How to Build Connections By Getting Personal with Shane Wenzel (Shane Homes)

Today I’m sitting down with Shane Wenzel; the President of Shane Homes - one of the largest and most recognized home builders in Calgary, Canada. 

Following in his father’s footsteps, Shane joined the family business which seemed only natural since it was named after him. He started off in sales and quickly worked his way up the ranks, becoming the President of the company in 2010.  Since then, Shane has been instrumental in creating a high profile brand, using various digital platforms to connect with his audience on a more personal level. 

I invited Shane to be a guest on my show to learn how a home builder goes to market to become an award-winning brand. I also wanted to discuss the impact covid is having on the home building industry, and I wanted to get his POV on what new homes will look like in the post-covid world.

Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star rating along with a brief review.

About Me
Hey there, I'm Joelly - the Branding Badass. My badass superpower is helping you build a brand that matters. From branded merch to brand consulting, when you work with me, you get results!

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Transcript

Joelly Goodson Lang: 0:10

Hi, I'm Joelly, your branding badass, and welcome to my new podcast, branding matters. Today I'm sitting down with Shane Wenzel, the president of Shane homes one of the largest and most recognized home builders in Calgary, Canada. Shane Homes is not your typical home builder. And Shane Wenzel is definitely not your typical president of a multimillion dollar company. I invited chain to be a guest on my show to learn how a home builder goes to market to become an award winning brand. I was curious to learn more about the man behind all those amazing social media videos. And I also wanted to discuss the impact COVID is having on the home building industry and get to his point of view on what new homes will look like in a post COVID. World, Shane, welcome to branding matters. Thanks for having me. Well, it's great having you here. I'm super excited. Let's just get right into it. Your dad Cal co founded Shane homes in 1979. With his partner Barry, how do you pronounce his last name is a Bessel? Very ball silly ball silly. Okay. And they decided to name the company after you, which is pretty impressive. So how did they decide on that? And how old were you when they named it after you? Well, you know, I was quite young. The reason they've got named after me was the majority partner you own 75% of the company and very own 25%. But little known fact was very it always said from day one. He said if I can financially retire when I'm 55 I'm gonna do that. I guess that was part of the conversation right up front. But you know, Cal said, Well, if you're gonna retire at that point, then you know, I want a lasting name and I want to create a legacy. And Barry didn't have a problem with it. You were very young. How old you were a toddler? Or how old? Are you? I wish I was.

Shane Wenzel: 1:55

I don't know. I was. I was about seven years old when that all came about? Okay, so you're pretty young, and you have siblings, right? How many siblings do you have? I have one half brother and two half sisters. And you're the baby. I am the baby. So how did they feel when he named him after you? I mean, four kids, and they said, we're gonna name our new company shame.

Joelly Goodson Lang: 2:15

Because I have siblings, I can tell you I have three siblings that if my dad decided to name it after one of us, I don't know how the others would react. So how did they react to it?

Shane Wenzel: 2:24

All right, I think they were they were a little bit off maybe in the beginning. But you know, when when you don't want the involvement. My company, my brother didn't want any involvement with it. And my two sisters, one of them worked for the company for a number of years. And now she's enjoying time, you know, being able to well, not so much to be able to travel now. But she's enjoying time with being a grandma and the other is actually only working part time are all at different stages in our lives. And I'm nowhere close to being a grandfather, nor do I want to be so how old were you when you join the family business. I was actually 14 years old. I think what it came down to was 14 company was young. And my father just kind of looked at me one summer and said, You're not going to sit in your house all summer, we need help in the field. And you're going to go out there and you're going to work. So I started as a construction assistant, cleaning out basements, laying patio blocks, just doing all the odds and sods jobs around the job site. And I still remember john here shop would show up at the house at about seven 730 pick me up and he would give me my work for the day. And I can be done at three I could be done at 430 I could be done at six o'clock. All I know is that we weren't going home until john was done his job during the day. So lots of times you get home at six o'clock. And if that's the way it was all summaries, repeat, repeat, repeat. That's where you get to learn a lot about working full time. And I think it was almost 19 years old when that because I had spent the first six months of my adult career working for my mother and market research. Oh, really it was your mom working in the family business as well with your dad, or where was she working? She wasn't working full time in the family business. Although we did share office space with her. That's what kind of kept her involved. So she can manage HR for us at the time. But she was executive vice president of the company, but she had her own business. That's how things kind of worked out there. I was a research assistant for the first six months of my career working for her market research, you get to go through and highlight every 1500s name and the phone on a contact sheet for the call. No kidding. That came in later on that night and didn't call them.

