontradesaccelerator