The UK Housebuilder 'From Good to Great' Series

In part 2 of this three-part series, industry heavyweights Andy Beasley and Darren Jones continue to explore the strategies and ingredients needed to build and run a successful housebuilding team. In this episode they focus on company structure, finding the right balance and keeping on top of a healthy team dynamic.

Recorded as part of a series of three webinars, Human Capital Group managing director Gerard Ball and two industry titans, Andy Beasley and Darren Jones, discuss their tried and tested methods of building a solid and reliable and housebuilding team that delivers results. Both Andy and Darren have come through the ranks of the housebuilding industry themselves and fully understand the complexities of talent management. Both have previously been chairman of PLCs and privately-owned companies and are now both working as non-execs within SMEs. In this episode, Andy Beasley (ex-regional chairman of Bellway PLC for 10 years) and Darren Jones (ex-regional chairman of Persimmon and exec-board member for 8 years at Miller Homes) give their insights into the critical actions for setting expectations and establishing a successful team.

In a fascinating interview, Orbit Homes group director Helen Moore shares her key drivers and the many leadership lessons she has learned since joining Countryside nearly 30 years ago as one of only three women, out of 350 staff, to occupy non-admin roles.  Her journey through the home building industry, initially within sales and marketing, has given her an unusually varied breadth of experience encompassing the Plc (Crest Nicholson), private SME (City & Country) and now, as part of Orbit Housing Association's development arm leadership team, the housing association environment.  Helen gives insights into the challenges and complexities unique to each of these sectors and she highlights the slowly changing landscape of equality, diversity and inclusion within the UK house building industry, explaining what needs to be done to attract new and diverse talent to the industry.  She also shares her own personal experience of working up through a male-dominated industry, how her goal-driven, structured and positive mindset has served her and how her belief that having a clear understanding of sales, customer relationships and communication are key to great leadership. 

Recorded as part of a webinar series, this podcast looks at how the right language can create an assertive and resilient homebuilding workforce and the benefits of flattening hierarchical structures. Gerard's guest is best-selling author and key-note speaker, former US navy captain and submarine commander, David Marquet, whose autobiography, Turn the Ship Around highlights the power of giving rather than taking control within a team. From his follow-up book Leadership is Language, Marquet shares with us key communication techniques for leaders to empower thinkers and decision makers within your business, to increase employee engagement, create resilient teams, improve succession planning and develop a mentally strong workforce.

Gerard talks to West Midlands-based Lioncourt Homes chief executive Colin Cole, whose tenacious approach to finance saw him launch the private firm in 2006 alongside a strategic land division, as what has termed “a mini-plc housebuilder". The business is backed by up to 100 investors, who helped drive it through the crash of 'the noughties' to become one of the Sunday Times top 100 fastest growing businesses in the UK, for four consecutive years. Previously, rising through the ranks at Westbury plc through the 80s and 90s to become executive director and divisional chairman, Colin was an integral part of a management buyout at the business as well as numerous acquisitions and ultimately helped facilitate the housebuilder's £950 million sale to Persimmon in 2005. In this podcast, he gives an insight into his extraordinary career and what's driven his success. He highlights the qualities of strategic focus, work ethos and organisational culture that he believes are integral to his businesses strength and resilience.

Gerard chats to Steve Errington, MD of Yorkshire-based housebuilder, Stonebridge Homes, which he joined in 2018 after leading his previous firm, Story Homes, from a £26m to a £250m-turnover business within six years. In this interview, Steve discusses many of the lessons he learned from heading a business through such explosive growth and how he is bringing them to Stonebridge, for which he has similar aspirations, with targets to expand it from a 150- to a 1000-unit business. Discipline, communication and goal-clarity feature high on Steve's list of musts, along with succession planning, staff development, getting the right person for the job and attracting new talent to the industry.

In this third instalment of Human Capital Group's three-part series of interviews two former regional chairs and leaders within the SME and Plc housebuilding market, Andy Beasley and Darren Humphries, continue to explore the potential implications of a bad hire on your business. This episode focuses on the roles of sales and finance directors. Together with Human Capital Group MD Gerard Ball the pair analyse the critical aspects of interviewing and appointing the right candidates for leadership positions, the strategic and financial value that each role brings to a business and just what impact the wrong hire can bring about. All podcasts and webinars are available to view on www.hc-group.co.uk.