Joelly Goodson Lang: 4:20

That's crazy. So let's go back to when you're 14 for a second because I think that's really great. My son is actually 14. And I have a friend of mine who is a developer and he actually helped him this past summer and work at a job site. I dropped him off and he picked him up and you know, I think that's really good. Now did you get paid to do it?

Shane Wenzel: 4:36

Oh, I got paid to do it. Yeah, it was great having a paycheck. It was just really the shifts not having most of your summer to hang out with your friends. But my father didn't want that. He just said you know you need to work you need to understand what it's like in the real world. And this is how you start because I have two very entrepreneurial parents being the youngest in the family and youngest by a long margin because of course if they come to any of my siblings is nine years difference. You can imagine what the conversations were around the kitchen table over dinner. Parents talking about business marketing sales. So you do pick up a lot by osmosis. Yeah, definitely tell us a little bit about your dad. It's quite a great story. He was born into scatch when but lived most of his life, younger life rather down in Medicine Hat. And my grandparents and his brother lived there for a number of years. But the boys had go to school and my grandfather would go to work. And my grandfather knew Oh, he was a heavy duty mechanic evenings when they came home, they'd sit down for dinner, because my grandmother was a homemaker and him and the boys would go and lay cinder blocks or basements. And that was kind of their child. And they did that for a number of years. And then eventually, he got some job opportunities that took him out of Medicine Hat and towards Calgary. His last career was actually working for Jimmy Patterson company here in Calgary called me and x shelter. And they they build mobile homes and gal was the sales manager one point and the VP of sales and marketing and one meeting, Jim Patterson showed up into town for their annual meeting. And he asked the question of his executive, what should we do with this thing? What's going on? And my father just said, you know, your margins are dropping, your market share is growing. He said I'd shut it down. He talked himself out of his job, but is the only honest one around the table. So his severance was larger than the executives. So Friday is fast, but he very ballsy along with his sales manager there, and that's how the company got started.

Joelly Goodson Lang: 6:30

Okay, and so how old is your dad at the time,

Shane Wenzel: 6:33

He would have been late 30s at that point.

Joelly Goodson Lang: 6:35

So pretty young still to do that you started there. And then sounds like you weren't handed anything. It sounds like they made you work to get to where you are today?

Shane Wenzel: 6:44

No, I was a marketing assistant under my father. And that took a number of years to work through that. And then I I became the marketing manager after about six or seven years. And I finally got to hire my first employee, we had a marketing team of two. And then I became the director of marketing at one point and hired another person on they were more graphic design, and eventually a little more web design. And then I became the Vice President of Sales and Marketing. So I mean, it took a long time to kind of roll through that there was never a guarantee that I was going to be president of the company, I had to earn that role or going to my father's so I took a number of years to get up to that lofty level.

Joelly Goodson Lang: 7:21

Looking back now, are you happy that you weren't handed it and that you actually had to work to get where you are today? Does it mean more to you?

Shane Wenzel: 7:27

Yes, it does. Of course it does. Because it's not something that should be handed to you. I did eventually take some courses and some university courses as well, just to kind of close the gap. A lot of things were changing, you know, keeping in mind when I started, we were putting classifieds, and then newspaper and that's how you advertise.

Joelly Goodson Lang: 7:43

What's a newspaper? For all those young people listening, what's a classified ad?

Shane Wenzel: 7:49

Well, exactly. It's that big and about. Yeah, you know, approval for that was every Wednesday by noon, and you had to have the copy in and everything. And that's how we would advertise. So we're all the marketing grew because all of a sudden that we have home sections and in the newspapers, and by 1996, we produced our first ever website, which my father asked me for eight years as to why we have this why we're sticking money and do it every year.

