Scaling Up Success Podcast

Hammering Out Success: The Divergent Homes Journey with Chris Pohl

• Ryan Van Ornum • Season 1 • Episode 20

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From humble beginnings as an 11-year-old construction worker, Chris Pohl has built a thriving custom home business that exemplifies the American dream, creating something meaningful through hard work and integrity. Alongside business partner Brooke Muttsbauer, Chris has helped shape Divergent Homes into a standout player in Colorado’s competitive construction scene by focusing on what matters most: delivering exceptional client experiences. What sets Divergent Homes apart is their mission to shift the negative stereotype of the construction industry. Their reputation speaks volumes, with 90% of their business coming from referrals, a powerful endorsement of their craftsmanship and character.

Starting with property management and small remodels, the Divergent Homes team has steadily evolved to lead high-end luxury projects in prestigious Denver neighborhoods like Cherry Creek and Wash Park. Their philosophy remains consistent: adhere to every code, honor every commitment, and turn the construction process into a positive, even enjoyable experience. In conversation, Chris shares how emerging technologies like 360-degree lidar scanning are streamlining operations, saving “weeks per year” in planning. Even more compelling is their bold vision: to scale toward an eight- to nine-figure exit within two years without compromising the relationships and integrity that fueled their growth. Whether you're passionate about real estate, entrepreneurship, or witnessing a success story in motion, Chris and Brooke's journey is a masterclass in doing things the right way.

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Speaker 1:

what's up everybody this, ryan van ornam back with you with another scaling up success podcast. Today I have um chris paul and uh brooke muttsbauer, and with diversion homes, how are you guys doing today, good man, how?

Speaker 2:

are you?

Speaker 1:

fantastic. I I'm I'm super excited to have you guys on, because you guys have so many things going on and I want to hear more about them and how you built these things out. It's been pretty cool to see your growth and well, let's just dive into it, shall we? Yeah, let's do it Awesome. Well, tell me a little bit about Divergent Homes. What started you?

Speaker 2:

What got you down that path to get into the custom home building side of things? Well, from my side, I've always been, you know, obsessed with business and in construction. I've been in construction since I was 11. I started with my uncle working on steel barns and then, when I was in high school, I did decks and fences.

Speaker 2:

And then I was a framer for a few years and then I found out I was having a little girl, so I realized I had to get my stuff together. So I went and started working for a builder as a laborer. And then, six months into that, I pushed and pushed for them to put me on as a laborer. And then, uh, six months into that, we, you know, I pushed and pushed for them to put me on as a super, because they had some turnover going on and I told them I was ready to play, so they put me in the in the field. Um, and then I've been doing custom home since then, which is about a little over 10 years now man, that is super cool.

Speaker 1:

Be able to build like you're. You're that walking success story. Man started from the bottom. Now you're here right, so like yeah, I love it man, that is super cool. So, um, uh. So tell me, tell me a little bit. You know, brooke, uh, chris, either one of you guys tell me a little bit about, like, when you guys are getting this thing off the ground and feeling comfortable about it. Like how did you know? Like that business is just that. Yep, we're, we're good, we're gonna succeed pretty much right away.

Speaker 2:

um we, you know, started it in a rush because of the situation that we were both in um with my previous company and jumped in and took off right away because of All of our clients at the previous builder that we worked at told us that we were, that we should be, the face of the company, and you know we were great at what we were doing and they loved working with us, specifically out of the group.

Speaker 1:

So so do you feel like the secret, the secret sauce? Right, we're going to let Chris and Brooke cook a little bit. So, like that, the secret sauce is the relationship that you have with your clients.

Speaker 3:

Absolutely Okay, and your trade partners and employees are just, you know, really keeping those relationships strong.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, our main focus is always on the client experience. So you know construction has a bad rap for people, getting you know in bad situations with people who don't know or shouldn't even be in the industry. So we're really focused on trying to change that stereotype in the industry and really make it a wonderful experience that people want to do again.

Speaker 1:

Man, I love that. I love that, that, because that you know that going to that nth degree to take care of your people, that sets you apart, and usually what happens is you get referral after referral for it. Would you agree?

Speaker 2:

Yeah yeah, 90% of our business is referral based.