This is the second instalment in a three-part series of interviews in which two former regional chairs and leaders within the SME and Plc housebuilding market, Andy Beasley and Darren Humphries, explore the true cost of a bad hire. This episode focuses on the roles of commercial and technical director. Together with Human Capital Group managing director Gerard Ball, the pair analyse the critical aspects of interviewing and appointing the right candidates for leadership positions, the strategic and financial value that each role brings to a business and just what impact the wrong hire can bring about. All podcasts and webinars are available to view on www.hc-group.co.uk.

The first in a three-part series of interviews exploring the cost of a bad hire, this episode focuses on the roles of managing director, land and construction directors. Former Bellway regional chairman, Andy Beasley and ex-Rectory Homes CEO and divisional MD at McCarthy & Stone Darren Humphries, join Human Capital Group MD Gerard Ball for this mini-series, in which they unpick the critical aspects of interviewing and appointing the right candidates for leadership positions, the strategic and financial value that each role brings to a business and just what impact the wrong hire can bring about. Throughout these three interviews, which were recorded as a webinar series, the panel covers the full range of directorial roles. Episode two covers commercial and technical director, while episode three looks at the roles of sales and finance directors. All podcasts and webinars are available to view on www.hc-group.co.uk.

In this podcast, recorded before the advent of coronavirus, Gerard talks to group MD of Ainscough Strategic Land, Rachael Ainscough. Rachael gives a valuable insight into the complex nature of what a land promoter does, the evolving shape of the land promotions market, how they work with landowners to help secure planning and how that all relates to house builders in the UK today.

US Marketing guru, author and keynote speaker Gerry O'Brion is a regular keynote speaker at the US National Association of Home Builders amongst many others. His presentations and guidance have driven major growth in businesses from SMEs to billion dollar brands such as Proctor & Gamble, Tide and Coors Light. In this podcast, recorded as part of a webinar series for Human Capital Group's Housebuilder Business Resilience Hub, O'Brion highlights how differentiation, influence and added value are key to making your business stand out, but can be equally as tricky to understand, outline and implement. Here, Gerry introduces a new way of approaching sales by understanding buying psychology and how you can use it to attract and influence your customers. To access the accompanying slideshow visit www.whatbigbrandsknow.com/hcg

In this podcast, recorded as part of a webinar series for Human capital Group's Housebuilder Business Resilience Hub, Gerard, is joined by two sector veterans: former regional chairman of Berkeley Group, John Anderson, and Andy Beasley, former regional chairman of Bellway Plc. With their cumulative years of experience they provide critical insight on how it is possible to thrive in a crisis. Anderson and Beasley provide a Regional Chairman's perspective of Managing Directors, Divisional Directors, their teams and productivity. They discuss expectations of those roles in this new Covid-19 era, doing things differently, how to adjust teams and work together for maximum efficiency, and critical advice to help stay on track.

In this second interview with the British army's former Head of Training and Development, Paul Kinkaid, we find out how crisis situations can be overcome by adopting the commando mindset: be the first to understand; the first to adapt and respond; and the first to overcome. Paul has industry-specific knowledge of training within housebuilding and construction companies and through his training consultancy Selfless leadership, he specialises in developing training programs for crisis response. In this fascinating interview he lifts the veil on some of the key techniques for identifying emerging problems, finding long-term solutions and mobilising a valued, energised and high-performing workforce.

Jason Forrest is a US-based best selling author and founder of leadership training company Forrest Performance Group. In this cashflow and mindset-focussed episode, he discusses strategies for selling new-build houses during and post Covid-19 lockdown. Jason has over 19 years of experience in sales and housebuilding and shares with us his four keys to success. These include adopting the right leadership and team mindset, and what that looks like; identifying the right skillsets in your new build sales team that will drive you through the pandemic. How to successfully sell your houses online and how to dominate the competition and finally the new KPIs you should be focussed on during this and other crises.

In his second interview with Human Capital Group, Paul Kinkaid, former Head of Training and Development for the British Army and founder of training consultancy Selfless Leadership, looks at the process of unfurloughing in the housebuilding and construction industry. As an organisation, the military has abundant experience at effectively bringing troops out of hibernation and training them back up ready for action as efficiently and as safely as possible. Paul, who is the owner of training consultancy, Selfless Leadership, answers questions about the physical and mental aspect of reintegrating staff who have been absent for a long time, how leaders should address employee concerns, helping them adapt quickly and easily to a new normal and identifying those who will need extra support and how to offer it.