Joelly Goodson Lang: 8:15

Oh, you're kidding. So he he wasn't on board at the beginning?

Shane Wenzel: 8:18

No, he wasn't on board in the beginning at all. The same thing to me with social media A number of years ago, takes him a while. But eventually he comes around to it. He just doesn't understand it. And especially now he just can't really understand how things have changed in the world of sales and marketing is more to COVID over the past year.

Joelly Goodson Lang: 8:35

Oh yeah, definitely. How old is your dad? If you don't mind me asking.

Shane Wenzel: 8:38

Cal just turned 77 years old. He'll be 78 in 2020. Okay. Oh comes in every day.

Joelly Goodson Lang: 8:44

I know. He's a hard worker. It's very impressive. So my dad died back in 1999. And he had his own business and he worked up until the day he died. Same thing he couldn't return. He was older. He was 79 when he died. But you know, the world wasn't nearly where it is today. And I never forget him always talking about when they first came up with fax machines. And he used to say to me, he used to say to me, I can't believe I can put a paper in here and it comes out in Toronto and they can read it and I always talk to my kids about what's going on in the world today with technology. You mentioned your Dad, I'm like his head would explode. So I'm not surprised that your dad is sort of resistant.

Shane Wenzel: 9:17

Well you know what, and he wasn't always that way. When fax machines came out. He saw the benefits of it but he got one in his own very good one in his home office all the showhomes had these things so he was very kind of progressive that way when computers really came online and we were able to digitize part of our process he wasn't too keen on that he was a little reluctant he was still doing faxes and today I mean he still doesn't have

Joelly Goodson Lang: 9:40

this is not video so people won't know you just held up an iPhone. So I sometimes I have people get have guests on and they do hand gestures and it's like nobody knows him. We're talking so he that was an iPhone that he just held up that your dad was an f1

Shane Wenzel: 9:56

he's got a he's got a cell phone in his vehicle and if you can't get him in there His home office, so you can't get him in this office or you can't get him in his vehicle, you can't get a hold of him.

Joelly Goodson Lang: 10:04

And he probably likes that. Right?

Shane Wenzel: 10:05

He likes that. You know, we don't harass him about it. He just wants to help him out on occasion.

Joelly Goodson Lang: 10:10

That's great. What do you think the most valuable lesson you've learned from Cal as far as business goes?

Shane Wenzel: 10:14

Working, I think can be fun at times. And sometimes it can be stressful, you know that I get away with some things that other people wouldn't. And largely because we don't agree on everything. And that is okay. Because I have a different vision, I have a different management style, though. It's a, I think it's actually a good match. But I will credit him with really kind of giving me my best business lesson, I'll be about six months into my career. And we talked about those classified ads in the newspaper. Well, I needed his help. I needed his confirmation on on some of these because he left me on my own to do them. And I panicked, because I wasn't confident in everything that was going in the paper. And I had actually missed that deadline, because I couldn't get ahold of him. I couldn't get him to confirm it. So I thought it was better to just leave it Boy, was that a mistake. And I learned that one pretty quick. Because when he came in the next day, I was mad. And I kind of let him have it. And finally, when he calmed me down, he just said, Look, I don't always make the right decisions. But at least I made a decision. And that one's always stuck with me, because like he said, he says, because you didn't get those ads out on again, we missed opportunities, we likely could have picked up a couple of sales, it didn't matter if they were 100%. Right. But as long as they were out there, we can deal with, you know, the wrong message or the wrong price. But the fact that you didn't get them out was the bigger mistake. So he says, All I asked you to do is make a decision and own it. So ever since then, now, are you better at making decisions? Because you always have that in the back of your mind? I always have that in the back of my mind, even though even though I'll make a decision, they'll come back and they'll question me on it. Don't ever get me but at least I made the decision. Right?

