The "Level Up" with Duayne Pearce Podcast

Hosted by Duayne Pearce

Business Entrepreneurship Education

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Episodes

207

Latest episode

Aug 2026

Language

EN-AU

About the show

I take on the role of an authoritative voice that fearlessly communicates truths drawn directly from my lived experiences. With a genuine sense of ownership, my insights are free from any hidden agendas – they truly belong to the audience. My stories and journey add remarkable value, the key now lies in harnessing its power effectively to help others. My purpose is to create a new residential building industry. My mission is to inspire unshakable self-confidence in my colleagues in the industry, empowering them to orchestrate prosperous, enduring, and lucrative businesses that bring exceptional projects to fruition for our clients. My goal is to foster a deeper comprehension among clients about the identity and functions of builders, redefining their perceptions.

Listen to episodes

60 recent

August 17, 2026Episode 20656 min

What Australian Builders are Losing & Why the Old Ways of Building were Better

Check out our partner, Hazard Co! https://www.hazardco.com/au/ Check out our tools partner! Bretts: https://bretts.com.au/ Checkout our the best timber out there! https://highwood.com.au/ Follow me on my Socials! (https://www.instagram.com/duaynepearce/) (https://www.facebook.com/DuaynePearceBuild) (https://www.tiktok.com/@duaynepearcebuilder) Check out Duayne’s other projects: 🔹 RJ Hill Homes - https://www.rjhillhomes.com.au/ 🔹 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/rjhillhomes/ Check out Duayne’s other projects: 🔹 Live Life Build — https://livelifebuild.com 🔹 D Pearce Constructions — https://dpearceconstructions.com.au 🔹 QuoteEaze — https://quoteeaze.com/Free-Offer.html In this episode of Level Up, Duane sits down with Rik Hill of RJ Hill Homes — a Live Life Build Elevate member who opens up about his path from a 1990s UK carpentry apprenticeship to running his own custom building business in Australia. Rik shares the old-school trade skills that are disappearing, the costly mistake that nearly ruined him during a franchise venture, and why durability and healthy home building should be at the center of the industry's future. Timestamps: 0:00 – LEVEL UP 3:15 – Welcome back & introducing Rik Hill 4:09 – How Rik got into the building industry in the UK 18:37 – Hand-cutting roofs: "the PhD of carpentry" 32:44 – Power outage interrupts the episode (we kept rolling) 34:43 – What brought Rik to Australia 37:04 – Sponsor: Hywood Timber's Hyflo battens 39:10 – The costly mistake: jumping into a franchise 43:38 – Getting cranking again on his own 46:22 – Getting into the good stuff: building trade culture & loyalty 50:46 – Building healthier homes with Pro Clima 55:34 – What "Level Up" really means 56:21 – Outro Send us Fan Mail Support the show Follow me on my Socials! (https://www.instagram.com/duaynepearce/) (https://www.facebook.com/DuaynePearceBuild) (https://www.tiktok.com/@duaynepearcebuilder) Check out Duayne’s other projects: 🔹 Live Life Build — https://livelifebuild.com 🔹 D Pearce Constructions — https://dpearceconstructions.com.au 🔹 QuoteEaze — https://quoteeaze.com/Free-Offer.html Check out the Duayne

August 10, 2026Episode 20515 min

Building Needs to Be MORE Expensive to be LESS Expensive

August 3, 2026Episode 2041 hr 9 min

From Anxiety & Burnout to Building a Thriving Business ft. Adam & Sarah Sharpe

Something on your mind about your business? Grab 15 minutes with Duayne Pearce, founder of Live Life Build. No pitch, no script… just a straight-up chat about where things are at and where they could go next. Book Now: https://www.livelifebuild.com/haveachat/ Check out our partner, Hazard Co! https://www.hazardco.com/au/ Check out our tools partner! Bretts: https://bretts.com.au/ Checkout our the best timber out there! https://highwood.com.au/ Follow me on my Socials! (https://www.instagram.com/duaynepearce/) (https://www.facebook.com/DuaynePearceBuild) (https://www.tiktok.com/@duaynepearcebuilder) Check out Sharpe & Co. Pty Ltd: 🔹 Sharpe & Co. — https://sharpeco.com.au/home 🔹 Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/sharpeandcoconstructions/ 🔹 Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/sharpeandcocarpentry Check out Duayne’s other projects: 🔹 Live Life Build — https://livelifebuild.com 🔹 D Pearce Constructions — https://dpearceconstructions.com.au 🔹 QuoteEaze — https://quoteeaze.com/Free-Offer.html Adam and Sarah Sharpe from Sharpe & Co. Pty Ltd join Duane to share how they went from burnout, mental health struggles, and a near-business collapse to doubling their turnover in just 12 months — all while raising three young kids. A raw, honest conversation about what it really takes to build a business and a life you're proud of. Send us Fan Mail Support the show Follow me on my Socials! (https://www.instagram.com/duaynepearce/) (https://www.facebook.com/DuaynePearceBuild) (https://www.tiktok.com/@duaynepearcebuilder) Check out Duayne’s other projects: 🔹 Live Life Build — https://livelifebuild.com 🔹 D Pearce Constructions — https://dpearceconstructions.com.au 🔹 QuoteEaze — https://quoteeaze.com/Free-Offer.html Check out the Duayne