Andy Beasley, former regional chairman, Bellway plc: Cashflow and cost control post Covid-19 lockdown

In response to the Covid-19 pandemic and the repercussions on businesses worldwide, Human Capital Group has created its online Housebuilder Business Resilience Hub of blogs, podcasts and webinars, designed to help leaders in the housebuilding industry manage their operations successfully and effectively. In this podcast, Karen Eyre-White, productivity coach and founder of coaching consultancy Go Do, speaks to Human Capital Group's managing director Gerard Ball about how to maximise productivity from remote working. She details the best ways to get set up for productive remote working, gives guidance on skilfully and considerately managing a remote team and outlines what HR and leadership need to consider to create the right culture for productive remote working.

The enormous changes, such social distancing measures and isolation that have been brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic means that a focus on mental health is critical for the housebuilding industry, now more than ever. In this episode Human Capital Group's managing director Gerard Ball speaks to mental health campaigner and business transformation consultant, Geoff McDonald. Geoff left his role as Unilever's global VP of HR over a decade ago to begin a very personally-fuelled journey to end the stigma of depression and anxiety in the workplace. Here he offers advice on creating cultural change that normalises mental health and mental ill health, and how businesses must make them a strategic priority. He talks about the need to open up the conversation around anxiety and depression, particularly in male-dominated industries such as construction and housebuilding. And crucially, he gives real practical advice and techniques to both leaders and employees in the industry on how to maintain good emotional health and importantly how to support each other.

Tariq Usmani co-founded Henley Homes in 1999 creating a business known for its design-led approach and work ranging from volume multi-storey apartment blocks to conversions of landmark and listed buildings in London and the South East. As CEO of Henley Homes, Tariq has grown the business from a SME to a private PLC, incorporating a construction arm with an in-house architectural practice, and other vertical businesses including a growing and award-winning portfolio of city-centre hotels. In this podcast, Tariq tells Human Capital Group MD Gerard Ball about how he found his way into the residential property market, his role as a mentor for former offenders and why for him, efficiency is key to leading a successful team and consistently delivering great detail and design.

Former regional chair of Berkeley Group John Anderson has recently stepped down after 20 years with the residential property developer to start his own consultancy, Adamia. Here he discusses with Human Capital Group MD Gerard Ball what it takes to bring major long-term developments such as Royal Arsenal and Kidbrooke, to fruition, how regeneration schemes have evolved over the decades and how nurturing partnerships and prioritising community needs are the key to their success.

In 2017, alongside a small team of co-directors, Ian Pritchett launched Oxfordshire-based Ssassy Property, a pioneering firm that has already delivered the UK's most sustainable, zero-carbon and zero-net energy houses, smashing government carbon targets 30 years ahead of time. In this episode, Pritchett discusses his journey in housebuilding, including 20-years in historic building restoration, how it led to working at the forefront of sustainability in the industry, the challenges faced by small developers and the urgency for the UK to step up to the environmental mark.

Founder and CEO of Joseph Homes, Joseph Rajah, set up his company to disrupt the property market with its Live Well principles of wanting to add value to people's lives. As an entrepreneur Joseph has carved a niche in the London property scene and through his company is passionate about his mission to improve the well-being of his team, his customers, neighbourhoods and the planet. Here, Joseph explains his move into residential property, navigating economic and political interventions; why he focused on his ‘Live Well, Work Well' vision and the art of moving from founder to CEO in his fast-growing diverse business, now creating a £1bn pipeline of healthier residential-led, mixed-use schemes.

Karl Hick, owner and founder of Lincolnshire-based developer Larkfleet Homes, tells Human Capital Group's MD Gerard Ball about his journey in the housebuilding industry. From acquiring Allison Homes and selling to Kier almost a decade later to growing Larkfleet Homes to a 400 unit operation over 20 years. He also shares his passion for sustainable, affordable and energy-efficient housing, and how sleep and fitness are key to successful leadership.

A veteran of the student accommodation sector, Bob Crompton is best known for his leadership, backed by venture capitalists, that saw him develop an international student housing portfolio from scratch in 2010, to sell for around £1.5bn six years later. In this podcast, Bob gives a personal account of how a young Bolton man from a mining family moved into the residential sector, cutting his teeth under Berkeley Group's Tony Pidgeley, and recognised early on a golden opportunity in the student housing boom. He describes the journey of building a successful and dynamic team and culture, navigating the political and financial landscape of the build to rent market and what opportunities for the future lie within it.

