Shed Geek Podcast
The Shed Geek Podcast offers an in depth analysis of the ever growing and robust Shed Industry. Listeners will experience a variety of guests who identify or specialize in particular niche areas of the Shed Industry. You will be engaged as you hear amateur and professional personalities discuss topics such as: Shed hauling, sales, marketing, Rent to Own, shed history, shed faith, and much more. Host Shannon Latham is a self proclaimed "Shed Geek" who attempts to take you through discussions that are as exciting as the industry itself. Listeners of this podcast include those who play a role directly or indirectly with the Shed Industry itself.
Shed Geek Podcast
From Shipping Containers to Solar Solutions: Innovating with Purpose in the Business World
Unlock the secrets of business innovation with Steve Deubel from Phoenix and Matt Walton from Las Vegas as they reveal how shipping containers can redefine the shed and metal building industries. You'll gain insights into Steve's journey from renovating homes to creating sustainable living solutions with container homes and pools. Matt shares his excitement about showcasing a container pool model, hinting at a promising collaboration that could transform the way dealers and manufacturers approach their offerings.
Our conversation takes a heartfelt turn as we explore the fusion of faith and business, focusing on the profound impact of community service. Discover how dedicating one day a month to serving others enriches company culture and inspires employees, including those on work release from prison, to embrace selflessness. A powerful story emerges about an incarcerated employee who volunteers, driven by the company's mission to align business practices with spiritual values, highlighting the deeper purpose found beyond profit margins.
Finally, we touch on the future of housing solutions with solar power for tiny and modular homes. Rising energy costs make solar an attractive option for off-grid living, and we envision a sustainable community in Las Vegas addressing social issues such as housing for veterans and individuals transitioning from prison. We also tackle the challenges of navigating HOAs and evolving regulations for tiny homes, emphasizing the growth potential for shed manufacturers and tiny home builders. Join us as we build a business with purpose, creating efficient systems and nurturing a supportive work culture through a unique no-fire policy, ultimately making a kingdom impact with our resources.
Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, or YouTube at the handle @shedgeekpodcast.
To be a guest on the Shed Geek Podcast visit our website and fill out the "Contact Us" form.
To suggest show topics or ask questions you want answered email us at info@shedgeek.com.
This episodes Sponsors:
Studio Sponsor: Union Grove Lumber
Versabend
Mobeno Solar Solutions
Cold Spring Enterprises
Welcome back to this week's episode of the Shed Geek podcast. On Magnificent Monday, I am Susan the Shed Gal and I am so excited. I have two wonderful guests today, and on one side of me is my friend, Steve Deubel. Steve is out of Phoenix, Arizona, and I'm going to let him introduce himself in just a minute, and then on my other side is Matt Walton, out of Las Vegas, which is where we are right now taping this episode. So, who would like to go first to introduce yourselves and thank you? Thank you for both joining me. We've had some great fun today learning and being here at your business. Who wants
SHED GAL:to tell us about themselves.
STEPHEN DEUBEL:It's been trying because you're so busy. It's been crazy, but we nailed you down in Vegas, that's right. That's right.
SHED GAL:We came to Vegas. Well, actually, real quick side note before they introduce themselves, Steve and I taped a television show a few months ago. That's going to be out near the end of the year the first of the year and I'm sure that I'll let you all know about that, but it was an entrepreneurial boot camp show, and so that's how we met and became friends. So with that, welcome. Let's start with you, Steve. Introduce yourself, Tell us about your business and what you do.
STEPHEN DEUBEL:Okay, well, as Susan said, I'm from Phoenix, Arizona. I own Ideal Home Improvement where we do all kinds of renovations solar, and also a few years ago I had changed the theme of my show from basically renovations and I got involved with container homes. And I don't remember how it all came about, but I know I found Matt in Vegas, not walking the streets, but he had his business
STEPHEN DEUBEL:and I sought him out because I thought it was a unique way of utilizing containers, which is some of the things we try and talk about on Boxcar Universe, where we talk about all things containers. And I came up and met with Matt and his lovely wife Nicole and we were talking about what he does and he gave me the tour. And it was just a unique thing because when I talk to people in Phoenix about you know, would you like a container home or a container pool, and they turn around and they say container pool, what's that? So, you know, after Susan and I had met and she said when she knew I was talking about those two things, she said oh, we have to talk. Yeah, I did say that.
STEPHEN DEUBEL:And our other friend, Chris, who's in Phoenix, out in the East Valley, and with this great adventure that we'll call it, an adventure that Susan's embarking on in Phoenix, where there's going to be every kind of shed that you can imagine, that's made in the universe, but we're also going to have a container pool model and a container, um, a home model, which is going to be really great.
STEPHEN DEUBEL:So, this way, everybody, because everybody wants to see once they come, they want to look at it, they want, and when they see it they're like wow, I never thought that you could do something like that. Or homes are really that they don't look that big. Or when they see a pool model and I show them pictures, they're like that's just amazing and it's, it's another way of being, you know, utilizing sustainable products. Because otherwise these containers would be put out to pasture in a landfill somewhere and they'd rust and then they'd never be used. And the bad thing about it is, when they're all used, that's exactly what they do. They go out and we'll call it like down in Tucson, where they put all the planes out to pasture, oh my goodness, they put all the containers out to pasture.
STEPHEN DEUBEL:So it's a great thing. So that's what we try and do. We try and do all that for all our listeners and customers in Phoenix, and we've been actually in business since 1991. So I feel that I'm a transplanted New Yorker now living in Phoenix, that's right.
SHED GAL:Well, I'm sure glad you're here and I'm glad we met a few months ago One of the things that we're going to talk about on this week's episode as a shed dealer who started out selling just sheds and had a whopping 8 or 10 or 12 display models on my lot, things are not as they were 6, 7, 8 years ago in the shed industry and it's more challenging now. I hear it all the time talking to dealers. So, I think one of the things that I've done a good job incorporating other items into this. So, we're going to talk this episode primarily about container pools and solar and different things that you could utilize on your shed or metal building lot to help you increase your sales.