July 27, 2026Episode 2031 hr 49 min

What Actually Makes A Home Healthy — And It's Not What Instagram Is Telling You

A new build can look spotless and still be a chemical soup. We get real about building biology, indoor air quality, mould risk, and the uncomfortable truth that “low odour” does not mean low toxicity. If you’ve ever walked into a freshly finished home and felt headachy, wired, or just off, this chat explains what might be happening and what builders and owners can do about it. Brett Fowler joins me to unpack what we’re learning as we chase homes that are genuinely healthy and durable, not just shiny. We talk fit-for-purpose building in Australian climates, why Instagram details need context, and why energy efficiency star ratings can’t be the only yardstick. Then we go deeper into practical building science: sensors and as-built data, moisture testing before lining, timber quality and sap content, and design moves that handle bulk water properly through roof pitch, smart drainage and better wet area thinking. We also cover how tighter homes change HVAC design, especially in Queensland humidity, where sizing, run time and dehumidification can make or break comfort. Finally, we zoom out to the bigger picture: smaller homes, less waste, fewer glues and coatings where possible, and building in ways that get better with age instead of falling apart behind perfect finishes. If you’re a builder, designer, or homeowner who wants better outcomes, hit subscribe, share this with someone in the industry, and leave a review so more people can find the conversations that push building forward. What part of your home worries you most: moisture, air quality, or materials? Send us Fan Mail Support the show Follow me on my Socials! (https://www.instagram.com/duaynepearce/) (https://www.facebook.com/DuaynePearceBuild) (https://www.tiktok.com/@duaynepearcebuilder) Check out Duayne’s other projects: 🔹 Live Life Build — https://livelifebuild.com 🔹 D Pearce Constructions — https://dpearceconstructions.com.au 🔹 QuoteEaze — https://quoteeaze.com/Free-Offer.html Check out the Duayne

July 20, 2026Episode 20227 min

Why So Many People Fail Before They Even Begin

Something on your mind about your business? Grab 15 minutes with Duayne Pearce, founder of Live Life Build. No pitch, no script… just a straight-up chat about where things are at and where they could go next. Book Now: https://www.livelifebuild.com/haveachat/ Check out our partner, Hazard Co! https://www.hazardco.com/au/ Check out our tools partner! Bretts: https://bretts.com.au/ Checkout our the best timber out there! https://highwood.com.au/ Most people don't fail because they tried and it didn't work out. They fail because they never even started. In this solo episode I talk about one of the things I'm most passionate about, why so many builders, tradies and business owners give up on their dreams before they've even given themselves a real shot. Because of one negative comment. One person who told them it was too hard. One family member who said it wouldn't work. I've been there. I was told I'd never make it as a builder. I ignored it. And I'm glad I did. If you've got a dream you've been sitting on, this one is for you. Send us Fan Mail Support the show Follow me on my Socials! (https://www.instagram.com/duaynepearce/) (https://www.facebook.com/DuaynePearceBuild) (https://www.tiktok.com/@duaynepearcebuilder) Check out Duayne’s other projects: 🔹 Live Life Build — https://livelifebuild.com 🔹 D Pearce Constructions — https://dpearceconstructions.com.au 🔹 QuoteEaze — https://quoteeaze.com/Free-Offer.html Check out the Duayne

July 13, 2026Episode 2011 hr 17 min

Why Australian Tradies Are Getting Softer & What It's Costing The Building Industry ft. Lucas Stone