In 1995 Steve Midgley started his own family-run business with his wife Christine. Since then the pair have grown the business into an award-winning, regional developer completing around 50 new homes a year in and around the East Midlands. In this podcast, Steve gives a very personal and thought provoking account of his years in the industry, surviving the recession and navigating financial institutions and highlights the benefits and opportunities of being an SME in today's market.

In this episode Gerard is joined by group chief executive of housing association inCommunities, Geraldine Howley OBE, who has headed the organisation since its inception in 2003. A key influential figure across the housing sector both in her local patch of Bradford and West Yorkshire and nationally, Geraldine gives us an insight into the complexity of setting up a housing association from scratch, moving to a 30-year strategic plan, getting the right balance of housing stock, both old and new, for any given area and crucially how a housing association can work in partnership with housing developers to form a complementary, rather than competitive, relationship.

SME housebuilder Troy Homes was launched in 2015 by former Banner Homes FD and CEO Richard Werth. Here Richard gives Gerard a very personal and detailed insight into the building blocks of his 30-year career in the industry that have allowed him to start Troy Homes from scratch and nurture what he calls a team business. He explains the intricacies of building the right team for future growth, how to cope with the frustrations of the planning system, navigating the financial assault course of setting up and running an SME house builder in today's market and shares his hopes for the future of the business and the industry.

CEO of SME Conroy Brook, Richard Conroy joins Gerard in this podcast, giving personal insights into life growing up within a housebuilding family and how they structured the company to ensure that the transition from its founding fathers to their sons, Jason Brook and Richard, could take place. In addition Richard discusses the acquisition of Yorkshire firm, Ben Bailey Homes, and what direction this is set to take the business in.

Strata Homes CEO Andrew Weaver is the fourth generation Weaver to hold the chief executive mantle at the privately owned Yorkshire housebuilder, which builds around 700 units annually. In this interview Andrew discusses, among other things, his commitment to customer experience and relationship building, Strata's digital approach to customer engagement and how his own passion for design fits the picture.

Human Capital Group's Gerard Ball is joined by Tom Bloxham MBE, owner of Urban Splash. Since its inception 25 years ago, Urban Splash has delivered more than 5,000 new homes, 2 million square foot of workspace and more than 60 regeneration projects. Here, Tom talks about his early days getting the business off the ground, how he capitalised on the unique opportunities that surround him, such as the Manchester Music scene, and his passion for designing and building inspiring spaces for people to live and work.

In this episode of Human Capital Group's from good to great podcast series, Gerard is joined by managing director of Antler Homes, Andrew Rinaldi. In June 2018 Andrew was part of a team, backed by investors Literacy Capital PLC and including now non-executive director Dane Houlahan, that acquired the SME house builder. Antler Homes has built a reputation over four decades, under previous owners Rockmount Capital, of providing high quality family homes. Here, Andrew reflects on his experience of moving from the financial sector into housebuilding. He explains why he chose to do this through a business acquisition, how he managed to secure funding for the deal and gives us an insight of what the future looks like.

In episode 3 of the ‘From good to great' series, Gerard is joined by successful entrepreneur Henry Smith, CEO of Aitch Group. Aitch Group was founded in 1998 and develops commercial and residential properties across London. The company prides itself on high quality and design led schemes. Henry discusses the qualities it takes to be a successful business owner within the UK development market. He talks about where his passion, drive and hunger comes from and how he successfully navigated Aitch Group through the recession following the 2008 crash.

In this episode Human Capital Group managing director, Gerard Ball, is joined by one of the UK housebuilding industry's biggest shakers and movers Ian Sutcliffe, CEO of Countryside PLC. In this podcast, Ian shares some of his valuable insights into what it takes to lead a team to success through the good times and the bad.

In this podcast episode of the Human Capital Group's ‘Good to Great' series, Gerard hears from McCarthy and Stone PLC chairman, Paul Lester who is an influential figurehead within the UK Housebuilder and Construction sector. It's been a challenging year for McCarthy and Stone but Paul talks openly about his role as Chairman, the wider issues that have affected the company's performance and McCarthy & Stone's positive four-pronged approach to drive the company's bounce-back from adversity and produce a rock solid foundation for future growth.