SHED GAL:And if you're a manufacturer and you're listening and you do metal buildings or you do just sheds, don't panic, keep listening. Dealers will stay with you longer and represent you longer if they sell more and make more money, and they can do that by offering more items that bring more people to their display lots. So, with that being said, welcome, matt, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you. Live from Las Vegas, Nevada, today, I feel like a rock star.
STEPHEN DEUBEL:It's crazy.
SHED GAL:Tell me about your business.
MATT WALTON:Yeah, so well. Thanks for having me on your show and thanks for coming out. I mean, I'll traveled several hours to come out here and tour the facility and to be a part of I think day one, kind of day one, day two of our partnership.
MATT WALTON:So grateful for that. Thank you for the time and the expenses that you had to make to come out here. So, I don't take that lightly at all. And we're about to get into something really cool. She's, as you all have heard, is going to have a container pool on her lot, which will have some content, I'm sure of that, soon.
MATT WALTON:But my business is Container Pools. So, my name is Matt Walton and what we do is we repurpose shipping containers and we build swimming pools out of them, and I'm one of two people in the whole world that does a fiberglass shell on the inside of the container. So that really sets us apart number one in just our quality, longevity, how it's insulated, the container and the fiberglass shelves, so it aids more in year-round swimming. There's just a number of things outside of the container that sets us apart. So that's what we do.
MATT WALTON:But what we are about is we make an impact in our community and we're about advancing the kingdom of Jesus Christ, and so what that means in business is I hire guys that are in prison or getting out of prison or on the streets and we give them an opportunity. So, some people will call that like a second chance employer. And when they're here, we teach them how to just live life right, how to manage finances or how to save finances. We teach them about Jesus, we pray over them. We teach them how to get back in their kid's life, how to be a better dad and those kinds of things.
MATT WALTON:So that's what the business really exists for is to make an impact in the kingdom
MATT WALTON:, and I believe that if we can make an impact with these people that are in prison and getting out of prison, that's how we bring the families back together, and then that's ultimately how we change a community. That will change a neighborhood, that will change a city, that will change a state, will change a country. That will change the world. And I believe it starts in business. So, any business owner that's out there that may not use their business to make an impact number one that is OK. But hopefully this will encourage you to start thinking in that regard, because it is a beautiful thing to pursue an impact over money Wow.
SHED GAL:Well, and I'm actually glad you brought that up, because we're here today and Brendan, who's running the phoenix lot, is here with us and did a tour of your facility and it is, uh, number one. I didn't mention this out there, but lean manufacturing came to mind as far as very, very organized um. You talked about having processes in place and standard operating procedures and delegating all these magical words that mean a lot to us business people, and then you started talking about like you know, something that touches my heart is like you're in business.
SHED GAL:Yeah we're all in business to make money. There's no doubt about that. But, like you're literally changing people's lives, we'll get to your product and we're going to put up some great pictures and post your website, and all that because your product is incredible. But the vision behind the product and the way that you are truly changing people's lives? So, we mentioned this, I'd looked it up a few years ago Norway has a 20% recidivism rate of going back to prison after five years. The United States has an 80% recidivism rate and just my opinion, we treat prisoners like animals. And then we wonder why they act like animals. Sometimes because they don't have the tools, they haven't been taught or for whatever reason. Like you said, choices earlier. But uh, what you're doing is literally changing the trajectory of these folks lives that are working for you.
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SHED GAL:You had mentioned earlier about doing outreach in your community, I believe once a month, and that you actually pay your employees to go do that. And again, remember he mentioned they're prisoners that are on work release and then they go back to prison after work and that one of them said to you don't get paid, I don't get paid, meaning they were also foregoing their paycheck to go serve. Like that tells me right then. And there, like just that one thing, you've already made an impact, because do you think that that same person would have maybe felt that way 10 years ago?
MATT WALTON:Yeah, no. So, the story behind that is so I'm a big believer in God is the owner of my business. I am a steward of his business. So, what that equates to when we look at scripture, we see God calls his leaders as servants, and so what that means is that I am to be a servant and then I am to steward what God has entrusted me with. So, all of this the shop in the back, all the people is what God has put me in charge of, to steward well and ultimately to bring him glory and to advance his kingdom. So that's kind of the foundation as to why Then I started praying.
MATT WALTON:Okay, God, how do you want me to give? You know, all of this is yours. So how do you want me to give through your business? And it took like several months, and you know, do you want me to write a check? Do you want me to like how? How does that look?
MATT WALTON:And so what God had spoken to me about was doing a serve day once a month, where I stop production once a month and we go serve those that serve the within the community. So, generally, like ministries, they're not being served, they're the ones that are serving. So we'll go and we'll serve them. You know painting walls, doing a number of different things, and we extend that all the way out. We haven't had this happen yet, but we extend it out to pastors and everything and say, hey, do you have any needs at your home? Because I can send a couple of guys and we can take care of those. But the idea behind this is we stop production one day a month, on Friday. It's the first Friday of every month and no matter how big the operation gets, no matter what, no matter what, that will be something that we always do as long as God has called us to do that. And then we're always preaching to the guys and we're talking to the guys about why we do that. You know we do that because of our obedience to God's word. But then it's to give them a perspective of service and to take us out of self and it's really to get us to the end of self.
MATT WALTON:And the really cool story that came out of that I always had a dream of like man, if we can just help everybody understand that like service doesn't always look like. You know, a bunch of cameras and a news, a news camera there. You know, shooting a story you know, and explaining your story. There may be nobody around, nobody may see you, and that's really where service begins, right there, and um, and so I talked to the guys about that. I have a short message for them. We pray over them.