Joelly Goodson Lang: 11:46

No kidding. Well, that's a great story. It's things like that, that stick with you. Okay, so let's talk about the Shane Holmes brand. How would you distinguish your brand? What? How would you describe it? And how would you say you guys are different than other home builders?

Shane Wenzel: 12:00

I mean, you could you could use a broad statement and just say, I guess we're a community builder. We're a city builder and a dream builder. And I guess really what that comes back to is our values are very proud of the values that we created within the company. And that started a number of years ago under Catalunya, and they've just kind of evolved as as the company's growing up over the years, we value our people, we value our trade partners, we value our customers, and we don't just say that we actually mean it because we have a customer experience. And and that just defines what we do everyday for them.

Joelly Goodson Lang: 12:29

Can you elaborate a little bit on the customer experience? Because I think right now we're living in a time where customer experience is huge. You know, I love that you said that? What is it specifically that Shane home does for their customers?

Shane Wenzel: 12:41

I'm the first one to sit there and say I'm not going to be the cheapest homes out there. Because we want the best quality, we want the best value, we want the best experience for our customers. We want them to have a fun time building a new home, it really shouldn't be stressful. It should be fun. When you have your staff aligned that way when you have your partners aligned that way they know what they have to do to keep the customer happy.

Joelly Goodson Lang: 13:01

What would you say people say about the Shane homes brand?

Shane Wenzel: 13:03

I think exactly that where that community builder where that city builder where that dream builder. That's what I think people would say about us.

Joelly Goodson Lang: 13:10

So what about Shane, the man? Let's talk about I mean, it is your it is your legacy. So what would what do you think people say about you? What's your brand? What do you think they say? And then what would you like them to say? How about that?

Shane Wenzel: 13:24

I think the two are really aligned. I think what they would say is that someone who cares, you someone can have a real conversation with somebody who's prepared to share his knowledge. And that's how we I would like I guess be written. Do you think that's what they say when you're not there? Oh, yeah, I hope so.

Joelly Goodson Lang: 13:40

Whoever's listening, can you make sure let us know? Well, I mean, that's a good legacy to have definitely thing on the personal note for a second, you are an openly gay man, you came out at 42, which some people might say is relatively late in life, just to back up for a little bit. The reason I know this is because how you and I connected I should share this. You did a post on LinkedIn, I think was just before Christmas. And you were challenging people to post pictures of themselves with their children. I think we're family members. Yeah. And you were going to donate to the LBGTQ community. Correct. Someone actually sent me your I didn't even see it. Somebody sent it to me and said, Hey, check this out. And I was blown away. I was really impressed by that. So I put a picture because my son is gay. And he's 14, sorry, it's not 14. He's 17. He's the older one. But I posted on your post and I said, oh, here's my it wasn't a Christmas picture. But my son also does drag. So I posted a picture him and drag and I said, Well, here's my son, I'm so impressed with what you're doing. And you know, kudos to you. And then I think I sent you a message and then we start and I said, you know, that was a great post you did and I was really impressed. And then you and I connected that way. And that's sort of how we are here today because because then I got to learn a bit about you. Yeah. And I was really, really impressed with that. So you know, as I said, so you're very open about it. You shared with me that you were 42, when you came out, what was that like for you both personally and professionally?

Shane Wenzel: 15:04

Both were a real challenge, you know, and I had been married for 14 years, and I have a son. And one day, I'm divorced. And you know, I think I spent about a year making him comfortable with everything that had gone on, and you sit there on your couch and try to get yourself back to the dating world, and you kind of stare and say, well, kind of always had these feelings, and I honestly never wanted them. And you kind of sit there and you reflect back over your life. And you're sitting there saying, Well, I mean, this is the Ultimate Reset button. So what do you do? Yeah, how, how real or really, how authentic Do you want to be and things just kind of, I don't want to say exploded from there. But they really kind of took off. And I met my partner, Matt online probably about a year later and eventually moved in. And we just we had a lot of these very candid conversations, which helped push me even further, personally and coming out to my family was relatively easy, you know, a little bit bumpy at times, because you're worried about what they're going to say what they're going to do on how that will affect your life. From that point on. Now, I had great encouragement from that. And that kind of opened things up. And I guess when it came to coming out, officially, it was just done over a Facebook post over the Christmas holidays. And I looked at and said, Here's a picture of Matt nine, Merry Christmas, Happy to have my partner here. And that way everybody can have their conversations about it over the holidays. And then we kind of get going on with life in January. And that's really the way it worked out.