Speaker 1:

Man, that's quality right there and that shows it shows more about your guys' character than anything else. So wonderful, and I'm super happy that you guys have gotten that to that point, because that shows a lot about who you guys are Awesome stuff. So, as you've been building this out, how has your business evolved? You know, did it start one way? Is it kind of like, you know, kind of morphed into something a little different, or have you just keep adding little pieces to it? Tell me a little bit more.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, it started out started out really interestingly actually. So I did handyman stuff on the side for the last seven years before we started this too, and one of the caretakers for a property we had she's an older gal and she said she was ready to retire at the same time that I was getting laid off of the last company, and so I said you know, I'd love to do that. So we started off as a home caretaker, slash property manager, for one of our clients, and then we started off with a lot of smaller projects and then really, you know, built our reputation and our rapport individually, independently from all the builders we worked with, and so we were doing massive projects now and we've got some new builds coming, but we really started with, like kitchens and bathrooms and smaller remodels man, that's super cool that you had, like you built from, like, basically, like I said, the ground up like handyman service to, to, to remodels.

Speaker 1:

Now tell me about some of these big projects, if you can do. You have ndas that you can't tell it like, do you have to shoot me if like, uh, if you tell me about it.

Speaker 2:

Yet no, um, we've got some awesome ones. We've got a huge addition out here in parker and in the butterfield development. We've got another big project, a couple projects coming in castle pines uh, those are additions and exterior updates. We have several jobs in Cherry Creek and Wash Park and those are not crazy. You know unique jobs but they're fun updates that give people more functionality. And we've got a really cool one coming down in Denver. That's a pop top. We're connecting their detached garage to their existing and then blowing the lid off of both that's awesome.

Speaker 1:

The uh just for our national viewers. Uh, cherry creek and wash park are some of the bougiest and best neighborhoods in all of denver area. So these guys are not just playing playing in the small time these guys are are big ballers in the denver area. So pretty cool big ballers in the Denver area. So pretty cool stuff happening with what you guys got going on. So, as we kind of move forward on this, what's one thing that you're most proud about on this journey of success that you've been building with Divergent Homes?

Speaker 2:

I'm going to say mine is relationships I really enjoy, you know, getting to know people and just figuring out how I can help them with whatever they're doing in life, whether it's construction or something else, business wise or just personally. I just like you know I love people.

Speaker 3:

And mine's really just yeah, sticking to the integrity of doing the right thing for others. So similar and in line with that, yeah.

Speaker 1:

I love that. I love that. That is that is so cool. So, like I know, with what you guys are building, it's so built on character and and integrity and stuff like that. So like what, what habits or like processes did you did you make sure that? Like what, what habits or like processes did you? Did you make sure that? Like hey, this is, this is like like a non negotiable for our clients, like this is some of the stuff that we need to do every time. Is there anything along those lines?

Speaker 2:

Yeah, we did. We do everything to code, no matter what Some people don't like to do permits for money and time savings on that but we don't cut corners anywhere, period. And I think that's the main glue there. And then really, just if we say we're going to do something, we do it.

Speaker 1:

I love it. I love it. So like, how do you um, since you've been building this thing out, how do you build?

Speaker 2:

and maintain such a strong company culture by leading by example is my approach to that? Um, you know, willing to do anything in the company, no matter what level it's at, and working side by side with our team.

Speaker 1:

Yeah that's super cool because, like the thing is, a lot of leaders they want to lead from the pedestal Right and you know, there's always times that you have to oversee from a 30,000 foot view, but there's also times that you've got to get in the trenches and be able to, to work with your, your people, just as much, and I and I know that you know from the, the businesses that I own it goes a long way when that happens. You know, because everybody, everybody knows that you're involved and you're, you're, invested just as much as they are into the success of everything. Would you agree on that?

Speaker 3:

Yeah, absolutely.

Speaker 1:

Very cool, very cool. So I know when you're running your own company it feels like to me. There's always this pendulum swing like an old grandfather clock of work-, like work-life balance. How do you guys balance that for yourselves?

Speaker 3:

We're still figuring that one out. Fair, fair but really putting systems in place and empowering our team to be able to take care of things and manage the way that we want to have our company operate in that integrity and client experience focus. That will be the way we'll get there eventually.

Speaker 2:

And from my perspective, I just love business, so it doesn't always feel like work. Anyways, sometimes I just get into the zone and and just like to hang out there, so I love that.

Speaker 1:

I love that. Hey, man, I'll say this because I've I've been in real estate for almost like nine years now and the the industry has changed so much in the last decade. What are you guys seeing on your side, on the builder's side? Is there technological advancements that have you seen in the last 10 years that have really changed the way that building has came on, custom buildings came along.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, I would say you know the innovations on the software side, the you know they have CRMs for builders. There's various ones like BuilderTrend we use BuildExact. What was the other one? Procore Procore for builders that. There's various ones like builder trend, um. We use build exact um. What was the other?