MATT WALTON:Um, and I had one of my guys is actually going on his 11th year in prison right now. Um, he came up to me and he said, hey, matt, and I told the guys like hey, I'll pay you guys, y'all, don't worry about that. Um, but hey, matt, like are, are you? He asked me are you going to pay me for this? Like to go out? I'm like, yeah, baby, Like well, I'll pay you to go out and do what you're doing. I'm paying all the guys to do that, and it's just the business. We just go out and we serve. And he was like, well, man, if you're doing that, I want to do that too. Man, I want to go out and serve. So he actually requested to be clocked out, so he'll clock himself out every of Christ, and why we do that. And it just it made me super, super happy and just proud of him.
MATT WALTON:Because when we start to understand that the reason for our businesses, the reason why we make an impact, the reason why we have social media platforms, the reason why we have any influence that we have, is because God has given that to us and it's up to us to be obedient to what he's given this to us.
MATT WALTON:And it's up to us to be obedient to what he's given this to us for and to operate out of that obedience. And when we do, then there's like no toil and all of a sudden we find ourselves working on our business instead of in our business. We find ourselves having lives transformed within our business on the clock, guys making comments like that, or other stories of a guy giving his life over to Christ during a quarterly meeting, beautiful moments of prayer for healing and all of that that come out of on-the-clock moments. Because you just desire to advance his kingdom and to quit pursuing money over everything and instead pursue impact over everything, knowing that God's word if it's true, it's true. And it says if you pursue the kingdom, then God will add all these other things to you. So that's what we're all about pursuing the kingdom, being obedient and serving those that may not get served.
SHED GAL:I love it. I love it Every time I do one of these episodes. It's the story behind it, that's the coolest part. I mean, I don't know any other word, it's just it's the coolest part of the story behind it. So we came up here I didn't know any of that before we got here earlier this morning and you know, we came up to do training. You had been here before, met them a couple years ago and we came up to do training because we're going to offer this cool product on our Phoenix lot to start with and we can actually sell these worldwide people. It doesn't matter what the product is. The message is that's it, yeah.
STEPHEN DEUBEL:Yeah.
SHED GAL:Yeah, very interesting. Let's talk a little bit about your product. Now. You're not a shed dealer, okay, little bit about your product. Now. You're not a shed dealer. Okay, you're a container pool manufacturer and a very high-end product. I learned something today. I didn't know the price of a swimming pool and I had heard some numbers thrown out in Phoenix about like a starter pool, a starter pool starting at like seventy five thousand, and you kind of confirmed that with some numbers you threw out earlier. Is that your experience too? So, when you're looking at your product, the price point is better. The benefit is you can actually move these and take them with you, but they are spectacular. They are absolutely. I mean, this is a very high-end product, so we're going to show lots of great pictures of these, so let's talk about it. You and your wife and family moved here from Houston, Texas. Yep, what did you do in Houston? What were you doing there?
MATT WALTON:Yeah, so I had a business in Houston that was doing like in-ground pools, just anything backyard so, so like landscaping, covered patios, decking kitchens, like all of that, and I was in a meeting with an architect. So, I'll kind of get in briefly just the story. But I was in a meeting with an architect that was based out of California and she had mentioned about doing and we were designing a pool for a really small yard and she had mentioned about doing a container pool and so I sprang into just doing research on that and then started to notice the trends in the markets and how pools and the housing market was moving towards pre-manufactured products. And ultimately, you know that led me to strike up a partnership with the previous owners that like within a year well, within about a year and a half I was relocating out here. So, I got a phone call one day like hey, have you thought about buying the business? And at that time, I was actually talking to them about franchising it and bringing it down to Houston and um, and I was simultaneously talking to my family about going in and doing a family business together. Um, other people in my family, they had a business and then me and my wife. We had our own business as well and man, the opportunity came up to collaborate. We reviewed the business and we made the move in May 16th of 2022.
MATT WALTON:So, I picked up, sold everything and put everything that I had into this business here, like literally everything. There wasn't an ounce of energy or dollar that could have still gone into this, so it was really cool to kind of go all in on something. The only other things I've gone all in on is my relationship with Lord and my wife and our relationship. So, what that means is, when we got out here, we just immediately started rocking and rolling. And the reason why going back to what you had mentioned about the product, the reason why this product was so appealing to me was because the superiority of the fiberglass shell. Nobody else in the United States was doing the fiberglass shell, so that landed me to continue to research this company here and ultimately buy this company here and then turn it into what we're doing today.
MATT WALTON:But we shoot fiberglass, the way we insulate these things are different. The way we paint them is different. It's a really, really high end product that's built to last for a lifetime. And so now going back to the business. What we do, what we do is now I've got my whole family.
MATT WALTON:My wife does some stuff, my mom does some stuff, my dad does some stuff, my sister, so we have kind of everybody within the family that adds their value to the business and wouldn't be able to do it without any of them. So, we're just incredibly blessed to have that. I walk in every day, and I get to see my daughter, get to see my wife, get to see my family, and, and it couldn't get any better than that. And what that means for you guys, or for the end user, is we operate out of excellence, and that's a biblical standard, but we operate that way because, man, it's our family name and that's going on these products, and so, and more importantly than that, we want to make sure that our end user is happy. So, we're always looking to like I'm always researching the next product to either implement or to change within the current product to bring it up to an even higher standard.
SHED GAL:So anyways, I love that, I absolutely love it. So, Steve, you and I have talked about, because you do a lot of different stuff and you, you are a networking king, like if you need to know of who does something you call Steve, or at least I do right. So, let's talk about and I don't know if you and I have talked about this a whole lot, maybe, maybe when we were up in Tulsa, but why do you think that? A shed dealer or a metal building dealer? Why would it be beneficial to have shipping container pools? Now, my brain couldn't foresee what a shipping container pool. So, I'm imagining the ugliest shipping container I've ever seen in my life, you know, with a jagged edged, the roof cut off and water thrown in it.