Joelly Goodson Lang: 16:25

That's a great story. Who would you say was the hardest person to tell on a personal level?

Shane Wenzel: 16:29

Yeah, I think your parents are always the hardest to tell, because they know you one way most of your life, and then all of a sudden, you're kind of dropping this on them that, hey, I've always had these feelings. And you know, I'm more comfortable this way than any other way. And I really hope you still love me. And yes, both of them do, of course, always helps when you have a partner that that's accepted as well. And, you know, Matt does his part. But I think the biggest challenge came professionally, because you're always worried I was I can affect the relationships you have in the industry and outside of the industry in general. And I think it was Matt, who said to me at one point, someday, one day, you're just going to kind of wake up and say how the hell with it? I don't care what people think. And you know, and that's all there is to it. And he was right, you know, because it just didn't matter. After a while. Yeah, getting over the family was easiest. And then kind of letting other people know here and within the industry help. But finally, you just sit there and say The hell with it. This is who I am, I'm not going to go back in the closet for anyone and good for you.

Joelly Goodson Lang: 17:27

You know, I find it so sad. I have people that still come up to me and say, you know, you're such a good mother. And that's so amazing for your son. And I just, I couldn't imagine not you know what I mean? Like they're your child and you love them and you accept them no matter what. I think that's great that your parents and your family and everybody accepted you and then to go publicly like that for the bank, so to speak. That's awesome. Was there any backlash as far as the Shane homes brand go, because Cal and Edith, they come from a pretty conservative background, right small town and then Alberta is pretty conservative. So how did that affect the brand? Or did it?

Shane Wenzel: 18:00

I think the thought crossed my mind for maybe five minutes. And a again, I was back to the hell with it. Although I'm gay. I'm in a relationship. I love man to death my son goes to and this is just normal has had any effect on on things on some people. Well, and I guess they have something to deal with. I don't.

Joelly Goodson Lang: 18:17

Yeah, absolutely. And really, I mean, one thing that seems to come up a lot when I'm having conversations with a lot of people right now is how important authenticity is when it comes to branding. Right? And especially right now everybody's online social media. And the more authentic you are, the more you can connect with your audience. And I think it's only going to bring people closer. So do you feel it's actually had a positive effect? Like you being so you're on social media right now you do videos? I mean, you're honestly I think the that I know of, you know, the only president of multimillion dollar corporation that gets on and does these live videos? How has that impacted? Shane homes brand and the business? Do you find you're getting good feedback from that?

Shane Wenzel: 19:02

Yeah, we do get some good feedback from it. But that was more of a challenge from our marketing team. But a year ago, everything that was going on, that to me was easy, because I had been on social media for 11 years, I was the one that helped initiate it here in the company. As you can see, this was a valuable marketing tool going forward. But where they challenged me was they said we could really use your support, we could really use your help. Of course, you're sitting there saying Well, yeah, I guess I could be things are a little quieter. Yeah. As we lock everything down, you know, people are counting soft and sound and what the hell do I do now?

Joelly Goodson Lang: 19:33

What were you doing on social media before your communications department said we need your help. You said you were on it years ago. What were you doing?

Shane Wenzel: 19:40

I mean, I you know, just having fun.

Joelly Goodson Lang: 19:42

Oh, so you weren't doing anything wasn't for business. You were just on it personally.

Shane Wenzel: 19:46

Yeah, more soccer kind of learning from it. When you start off 11 years ago, there really isn't a guidebook as to how this thing works. So you kind of learn through some of the blunders that you make and some of the good posts and the bad posts and then you really begin to kind of realize the power. And I was actually getting some good knowledge from it. Because you know, people would give their opinions on housing and what have you, we'd have customers track me down and send messages that way. And you know, some were good, some weren't so good. But you could really see that this was a phenomenal communication tool that we weren't utilized. And when the team asked for help, I'm like, Well, sure I can do I don't know what I'm going to do. Just put me in the right direction. And you know what to do. All I told him, as I said, you know, I'm not gonna sit on there and you know, talk about housing all the time, because I said, that's gonna get boring after a while. That's your job, and I can help support it. I said, I have to do something different.

