The Content Play That Took a Local Remodeler National

About This Episode:

What do you do when you’ve invested in marketing tools, agencies, and maybe even HubSpot, and are only seeing little to no ROI?

Your website looks polished, but doesn’t convert. Your content is either missing or scattered. And your sales team has stopped trusting that marketing can actually help.

That’s where most companies stall out.

But not Custom Built.

They faced all the same challenges: flat results, wasted spend, no clear path forward. And instead of doubling down on what wasn’t working, they built something completely different: a professionally produced home improvement show that now airs across local and national platforms.

Not only did it build awareness, but it brought in real customers. One viewer even canceled their contractor and hired Custom Built after watching an episode. That’s not a vanity metric. That’s revenue.

In this episode of Endless Customers, I sat down with Isabelle Braeutigam, Director of Marketing at Custom Built, to unpack how they went from zero strategy to a professionally produced, revenue-driving show. 

If you’ve been stuck in marketing limbo, this conversation will give you a clear path to build a marketing system that works, without relying on guesswork.

What Custom Built’s marketing looked like before Endless Customers

Back in 2022, Custom Built was stuck in a cycle that’s all too familiar. They had a decent-looking website and a few scattered marketing efforts, but nothing was moving the needle. They’d worked with multiple outside firms, spent money on campaigns, and still weren’t seeing consistent leads or sales from their marketing.

Even with HubSpot set up, it felt like they were paying for software they couldn’t fully use. There was no content strategy. No in-house capabilities. No traction.

Her words? “We hired and fired endless amounts of marketing teams… zero content creation. Our website was status quo at best.”

That’s when Isabelle and her team made a different decision. They brought marketing in-house and partnered with IMPACT to build a real system, one that aligned sales, marketing, and leadership around a common goal: growth.

And they didn’t dip a toe in. They dove in headfirst.

With coaching support, they implemented the core pillars of the Endless Customers System^TM:

• Three blog articles per week
• Two long-form and two short-form videos
• Alignment between sales and marketing using regular huddles and shared goals

This wasn’t some theoretical playbook. It was day-to-day implementation with deadlines, expectations, and accountability.

Sounds like a content bootcamp. That’s because it was. And it worked.

The team began publishing consistently. Sales started using content to answer buyer questions before the first meeting. Marketing became a measurable growth engine, not just a cost center.

“Great coaches can really help make all the difference in actually implementing a system,” Isabelle said. “We went from asking, ‘Should we post this?’ to building a machine that creates content with a purpose.”

That shift, from scattered effort to structured execution, is what laid the groundwork for everything that came next.

How Custom Built transformed their team into a video-first culture

One of the biggest shifts wasn’t logistical; it was cultural. As a mid-sized business in Lansing, Michigan, the idea of a remodeler being a “media company that remodels” felt like a stretch at first.

Internally, there was hesitation. People weren’t comfortable on camera. Some questioned whether customers would even care. Others worried about the time commitment or how this would impact their “real work.”

That’s normal. Most teams don’t jump into video with confidence. But leadership didn’t waver. They set the expectation, provided the support, and kept showing up.

“It takes your team, a content manager, a videographer, and a sales team who’s willing to get behind the camera,” Isabelle explained. “And people just in general don’t like change.”

Over time, the mindset started to shift. Salespeople saw how video helped shorten their sales cycle. Marketing saw their work actually being used. Leaders saw buy-in grow.

And perhaps most importantly, the team started having fun with it.

They realized video wasn’t just about promotion, it was about connection. Showing up on camera, explaining complex processes, and being transparent built trust in a way no brochure ever could.

That initial discomfort gave way to a bigger vision. Video became the foundation for brand awareness, trust, and lead generation.

They weren’t just producing content. They were becoming the kind of company that buyers trust before ever picking up the phone.

How their video strategy evolved into a full-fledged home improvement show

Then came the unexpected opportunity: a local TV station reached out with an idea for a home improvement show.

“They had seen our YouTube content and said, ‘Do you want to create a TV show together?'”

It sounded big. Maybe even a little crazy. But Isabelle said yes.

At first, they leaned into a studio setup. It was safe, clean, and scripted. The format included:

• 17-minute roundtable episodes where hosts discussed remodeling insights
• 2-minute educational clips packed with quick takeaways
• 15-second tips meant to grab attention and inspire action

It was a solid first draft. But something was missing.

“We swing hammers. We demo walls. The studio stuff felt dry,” Isabelle said.

The show looked good. It just didn’t feel like them.

So they pivoted. Isabelle, along with their in-house videographer Matthew and content manager Joey, reimagined the concept entirely.

Instead of talking about remodeling, they would show it. Raw, real, and unscripted. Think HGTV with boots on the ground and stories told from inside the project.

Their breakthrough episode followed a full home addition across three phases: design, build, and reveal. The team captured it all, including consultations, on-site problem-solving, and the emotional final walkthrough.

“It took so much coordination. I had no idea how much producing a piece of content like this would take.”

They planned around construction schedules, weather delays, and real-life chaos. They filmed in homes, in trucks, on rooftops. And it all had to come together in a coherent, engaging storyline.

But the payoff? Worth every minute.

How local video content took Custom Built to national syndication

Once they nailed the format, distribution followed. 