STEPHEN DEUBEL:You know that's not what you thought it was originally.
SHED GAL:That's what I told you about it, and then I see him and I'm like you've got to be kidding me. I mean these are spectacular. I mean I'm looking at these pictures on the wall, but why is it? Why do you think it is for a shed dealer or metal building dealer? Why would it be beneficial for them to have or manufacture shed manufacture to support their dealers in having other products?
STEPHEN DEUBEL:Well, I think it's important when you go back and look at your initial concept, because if you take your initial concept and you know you could go anywhere, you can go to a Home Depot or you can go to Lowe's you go out in the parking lot and what do you see? They say all these different kinds of small kinds of sheds of all shapes and sizes, all different manufacturers and all they are. They all serve a purpose. They all serve a purpose. However, okay, it's like I kind of try to equate it to like a car lot, because if you want to get a wide variety of good, better or best, okay, that's what you're going to see at your lot, versus if you go to a Lowe's or Home Depot, you've got, you know, and, and they have all their contracts with them, but you know they have to accept only what those manufacturers provide.
STEPHEN DEUBEL:Your lot is going to have such a bigger variety of things that and it's like I hate to. You know use I love to. I, you know, you know, on my podcast, when I come up with different words and stuff like that, or different sayings, you know I say you can't say that I'm from New York, I'm the host, I can say that, but when you're a lot, it's basically all things metal Okay, from small sheds to basically you have a shed for every need yes of a homeowner or even a business owner, okay, but then, on the other hand, too, you're thinking about, okay, container homes and container pools.
STEPHEN DEUBEL:Everybody, I think, from one degree to another, is conscious and trying to do more sustainable things, not just in their life but in the things that they do and when they look at, you know, a container home, I mean, they're being used for a whole lot of different needs and services where, you know, I've had on my show I've had, you know, politicians that are veterans, that are wanting to go make a difference like you, matt, in the community going out and working with the municipalities building container communities for veterans, because there's so many of them out there that need it, lord knows. I mean, you know, every time I see, hear a bad story of a vet and all these things are going on in the world, it just drives me nuts. So when I see somebody, especially a politician, taking this bull by the horns and saying I don't care what they're going to think of me, I'm going to do this because this is what's right. Yeah, and we're going to think of me. I'm going to do this because this is what's right.
SHED GAL:Yeah.
STEPHEN DEUBEL:And we're going to be able to do that. So, taking that into consideration, you're going to be showcasing all of that and now we're going to have container homes and container pools and I think that we talked about this I think yesterday, I think, or this morning talking about. You know, there are a lot of homes out there that are VRBOs. So, they'll come and call me and they say well, you know, I want to put a, I want to make like a casita on my property. Well, you know, that's a 20, that's a 20 foot container home that you could either use for a VRBO or, you know, use it for a family member or something like that. But how cool is it that you can actually have one of those and a pool and now use it, you know, for a multiple different, you know types of purposes.
STEPHEN DEUBEL:You know, if you want to, you make it a business and list it with the VRBO people. You've got to pool on your property. You're going to be able to get more money for it and that's going to be good. So, you're looking at a whole bunch of different types of groups of people homeowners, business owners. You know we're talking about VRBOs and stuff. You know people that are seasoned investors, even maybe people that by having these and they you know, light bulb goes on when they come to the lot and they say, look, I can do this and this could be another source of a revenue stream for me. So, I think you're hitting. You're in a niche market, but it's a big niche because it's going to appeal to so many different kinds of people.
SHED GAL:Yeah, I agree, I love so many things about the sustainability, about the sustainability, the I know your we talked about this the liners, the fiberglass I'll call them for no better term fiberglass liner. I mean, these are, they are spectacular and they're just beautiful and come in four different colors and outside can be any color you want and it's just amazing. But you had mentioned that these aren't like the minimal of what you can get away with for your fiberglass, right? Oh, yeah, I think you said it's three times what's actually required for standards. So, I love that. I love providing high-end products.
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SHED GAL:You do a lot with solar. Yes, Tiny homes, and it sounds like that's a market you're going to be getting into.
STEPHEN DEUBEL:so let me introduce you, gentlemen, to each other. There's more to discuss.
SHED GAL:Yes, there's more to discuss, but sustainability, solar, I mean the recent storms and the lack of electricity and all this of course the solar panels would have blown away too. Let's. Let's not kid ourselves. But why, why do you think solar is so attractive to folks for like tiny homes and that sort of thing?
STEPHEN DEUBEL:I think it's because they are thinking that they, uh, for some people that they want to go off grid, okay, and they're able to go back. And you know, you and I met with a gentleman in Phoenix who actually is doing just that small but powerful systems for tiny homes, container homes that are off grid, so to be able to go back and if they can set up a home out, you know, up in Greer or in the wilderness somewhere, and it doesn't necessarily have to have, you know, a hard utility hookup Right and, depending again on what you have there and what you utilize for, will determine on how big the system is. And he builds all these systems custom, depending on your needs. In fact, I know when we get back we have to touch base with him to make sure he got back from young.
SHED GAL:Oh yeah.
STEPHEN DEUBEL:Because that young Arizona is a little while away and he was going up to take care of one of his customers for exactly that purpose.
SHED GAL:Yeah, yeah, there's a lot of off-grid property across the country. I know you both know of a lot in northern Arizona, so yeah, it'll be interesting. I mean, we're running our new office. It's going to be off solar, so you know, to get hooked up to the grid would be tens of thousands of dollars. We just don't have to do that. So, you know, to invest $15,000 instead of $40,000 or $50,000 sounds like a pretty good deal to me. So we'll keep you posted. We may have an episode of disasters, of the solar shed gal or the success of the solar shed, gal you know.
SHED GAL:I have full confidence that it's going to be just fine. We'll have Adam on the show here soon too.
