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Content

Working Together: Lessons from a husband and wife remodeling team

📅 November 20, 2025 ⏱️ 42:03 🎤 Austin Cornell, Cali Cornell

Chapters

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  • 0:00
    Remodel Your Marriage Retreat
    The hosts introduce an upcoming retreat in Franklin, Tennessee, designed for remodeling couples to strengthen their marriage, life, and business.
  • 1:45
    Introducing MSC Enterprises
    Austin and Cali Cornell share the history of their second-generation remodeling business, MSC Enterprises, based in Kansas City, Missouri.
  • 7:52
    Working as a Couple
    Cali discusses her decision to leave teaching to join the family business, highlighting the increased flexibility and family benefits.
  • 9:29
    Strategic Business Focus
    The Cornells explain their strategic decision to focus solely on remodeling, turning down new construction projects to excel in their chosen niche.
  • 12:49
    Lessons from Business Transition
    Austin shares key lessons learned from transitioning the business from his father, emphasizing the importance of valuing experience and open communication.
  • 15:07
    Financial Clarity and Growth
    The couple discusses the importance of understanding financials, proper charging, and the role of design and development agreements in improving profitability.
  • 19:17
    The Power of Job Costing
    Cali and Austin emphasize the significance of job cost reports for better estimating, identifying slippage, and improving overall business profitability.
  • 22:21
    Benefits of an Office Space
    Austin describes how leasing an office space has been a 'game changer' for productivity, privacy, and separating work from home life.
  • 29:47
    Impact of a Project Coordinator
    The Cornells highlight the crucial role of their project coordinator, Cindy, in improving documentation, reducing stress, and enhancing project accuracy.
  • 36:24
    Navigating Naysayers & Community
    Austin and Cali reflect on overcoming skepticism about working together and the value of a peer group for support and shared experiences.
  • 39:22
    Setting Boundaries: Ka-Blitz Notes
    The couple discusses their 'Ka-Blitz' system for communication, emphasizing the importance of setting boundaries to keep work out of their home life.

Speakers

A
Austin Cornell
MSC Enterprises
C
Cali Cornell
MSC Enterprises

Key Takeaways

✦

Prioritize open communication and valuation of experience during business transitions, especially between generations, to ensure all parties feel respected and involved.

✦

Implement design and development agreements to ensure proper compensation for your time and expertise, rather than giving services away for free.

✦

Master job costing and financial reports to accurately bid projects, identify and prevent 'slippage' in gross profit, and improve overall profitability.

✦

Be strategic about project selection; don't feel pressured to say 'yes' to every job. Focus on ideal clients and projects that align with your business's strengths and goals.

✦

Consider strategic hiring, such as a project coordinator, to offload tasks, improve organization, and reduce owner workload and stress, leading to smoother project execution.

✦

Establish clear boundaries between work and home life, especially for couples working together, to maintain a healthy relationship and family environment.

✦

Join a peer group or seek coaching to gain support, share experiences, and learn best practices from other remodelers, avoiding the feeling of being isolated in challenges.

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