The show aired on local stations, but then something bigger happened. The station’s affiliate network picked it up for national syndication. Suddenly, Custom Built had a national platform.

No massive media buy. No national PR push. Just good content with real value.

And it wasn’t just traditional TV. They published episodes on YouTube, where engagement exploded. One video neared 100,000 views.

“That was all us. We shot and produced it all in-house,” Isabelle said. “We had some second shooters, but this was our team.”

And viewers weren’t just watching. They were sharing, commenting, and reaching out.

Proof that episodic content closes real deals

This wasn’t vanity content. The show actually closed deals.

Isabelle shared one moment that stuck: a homeowner had already signed a contract with another remodeler. Then they saw Custom Built’s show. They recognized the team, felt a gut-level trust, and, after seeing one of the trucks in their neighborhood, canceled the first contract and signed with Custom Built instead.

And that’s just one example. While it’s hard to directly attribute every dollar back to a single episode, these wins build confidence across the entire organization.

“This is a long-term producer, not a short-term play,” Isabelle said. “But when you start seeing those stories pile up, you know it’s working.”

How Custom Built turned their show into a growth platform for partners

The show became a platform for more than just Custom Built; it was for the entire local community.

Local plumbers, electricians, and vendors got involved. These partners don’t just show up in the credits; they’re featured. They get full spotlight episodes that highlight their work and build their brand.

They also created “Sponsor Connect” days: gatherings where partners could network, share ideas, and build stronger ties.

“Six different businesses, all trying to grow, but we get together and say, how can I help you grow yours?” Isabelle said.

Now we’re talking.

It’s one thing to create a show. It’s another to create a show that becomes a hub for your business ecosystem. That’s what Custom Built did.

They launched a movement.

How one shoot fuels weeks of content across every funnel stage

Isabelle is a big fan of maximizing output. Repurposing isn’t just a side strategy; it’s baked into the entire production plan.

Each 17-minute episode becomes:

• Full-length YouTube videos optimized for search

• Short-form clips formatted for Instagram Reels, TikTok, and Facebook

• Website features and blog content with embedded video and commentary

• Sponsored shorts customized for each partner featured in the episode

• Internal training material for onboarding and sales enablement

And they get creative with distribution. Those 15-second quick tips? They’re not just for social, they’re cut into YouTube Shorts that air during the evening news on local TV.

“Imagine you’re watching your local news, and then a YouTube Short-style tip comes on. It’s totally different from anything else on the air,” Isabelle said.

They also reuse content across sales follow-up emails, client onboarding sequences, and partner pitches. It’s not about reinventing the wheel. It’s about making one really great wheel and putting it on every car.

This kind of repurposing helps them get maximum return on every shoot day. One filming session supports weeks of content, spanning top-of-funnel awareness, middle-of-funnel education, and bottom-of-funnel conversion.

5 lessons for any business ready to launch a video series that converts

Thinking of creating your own show or content series? Isabelle shared five big takeaways that made all the difference for their team:

1. Start before it’s perfect. “If we hadn’t started with the studio version, we never would’ve evolved into the episodic format.” The polished stuff came later. Just get something off the ground.
2. Hire or train a real videographer. Not just someone with a camera. You need someone who understands storytelling, editing flow, audio, lighting, and what makes a viewer stop scrolling.
3. Get full team buy-in. This isn’t just a marketing initiative. Sales has to be involved. Leadership has to believe in it. Culture has to support it. Otherwise, it fizzles.
4. Ask your customers to be part of it. “You’d be surprised how many say yes,” Isabelle said. When clients feel like they’re part of the journey, not just a job number, they’re proud to share their experience. And that means more reach and more trust.
5. Think long-term. “You won’t see all the ROI right away. But you’ll build something real.” This isn’t about going viral. It’s about building trust and authority over time. The kind of brand that people want to work with, before you even sell them.

And if all of that sounds like a lot, well, it is. But it’s also a system you can build one step at a time.

What you can take from Custom Built’s journey

At the end of the day, most marketing teams don’t fail because of a lack of effort. They fail because their systems are scattered, unmeasured, and disconnected from sales.

That’s exactly where Custom Built started: frustrated by poor ROI, unsure of what to do next, and overwhelmed by tools that weren’t delivering. But by embracing the Endless Customers System^TM, aligning their team around content, and leaning into video storytelling, they built a machine that not only generates brand awareness but also drives real revenue.

If you’re stuck in that same limbo, marketing that feels busy but isn’t delivering, it’s time to ask a new question:

What if your company became the show?

What if instead of trying to interrupt your buyers with ads, you created something they’d actually choose to watch?

That shift in thinking changes everything. Because the companies that win today aren’t the ones shouting the loudest. They’re the ones who show up consistently, educate generously, and build trust long before the sale.

Custom Built proved it’s possible. And not just for giant brands or massive teams, but for a local business with a clear mission, a committed team, and the courage to think differently.

If they can do it, so can you.

Connect with Isabelle

Isabelle Braeutigam is the Director of Marketing at Custom Built, has become an industry advisor in the customer relations software Hubspot, has a keen talent for elements of design, and currently leads the marketing team under the innovative Endless Customers System. 

Connect with Isabelle on LinkedIn

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