STEPHEN DEUBEL:You know. I want to make one more point before we continue is the fact that you know our energy costs are not going down. They're always going to be going up, I mean here in Arizona, APS and.
STEPHEN DEUBEL:SRP every year to be going up. I mean here in Arizona, aps and SRP. Every year it's going up and it goes across the country and we're not talking about 3% or even 5%. I mean Tucson Electric went up 8% in the beginning of the year and if you go across to Texas and especially up in the Northeast, it's off the chart.
STEPHEN DEUBEL:So, if nothing else, the reason that I mean when the utility rates go up, do you get a raise? No, no, you don't get a raise. So we have to, as homeowners or business owners, we have to absorb that cost. So why not take it and basically lock your rate in now with a solar system and then the rates can go up as high as they want, because you won't be affected. But all the money that you would have been paying that utility company as it went up is now in your pocket. Yes, and you can do anything you want with it. I mean you can come to Vegas and see Matt, that's right, you know and look at some container pools. But you know, thing is, be smart, think about it and don't have tunnel vision. Think about where we're going and the future and that's what's going to determine and, of course, how big your pocketbook is yeah, yeah, that's true, very true.
SHED GAL:Well, we did try the solar thing.
SHED GAL:Oh gosh, it's been about three and a half four years ago, and it was one of those situations where we were over promised and uh and they under delivered, oh, and they under delivered and it was just a nightmare and that was not so much fun, but I'm certain that this is going to be a completely different experience. So and once again, that's a referral from you, so I I appreciate that very much. What do you think? Um, so you've talked about tiny homes. Are you talking about, like, a 8 by 20 tiny home? Are you talking about 8 by 40s? Are you talking about multiple, a 8x20 tiny home? Are you talking about 8x40s? Are you talking about multiple containers put together? What are you thinking? That your vision of the future for your company?
MATT WALTON:Yeah, so it'd be both just in regards to size. But then we would do, we'd make our own containers to be able to, you know, do multiple different sizes. So, it really comes down to the lots and what makes the most sense. But the vision behind that is I want to kind of give me a vision to create this ecosystem to where I meet the needs of my clients from. You know, any of my clients needs that are all manufactured goods, from pools to housing, to safety centers, to a number of different manufactured products. But then on the outside of that, while I'm bringing guys in that are in prison, when they get out of prison they'll go into a transitional living community. There'll also be the same community for veterans and for low-income housing. So we're looking to kind of attack all of that and the way that I see that is with the 500 home development here in Las Vegas. That's going to have a number of different sizes. There's going to be 8 by 20. I've found a lot and I'm going through the initial phases right now of getting everything architect designed out and then we'll be moving forward with the city to figure out all the nuances.
MATT WALTON:But I envision, I think, modular builds are taking over. There's only a small percentage of builds within America are modular builds, so I think that's just going to continue to rise and rise. I think containers are going to be a big part of that. We see that. We see just container homes and container pools rising. But then I think people are going to want larger sizes as well. They're going to want larger, longer, different shapes, and that's where I think the true modular style comes in, where we'll have an engineered product that will be built to spec and will ship all across the country and then the modular build will get into commercial. It's already there, like we'll be getting more into commercial, more into industrial and pretty soon there's going to be all the hospitals you see and commercial centers and strip centers, and all of that is all going to be modular builds done either out of containers or done out of a pre-manufactured product in a factory.
MATT WALTON:So the idea behind that just to finish off that thought is again going back to impact and into lowering cost. I mean, costs are just rising. They're not going down anytime soon. So how can we combat that? And I think lowering construction costs is one of them and that's where modular builds comes in. So very excited about that. I think the future is limitless and I think designing and developing communities specifically to attack low-income housing, veteran housing and transitional housing, I think that's going to be kind of the next thing and what people are going to be working heavily on Very nice.
SHED GAL:So, talking about the durability of these, I think that we can all agree that container homes can be much more durable in storms and, you know, for whatever reason, we seem to be having some horrific weather and doesn't seem to be improving, but this might be a way to tell people I love the idea of tiny home communities for veterans and really anybody that needs a place to live. We have a huge, huge issue in our country with homeless and it's you know, if you don't travel and get out of the country or get out of your county, you may not realize that people from many other countries wonder what on earth we're doing here. What are we doing with the problems? I think that container homes, can you know, if you can figure out a way to make it work, you could really be on to something, because if we can take the politics aside and keep that out of it and keep the huge administrative costs and just put the money to housing people that are human beings, you know, in our country it'd be a much more pleasant place to live for many people.
SHED GAL:Boxcar universe, so it's almost like a glorified handyman. I don't even like the word handyman.
STEPHEN DEUBEL:It's like a glorified handyman, I bet people call you for anything like literally, I tell everybody I can fix everything but a broken heart. Oh, I love it. But that was my origins because when I moved to Arizona I was still working for this transportation company and I was commuting back and forth between LA and Phoenix and I noticed that you know every, all the new friends I met and everything else you know, that just seemed that you know I. I saw a lot of shabby work and everything else and I was like you know, finally I got fed up with the commute and I said you know, I'm just going to go strike out on my own Because I know I've been doing carpentry work since it was in my 20s.
STEPHEN DEUBEL:I worked for an amusement company back in New York. You know those old. You go to the fairs and stuff. You see those tables where you pitch a dime and try and land it in the middle of the pedal. I used to build those from scratch.
STEPHEN DEUBEL:So, I had a lot of carpentry skills when I started. And then I said, you know, I'm just going to go take that and run with it. And I'm sure, like everybody else who starts, I mean, we don't know. I don't proclaim to know everything Even now after 30-some years experience.
