Master Builders Elevate: Building a Better Business

Ryan sits down with Master Builders CEO Ankit Sharma to unpack what came out of Constructive and what the latest State of the Sector numbers mean for builders. Ankit's read on the event is that adaptability drives innovation and collaboration drives resilience, and that you need both to grow sustainably. He shares real examples from businesses around the country, including a builder whose team now dictates site notes into an AI app that turns them into daily customer reports, and a CEO running his CRM data through AI to get the insights he used to pull together by hand.

On the numbers, 68% of Master Builders report a strong or steady pipeline, up from 64%, and construction grew 2.7% last quarter, effectively driving New Zealand's GDP growth. Ankit explains why better informed customers are taking longer to commit, why competing on value rather than price is what unlocks that pipeline, and why 91% of homeowners saying they would recommend building matters more than the headlines. The conversation closes with his recent LinkedIn piece on why the best ideas sound stupid at first, including the uncomfortable finding that the best ideas in a business are usually already sitting with the team.

Useful links
Connect with Ankit Sharma on LinkedIn
2026 State of the Sector
Why the Best Ideas Sound Stupid at First 
Constructive 2026
Subscribe to Rethink 4.0 Newsletter

Where else you can find us
Website: https://www.masterbuilder.org.nz/
Elevate Platform: http://elevate.masterbuilder.org.nz
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/masterbuildernz/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/registeredmasterbuilders
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmh_9vl0pFf0zSB6N7RrVeg

What is Master Builders Elevate: Building a Better Business?

Welcome to the Master Builders Elevate podcast, hosted by Ryan Castle, where we discuss topics and talk with experts, advocates and business owners in the New Zealand construction industry. We share knowledge, insights and experiences to help you build a better business and enjoy a better life. The podcast explores ideas and practices that help builders get the best from their businesses, teams and themselves. Every second week a new episode will be released. You can listen online or find and subscribe to the podcast on your favorite podcast platform, such as Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

In addition to a podcast, Registered Master Builders Elevate is the online learning portal exclusively for Master Builders. Here you’ll find courses, microcourses and other learning resources – all free to you as part of your membership. Elevate offers the flexibility to learn what you need when you need it and at your own pace. The learning platform can be accessed anywhere, anytime and on any device and is available to all your staff. When members complete an Elevate course, they also earn LBP points.