Check out our partner, Hazard Co! https://www.hazardco.com/au/ Check out our tools partner! Bretts: https://bretts.com.au/ Checkout our the best timber out there! https://highwood.com.au/ Follow me on my Socials! (https://www.instagram.com/duaynepearce/) (https://www.facebook.com/DuaynePearceBuild) (https://www.tiktok.com/@duaynepearcebuilder) Check out Scott and his work: 🔹 HAMMERS - https://www.hammersofficial.com/ 🔹 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/hammers_official 🔹 Built for Battles- https://www.builtforbattles.com/ Check out Duayne’s other projects: 🔹 Live Life Build — https://livelifebuild.com 🔹 D Pearce Constructions — https://dpearceconstructions.com.au 🔹 QuoteEaze — https://quoteeaze.com/Free-Offer.html Lucas Stone is a master tiler, stonemason, boat builder, rock musician and one of the most unfiltered humans I've ever had in the shed. In this episode we go deep on why most tilers don't understand the fundamentals of their own trade, why falls and screeds are a lost art, why young tradies are struggling to cut it in the hard trades, and how Lucas went from overdosing at 22 to building one of the most respected tiling businesses on the Gold Coast. This one pulls absolutely no punches. If you work in the building industry or you've ever had to fight your way back from rock bottom, this episode is for you. Send us Fan Mail Support the show Follow me on my Socials! (https://www.instagram.com/duaynepearce/) (https://www.facebook.com/DuaynePearceBuild) (https://www.tiktok.com/@duaynepearcebuilder) Check out Duayne’s other projects: 🔹 Live Life Build — https://livelifebuild.com 🔹 D Pearce Constructions — https://dpearceconstructions.com.au 🔹 QuoteEaze — https://quoteeaze.com/Free-Offer.html Check out the Duayne

July 6, 2026Episode 2001 hr 15 min

Why 82% Of Australian Home Designs Never Get Built — ft. Scott Bowden - BYO Floor Plan

Check out our partner, Hazard Co! https://www.hazardco.com/au/ Check out our tools partner! Bretts: https://bretts.com.au/ Checkout our the best timber out there! https://highwood.com.au/ Follow me on my Socials! (https://www.instagram.com/duaynepearce/) (https://www.facebook.com/DuaynePearceBuild) (https://www.tiktok.com/@duaynepearcebuilder) Check out Scott and his work: 🔹BYO Floor Plan - https://www.byofloorplan.com.au/ 🔹Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/byofloorplan/ Check out Duayne’s other projects: 🔹 Live Life Build — https://livelifebuild.com 🔹 D Pearce Constructions — https://dpearceconstructions.com.au 🔹 QuoteEaze — https://quoteeaze.com/Free-Offer.html 82% of Australian home designs never get built. That's not just wasted money. That's wasted time, wasted energy and wasted dreams. This week I sat down with Scott Bowden from BYO Floor Plan on the Gold Coast to find out why this keeps happening and what builders, designers and homeowners can do to change it. We talked about why getting a builder involved early in the design process changes everything, why cheap drawings are costing everyone more in the long run, why detailed drawings are one of the best investments a builder can make in their business, and how Scott's new online tool is helping clients figure out their budget before a single line gets drawn. If you're a builder, building designer or homeowner thinking about a custom build or renovation this one is a must listen. Send us Fan Mail Support the show Follow me on my Socials! (https://www.instagram.com/duaynepearce/) (https://www.facebook.com/DuaynePearceBuild) (https://www.tiktok.com/@duaynepearcebuilder) Check out Duayne’s other projects: 🔹 Live Life Build — https://livelifebuild.com 🔹 D Pearce Constructions — https://dpearceconstructions.com.au 🔹 QuoteEaze — https://quoteeaze.com/Free-Offer.html Check out the Duayne

June 29, 2026Episode 19955 min

"I Was Crying On Site Every Day" — This Builder's Raw Mental Health Story Will Hit Home

He was crying in the bathroom on smoko breaks. Withdrawn from his kids. Ready to admit defeat on the business he'd built from nothing. This week I sat down with Mark Boundy from Dalby, a builder who hit rock bottom 18 months ago and found the courage to put his hand up and ask for help. We talk about the financial mistakes that nearly broke him, what it actually felt like in those darkest moments, why it took him four weeks to speak up even after finding support, and how he's slowly learning that being a good tradesman and being worthy of success are not separate things. This isn't just a business podcast episode. This is a raw, honest conversation about mental health in the building industry and what it really takes to come back from rock bottom. If you're a builder or tradie who feels like you're drowning and don't know where to turn, please know you're not alone, and there is always a way through. Send us Fan Mail Support the show Follow me on my Socials! (https://www.instagram.com/duaynepearce/) (https://www.facebook.com/DuaynePearceBuild) (https://www.tiktok.com/@duaynepearcebuilder) Check out Duayne’s other projects: 🔹 Live Life Build — https://livelifebuild.com 🔹 D Pearce Constructions — https://dpearceconstructions.com.au 🔹 QuoteEaze — https://quoteeaze.com/Free-Offer.html Check out the Duayne