STEPHEN DEUBEL:But still, back then, it's like you know, homeowners asked me to do certain things that I needed to get skilled at and I'm like, okay, well, can you do this? Yeah, sure, okay. And what is the first thing I went and did this is going to show my age here he went back in the day. He went to Home Depot and bought a nine dollar vhs tape on how to how to fix that certain thing. I watched it and because I yeah, I could watch something once and then the light bulb goes on, I could fix it. I went back and fixed it.
STEPHEN DEUBEL:So, you, just, you started growing that way. So, um and, but we all have to start from somewhere, and that's where we've grown to learning bigger and better renovations that people ask me to do and, again, partnering with the right people, because you can't do it all, Like we learned with Wes. You have to work in your business. You can't work in your business, you need to work on your business and delegate. Just like Matt said, you have to learn how to delegate so that you are freed up to time, so you can allow you know your brain to think on everything that's underneath you and see the big picture.
SHED GAL:Yeah, that's a huge thing and I think we get in the you know and again I'm more familiar with it than you two gentlemen are thing, and I think we get in the you know and again I'm more familiar with it than you two gentlemen are, but I think we get caught up on that and the metal building side and the manufacturing side. We have manufacturers that just do an amazing, incredible job of manufacturing. Um, but they, you know, they take on too many things. It's hard to delegate and now we have to train dealers and teach dealers and oh, by the way, we need to teach them to be business people and they're so far out of their element. Uh, delegate, delegate, delegate, find, find someone who does what they do really, really well and teach them to do what you do so you can move on and use your brain to find more ways to, you know, build your business so you can impact more people.
SHED GAL:Right,
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SHED GAL:So let me ask you this Homeowners associations I thought we had a lot of those in Phoenix, and then I look over here to Matt Holy cow. I don't know of a neighborhood in Vegas. Well, I'm sure outskirts a little bit. I did a mission last I think it was late November for a shed manufacturer that wanted to come up into Vegas and I'm like, yeah, I don't think that's going to work. How do you get your shipping containers into someone's backyard if they live in an HOA here in Vegas that have the block walls?
MATT WALTON:Yeah, so our pools fit within the new guidelines for what pools have to fit in, just FYI. Perfect, so we fit within that. So have yet to sell one here in Las Vegas that is within an HOA zone.
SHED GAL:Okay, it'll happen. Yeah, it's going to happen. Well, let's say they have a block wall. How are you getting that pool in there?
MATT WALTON:So, what we would do. So, number one so, like with all HOAs, we're going to have to submit to get approval. They're going to want to see paint colors. They're going to want to see heights of how it fits in the ground, Does it fit within the easements and build lines, and all of that so assuming it meets those requirements and you get approval. Next is you have the pool manufactured. It arrives to you ready to go. You're going to crane it over those brick walls and over your house and into your backyard so and that that thing, that would that install, would happen like that.
MATT WALTON:Wherever you are, regardless if you're dealing with just a regular wood fence, brick wall or you can't get somewhere with a forklift, a crane is always gonna be the way to go.
SHED GAL:Yeah, I love it. I love it. Yeah, it was funny when I came up here. Oh, excuse me, I and I actually spent two or three days driving around. We started in boulder city, okay, uh, Kendra and I and Kurt were driving around Boulder City and I saw a lot of metal buildings in people's backyards and I saw a lot of home-built sheds and tough sheds, but I didn't see any portable buildings and I left here going. Yeah, I don't think a portable building company is going to work real well in Clark County, Nevada Much more likely to work in Phoenix, since we have more people that you can actually deliver buildings to. I think it's amazing that these pools can be craned in and put in place. I mean, they are spectacular.
MATT WALTON:Did you hear about the tiny home ordinance here?
SHED GAL:Oh, no, Okay wait. He asked if I heard about the tiny home ordinance in ve in vegas.
MATT WALTON:I did not hear about county so, like they've passed a number of laws that allow for tiny homes, they have to meet certain requirements. Right, you have to match the house depends on where you're at. So, you have Clark County, North Las Vegas, Las Vegas, and then you have Henderson. Yes, four areas, so each four is going to have different rules and different zoning. So, you have Clark County.
SHED GAL:North Las Vegas, Las Vegas, and then you have Henderson.
MATT WALTON:Yes, there's four areas so each four is going to have different rules and different zoning that you have to stick to. But you can always apply for a variance for those zones and they're moving in a direction to allow for other tiny home units to be. I was looking at buying a property that was actually in Henderson that was approved to have a tiny home on the, on the, in their backyard to, where the only requirements was that it had to be the certain square footage which a container met in the face of it, the front of it had to match the home and the roof had to match the home. That was it, so it can be out of container just have to do a siding and do a roof on it.
MATT WALTON:There's requirements for the inside about could it have a kitchen, not have a kitchen, not have a kitchen. But Vegas is moving in that direction to allow for more tiny home communities and to allow for sheds or tiny homes to be in backyards. That will be considered ADU units that will allow for the homeowner to have an additional stream of revenue. I love that.
SHED GAL:I think it's fantastic, because I think Phoenix might be either talking about or they've done something with allowing more ADUs, but for shed builders that are doing on-site builds or craning sheds in, I mean, the sheds that are available out there for many, many, many companies are spectacular. I mean, ultimately they're a shed manufacturer, but I mean what a great start to a tiny home, what a great start to a tiny home.
STEPHEN DEUBEL:Yeah, the end of last year most of the municipalities in and around Phoenix have made changes to allow a secondary dwelling on their property, just because of the way the world is and the way the economy is so again, which opens up a whole new avenue of ideas and things that people can do, like I said earlier, for revenue streams, for having, you know, building a casita in some way shape or form on your property. You know, because obviously you know the inspectors come by and one of the things that I learned that before they did that the inspectors around in all these different cities. You know, when you went in there with, like, a container home project and they looked at it, it was like they looked at it, they had no clue they had no clue because there was no precedent before it.
