NS Builders—Day 1 to Day 2737
In this episode of NS Builders Podcast, I take you on a road trip down memory lane—the NS Builders story from Day 1 to Day 2737. When I started NS Builders seven-and-a-half years ago, I had no clue as to what my life would be like today.
DAY 1 AND COUNTING
I guess I’ll call Day 1 the day I started my first project after leaving my job in Boston. It all began with a kitchen renovation and then an entire house renovation. Interestingly, that house renovation came to me from the architect I had worked with at my previous job. He bought the house and offered me the job. At the same time, I was picking up side jobs and NS Builders was beginning to grow. I was hungry—I would go after bigger and bigger projects. And one of the keys to my early success was that I always reinvested the money back into my business.
Reinvesting back into the business doesn’t always mean buying new equipment—I’m talking about spending my money on each subsequent project to give the client even more than what they had anticipated. I was investing in building a reputation for excellent work. And making valuable connections—architects and interior designers who would recommend me to their clients. It just kept snowballing—referrals were driving the growth.
THE AHA MOMENT AND INSTAGRAM
From the start of my business, I was on Instagram. I wasn’t necessarily engaging with people, but mostly posting for my friends—“Hey, check out what I’m working on today.” But I realized that social media could play a massive role in the expansion of NS Builders—if it was done right.
About a year into NS Builders, I remember someone reaching out and saying—“Hey, I follow you on Instagram. I see you use all Festool; you obviously really care about your work. I see the quality you’re putting out. I would love to chat with you about this bathroom renovation I have going on.” I ended up meeting with him and pricing the job—didn’t get it—but from that moment on, I started paying more attention to what and how frequently I was posting. Instagram could be used very effectively to market my business. =
FIRST BABY AND FIRST VIDEO SERIES
Posting pics is one thing—and then there’s video. A few years into the business, my wife and I bought our house in Boston. It was a complete renovation, and we needed to get it done quickly to move in (Baby Number 1 was on the way). During this time, I reached out to my friend Doug, who lived in Maine, and asked him to film the house renovation. He’d drive to Boston, film for the day, and although we ended up not finishing filming the series, we had a lot of fun and saw a ton of engagement. And from there, the media aspect just took off. Together, we had to figure out how to use this tool to promote NS Builders, showcase the intention behind all of our work, and get noticed by people. And we’re still at it!
BUILDING A CULTURE OF SUPPORT
As the days turned into years, I recognized the value of self-promotion AND promoting others. I wanted to build a culture where the trades could support each other. For example, our go-to metal guy, Rich, wanted to take a stab at architectural metalwork. We worked on a railing together, and I helped him promote it. And our collaboration paid off—now all he does is fantastic, meticulous architectural metalwork.
I firmly believe in associating myself with others who really care about their craft—dedicated to putting out a high level of work. So whether it’s subs or vendors we choose to work with and cross-promote or individuals we hire to work at NS Builders—it’s the same criteria. Surround yourself with talented people who do amazing work, and your business can’t help but soar.
DAY 2737
If there’s one constant that has not changed since Day 1, it is this: I’m not too proud to ask for advice. I don’t shy away from asking questions. I’ve made mistakes (and am sure to make more), but I try to learn from what went wrong. And then I share all of this accumulated knowledge with others. It’s my way of paying it forward; I benefited from everyone who has helped me navigate the industry the past few years. Now I get to return the favor—via podcasts, blogs, and social media posts—whatever methods people are tuning in to.
Because we all have something to learn and something to teach.
It’s time to discover what NS Builders can intentionally craft for you! Contact us today to get started on your custom dream home. Together, we can make it happen.
—Nick Schiffer