June 22, 2026Episode 1981 hr 34 min

4700 Australian Builders Went Insolvent In 2025 — The Hard Truth Nobody Talks About

Check out our partner, Hazard Co! https://www.hazardco.com/au/ Check out our tools partner! Bretts: https://bretts.com.au/ Checkout our the best timber out there! https://highwood.com.au/ Follow me on my Socials! (https://www.instagram.com/duaynepearce/) (https://www.facebook.com/DuaynePearceBuild) (https://www.tiktok.com/@duaynepearcebuilder) Check out Adam and his work: 🔹Mackay Goodwin - https://www.mackaygoodwin.com.au/ 🔹Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/marcus.petrovic/ Check out Duayne’s other projects: 🔹 Live Life Build — https://livelifebuild.com 🔹 D Pearce Constructions — https://dpearceconstructions.com.au 🔹 QuoteEaze — https://quoteeaze.com/Free-Offer.html 4,700 construction businesses went bankrupt in 2025. Is yours next? In this episode of Level Up, I sit down with Marcus from Mackay Goodwin Advisory & Restructuring to talk about one of the most important, and most ignored — topics in the building industry: bankruptcy and insolvency. This isn't a doom-and-gloom episode. It's a survival guide. Marcus has spent 20+ years helping small construction businesses restructure their debt, negotiate with the ATO, and get back on their feet — without losing their license, their home, or their sanity. We get into the real numbers, the real stories, and the real options that most builders don't even know exist. Send us Fan Mail Support the show Follow me on my Socials! (https://www.instagram.com/duaynepearce/) (https://www.facebook.com/DuaynePearceBuild) (https://www.tiktok.com/@duaynepearcebuilder) Check out Duayne’s other projects: 🔹 Live Life Build — https://livelifebuild.com 🔹 D Pearce Constructions — https://dpearceconstructions.com.au 🔹 QuoteEaze — https://quoteeaze.com/Free-Offer.html Check out the Duayne

June 15, 2026Episode 1971 hr 19 min

How A UK Carpenter Cleared $150K Debt In 9 Months & Built A Thriving Building Business In Norway

Check out our partner, Hazard Co! https://www.hazardco.com/au/ Check out our tools partner! Bretts: https://bretts.com.au/ Checkout our the best timber out there! https://highwood.com.au/ Follow me on my Socials! (https://www.instagram.com/duaynepearce/) (https://www.facebook.com/DuaynePearceBuild) (https://www.tiktok.com/@duaynepearcebuilder) Check out Adam and his work: 🔹Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61590520767331 🔹Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/tomrerjones/ @tomrerjones 🔹TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@tomrerjones?lang=en tomrerjones 🔹Website - https://tomrerjones.no/ Check out Duayne’s other projects: 🔹 Live Life Build — https://livelifebuild.com 🔹 D Pearce Constructions — https://dpearceconstructions.com.au 🔹 QuoteEaze — https://quoteeaze.com/Free-Offer.html What happens when a UK carpenter moves to Norway, starts from scratch with no contacts and builds a thriving business in one of the most unique building environments in the world? This week I sat down online with Adam Jones from Tømrer Jones RS in Norway for one of the most fascinating conversations we've had on the podcast. Adam reached out to me on Instagram a few months ago and I knew straight away he had a story worth sharing. From clearing $150K of debt in just nine months to taking on a 480 square meter heritage roof job that two of the biggest roofing companies in his town refused to touch — this bloke is the real deal. We talked about building in Norway vs Australia, the lessons of working with a 62 year old master builder who wouldn't speak a word of English, why knowing your numbers changes everything and why saying no to the wrong clients is the fastest way to build a great business. If you're a tradie or builder anywhere in the world who feels like they're just getting started, this one is for you. Send us Fan Mail Support the show Follow me on my Socials! (https://www.instagram.com/duaynepearce/) (https://www.facebook.com/DuaynePearceBuild) (https://www.tiktok.com/@duaynepearcebuilder) Check out Duayne’s other projects: 🔹 Live Life Build — https://livelifebuild.com 🔹 D Pearce Constructions — https://dpearceconstructions.com.au 🔹 QuoteEaze — https://quoteeaze.com/Free-Offer.html Check out the Duayne