STEPHEN DEUBEL:They had nothing to. So, the best thing that they could do and say is sorry, no, we're not doing it, and it's like, okay, so what do we do now? But again, when there's a good idea and there's a need in the marketplace, it always seems to help nurture that industry to be able to, all of a sudden, one day, all of a sudden, like you know, I went to a home show in Westworld in Scottsdale and, uh, one of the people there that had tiny homes all of a sudden made sure that they put out, um, you know, a flyer on their table. It said as of such and such date, these municipalities now allow secondary dwelling units, or better known as ADUs, and they listed all of them and they're basically all the ones that we do business with.
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STEPHEN DEUBEL:And that was just important. So yeah, the industry is growing and it's moving and expanding.
SHED GAL:Yeah, it's so funny because even just I mean it was just over seven years ago when I started out and that was Washington State seven years ago. I know back east and they are farther advanced in the manufactured buildings but like there weren't any finished off buildings available, you couldn't find a manufacturer in Washington State seven years ago that you could say, well, I'd like to buy this portable building, and then now I'd like you to finish it off. I mean, people were doing it, they're finishing it off themselves, but that reminds me of like talking to a couple of people at different counties and then like they had no idea what to do with these portable buildings. You know, even though you know, two by four 16 inch on center and two by six.
SHED GAL:You know pressure treated floor joists, and I mean absolutely fantastic quality, but they yeah, they just rather say no and it didn't make any sense. So I'm glad to hear that they are coming around a bit, yes, um, what are you most looking forward to with your business? So how far are you into this business? I mean, you're not 20 years into it. You had a business. You moved from Houston, the whole family followed you. They're all involved in the business, which is awesome. What, how far are you into this and what you know? You talked about tiny homes. Are you hoping to add other products down the road, or you just probably, maybe don't even know what you'll be offering five years from now yeah, I mean, um, most excited about transitioning into be a full-blown manufacturing business.
MATT WALTON:So, I have multiple businesses underneath this roof for a reason, but I have pools, and then I have manufacturing, and then we'll have housing as well, which is just starting up. So it's like I don't have a house to showcase back there, but I'm working through with the city right now or, excuse me, with the architect and moving forward with the city, and then we'll have a blueprint for what I need to do for at least my first housing project, cause the goal is to develop into manufacturer homes and to develop communities and provide jobs and all that. So what I'm most excited about is just continued growth. I love business. I love the engineering of a business. I'm very big on systems and processes and automating everything, tracking everything, paying attention to data, making improvements based off of that data and adding different components this sound familiar, steve?
MATT WALTON:yes, that's, that's literally like I like I, I just love the business side of things and in growing and paying attention what's working, what's not working, doubling down on what's working, focusing on problems, like kind of staying away from all the opportunities because you're going to have, as business people, just tons, tons of opportunities. Uh, focus on problems, solve those problems. I promise you opportunities will go to nowhere. Um, that's where. That's where I'm at now is just focusing on problems and solving problems and problems and problems. Um, so I would say, just to continue to growth, I'm going to be. I have 23,000 square feet Now. I'm going to be looking at significantly larger space for next year, either next year or the year after that. To encapsulate all of this, more hires. I will be implementing a no-fire policy, so very excited about that. We'll be serving more, having more people solely just to go serve.
MATT WALTON:I am really excited about the impact and to be able to use the resources that are generated through this business to gotten fun. Things like I am really big on let's go fund the kingdom over here, let's fund this over here, let's start a ministry here that can meet these needs here. Let's use this business to advance God's kingdoms. That's really what. What excites me. I love the. I love breaking down a business, reviewing data, making improvements and being methodical about those improvements. I love pursuing products that I can see as being the next thing and then pursuing them until it becomes a reality or until it dies off. I love business, so I'm just excited. All things business.
SHED GAL:I think it's great. It's going to be super fun to watch where you take this business. You mentioned something and we don't have too long left, I don't want to get too steep. But you mentioned something and someone out there is going to be like what does he mean by a no-fire policy? And now I know what it means because we talked about it earlier. But I think this is important. Had no fire policy, yeah, and now I know what it means because we talked about it earlier. But would you, would you? I think this is important. Uh, I think it was a little epiphany to me, um, and I'll give you an example I had warned someone multiple times about um policies and procedures of the business and it just changed, did not happen, and I and I fired them. Uh, I think, uh, you know, but I had this little epiphany when you were telling me about this no fire policy, because I think now I could have done more. Can you tell us about that? Sure?
MATT WALTON:yeah, um. So, number one, it's very you have to be very methodical, like this has to be very methodically um brought to to reality, right? You can't just say like today I want to. I want to like stop firing people and then for it to go well, um, so you have to be very methodical about how this is going to fireings ever go well so the idea behind this is um, so I'm a big believer in, and y'all have heard me talk about this is making a kingdom impact and being obedient to Jesus Christ.
MATT WALTON:So, what that means is that I have done a number of things to where any human being would have kicked me to the curb, but my Lord and Savior did not. And so, what I am looking at is like, okay, let's just say Susan was a thief, right, you were stealing, and you were always stealing. Or maybe I didn't know, you were always stealing, but I found out, yeah, but I found out that you were stealing. So, most people, their general rule, would be like okay, well, let's bring them in, let's do some fact finding, so on and so forth, and then ultimately, we have to let this person go because there's a character flaw and all of that. So, what I would say is let's actually develop a program. So, I've developed a program. It's called the discipleship program.