Speaker 3:

one we use pro core.

Speaker 2:

Pro core construct contractor foreman contractor foreman was where we started with um, and they all have way they. The pricing varies quite a bit um, so we tried to find a middle one that had all the features that we wanted in it, but there's takeoff tools within it, which makes estimating much faster. Company Cam Company Cam is an app we use to manage our day-to-day processes and daily logs. We use a camera, which is through the company Giraffe360, which we go in and we shoot, the same way that realtors do, walkthrough videos for their sale process. We do that on our walkthrough because we can measure and it shortens our initial site meetings by about an hour each visit, so go into that.

Speaker 1:

So you can just take a video and it'll measure for you.

Speaker 2:

Ours is a camera, so you plan it and it shoots the whole room in a 360 lidar fashion wow. And you can measure from it too. So we can do our takeoffs, you know, remotely and go back and visit something without having to drive down to the job. That's one of my favorite tools that we use, and then we do it at the end for the before and after too.

Speaker 1:

So how, how much time you think that saves? You?

Speaker 2:

Well, probably like hours, hours, probably like a couple of weeks a year Wow.

Speaker 1:

So that that could be a couple more jobs a year just saved on that one app alone. Would you agree? Oh, yeah, for sure, that's, that's super cool, very cool. So, uh, you know, I know, I know. It just seems like you know, like it could be feeling like yesterday that you were just getting in this thing, but like now that you kind of look back like what, what's one little suggestion, if somebody wanted to get into what you guys are doing, what's, what's like one little hack, one little piece of advice that you would give to somebody to say, yeah, here's what I would do if I was starting out.

Speaker 3:

Mine is the systems, clearly outlining systems, keeping it as simple as possible so people can take from those systems and perform the best to their ability, but making sure that you have a general expectation of what needs to be done.

Speaker 2:

Awesome, I would say on my end. You know, having the right people, you know our trade partners are amazing, you know, and their success is our success. You're not there to communicate with your clients. When you're not there, you know just really the right people, just really taking your time and making sure you're not throwing people you don't trust or you don't know at your clients. I love it.

Speaker 1:

I love it. So where do you see what you're growing out right now? Where do you see it growing in the next year or two?

Speaker 2:

Where do you see it growing in the next year or two? Well, we're planning to be set up for acquisition in about two years from now a little more than two years from now and we're in the scaling phase, which is, you know how our conversation had started. So we're about ready to pour some gas on the fire and grow it. You know our goals are very high. We're looking to do an eight to nine-figure exit, if we can, and then take that and run with it on our next ventures.

Speaker 1:

That would be amazing, wouldn't it? I love hearing those type of goals because you already know what your exit already wants to look like. Now. It's now. It's just scaling up so you can get to that level. That's, that's badass, that's super cool. So I do have one personal thing for you, chris. I know you got some ink. What's your next project? Where's my tattoo?

Speaker 2:

Yeah, yeah, I don't know. I'm at. I think I have 22 pieces now. Um, I don't have anything on the chest or my back, so probably gonna start on my back and um, I'm debating back and forth, but it's probably gonna be a big dragon with a viking fighting Sweet. Um, just cause that's kind of my heritage and you know I love the fantasy, the dragons and mythologies type of stuff, so that's awesome.

Speaker 1:

That is super cool, very cool. So, um, as we wrap this thing up, man, I could talk to you guys for days. But uh, let's wrap the uh, how can people get ahold of you if they're looking to? Uh, have that custom home you know being built and uh, or any revisions or anything like that, go ahead um.

Speaker 2:

Our website's a great place to go. That's wwwrender-solutionscom. Um. Or you can go to divergent homes or divergent custom homescom um for our portfolios on there, or you can reach out to us directly. My number is 720-584-2906.

Speaker 3:

And mine's 303-898-7934.

Speaker 1:

All the information will be down in the chat guys. Awesome, Chris and Brooke, it's been awesome having you on the show today. Look forward to always having a all of our great conversations that we have. Look forward to seeing you in person very soon. Thank you so much for coming on the Scaling Up Success podcast. It's been awesome. Thanks so much, Ryan. Have a great day you as well. Once again, Ryan Van Orman, with Scaling Up Success podcast, powered by Synergist. Have a great day everyone. See ya, Bye.

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