Joelly Goodson Lang: 20:37

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Shane Wenzel: 22:16

It's affected in a good way. And in a big way. I don't want to use the word pivot because I've learned to hate

Joelly Goodson Lang: 22:23

There's a drinking game You know, every time you say pivot, you take a shot.

Shane Wenzel: 22:28

And alcohol over there. Yeah. No, I think we're it's good is that you always kind of envision what the future could be for home buying. because traditionally, for example, when I started 31 years ago, there used to be about roughly eight or nine subdivisions in Calgary with multiple show home locations within them. And people used to make a weekend drive out of that. So we used to have 30,000 couples go out to our show homes in a given year. And you'd seen the traffic drop over the years, as websites became more prevalent, and people spent more time shopping that way. So all COVID did was really kind of accelerate all of that into a new kind of normal for shopping for houses. So on our website. Now, you know, you had to add in virtual tours. Fortunately, we were already ahead of that. We had a huge digital shift in our marketing plan started on December of 2019. So this was relatively easy to put into place. But then all of a sudden now you're digitizing working towards digitizing your whole process. So literally, if your salespeople had to they could sell it from the couch of their own home and road COVID we actually have had a couple of customers buy houses strictly from us online, they haven't even gone into the show. Yeah, we're just digitizing the process even more we have our sales people on social media and learning how to respond and different methods rather than just picking up the phone or sending a quick email. I mean, they're having to evolve with the times now definitely,

Joelly Goodson Lang: 23:50

I mean I think everybody's changing the way they do business. It's funny I saw you did a post and you're asking about the home gym in the house, I can tell you that I never wanted a home gym. I love going to the gym you know that's sort of like been a social thing for me I go early, my boyfriend I go together and then the gyms closed. And what I would give for a home gym right now and we were talking with the other day and saying how you know we got another place or we moved home gym now is going to be as important as my home office. So how do you find designing of your homes how COVID has affected that and what people are now wanting that they maybe didn't want pre COVID?

Shane Wenzel: 24:23

They want it all now on their lifestyle.

Joelly Goodson Lang: 24:26

Well it's good thing you can offer it all isn't it?

Shane Wenzel: 24:29

We have people moving out of the Corps out to suburbia because they want a backyard they didn't have a backyard living in their condominium but with people having the available option of working out of their home now they need more space because they need that home office jumping back to the backyard is being able to get out there for fresh air but having that functional space it doesn't have to be huge but just to get out, sit on the patio furniture, have a barbecue and relax out there is a huge, huge thing. Yeah, when I started 31 years ago, I always said people bought houses for investment. Because I had to have that traditional living room dining room family room combination. You know that age old house where it was a two story split, then we sold hundreds of and now more than ever people are buying homes to live in,

Joelly Goodson Lang: 25:14

and work and workout in.

Shane Wenzel: 25:17

Yeah, they wants it. They want the gym, they want the home theater. They don't want to call it cocooning, because that's, that's an old term. And that never really happened. But you know, they want to get more out of that space.

Joelly Goodson Lang: 25:28

Why don't you want to call it cocooning? Did you ever read the faith popcorn book?

Shane Wenzel: 25:30

Many years ago, but that that's exactly what I was thinking. Right? We see you and I are about the same age. That's why.

Joelly Goodson Lang: 25:36

But I mean, isn't that what we're doing?

Shane Wenzel: 25:38

You are but you aren't, I think faith popcorn five more or less that you would cocoon at home. But so you were basically going from the office back home, and we would even go out to movies, but people still go out. They still have to get out for that entertainment value, and they have to get out for that experience. Right now they're not able to but eventually they will, you know, but don't think that's gonna change.