MATT WALTON:Most big businesses are going to have, like your performance improvement plan. This takes it kind of a step further, if you will, to say my desire is to never fire anybody, but rather to disciple them and to teach them how to be upstanding citizens within our culture. So, like it will, just that stealing as an example, somebody steals their, find out well that they will be brought in. They will be brought in underneath the discipleship program and then underneath that we develop a system to where, hey, you follow these guidelines here, then those are the steps in order to go back to work your normal day. On the other side of that is, while they're following that program, they will also go to work for my nonprofit. So that way I will always I mentioned earlier I have serve days. Well, that is eventually not yet today eventually going to be an everyday thing, like five days a week thing. So those that are at risk for being fired, if you will, within my business, they will go to the nonprofit. They'll serve while working through a program, while meeting with a counselor, then, once they're cleared by a workplace chaplain, by a pastor, to come back and work for me at the factory, then they'll come back and work and the idea behind that is that they'll be, you know, restored. If you will right They'll. They'll learn that, like, hey, most people are going to kick you to the curb. We're not about that. We actually want to bring you in love on you more, teach you how not to steal, how to resist those urges, why you don't want to do that.
MATT WALTON:Develop a plan with that of like, hey, if you do these back and they work and they may not be in that same position, they may have to go work in a different position or something. I don't know exactly, it just depends on person to person and what's available at that moment. But they will always have a position to come back in the company and work for the company. So the idea behind that is to represent Christ. Well, God doesn't kick us to the curb.
MATT WALTON:We want to make sure that if I say that discipleship in the marketplace and caring for my people is what I believe in, then I have to put that to work right. And so it looks more than just a counseling session or a coaching session, like let's actually draw this out, because it may take you six months to actually be reformed or restored right, or it may take you a year to be restored and if that's the case we have a spot for you over here with a non-profit. You'll go serve or run it through the program. Then you'll come back and you'll still be working for us and then hopefully you'll be reformed. So that's it.
SHED GAL:Well, here's, and don't take this wrong, because this sentence is going to end well, that is so crazy. It's the best idea I've ever heard, thank you. People out there are going to be saying that's crazy. That's crazy. Well, crazy ideas change the world. I think it's brilliant.
MATT WALTON:Thank you.
STEPHEN DEUBEL:Absolutely brilliant. If more people in this country had crazy ideas like that, the world would be a lot better off For sure For sure.
SHED GAL:And it's so much work and everything behind it, but I mean, those are the things that change the world.
STEPHEN DEUBEL:Right, that's right.
SHED GAL:Wow. So, before we wrap, our hour is almost up already. I can't believe this. Before we wrap this up, tell me, because you're on the construction handyman do-it-all side, what do you think the benefits are to folks buying a prefabricated shed assuming they can get it delivered versus hiring a contractor or even a handyman, possibly Because it is a huge business nationwide these portable buildings, and I mean it's not the contractors that you hire, can't build one just as good.
SHED GAL:They certainly can. But this I mean. What would the benefits be of a customer just buying something that's already built?
STEPHEN DEUBEL:Are we talking about sheds? Or like container homes? Yeah, no, a shed. Oh, just like sheds.
SHED GAL:Yeah, just like a shed off the shed gal line.
STEPHEN DEUBEL:Right. First of all, I think you know there are a lot of people out there and we have a saying I've had on my show for years and years and years, and I'll tie all this together. Okay, A homeowner with tools or even a handyman with tools could be a dangerous thing. And also, just because you're a contractor and you have a license doesn't mean you're good at what you do. Okay, because there are a lot of as my old friend used to say, there are a lot of shabby contractors out there, so you could get somebody to say, oh, I can build you a shed and they go out Okay. And the average homeowner will have no clue. No clue if he's doing it right or anything else Okay. Not to mention he's doing it right or anything else Okay. Not to mention, he's subject to all the price increases. He's buying materials for that one particular project, versus if maybe he was building like 20 of them, right, he could get drive the cost down. So, he's only and he's, he's only focused on that and he's only focused on that. But if you buy something that's like one off your lot, it's first of all, they're manufactured, they're done right. There are specifications that need to be done when they're built. Okay, and of course it's so convenient If somebody says, get the lot, you know, get the building from you. They bring it, make sure that the lot is ready to go. They drop it on the lot and it's ready to go. There's no. Well, I have to let this guy on my property for a week while he builds this.
STEPHEN DEUBEL:Plus, looking at it from a homeowner standpoint, the homeowner has recourse. Looking at it from a homeowner standpoint, the homeowner has recourse because if there's something wrong with the building, they call you and say then you have to do customer service. Do that. If there is a manufacturing defect, there's accountability where you can go back to them and say, hey, there was a defect in this, we need to fix this. Let's make it right. If it's the handyman and he goes away and something goes wrong and say we have the first monsoon storm and it leaks and you can't find him, what are you going to do? You got to go find him. You got to go on next door and place a post me. Please help me, ed, you know I mean come on. So, yeah, so there's a lot of pros and cons to it, but in the long run we want to look out for the homeowner and the best thing to do is go to your lot. You have all these different kinds done by manufacturers that are tried, true and tested, and pick the one that fits your property.
SHED GAL:I love that and that's it. I love that. I think it's great. Do either of you, gentlemen, we're out of time already.
STEPHEN DEUBEL:I don't know where the hour went.
SHED GAL:Do either of you have anything to add to this week's episode? I don't want to come back up here to Vegas when you get these container tiny homes. I'm going to have to check that out.
STEPHEN DEUBEL:We're going to have to do an episode.
SHED GAL:I need to follow you around for a day or two.
STEPHEN DEUBEL:We'll put it on our regular travel list. There you go. The lady that I started the show, with which Mel knows we did this segment Mel and Steve on the Street. So, I guess if we're going to start putting a travel itinerary together, we could do Steve and Susan on the street, you know there you go, I love it and I need to just like follow you around for a day or two to networking events. Oh my God, there's so many things that we could do now that you're back here in the Valley.
MATT WALTON:Oh, it was just you know, just Glad Just get ready.
STEPHEN DEUBEL:You know, just get ready, get the shoes out. That's right, that's right.
SHED GAL:All right, thank you all. This is Susan Frayer. Thank you all for watching this week's magnificent Monday episode of the Shed Geek podcast.
SHED GAL:I truly appreciate all of you that watch and listen and we'll see you next week.