Joelly Goodson Lang: 25:57

You don't think going to movies is gonna change?

Shane Wenzel: 26:00

I couldn't be wrong. I don't think so. I think people still, especially now into a lockdown situation that they they want to get out. Because you've taken away all their entertainment options even now, you know, I mean, yes, the movie theaters are open. But there's nothing new coming. Right. I think people are desperate to get out.

Joelly Goodson Lang: 26:18

I think the first time you and I ever talked you were saying I can't wait to like, get out. But you can only take the dog for a walk so often. You're going to the grocery store is not like going to the animals. Yeah, no, for sure. It's very mundane after a while, and then you need different entertainment options. So yeah, I think they will I think they will go back, you know, even for that, you know, just window shopping at the mall. I think people go for that. Yeah, absolutely. Well, I mean, I there's definitely been a prize and more people spending more time at home. I mean, I know we're forced to do it. But there's been, you know, it's been all over the news that there's a lumber shortage because the housing market and the renovation market, we actually had a new pergola built this summer for our backyard just to spend more time out there. And because we have I think people are spending more time in their homes than ever before. Oh, sure they are. So how do you think with the changing that's going on in the building of your homes? How do you think your branding will change to meet that or to match that? And what will you do differently? I mean, you talked about being more in the digital space, there are other things that you see changing?

Shane Wenzel: 27:22

While the digital space is gonna be the biggest one, the way people communicate is really going to be another kind of updates they expect because they're maybe not ready to or they're not able to go to the sites all the time to see the progress of their home. So they're gonna want to see that and we have to be able to accommodate that. So you're on LinkedIn, are you on Tick Tock? Me personally, I haven't I haven't used it. But I'm on Twitter, on LinkedIn. I'm on Instagram. I'm on youtube facebook account, but primarily for you know, just for the company. And yeah, they leave me alone there but they're waiting for the day I see you do a dance on tik tok.

Joelly Goodson Lang: 28:06

I am surprised your young communications team hasn't tried to get you to go on there.

Shane Wenzel: 28:10

So while I tried to say that they haven't, haven't been bugging me.They are young you don't think anybody's over over 30?

Joelly Goodson Lang: 28:20

There's right I know. That's what you mentioned. That's funny. Well, Shane is been so nice talking to you. I mentioned this to you the first time we talked, you have such a calming voice and your whole persona says so calm. I think we're a real contrast. Because I'm super excited to you, you kind of bring me down which is kind of not not down sorry, in a negative way. I mean, more in a calm way. So my mother says the same thing. Oh, yeah, you're very calm voice. So it really appreciate you taking the time to speak with me today and sharing some of your information about your brand and Shane homes and your family and being so open and vulnerable. I really appreciate that too. Because you know what, if there's, even though you're open, and I'm open, and I think we're getting progressive in that way, there's still a lot of people that aren't so if you can inspire each other to really be their authentic self. That is huge. So I applaud you for that. Thank you very much. I'll keep doing that. Because we should be more open and authentic. Exactly. And because you know, for people like yourself, it's easier for someone like my son who was was 12 when he came out actually to do that right? Because he sees you so thank you. If people want to learn more about you and about Shane homes, what's the best way for them to get a hold of you

Shane Wenzel: 29:31

Go on to Shane Wenzel at whatever, and you're probably gonna find even homes. We have this lovely website, but they're on every channel out there Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, you name it, they're there.

Joelly Goodson Lang: 29:43

Okay, great. Well, thank you again, I really appreciate Good luck with everything.

Shane Wenzel: 29:47

And I look forward to meeting you in person one day, and we will as soon as we can get past this.

Joelly Goodson Lang: 29:52

That sounds great. We'll talk to you soon. Thank you very much. Okay, bye. And there you have it. I really hope you enjoyed the conversation and maybe learned a few things to help you with your branding. But most of all, I really hope you had some fun. This show is a work in progress. So please make sure to rate and review on whatever platform you listen to. And if you want to learn more about the branding badass, that's me. You can find me on social media under you know it, branding badness. Thanks again. And until next time, here's to all you badasses out there.